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Kurt Tanzer
View on WikipediaKurt Tanzer (1 November 1920 – 25 June 1960) was a World War II Luftwaffe military aviator. As a flying ace, he is credited with approximately 128–143 aerial victories.[1] He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. He later joined the German Air Force and was killed in a flying accident on 25 June 1960.
Key Information
Career
[edit]Tanzer was born on 1 November 1920 in Moscow. On 18 March 1942, he was transferred from the Ergänzungsgruppe, a supplementary training group, of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing), named after Werner Mölders, to 12. Staffel (12th squadron) of JG 51, and commanded by Hauptmann Heinrich Bär.[2][3] 12. Staffel was a squadron of IV. Gruppe (4th group) which was based at an airfield in Vyazma on the Eastern Front and largely equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2. In May, the Gruppe was briefly withdrawn from combat for a period of maintenance and equipment overhaul at Smolensk. The Gruppe was then sent to Novodugino where it was tasked with providing fighter cover over the left flank of Army Group Center in vicinity of the 9th Army.[4]
On 30 July 1942, the Soviet Kalinin Front launched the First Rzhev–Sychyovka Offensive Operation with the objective to crush the Rzhev salient held by the 9th Army.[5] Tanzer claimed his first aerial victory on 2 August 1942 over an Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack aircraft west of Rzhev.[6][7]
Tanzer achieved his 35th victory on 5 May 1943. On 6 May, Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 attacked the airfield where Tanzer was stationed. He managed to scramble and destroyed two Ilyushin Il-2. Despite being wounded, he continued attacking the raiding Soviet aircraft and shot down two more aircraft. After further intense battle, Tanzer landed his heavily damaged Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-7 (Werknummer 7161—factory number).[8] Tanzer's right hand was seriously injured and he suffered from heavy blood loss.[2][6] For this action, he was mentioned in the Honour Roll of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenblatt der Luftwaffe) and was nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes).[9]
Following a period of convalescence, Tanzer returned to JG 51 and was assigned to the Stabsstaffel (headquarters unit) on 4 November. [6][Note 1] He received the Knight's Cross on 5 December 1943 for 35 victories.[12] With the Stabsstaffel, he flew a number of ground attack missions and increased the number of his aerial victories. In June 1944, Tanzer accompanied Karl-Gottfried Nordmann to the staff of Jagdfliegerführer 6. He achieved his 100th victory in the same month in 1944 while serving with this formation.[2] He was the 81st Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[13] He was then transferred to the staff of Jagdfliegerführer in East Prussia on 1 September 1944. Tanzer was transferred to 13. Staffel of JG 51 on 10 February 1945 and was appointed Staffelkapitän of the unit on 12 April, taking over command from Leutnant Engel who had briefly led the Staffel after its former commander Oberleutnant Peter Kalden had been taken prisoner of war.[6][14]
Later life and death
[edit]
Following World War II, Tanzer joined the post-war Bundesluftwaffe. Hauptmann Tanzer and Oberleutnant Hans-Ludwig Seseke, were killed on 25 June 1960 when their Lockheed T-33A "EB+397" crashed in southwestern Mallorca. T-33 "EB+397" and T-33 "BD+843", piloted by United States Air Force Captain Charles S. Melton and Captain Roger P. Miller, both crashed into the cloud-covered mountains during an instrument flight rules (IFR) approach on Son Sant Joan Airport. All four pilots were killed in the incident.[15][16] Tanzer and Seseke are listed on the Ehrenmal der Bundeswehr (Bundeswehr Memorial).[17]
Summary of career
[edit]Aerial victory claims
[edit]According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Tanzer was credited with 143 aerial victories.[18] Spick also lists him with 143 aerial victories in 723 combat missions, 187 of which were ground attack missions. This figure includes 126 claims on the Eastern Front, and 17 on the Western Front, four of them being four-engined bombers.[1] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that he claimed at least 35 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front. The claim that he is attributed with 128 or even 143 aerial victories cannot be verified through the archives.[19]
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47581". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[20]
| Chronicle of aerial victories | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
| |||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[6] Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 August 1942 | 09:00 | Il-2 | PQ 47581[7] 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Rzhev |
13 | 5 January 1943 | 09:18 | Il-2 | PQ 07792[21] |
| 2 | 5 August 1942 | 04:50 | Pe-2 | PQ 46442[7] 20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Dugino |
14 | 6 January 1943 | 08:30 | MiG-3 | PQ 07554[21] |
| 3 | 24 August 1942 | 07:40 | Il-2 | PQ 47572[22] 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Rzhev |
15 | 6 January 1943 | 11:00 | Pe-2 | PQ 07813[21] |
| ?[Note 2] | 13 September 1942 | 17:35 | Il-2 | 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Spas-Demensk[6] | 16 | 6 January 1943 | 11:58 | Il-2 | PQ 07761[21] |
| 4 | 3 December 1942 | 11:50 | Il-2 | 20 km (12 mi) south-southwest of Tuleblja[24] 20 km (12 mi) south-southwest of Velikiye Luki |
17 | 6 January 1943 | 12:20 | Il-2 | PQ 07732[21] |
| 5 | 8 December 1942 | 12:55 | Il-2 | 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Velikiye Luki[21] | 18 | 7 January 1943 | 12:05 | Pe-2 | PQ 07584[21] |
| 6 | 8 December 1942 | 13:03 | Il-2 | PQ 07521[21] | 19 | 12 January 1943 | 13:18 | MiG-3 | PQ 07564[21] |
| 7 | 9 December 1942 | 08:15 | Il-2 | 33 km (21 mi) southwest of Velikiye Luki[21] | 20 | 15 January 1943 | 11:25 | Pe-2 | PQ 07663[25] |
| 8 | 16 December 1942 | 08:03 | MiG-3 | 25 km (16 mi) south of Velikiye Luki[21] | 21 | 16 January 1943 | 08:10 | MiG-3 | PQ 07582[25] |
| 9 | 16 December 1942 | 08:10 | Il-2 | 35 km (22 mi) northwest of Velikiye Luki[21] | 22 | 16 January 1943 | 08:14 | Pe-2 | PQ 07553[25] |
| 10 | 16 December 1942 | 08:12 | Il-2 | 35 km (22 mi) northwest of Velikiye Luki[21] | 23 | 16 January 1943 | 14:45 | Il-2 | PQ 07363[25] |
| 11 | 16 December 1942 | 11:40 | Il-2 | PQ 07791[21] | 24 | 26 January 1943 | 11:20 | LaGG-3 | PQ 07593[25] |
| 12 | 5 January 1943 | 09:15 | Il-2 | PQ 07762[21] 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Bely |
|||||
| – 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[26] Eastern Front — 4 February – 6 May 1943 | |||||||||
| 25 | 7 March 1943 | 14:40 | MiG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 36142[27] | 31 | 25 April 1943 | 11:47 | Yak-1 | PQ 35 Ost 63571[27] 20 km (12 mi) south-southeast of Trosna |
| 26 | 10 April 1943 | 12:56 | R-Z?[Note 3] | PQ 35 Ost 46731[27] 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Vazma |
32 | 6 May 1943 | 13:18 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 63143[27] 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Oryol |
| 27 | 10 April 1943 | 12:58 | U-2 | PQ 35 Ost 45122[27] 25 km (16 mi) south of Vazma |
33 | 6 May 1943 | 13:19 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 53264[27] 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Oryol |
| 28 | 14 April 1943 | 09:10 | Pe-2 | PQ 35 Ost 42184[27] 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Kursk |
34 | 6 May 1943 | 13:25 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 53264[27] 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Oryol |
| 29?[Note 4] | 14 April 1943 | 09:12 | Yak-1 | PQ 35 Ost 62182[27] | 35 | 6 May 1943 | 13:27 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 63171[27] 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Zmiyovka |
| 30 | 19 April 1943 | 08:52 | R-5 | PQ 35 Ost 45141[27] 30 km (19 mi) south-southwest of Vazma |
|||||
Awards
[edit]- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class[28]
- Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 15 February 1943 as Feldwebel and pilot[29]
- German Cross in Gold on 24 June 1943 as Feldwebel in the 12./Jagdgeschwader 51[30]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 December 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot of the 12./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"[31][32]
Notes
[edit]- ^ In early October 1942, II. Gruppe of JG 51 had been withdrawn from the Eastern Front and sent to Jesau, near present-day Bagrationovsk, to Heiligenbeil, present-day Mamonovo, to be reequipped with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A. While undergoing training on this aircraft, the Gruppe received orders on 4 November to transfer to the Mediterranean theatre flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 again. 6. Staffel had been exempt from this order, was detached from II. Gruppe, and continued its training on the Fw 190. In late November, 6. Staffel was renamed to Stabsstaffel (headquarters squadron) of JG 51.[10] Alternatively, the Stabsstaffel was also referred to as Geschwaderstabsstaffel z.b.V., roughly translating to fighter wing squadron for special deployment'. The abbreviation z. b. V. is German and stands for zur besonderen Verwendung (for special deployment).[11]
- ^ This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock.[23]
- ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Polikarpov R-5.[26]
- ^ This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[26]
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ a b Spick 1996, p. 229.
- ^ a b c Obermaier 1989, p. 214.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 350.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 340.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 342.
- ^ a b c d e f Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1304.
- ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 355.
- ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 157.
- ^ Aders & Held 1993, p. 135.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 247.
- ^ Aders & Held 1993, p. 123.
- ^ Weal 2006, p. 106.
- ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 244.
- ^ Aders & Held 1993, p. 251.
- ^ Accident description for EB+397 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 February 2020.
- ^ Accident description for BD+843 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 February 2020.
- ^ Ehrenmal der Bundeswehr.
- ^ Zabecki 2014, p. 1612.
- ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1304–1305.
- ^ Planquadrat.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Prien et al. 2006, p. 358.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 356.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, pp. 356–357.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 357.
- ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2006, p. 359.
- ^ a b c Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1305.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Prien et al. 2012, p. 147.
- ^ Dixon 2023, p. 61.
- ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 203.
- ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 470.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 419.
- ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 738.
Bibliography
[edit]- Aders, Gebhard; Held, Werner (1993). Jagdgeschwader 51 'Mölders' Eine Chronik – Berichte – Erlebnisse – Dokumente [Fighter Wing 51 'Mölders' A Chronicle – Reports – Experiences – Documents] (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-613-01045-1.
- Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
- Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 4 S–Z. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-21-9.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
- Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/II—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/II—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-77-9.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/II—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/II—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-05-5.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
- Weal, John (2006). Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders". Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 22. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-045-1.
- Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-59884-981-3.
- "Im Ehrenmal der Bundeswehr namentlich genannte verstorbene Bundeswehrangehörige" [Deceased Bundeswehr Members Named in the Bundeswehr Memorial] (PDF). Bundeswehr (in German). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
