Heinz Marquardt

Heinz "Negus" Marquardt (29 December 1922 – 19 December 2003) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and 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. Marquardt was credited with 121 aerial victories—that is, 121 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—with a further 16 unconfirmed victories in 320 combat missions. All but one of his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front.

World War II

Marquardt was born on 29 December 1922 in Braunsberg, present-day Braniewo in Poland, at the time in East Prussia a province of the Weimar Republic's Free State of Prussia.Template:Sfn On 15 September 1941, he was posted to the Jagdfliegerschule 5 (JFS 5—5th fighter pilot school), stationed at the Le Havre – Octeville airfield in France. As of 1 February 1942, he served as a fighter pilot instructor and flew a number of operational sorties on the Channel Front with the operational squadron of JFS 5.Template:Sfn

Eastern Front

On 1 August 1943, Marquard was transferred to the 11. Staffel (11th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) operating on the Eastern Front.Template:Sfn His transfer to JG 51 occurred during the Soviet Belgorod-Kharkov Offensive Operation where it supported the 8th Army.Template:Sfn The Staffel was commanded by Hauptmann Adolf Borchers and subordinated to IV. Gruppe of JG 51 headed by Major Hans-Ekkehard Bob.Template:Sfn According to Obermaier, Marquardt claimed his first aerial victory on 2 October, shooting down an Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft.Template:Sfn

On 22 June 1944, Soviet forces launched Operation Bagration, the strategic offensive operation against Army Group Centre. In consequence, IV. Gruppe was moved to Mogilev that day and to an airfield named Bayary located northeast of Minsk and east of Barysaw.Template:Sfn Following the German retreat, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Lida, which is west of Minsk, on 3 July.Template:Sfn On 14 August, Marquardt claimed a Yakovlev Yak-9 fighter near Osowiec Fortress. Later that day, IV. Gruppe retreated to an airfield at Tilsit, present-day Sovetsk located on the south bank of the Neman River. The next day, as part of the group expansion from three Staffeln per Gruppe to four Staffeln per Gruppe, 10. Staffel was re-designated and became the 13. Staffel while 11. Staffel became the 14. Staffel of JG 51.Template:Sfn Marquardt was then transferred and served with 13. Staffel which was commanded by Leutnant Peter Kalden.Template:Sfn On 28 August, IV. Gruppe moved to Modlin Airfield located approximately northwest of Warsaw. Here, the Gruppe predominately flew combat missions to the area north and northeast of Warsaw. The next day, Marquardt claimed a Yak-9 fighter shot down northeast of Warsaw.Template:Sfn On 10 September, Marquardt was awarded German Cross in Gold ().Template:Sfn Following a brief period of little combat in central Poland, Marquardt became an "ace-in-a-day" on 7 October, claiming two Il-2 ground-attack aircraft and a Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber, also known as Boston, on the first mission of the day.Template:Sfn

Marquard and his Gruppenkommandeur (group commander), Hauptmann Heinz Lange, both received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () on 18 November for 89 and 70 aerial victories respectively.Template:Sfn On 14 April 1945, Marquardt was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 102nd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.Template:Sfn On a transfer flight of new Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 to his unit, he was credited with four aerial victories over Yakovlev Yak-3 on 25 April 1945.Template:Sfn On 30 April, Marquardt accidentally ran his Fw 190 D-9 into a drainage ditch on a transfer flight. Due to lack of spare parts, the damage was not reparable and the aircraft was blown up to prevent it from falling to the enemy.Template:Sfn

On 1 May 1945 Marquardt became Jagdgeschwader 51Template:'s last casualty of the war when he was shot down by Royal Air Force Spitfires north of Berlin.Template:Sfn Marquardt had led a flight of six Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 on an escort mission of 12 Fw 190 F-8 ground attack aircraft from Redlin on a mission to Berlin. After completing the mission the aircraft returned to Schwerin. During the landing approach the flight came under attack of 6 Spitfire Mk XIV from No. 41 Squadron. Marquardt ordered his flight to cover the landing of the ground attack fighters while he and his wingman, Feldwebel Radlauer, attacked the Spitfires from below. Marquardt claimed one of the attackers but was shot down as well along with two other Fw 190s. Radlauer saw Marquardt's Fw 190 crash in flames but did not observe any sign of life. Marquardt was initially reported as killed in action but he had bailed out injured and was taken to a hospital in Schwerin, where he was taken prisoner of war shortly after.Template:Sfn

Later life

Following World War II, Marquardt served in the newly established German Air Force of West Germany with the rank of Leutnant (Second Lieutenant) on 16 August 1956. He served with Jagdgeschwader 73 (JG 73—73rd Fighter Wing) and Leichtes Kampfgeschwader 42 (LeKG 42—42nd Light Combat Wing). Marquardt retired on 30 September 1973, having risen to the rank of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel). Following his retirement, he became good friends with former Flight Lieutenant Peter Cowell who had shot him down on 1 May 1945. Marquardt died on 19 December 2003 in Hammersbach.Template:Sfn

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Marquardt was credited with 121 aerial victories.Template:Sfn His aerial victories were claimed on 320 combat missions.Template:Sfn Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Marquardt was credited with more than 121 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.Template:Sfn

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 34 Ost 39551". 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 Marquardt 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, Balke, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location
– 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Template:Sfn
1	17 October 1943	09:32	Yak-1	southwest of St. BudnizaTemplate:Sfn	27	6 July 1944	10:25	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 65531Template:Sfn northeast of Telchje
2	28 October 1943	06:40	Yak-1	west of PjatichatkiTemplate:Sfn	28	6 July 1944	10:29	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 65534Template:Sfn east-southeast of Navahrudak
3	21 November 1943	09:50	Il-2	LoschkarewkaTemplate:Sfn	29	9 July 1944	19:13	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 54852Template:Sfn east of Slonim
4	22 November 1943	14:32	Il-2 m.H.Template:Refn	PavlovskoyeTemplate:Sfn	30	9 July 1944	19:17	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 54845Template:Sfn west of Baranavichy
5	11 December 1943	11:07	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 39551Template:Sfn west Borovichi	31	17 July 1944	17:47	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 41881Template:Sfn west of Brody
6	10 January 1944	11:19	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 80681Template:Sfn southeast of Vinnytsia	32	20 July 1944	14:35	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 40565Template:Sfn south-southwest of Ternopil
7	10 January 1944	11:21	Yak-1	PQ 25 Ost 80681Template:Sfn southeast of Vinnytsia	33	21 July 1944	14:49	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 50517Template:Sfn east of Berezhany
8	9 April 1944	13:32	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 50731Template:Sfn southeast of Ternopil	34	24 July 1944	07:46	P-39	PQ 25 Ost 20265Template:Sfn northeast of Sanok
9	29 April 1944	10:30	R-5	PQ 24 Ost 59354Template:Sfn northeast of Kolomyia	35	31 July 1944	10:35	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 36859Template:Sfn southwest of Kėdainiai
10	29 April 1944	10:31	R-5	PQ 24 Ost 59354Template:Sfn northeast of Kolomyia	36	31 July 1944	13:16	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 46777Template:Sfn west of Ukmergė
11	29 April 1944	10:32	R-5	PQ 24 Ost 59363Template:Sfn east-northeast of Kolomyia	37	1 August 1944	06:23	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 35321Template:Sfn northwest of Marijampolė
12	2 May 1944	05:44	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 40261Template:Sfn north of Zolochiv	38	1 August 1944	10:48	Il-2	PQ 25 Ost 35314Template:Sfn north-northwest of Marijampolė
13	2 May 1944	05:45	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 50141Template:Sfn northeast of Zolochiv	39	1 August 1944	10:58	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 35347Template:Sfn west-northwest of Marijampolė
14	10 May 1944	07:10	R-5	PQ 24 Ost 59287Template:Sfn northeast of Kolomyia	40	2 August 1944	08:00	Il-2	PQ 25 Ost 25429Template:Sfn east-southeast of Blumenfeld
15	10 May 1944	07:11	R-5	PQ 24 Ost 59264Template:Sfn northeast of Kolomyia	41	2 August 1944	08:02	Il-2	PQ 25 Ost 25438Template:Sfn east-southeast of Blumenfeld
16	18 May 1944	08:20	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 50474Template:Sfn vicinity of Ternopil	42	4 August 1944	07:52	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 36599Template:Sfn west of Kėdainiai
17	23 May 1944	11:09	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 50386Template:Sfn west of Ternopil	43	5 August 1944	08:08	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 36731Template:Sfn southeast of Nemakščiai
18	28 May 1944	06:35	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 50512Template:Sfn east of Berezhany	44	5 August 1944	08:10	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 36729Template:Sfn west-southwest of Kėdainiai
19	8 June 1944	11:20	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 50183Template:Sfn south-southeast of Brody	45	7 August 1944	13:30	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 25433Template:Sfn east-southeast of Blumenfeld
20	8 June 1944	11:23	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 50164Template:Sfn south-southeast of Brody	46	8 August 1944	11:05	Yak-1	PQ 25 Ost 36544Template:Sfn east-southeast of Nemakščiai
21	8 June 1944	11:30	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 50168Template:Sfn east of Zolochiv	47	8 August 1944	11:10	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 36575Template:Sfn southeast of Nemakščiai
22	17 June 1944	13:21	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 50882Template:Sfn south-southeast of Ternopil	48	8 August 1944	11:12	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 36573Template:Sfn southeast of Nemakščiai
23	4 July 1944	20:55	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 65661Template:Sfn north-northwest of Maladzyechna	49	9 August 1944	11:56	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 35388Template:Sfn west-northwest of Marijampolė
24	4 July 1944	20:57	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 65623Template:Sfn north-northwest of Maladzyechna	50	9 August 1944	14:51	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 35334Template:Sfn north of Marijampolė
25	4 July 1944	20:58	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 65622Template:Sfn north-northwest of Maladzyechna	51	9 August 1944	14:54	Il-2 m.H.?Template:Refn	PQ 25 Ost 25466Template:Sfn west of Marijampolė
26	4 July 1944	20:59	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 65625Template:Sfn north of Maladzyechna	52	14 August 1944	10:55	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 24619Template:Sfn northeast of Łomża
– 13. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Template:Sfn
53	16 August 1944	17:22	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 26627Template:Sfn vicinity of Nemakščiai	72?Template:Refn	13 October 1944	09:26	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 03639Template:Sfn
54	17 August 1944	10:51	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 26631Template:Sfn east of Nemakščiai	73	13 October 1944	12:11	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13511Template:Sfn north of Warsaw
55	17 August 1944	10:54	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 26635Template:Sfn east of Nemakščiai	74	13 October 1944	15:26	Boston?Template:Refn	PQ 25 Ost 13517Template:Sfn north of Warsaw
56	29 August 1944	09:56	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13523Template:Sfn north-northeast of Warsaw	75	15 October 1944	11:42	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13573, JabłonnaTemplate:Sfn north of Warsaw
57	1 September 1944	13:44	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13519Template:Sfn north-northeast of Warsaw	76	15 October 1944	11:46	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13546Template:Sfn north of Warsaw
58	4 September 1944	17:18	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13259Template:Sfn south of Ostrołęka	77	17 October 1944	14:52	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13341Template:Sfn southwest of Modlin
59	4 September 1944	17:21	Il-2	PQ 25 Ost 13219Template:Sfn northwest of Ostrów	78	17 October 1944	14:53?Template:Refn	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 03446Template:Sfn east of Nasielsk
60	4 September 1944	17:25	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13245Template:Sfn northwest of Ostrów	79	19 October 1944	10:12	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13344Template:Sfn northeast of Nasielsk
61	5 September 1944	18:42	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 13344Template:Sfn east of Nasielsk	80	19 October 1944	10:14	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13347Template:Sfn east of Nasielsk
62	11 September 1944	15:23	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13722Template:Sfn east of Warsaw	81	19 October 1944	10:15	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13378Template:Sfn east of Nasielsk
63	15 September 1944	12:26	P-39	PQ 35 Ost 03699Template:Sfn west of Warsaw	82	21 October 1944	15:15	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13316Template:Sfn northeast of Nasielsk
64♠	7 October 1944	12:54	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 13373Template:Sfn southwest of Modlin	83	23 October 1944	09:25	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 03493Template:Sfn northwest of Warsaw
65♠	7 October 1944	12:58	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 13348Template:Sfn southwest of Modlin	84♠	24 October 1944	08:40	P-39	PQ 25 Ost 03469Template:Sfn southwest of Modlin
66♠	7 October 1944	13:04	Boston	PQ 25 Ost 13555Template:Sfn southwest of Modlin	85♠	24 October 1944	11:18	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 03498Template:Sfn northwest of Warsaw
67♠	7 October 1944	16:10	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 03461Template:Sfn southwest of Modlin	86♠	24 October 1944	13:52	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 13171Template:Sfn east of Ciechanów
68♠	7 October 1944	16:11	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 03465Template:Sfn east of Nasielsk	87♠	24 October 1944	13:54	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 13147Template:Sfn east of Ciechanów
69♠	7 October 1944	16:14	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 03469Template:Sfn east of Nasielsk	88♠	24 October 1944	13:57	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 13142Template:Sfn northeast of Nasielsk
70♠	7 October 1944	16:16	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 03463Template:Sfn east-southeast of Nasielsk	89	25 October 1944	12:23	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13177Template:Sfn northeast of Nasielsk
71♠	7 October 1944	16:17	Il-2	PQ 25 Ost 03567Template:Sfn northeast of Warsaw
According to Mathews and Foreman, aerial victories 89 to 98 were not documented.Template:Sfn The author Prien, Stemmer, Balke and Bock state that the aerial victory records of IV. Gruppe dated later than November 1944 are incomplete.Template:Sfn
99	14 April 1945	09:00+	Yak-3		108	18 April 1945	—	Yak-3
100	14 April 1945	09:00+	Yak-3		109	18 April 1945	—	Il-2
101	15 April 1945	—	P-39			24 April 1945	—	Yak-3
102	15 April 1945	—	P-39			24 April 1945	—	Yak-3
103	15 April 1945	—	Yak-3			24 April 1945	—	Yak-3
104	16 April 1945	—	Yak-3			24 April 1945	—	Yak-3
105	16 April 1945	—	Yak-3			27 April 1945	—	Yak-3
106	18 April 1945	—	Il-2		120	29 April 1945	—	Il-2
107	18 April 1945	—	Yak-3		121	1 May 1945	—	Spitfire	Lake Schwerin

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st ClassTemplate:Sfn
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (26 July 1944)Template:Sfn
• German Cross in Gold on 10 September 1944 as Oberfeldwebel in the 10./Jagdgeschwader 51Template:Sfn
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 18 November 1944 as Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 13./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"Template:SfnTemplate:Refn