Hans Schleef

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Hans Schleef (19 July 1920 – 31 December 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with at least 98 aerial victories achieved in over 500 combat missions. This figure includes 91 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, and further seven victories over the Western Allies, including one four-engined heavy bomber.

Born in Groß Börnecke, Schleef was posted to Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) in late 1940. He claimed his first aerial victory in February 1941 fighting against the Royal Air Force. In June 1941, his unit was transferred east and fought in Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. On 9 May 1942, Schleef was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for 41 aerial victories claimed. He then served as a fighter pilot instructor with Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost and became an officer. Transferred back to JG 3 in February 1943, he claimed further aerial victories before his unit was transferred to Germany where they fought in Defense of the Reich. Schleef was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of JG 3 in October 1943. He was transferred in July 1944, taking command of 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing), a squadron which became 16. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 4 (JG 4—4th Fighter Wing) in October 1944. On 31 December 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge, he was shot down and killed in action by US fighters near Bad Dürkheim.

Career

Schleef was born on 19 July 1920 in Groß Börnecke, present-day part of Hecklingen, at the time in the Province of Saxony within the Weimar Republic. Following flight training,Template:Refn he was posted to 7. Staffel (7th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) in late 1940.Template:Sfn The squadron was subordinated to III. Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 3 and at the time based at Desvres, France.Template:Sfn

On 5 February 1941, the Royal Air Force (RAF) flew "Circus" No. 3 targeting the airfield at Saint-Omer. That day, Schleef claimed his first aerial victory when he shot down a Hawker Hurricane fighter.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Ten days later, III. Gruppe was withdrawn from combat operations and relocated to Gütersloh Airfield in Germany.Template:Sfn Following the return to Germany, the pilots went on R&R, skiing in Kleinwalsertal from 8 to 26 March. On 17 April, the Gruppe received a complement of factory new Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2 aircraft. Following familiarization with the new aircraft, the Gruppe relocated to France on 5 May where they were initially based at Auchy-au-Bois.Template:Sfn On 31 May, Schleef claimed his second and last aerial victory on the English Channel when he shot down a RAF Bristol Blenheim bomber. That day, the Gruppe received orders for relocation east. The ground elements were withdrawn on 2 June while the air elements of the Gruppe headed for Radom on 9 June.Template:Sfn

Operation Barbarossa

The Gruppe relocated to an airfield at Moderówka on 18 June where the Gruppe concluded their last preparations for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. At the start of the campaign, JG 3 was subordinated to the V. Fliegerkorps (5th Air Corps), under command of General der Flieger Robert Ritter von Greim, which was part of Luftflotte 4 (4th Air Fleet), under command of Generaloberst Alexander Löhr. These air elements supported Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt's Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South), with the objective of capturing Ukraine and its capital Kiev.Template:Sfn On 29 June, the air elements of III. Gruppe followed the German advance and relocated to Lutsk. Operating from Lutsk, Schleef claimed his first aerial victory on the Eastern Front on 2 July, shooting down a Polikarpov I-16 fighter.Template:Sfn

During the early weeks of the Battle of Kiev, Schleef claimed further aerial victories while flying from an airfield Bila Tserkva, including his 20th on 4 August. By mid-August, many soldiers of JG 3 had fallen ill with Shigellosis, preventing them from flying further combat operations, and in some instances had to be sent home for a period of convalescence.Template:Sfn During this period, Schleef was awarded the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Script error: No such module "Lang".) on 23 September 1941.Template:Sfn On 6 November, III. Gruppe received orders for relocation to Germany for a period of rest and replenishment. Travelling by train, the various elements of the Gruppe relocated to Mannheim-Sandhofen Airfield. There, the majority of the staff were given leave for Christmas. Following the death of Generaloberst Ernst Udet, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring ordered JG 3 to be given the honorary name "Udet" on 1 December.Template:Sfn

Eastern Front

The first elements of the Gruppe arrived by train in Mannheim on 8 December, the transfer was completed a week later. There, the personnel were sent on home leave.Template:Sfn The Gruppe received a full complement of 41 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 aircraft and on 6 January 1942 was ordered to relocated to Sicily. On 13 January, 7. Staffel and elements of 8. and 9. Staffel boarded a train to Bari in southern Italy while the rest of III. Gruppe headed for Sciacca, Sicily. The relocation progressed until 26 January when new orders were received, ordering the Gruppe to return to Germany. At Jesau near Königsberg, present-day Kaliningrad in Russia, III. Gruppe began preparations for redeployment to the Eastern Front again.Template:Sfn Schleef claimed his next aerial victories in February 1942 while German forces were fighting in the Demyansk Pocket, an area southeast of Lake Ilmen. The Gruppe had been moved to an airfield at Soltsy on 10 February. Schleef claimed an I-61 fighter, an early war designation for the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3, on 20 February.Template:Sfn On 4 May 1942, Schleef was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Script error: No such module "Lang".) followed by the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Script error: No such module "Lang".) five days later for 41 aerial victories claimed.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

From July 1942 to February 1943, Schleef served as an instructor with Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost, specialized training unit for new fighter pilots destined for the Eastern Front.Template:Sfn On 5 July during the Battle of Kursk, Schleef was shot down in his Bf 109 G-4 (Werknummer 16 172—factory number) southeast of Grayvoron.Template:Sfn His victor probably was a pilot from 40 GvIAP (Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment—Script error: No such module "Lang".) flying a Lavochkin La-5 fighter.Template:Sfn When on 14 July Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Langer temporarily had been given command of III. Gruppe of JG 3, Schleef also temporarily replaced Langer as commander of 7. Staffel. When on 20 July, Hauptmann Walther Dahl officially was given command of III. Gruppe, Lange returned to 7. Staffel, relieving Schleef of the command.Template:Sfn

On 1 August, III. Gruppe flew its last combat mission on the Eastern Front. That day, Schleef claimed a Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighter on an early morning mission near Stepanivka. The following day, the Gruppe began its relocation to Münster-Handorf Airfield in Germany.Template:Sfn Schleef's 93rd and last aerial victory claimed on the Eastern Front may be linked to the death of Soviet female fighter pilot Lydia Litvyak. However, time of death and type of aircraft flown by Litvyak, she flew a Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter, does not match the Luftwaffe records.Template:Sfn

Defense of the Reich

III. Gruppe arrived in Münster-Handorf on 3 August where it was placed under the command of Dahl. The Gruppe immediately began preparations for Defense of the Reich (Script error: No such module "Lang".) missions and was subordinated to Fighter Leader for the Holland area (Script error: No such module "Lang".).Template:Sfn Flying their first mission on the Western Front against United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) bombers, Schleef shot down a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress north of Königswinter on 12 August.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Five days later, Schleef was shot down in aerial combat with escorting Supermarine Spitfire fighters while defending against the Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission. He bailed out of his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 20 444) and landed safely near 's-Heer Arendskerke.Template:Sfn

When on 14 October 1943 the commander of 3. Staffel of JG 3 "Udet", Hauptman Rudolf Germeroth, was killed in action, Schleef was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of this Staffel.Template:Sfn On 20 July 1944, Schleef was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing), where he became Staffelkapitän of 8. Staffel, succeeding Oberleutnant Lorenz Andresen who had been killed in action that day. Command of his former 3. Staffel of JG 3 was passed to Leutnant Wolf-Dietrich Stiebler.Template:Sfn On 16 October, II. Gruppe of JG 5 moved to Finsterwalde. Four days later, the Gruppe was subordinated to Jagdgeschwader 4 (JG 4—4th Fighter Wing) where it became IV. Gruppe of JG 4. Consequently, Schleef's 8. Staffel of JG 5 became 16. Staffel of JG 4.Template:Sfn On 20 November, the Gruppe relocated to the Frankfurt Rhein/Main Airfield.Template:Sfn

On 23 December during the Battle of the Bulge, Schleef led a flight IV. Gruppe of JG 4 which intercepted Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters of the 514th Fighter-Bomber Squadron of the 406th Fighter Group near Trier. In this encounter, IV. Gruppe pilots claimed three P-47 fighters shot down, including one by Schleef, for the loss of five of their own.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Schleef was killed in action on 31 December 1944, shot down near Bad Dürkheim in his Bf 109 G-10 (Werknummer 490 758).Template:Sfn He was shot down by USAAF P-47 fighters patrolling west of the Rhine.Template:Sfn

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Schleef was credited with 99 aerial victories.Template:Sfn Spick lists Schleef with 98 aerial victories, of which 92 were claimed over the Eastern Front and a further six over the Western Allies, claimed in over 500 combat missions.Template:Sfn Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 96 aerial victory claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 89 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and seven over the Western Allies, including one four-engined heavy bomber.Template:Sfn

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 6013". The Luftwaffe grid map (Script error: No such module "Lang".) 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 Script error: No such module "convert".. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area Script error: No such module "convert". in size.Template:Sfn

Chronicle of aerial victories
<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 –Template:Sfn
At the Channel and over England — 26 June 1940 – 9 June 1941
1 5 February 1941 13:40 Hurricane northwest of Saint-OmerTemplate:Sfn 2 31 May 1941 17:43 BlenheimTemplate:Sfn
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 –Template:Sfn
Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 4 October 1941
3 2 July 1941 18:06 I-16Template:Sfn?Template:Refn 13 26 July 1941 06:42 I-153Template:Sfn
4 6 July 1941 17:25 SB-2Template:Sfn 14 26 July 1941 10:02 SB-3 Script error: No such module "convert". southeast of TarashchaTemplate:Sfn
5 10 July 1941 18:38 I-16Template:Sfn 15 26 July 1941 10:04 SB-3 Script error: No such module "convert". southeast of TarashchaTemplate:Sfn
6 15 July 1941 15:51 I-16Template:Sfn 16 29 July 1941 07:36 R-5Template:Sfn
7 15 July 1941 16:02 DB-3Template:Sfn 17 29 July 1941 07:42 Pe-2Template:Sfn
8 16 July 1941 15:26 SB-3Template:Sfn 18 4 August 1941 06:08 I-16Template:Sfn
9 16 July 1941 15:28 SB-2Template:Sfn 19 4 August 1941 06:12 I-16Template:Sfn
10 23 July 1941 13:41 DB-3Template:Sfn 20 4 August 1941 07:52 I-16Template:Sfn
11 24 July 1941 14:04 DB-3Template:Sfn 21 10 August 1941 10:40 I-16Template:Sfn
12 25 July 1941 18:53 SB-3Template:Sfn 22 11 August 1941 05:24 SB-2Template:Sfn
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Template:Sfn
Eastern Front — 10 February – 14 April 1942
23 20 February 1942 12:36 I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn vicinity of Demyansk 33 20 March 1942 07:30 I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn vicinity of Demyansk
24 22 February 1942 13:18 I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn Staraya Russa/Demyansk 34 22 March 1942 13:15 Il-2Template:Sfn vicinity of Demyansk
25 27 February 1942 10:48 I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn vicinity of Demyansk 35 28 March 1942 13:52 I-61 (MiG-3) northeast of Staraya RussaTemplate:Sfn
26 4 March 1942 09:06 U-2Template:Sfn Staraya Russa/Demyansk 36 28 March 1942 13:54 I-301 (LaGG-3) northeast of Staraya RussaTemplate:Sfn
27 9 March 1942 09:00 I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn vicinity of Demyansk 37 29 March 1942 07:53 U-2Template:Sfn
28 17 March 1942 09:48 I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn vicinity of Demyansk 38 30 March 1942 09:58?Template:Refn I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn
29 18 March 1942 17:38 I-61 (MiG-3) Script error: No such module "convert". northwest of MuryTemplate:Sfn 39 30 March 1942 15:22 I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn
30 18 March 1942 18:10 U-2 north of RamuschewoTemplate:Sfn 40 6 April 1942 16:41 Il-2Template:Sfn
31 19 March 1942 15:56 I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn vicinity of Demyansk 41 6 April 1942 16:43 Il-2Template:Sfn
32 19 March 1942 16:03 SB-3Template:Sfn vicinity of Demyansk
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Template:Sfn
Eastern Front — 19 May – 30 June 1942
42 22 May 1942 18:03 Il-2Template:Sfn 45 23 May 1942 12:32 Il-2 Script error: No such module "convert". east of WesselojeTemplate:Sfn
43 22 May 1942 18:05 MiG-1Template:Sfn 46 27 May 1942 04:18 MiG-1Template:Sfn
44 23 May 1942 06:30 MiG-1Template:Sfn 47 30 June 1942 07:42 Il-2Template:Sfn
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Template:Sfn
Eastern Front — 4 February – 1 August 1943
48 27 February 1943 14:30 Pe-2 Script error: No such module "convert". southeast of IziumTemplate:Sfn 71 2 June 1943 10:35 La-5 south of KurskTemplate:Sfn
49?Template:Refn 27 February 1943
—
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		Pe-2 southeast of IziumTemplate:Sfn 72 10 June 1943 08:30 La-5 east of Novo-AstrakhanTemplate:Sfn
50 27 February 1943 14:40 U-2 Script error: No such module "convert". west of GregenskoyeTemplate:Sfn 73 14 June 1943 14:33 La-5 west of Nishnaja DuwankaTemplate:Sfn
51 2 March 1943 14:30 MiG-3 Script error: No such module "convert". south of MakiivkaTemplate:Sfn 74 15 June 1943 17:32 LaGG-3 north of StarobilskTemplate:Sfn
52 12 March 1943 08:08 MiG-1 Script error: No such module "convert". south of KupianskTemplate:Sfn 75 15 June 1943 17:36 LaGG-3 north of StarobilskTemplate:Sfn
53?[Note 1] 13 March 1943 11:32 Il-2 south of PetschannoyeTemplate:Sfn 76 16 June 1943 18:20 LaGG-3 northeast of StarobilskTemplate:Sfn
54 13 March 1943 11:34 Il-2 south of PetschannoyeTemplate:Sfn 77 5 July 1943 06:35 La-5 north of TomarovkaTemplate:Sfn
55 15 March 1943 06:54 Boston PQ 35 Ost 6013, vicinity of LipzyTemplate:Sfn 78 5 July 1943 15:22 Il-2 east of BelgorodTemplate:Sfn
56 18 March 1943 09:45 LaGG-3 Script error: No such module "convert". north of ChuhuivTemplate:Sfn 79 5 July 1943 15:24 Il-2 east of BelgorodTemplate:Sfn
57 22 March 1943 12:32 La-5 RostovTemplate:Sfn 80 5 July 1943 15:26 LaGG-3 east of BelgorodTemplate:Sfn
58 31 March 1943 10:00 MiG-1 Script error: No such module "convert". south of BatayskTemplate:Sfn 81 6 July 1943 15:10 LaGG-3 west of NikolskoyeTemplate:Sfn
59 3 April 1943 13:15?Template:Refn Il-2?Template:Refn Script error: No such module "convert". southwest of IziumTemplate:Sfn 82 6 July 1943 19:15 La-5 south of GorodishcheTemplate:Sfn
60 3 April 1943 16:40?Template:Refn Il-2?[Note 2] Script error: No such module "convert". southwest of IziumTemplate:Sfn 83 9 July 1943 06:20 La-5 north-northeast of PokrovkaTemplate:Sfn
61 4 April 1943 09:56 Il-2 Script error: No such module "convert". south of IziumTemplate:Sfn 84 11 July 1943 10:06 Il-2 west of ProkhorovkaTemplate:Sfn
62 7 May 1943 04:13 Boston northwest of SlovianskTemplate:Sfn 85 14 July 1943 12:33 LaGG-3 west of PesskiTemplate:Sfn
63 7 May 1943 04:14 Boston northwest of SlovianskTemplate:Sfn 86 14 July 1943 12:49 LaGG-3 west of WesselyiTemplate:Sfn
64 22 May 1943 12:13 La-5 west of OlschewkaTemplate:Sfn 87 17 July 1943 15:20 LaGG-3 Script error: No such module "convert". north of Tscherwonny-OskolTemplate:Sfn
65 22 May 1943 12:18 MiG-3 east of WesselyiTemplate:Sfn 88 21 July 1943 09:43 P-39 Script error: No such module "convert". south of GorodishcheTemplate:Sfn
66 22 May 1943 12:22 MiG-3 east of GrjesnojeTemplate:Sfn 89 21 July 1943 09:46 Il-2 Script error: No such module "convert". southeast of GorodishcheTemplate:Sfn
67 30 May 1943 06:58 LaGG-3 southeast of PlatowoTemplate:Sfn 90 21 July 1943 09:49 Il-2 Script error: No such module "convert". east of GorodishcheTemplate:Sfn
68 30 May 1943 07:04 Pe-2 southeast of PlatowoTemplate:Sfn 91 30 July 1943 11:00 Il-2 Script error: No such module "convert". east of MarinovkaTemplate:Sfn
69 30 May 1943 17:05 Boston north of DzerzhinskTemplate:Sfn 92 30 July 1943 11:05 LaGG-3 east of MarinovkaTemplate:Sfn
70 30 May 1943 17:20 La-5 west of Nowo-AibarTemplate:Sfn 93 1 August 1943 05:25 LaGG-3 southeast of StepanivkaTemplate:Sfn
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Template:Sfn
Defense of the Reich — 8 August – 31 December 1943
94 12 August 1943 09:18 B-17 Script error: No such module "convert". north of KönigswinterTemplate:Sfn
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Template:Sfn
Defense of the Reich — 9 January – 6 June 1944
95 22 February 1944 12:17 P-47 PQ 05 Ost S/LL-1Template:Sfn
south of Tilburg 		96 8 March 1944 13:40 P-51 PQ 15 Ost S/HETemplate:Sfn
Loburg-Görzke
– 16. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 4 –Template:Sfn
Defense of the Reich — 20 October – 31 December 1944
97 12 December 1944 15:45 P-47 PQ 05 Ost SR-2Template:Sfn
west of Ludwigshafen 		98 23 December 1944 09:51 P-47 PQ 05 Ost ROTemplate:Sfn
vicinity of Wittlich

Awards

Notes

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  1. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  2. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".

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References

Citations

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Bibliography

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Military offices
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Squadron Leader of 3./JG 3
15 October 1943 – 20 July 1944 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Squadron Leader of 8./JG 5
21 July 1944 – 20 October 1944 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Squadron Leader of 16./JG 4
20 October 1944 – 31 December 1944 Template:S-ttl/check 		Unknown

Template:Knight's Cross recipients of JG 3 Template:Subject bar

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