Fritz Tegtmeier

Fritz Tegtmeier (30 July 1917 – 8 April 1999) was a World War II Luftwaffe 146 aerial victories Flying ace and recipient of the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.Template:Sfn The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.Template:Sfn

Military career

Fritz Tegtmeier was posted to the 2. Staffel (2nd Squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) in October 1940. He was severely injured on 17 November 1940 when his Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-1 (Werknummer 6043—factory number) suffered engined failure, resulting in crash landing at Jever Airfield.Template:Sfn He returned to his Staffel in the spring of 1941 and claimed his first aerial victory on 22 June 1941, the first day of Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front.Template:Sfn

On 8 September, I. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Siversky located southwest of Leningrad.Template:Sfn There, on 11 September he was again severely injured in a collision in his Bf 109 F-2 resulting in a crash landing at Siversky.Template:Sfn He returned to active duty in April 1942 and was assigned to the 1. Staffel of JG 54. By the end of 1942 he had claimed 24 aerial victories.

On 14 January 1943, Tegtmeier became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time. That day, pilots of I. Gruppe had claimed 30 aerial victories (Luftsiege).Template:Sfn He claimed aerial victories number 36 and 37 on 23 January. On 3 May 1943 he claimed numbers 51–53 and was posted to Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost as fighter pilot instructor. He returned to front line duty, this time with the 3. Staffel of JG 54, in September 1943. In November 1943 he achieved his 75th aerial victory. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () on 28 March 1944 following his 99th aerial victory.Template:Sfn Tegtmeier was promoted to Leutnant on 20 April 1944. He claimed his 100th and 101st aerial victory on 3 May 1944. He was the 71st Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.Template:Sfn On 1 September 1944, he was made Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 3. Staffel of JG 54. He succeeded Leutnant Otto Kittel who was transferred.Template:Sfn By the end of 1944 his score of aerial victories stood at 139 claims. When he was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 7 (JG 7—7th Fighter Wing) for flight training on the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter in March 1945 his score stood at 146 aerial victories. Tegtmeier had been nominated for the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross ().Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Later life

Tegtmeier died on 8 April 1999 at the age of in Greven, Germany.Template:Sfn

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Tegtmeier was credited with 146 aerial victories.Template:Sfn Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 146 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.Template:Sfn

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 01852". The Luftwaffe grid map () 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 . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.Template:Sfn

Chronicle of aerial victories
This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Tegtmeier an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.   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
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Template:Sfn Operation Barbrossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941
1	23 June 1941?Template:Refn	10:24	SB-2Template:Sfn		5	13 August 1941	15:42	I-18 (MiG-1)Template:Sfn
2	24 June 1941	05:44	SB-2Template:Sfn		6	14 August 1941	05:07	I-18 (MiG-1)Template:Sfn
3	24 June 1941	05:48	SB-2Template:Sfn		7	3 September 1941	15:50	I-16	north of KrasnogvardeyskTemplate:Sfn
4	18 July 1941	13:54	I-18 (MiG-1)Template:Sfn		8	15 November 1941	11:20	I-18 (MiG-1)Template:Sfn
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Template:Sfn Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943
9	10 June 1942	10:20	Pe-2Template:Sfn		24	30 December 1942	12:13?Template:Refn	Pe-2	PQ 01852Template:Sfn northwest of Shlisselburg
10	22 June 1942	18:45	MiG-3Template:Sfn		25	7 January 1943	11:30	LaGG-3	PQ 01762Template:Sfn north-northeast of Leningrad
11	22 July 1942	10:26	Yak-1Template:Sfn		26	12 January 1943	09:35	P-40	PQ 00251Template:Sfn west-southwest of Shlisselburg
12	23 July 1942	09:30	MiG-3Template:Sfn		27	12 January 1943	14:22	Il-2	PQ 10184Template:Sfn east of Mga
13	1 August 1942	16:40	LaGG-3	PQ 00172Template:Sfn north of Selo	28♠	14 January 1943	09:02	La-5	PQ 10181Template:Sfn east of Mga
14	5 August 1942	15:10	MiG-3	PQ 20542Template:Sfn east of Lyuban	29♠	14 January 1943	09:05	La-5	PQ 10193Template:Sfn east of Mga
15	5 August 1942	15:13	MiG-3	PQ 20593Template:Sfn northeast of Chudovo	30♠	14 January 1943	09:10	Il-2	PQ 00292Template:Sfn west of Mga
16	7 August 1942	13:30	P-40	PQ 20731Template:Sfn east-northeast of Chudovo	31♠	14 January 1943	14:30	Il-2	PQ 00294Template:Sfn west of Mga
17	11 August 1942	14:23?Template:Refn	Il-2	PQ 28311Template:Sfn east-northeast of Demyansk	32♠	14 January 1943	14:33?Template:Refn	Il-2	PQ 00274Template:Sfn west of Mga
18	20 August 1942	06:20	Yak-1	PQ 47662Template:Sfn south of Staritsa	33	16 January 1943	09:35	Il-2	PQ 10142Template:Sfn south of Shlisselburg
19	25 August 1942	14:20	Yak-1	PQ 36573Template:Sfn south-southeast of Gagarin	34	16 January 1943	09:43	Yak-1	PQ 10311Template:Sfn south of Mga
20	26 August 1942	13:30	R-5	PQ 47864Template:Sfn east-southeast of Zubtsov	35	22 January 1943	08:46	Yak-1	PQ 10212Template:Sfn west of Volkhov
21	5 September 1942	12:40	Yak-1	PQ 10841Template:Sfn southeast of Shlisselburg	36	23 January 1943	13:05	Yak-1	PQ 10191Template:Sfn east of Mga
22	5 September 1942	12:45	Yak-1	PQ 10954Template:Sfn southeast of Shlisselburg	37	23 January 1943	13:38	Il-2	PQ 00411Template:Sfn east of Pushkin
23	11 September 1942	16:35	I-16	PQ 00223Template:Sfn west of Shlisselburg	38	24 January 1943	13:35	La-5	PQ 10143Template:Sfn south of Shlisselburg
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Template:Sfn Eastern Front — 4 February – March 1943
39	10 February 1943	11:15	Il-2	PQ 36 Ost 10142Template:Sfn south of Shlisselburg	42	21 February 1943	13:00	La-5	PQ 36 Ost 00412Template:Sfn east of Pushkin
40	17 February 1943	12:05	Yak-1	PQ 36 Ost 00281Template:Sfn west of Mga	43	23 February 1943	07:05	Il-2	PQ 36 Ost 00412Template:Sfn east of Pushkin
41	21 February 1943	10:50	LaGG-3	PQ 36 Ost 00442Template:Sfn southeast of Slutsk	44	23 February 1943	07:10	Il-2	PQ 36 Ost 00283Template:Sfn west of Mga
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Template:Sfn Eastern Front — April – 31 December 1943
?Template:Refn	3 March 1943	11:10	I-16	east of LeningradTemplate:Sfn	61	5 October 1943	13:21	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 02682Template:Sfn
45	3 April 1943	12:45	Yak-1?Template:Refn	PQ 36 Ost 00421Template:Sfn Pushkin-Mga	62	9 October 1943	07:20	P-39	PQ 35 Ost 07772Template:Sfn east of Nevel
?	10 April 1943	11:50	Yak-1	south of LomonosovTemplate:Sfn	63	14 October 1943	08:15	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 15512, southeast of BajewoTemplate:Sfn north-northeast of Krassnyj
46?Template:Refn	11 April 1943	18:25	Il-2	south of LeningradTemplate:Sfn	64	20 October 1943	11:35	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 06312Template:Sfn
47	13 April 1943	17:57?Template:Refn	Pe-2	PQ 36 Ost 00163Template:Sfn southeast of Leningrad	65	21 October 1943	10:45	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 02232Template:Sfn
48	2 May 1943	19:05	Il-2	PQ 36 Ost 00463Template:Sfn north of Tosno	66	21 October 1943	10:50	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 02233, east of LojewTemplate:Sfn
49	2 May 1943	19:07	Il-2	PQ 36 Ost 00273Template:Sfn west of Mga	67	22 October 1943	08:20	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 15332Template:Sfn north of Krassnyj
50	3 May 1943	17:45	La-5	PQ 26 Ost 90252Template:Sfn west-southwest of Shlisselburg	68	22 October 1943	10:40	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 05282Template:Sfn east of Kshischtschew
51	14 September 1943	11:52?Template:Refn	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 26231Template:Sfn northeast of Moschna	69	27 October 1943	09:15	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 15342Template:Sfn west of Krassnyj
52	14 September 1943	16:30	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 25663Template:Sfn east of Schatalowka	70	28 October 1943	12:45	Boston	PQ 35 Ost 03823Template:Sfn
53	15 September 1943	08:50	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 26732Template:Sfn northeast of Moschna	71	28 October 1943	12:47	Boston	PQ 35 Ost 03824Template:Sfn
54	15 September 1943	14:00?Template:Refn	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 35492Template:Sfn west of Yelnya	72	28 October 1943	12:50	Boston	PQ 35 Ost 03864Template:Sfn
55	15 September 1943	14:15	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 35531Template:Sfn southeast of Yelnya	73	28 October 1943	12:53	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 03893Template:Sfn
56	17 September 1943	11:00	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 35321Template:Sfn west of Yelnya	74	6 November 1943	09:50	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 06154Template:Sfn
57	22 September 1943	17:38	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 12742Template:Sfn	75	6 November 1943	09:55	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 06163, Lake SsennitzaTemplate:Sfn
58	22 September 1943	17:40	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 12721Template:Sfn	76?	17 November 1943	07:50	LaGG-3Template:Sfn
59	26 September 1943	12:20	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 25532Template:Sfn north of Schatalowka	77	8 December 1943	14:00	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 06384Template:Sfn
60	5 October 1943	13:20	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 02682Template:Sfn
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Template:Sfn Eastern Front — 1 January – September 1944
78	3 February 1944	14:15	Il-2		101	26 May 1944	18:50	La-5	Baltic Sea, north-northwest of Hungerburg
79	3 February 1944	14:17	Il-2		102	15 June 1944	07:37	Il-2
80	7 February 1944	07:37	La-5		103	16 June 1944	19:00	Yak-9
81	7 February 1944	10:36	La-5		104	16 June 1944	19:00	Yak-9
82	7 February 1944	10:37	La-5		105	14 July 1944	17:58	Yak-9
83	7 February 1944	11:05	La-5		106	16 July 1944	08:35	Yak-9
84	7 February 1944	11:07	La-5		107	16 July 1944	08:40	P-39
85	12 February 1944	14:30	La-5		108	21 July 1944	09:20	Yak-9
86	16 February 1944	14:10	Yak-9	southwest of Narva	109	21 July 1944	09:25	Yak-9
87	24 February 1944	11:00	Yak-9	southwest of Narva	110	22 July 1944	15:55	La-5
88	25 February 1944	11:10	Il-2	southwest of Narva	111	22 July 1944	19:15	LaGG-3
89	6 March 1944	07:55	La-5	south of Narva	112	27 July 1944	15:55	Pe-2
90	6 March 1944	08:05	Yak-9	southwest of Narva	113	28 July 1944	15:15	Yak-9
91	7 March 1944	12:36	La-5	west-southwest of Narva	114	1 August 1944	12:17	La-5
92	8 March 1944	15:46	Il-2	Baltic Sea, northeast of Kunda	115	6 August 1944	18:39	Yak-9
93	8 March 1944	16:10	Il-2	Baltic Sea, northeast of Kunda	116	7 August 1944	13:43	P-39
94	8 March 1944	16:23	Yak-9	Baltic Sea, northeast of Kunda	117	7 August 1944	18:20	La-5
95	9 March 1944	09:08	La-5	southwest of Narva	118	7 August 1944	18:24	La-5
96	23 March 1944	15:35	Il-2		119	16 August 1944	10:45	La-5
97	1 April 1944	10:12	LaGG-3	southeast of Pskov	120	25 August 1944	09:23	Pe-2
98	2 April 1944	15:25	La-5	northeast of Kunda	121	27 August 1944	15:05	Yak-9
99	4 April 1944	08:19	La-5	northeast of Kunda	122	27 August 1944	15:10	Pe-2
100	20 May 1944	12:31	Yak-1	Baltic Sea, north-northwest of Hungerburg	123	29 August 1944	18:30	La-5
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Template:Sfn Eastern Front — September – October 1944
124♠	14 September 1944	10:00	Yak-9	northwest of Kreuzburg	132	17 September 1944	13:22	Yak-9	northwest of Pasewalk
125♠	14 September 1944	12:00	P-39	northeast of Pasewalk	133	20 September 1944	11:13	Yak-9	south of Riga
126♠	14 September 1944	12:03	P-39	northeast of Pasewalk	134	10 October 1944	09:07	La-5	east of Riga
127♠	14 September 1944	12:04	Yak-9	northeast of Pasewalk	135	12 October 1944	12:25	Il-2	southeast of Riga
128♠	14 September 1944	12:10	Il-2	northeast of Pasewalk	136	12 October 1944	16:05	Pe-2	north of Riga
129♠	14 September 1944	16:40	Pe-2	south of Riga	137	12 October 1944	16:07	Pe-2	northeast of Riga
130	15 September 1944	09:33	Il-2	north-northwest of Kreuzburg	138	29 October 1944	19:56	Il-2	northeast of Telsche
131	17 September 1944	12:40	Yak-9	south-southeast of Riga	139	30 October 1944	11:35	Pe-2	east of Libau
According to Mathews and Foreman, aerial victories 140 to 146 were not documented.Template:Sfn

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st ClassTemplate:Sfn
• Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (5 October 1942)Template:Sfn
• German Cross in Gold on 23 January 1943 as Oberfeldwebel in the I./Jagdgeschwader 54Template:Sfn
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 28 March 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 2./Jagdgeschwader 54Template:SfnTemplate:Refn