Friedrich Körner

Friedrich Körner (24 January 1921 – 3 September 1998) was a World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Körner was credited with 36 victories in over 250 missions.Template:Sfn All of his victories were scored whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.

Military career

Körner was born on 24 January 1921 in Schwerte, in the Province of Westphalia of the Weimar Republic.Template:Sfn He joined the Luftwaffe on 15 November 1939. Following flight and fighter pilot training,Template:Refn Körner was posted to I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing) in North Africa on 4 July 1941.Template:Sfn At the time, the Gruppe was based at Ayn al-Ġazāla and equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-7 fighter aircraft. Körner claimed his first victory on 12 October near Sallum when he shot down a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk.Template:Sfn

In June 1942 he scored 20 kills, five on the 26 June making him an "ace-in-a-day", Körner's most successful day.Template:Sfn On 4 July 1942, a year to the day of his arrival, he was shot down whilst scrambling to intercept a Royal Air Force (RAF) bomber formation over the front line near El Alamein in his Bf 109 F-4/Trop (Werknummer 8696—factory number) "Red 11".Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn His victor was Lieutenant Lawrence Waugh of 1 Squadron SAAF.Template:Sfn Körner was captured and sent to a prisoner of war camp in Canada, and released in 1947.Template:Sfn

After the war

In January 1956, Körner joined the West German Air Force, at the time referred to as the Bundesluftwaffe, holding the rank of Oberleutnant. Initially serving as a flight instructor, he later received general staff training. He retired from military service on 30 June 1979, having reached the rank of Brigadegeneral. Following his retirement, Körner and his wife lived in Paris. He died on 3 September 1998 at the age of in Bailly north-central France.Template:Sfn

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Körner was credited with 36 aerial victories claimed in approximately 250 combat missions, all of which over North Africa.Template:Sfn Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 36 aerial victory claims, all of which over North Africa.Template:Sfn

Chronicle of aerial victories
This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Körner an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 –Template:Sfn Sicily, Balkans and North Africa — 19 July – 17 November 1941
1	12 October 1941	09:34	P-40	southeast of SallumTemplate:Sfn	2	20 October 1941	09:45	Blenheim	north of Marsa LuccechTemplate:Sfn
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 –Template:Sfn In North Africa — 18 November 1941 – 4 July 1942
3	10 December 1941	14:03	Boston	east of Bir HacheimTemplate:Sfn	20	14 June 1942	11:05	P-40	north of KambutTemplate:Sfn
4	28 December 1941	08:55	Hurricane	northeast of El HasseiatTemplate:Sfn	21	14 June 1942	11:10	P-40	north of KambutTemplate:Sfn
5	11 January 1942	12:50	P-40	north of Marsa al-BregaTemplate:Sfn	22	14 June 1942	17:05	Beaufighter	north-northeast of DernaTemplate:Sfn
6	13 January 1942	14:35	P-40	AntelatTemplate:Sfn	23	16 June 1942	15:20	P-40	east of El AdemTemplate:Sfn
7	7 February 1942	14:27	Blenheim	northeast of DernaTemplate:Sfn	24	16 June 1942	18:50	P-40	southwest of KambutTemplate:Sfn
8	8 February 1942	14:27	P-40	Bomba BayTemplate:Sfn	25	17 June 1942	08:50	P-40	east of Sidi RezeghTemplate:Sfn
9	9 March 1942	16:50	Albacore	southwest of Sidi BarraniTemplate:Sfn	26♠	26 June 1942	11:48	P-40	west of Marsa MatruhTemplate:Sfn
10	19 March 1942	10:35	P-40	north of KambutTemplate:Sfn	27♠	26 June 1942	12:18	P-40	west of Marsa MatruhTemplate:Sfn
11	20 March 1942	08:03	P-40	south of MartubaTemplate:Sfn	28♠	26 June 1942	18:42	P-40	south of Marsa MatruhTemplate:Sfn
12	20 March 1942	08:08	P-40	south of Ayn al-ĠazālaTemplate:Sfn	29♠	26 June 1942	18:46	Spitfire	Marsa MatruhTemplate:Sfn
13	21 March 1942	08:55	Boston	southeast of Bir HacheimTemplate:Sfn	30♠	26 June 1942	19:05	Spitfire	southeast of Marsa MatruhTemplate:Sfn
14	2 April 1942	14:28	Hurricane	north of KambutTemplate:Sfn	31	1 July 1942	19:01	P-40	west of Borg El ArabTemplate:Sfn
15	27 May 1942	15:30	P-40	south of KambutTemplate:Sfn	32	1 July 1942	19:03	P-40	west of Borg El ArabTemplate:Sfn
16	29 May 1942	07:52	P-40	west of TobrukTemplate:Sfn	33	1 July 1942	19:11	P-40	west of Borg El ArabTemplate:Sfn
17	13 June 1942	06:40	P-40	south of Fort AcromaTemplate:Sfn	34	2 July 1942	18:15	P-40	El AlameinTemplate:Sfn
18	13 June 1942	06:50	Hurricane	north of Wadi Es SahaaeTemplate:Sfn	35	2 July 1942	18:20	P-40	Borg El ArabTemplate:Sfn
19	13 June 1942	06:53	P-40	TobrukTemplate:Sfn	36	3 July 1942	15:11	Hurricane	southeast of El AlameinTemplate:Sfn

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st ClassTemplate:Sfn
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 10 August 1942 as Leutnant and pilotTemplate:Sfn
• German Cross in Gold on 21 August 1942 as Leutnant in the I./Jagdgeschwader 27Template:Sfn
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 September 1942 as Leutnant and Staffelführer of the 2./Jagdgeschwader 27Template:SfnTemplate:Refn