Heinz Sachsenberg

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Template other Heinz Wimmersal Sachsenberg (12 July 1922 – 17 June 1951) was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe. He was also 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. Sachsenberg claimed 104 aerial victories.

Early life

Sachsenberg was born on 12 July 1922 in Dessau. "Heino", also called "Wimmersaal" by his comrades, was the nephew of Gotthard Sachsenberg, a World War I fighter pilot and recipient of the Pour le Mérite. He had a brother also named Gotthard, who also served in the Luftwaffe, and was killed in action on 8 March 1944 during a night fighter mission.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Flying on the Eastern Front

After flight training he was assigned, as a Feldwebel, to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in the fall of 1942. He was sent to the Eastern Front in late 1942 and was assigned to 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of JG 52. At the time, 6. Staffel was commanded by Oberleutnant Rudolf Resch and was subordinated to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 52 under the leadership of Hauptmann Johannes Steinhoff.Template:Sfn On 21 April 1943, Sachsenberg claimed his first aerial victory, shooting down an Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack aircraft southwest of Novorossiysk.Template:Sfn On 5 May, Sachsenberg was shot down in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-4, (Werknummer 14956—factory number) by a Supermarine Spitfire in combat northeast of Anapa.Template:Sfn

By the end of July 1943, he had shot down 22 enemy airplanes in heavy air combat over the Kuban bridgehead. His unit was then transferred to cover the retreat from the southern Kursk salient where he scored a further 16 victories. After a spell of leave from September to November due to overstress (when he was also awarded the German Cross in Gold () and Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (), he returned to the Crimea and the intense air-battles over the Kerch Straits.

After 76 victories, and on leave, Sachsenberg was recommended for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () in March 1944. Upon returning to the Crimea at the beginning of May, he shot down 25 aircraft in just a month including six aircraft on 7 May, making him an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time.Template:Sfn On 31 May, over Iași, in the battles for Romania, he claimed four victories (89-92v.) and five more were claimed on 8 June 1944, bringing his total to 101 air victories. He was the 76th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.Template:Sfn Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel Sachsenberg was awarded the Knight's Cross on 9 June 1944. Returning from leave, his unit was then transferred to cover the Ploiești oilfields in Romania. On 23 August 1944, he was seriously wounded during an air battle with United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) North American P-51 Mustang fighters, resulting in a forced landing of his Bf 109 G-6, (Werknummer 166233) "Yellow 1".Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Promoted to Leutnant, he claimed his final victories over Hungary, including a USAAF P-51 and a Soviet Bell P-39 Airacobra.Template:Sfn

The Sachsenberg Schwarm

File:FW 190 JV 44.jpg

Fw 190 D-9 flown by Sachsenberg

In 1945, he transferred briefly to jet fighters in Jagdgeschwader 7 (JG 7—7th Fighter Wing) as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 9. Staffel of JG 7, but in April 1945 he joined Jagdverband 44 (JV 44—44th Fighter Detachment) based at Munich-Riem. His task was to provide top cover for the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters during takeoff and landing.Template:Sfn Sachsenberg was assigned as Staffelkapitän of the Platzschutzstaffel or airfield-protection squadron, flying the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 fighter. As squadron commander, his particular aircraft was known as "Red 1". The inscription on his Fw 190 D-9 was "Verkaaft's mei Gwand I foahr in Himmel!" meaning "Sell my clothes I'm going to heaven" in a Bavarian dialect.Template:Sfn The Me 262 jet was vulnerable to strafing attacks during takeoff and landing. Generalleutnant Adolf Galland, the commanding officer of JV 44, ordered the formation of the Platzschutzstaffel. Already in 1944, III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing), flying the Fw 190 D, had provided fighter protection to Kommando Nowotny, the first experimental Me 262 jet fighter unit.Template:Sfn

The aircraft in the protection squadron were painted red on their underbelly with prominent white stripes to help in their identification by ground crews.Template:Sfn The legend of the Papagei Staffel (parrot squadron) was born (the name was given after the war and is truly misleading as it was not used by the squadron itself). The decision to paint the aircraft in this manner was made by the pilots themselves, perhaps as result of the failed Operation Bodenplatte, where a number of German aircraft were lost to friendly fire.

The protection squadron was tasked with flying Start- und Landeschutz (Takeoff and landing cover). During takeoff and landing, the jets were very vulnerable to attacks by strafing Allied ground-attack airplanes, because their engines were not very responsive at those times and the jets could not accelerate and decelerate quickly. Thus to give additional protection besides the light and medium AA-guns around the airfields, parts of JG 52 and JG 54 were delegated to fly protective missions to cover the takeoff-and-landing phase of the 'Stormbirds'. JV 44 was a special case in that they had their own protection squadron.

After the war

He died on 17 June 1951 in Lich, following complications from wounds he received on 23 October 1944.Template:Sfn

Quotations

"I don't trust anything without a Propeller at least." - Sachsenberg in reply to being asked why he didn't fly jet aircraft.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Sachsenberg was credited with 104 aerial victories.Template:Sfn Obermaier also lists Sachsenberg with 104 aerial victories, claimed in 520 combat missions, one on the Western Front and 103 on the Eastern Front. He was also credited with the destruction of one fast attack craft.Template:Sfn Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 104 aerial victory claims, 103 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and one on the Western Front.Template:Sfn

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 34 Ost 7545". 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 Sachsenberg 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 – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Sachsenberg did not receive credit.   This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Barbas, Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Template:Sfn Eastern Front – 4 February – 31 December 1943
1	21 April 1943	11:10	Il-2 m.H.Template:Refn	PQ 34 Ost 7545, southwest of NovorossiyskTemplate:Sfn	27	6 August 1943	10:50	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 61394, southeast of BelgorodTemplate:Sfn
2	8 May 1943	07:18	P-39	PQ 34 Ost 85142, west of AbinskayaTemplate:Sfn	28	6 August 1943	10:54	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 61363, south of PetylowkaTemplate:Sfn
3	15 May 1943	09:50	P-40	PQ 34 Ost 85141, south of KrymskayaTemplate:Sfn	29	7 August 1943	18:30	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 60832, northeast of PetrowkskajaTemplate:Sfn
4	24 May 1943	10:04	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 75462, east of KabardinkaTemplate:Sfn	30	8 August 1943	18:22	Boston	southwest of KrassnopawlowkaTemplate:Sfn
5	26 May 1943	15:55	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 34 Ost 76852, northwest of VarenikovskayaTemplate:Sfn	31	10 August 1943	13:34	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 71771, northwest of SserdonkaTemplate:Sfn
6	27 May 1943	11:50	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 34 Ost 65241, south of Scheljesny-RogTemplate:Sfn	32	12 August 1943	05:35	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 41684, southwest of AchtyrkaTemplate:Sfn
7	29 May 1943	18:18	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 34 Ost 75231, northwest of KrymskayaTemplate:Sfn	33	12 August 1943	10:50	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 51513, northeast of AchtyrkaTemplate:Sfn
8	29 May 1943	18:20?Template:Refn	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 34 Ost 76892, northeast of KijewskojeTemplate:Sfn northeast of Krymsk	34	12 August 1943	10:53	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 51373, north of DernowojeTemplate:Sfn
9	5 June 1943	11:32	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 85114, north of AbinskajaTemplate:Sfn	— Template:Refn	12 August 1943	—	Yak-1Template:Sfn
10	5 June 1943	11:34	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 85112, east of KrymskayaTemplate:Sfn	35	17 August 1943	06:56	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 41464, south-southwest of BoromljaTemplate:Sfn
11	6 June 1943	07:35	La-5	PQ 34 Ost 76894, east of KijewskojeTemplate:Sfn	36	17 August 1943	09:40	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 51371, east-northeast of BoromljaTemplate:Sfn
12	6 June 1943	07:36	La-5	PQ 34 Ost 76894, east of KijewskojeTemplate:Sfn	37	19 August 1943	16:05	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 51593, west of SewyschtschijTemplate:Sfn
13	8 June 1943	09:27	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 76862, northwest of Imeni-DimitrowaTemplate:Sfn	38	21 August 1943	18:18	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 51593, north of BohodukhivTemplate:Sfn
14	11 June 1943	10:19	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 76684, east of SswisteljnikowTemplate:Sfn	39	19 November 1943	14:29	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 6664, north of BakssyTemplate:Sfn
15	13 June 1943	10:37	La-5	PQ 34 Ost 85144, southwest of AbinskajaTemplate:Sfn	40	20 November 1943	10:17	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 66677, southwest of Cape KhroniTemplate:Sfn
16	20 July 1943	15:05	P-39	PQ 34 Ost 75452, south of NovorossijskTemplate:Sfn	41	21 November 1943	09:48	P-39	PQ 34 Ost 66611, northeast of BulganakTemplate:Sfn
—	20 July 1943	—	P-39Template:Sfn		42	25 November 1943	08:59	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 66643, northeastern edge of KolonkaTemplate:Sfn
17	22 July 1943	08:15	P-39	PQ 34 Ost 76892, northeast of KijewskojeTemplate:Sfn	43	26 November 1943	13:59	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 66563, southwest of KerchTemplate:Sfn
18	26 July 1943	06:10	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 75363, southwest of NoworossijskTemplate:Sfn Black Sea, southeast of Anapa	44	28 November 1943	07:10	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 6685, southeast of Cape TuslaTemplate:Sfn
19	26 July 1943	06:20	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 34 Ost 65293, southwest of AnapaTemplate:Sfn	45	4 December 1943	11:56	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 66673, west of Kossa TuslaTemplate:Sfn
20	26 July 1943	10:25	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 76882, southeast of KesslerowaTemplate:Sfn	46	5 December 1943	07:15	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 66813, west of TamanTemplate:Sfn west of Kossa Tusla
21	26 July 1943	18:20	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 75262, south of KrymskayaTemplate:Sfn	47	5 December 1943	12:30	P-39	PQ 34 Ost 66841, south of Kossa TuslaTemplate:Sfn
22	30 July 1943	06:25	Yak-1	PQ 34 Ost 75234, west of KrymskayaTemplate:Sfn	48	6 December 1943	10:35	MiG-3	PQ 34 Ost 66842, southwest of TamanTemplate:Sfn
23	4 August 1943	11:12	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 61383, southeast of OrlovkaTemplate:Sfn	49	7 December 1943	14:50	P-39	PQ 34 Ost 66811, west of TamanTemplate:Sfn
24	4 August 1943	13:40	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 61363, southeast of TomarovkaTemplate:Sfn	50	7 December 1943	14:55	P-39	PQ 34 Ost 66812, northwest of TamanTemplate:Sfn
25	4 August 1943	13:47?Template:Refn	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 61271, northwest of GostschtschewoTemplate:Sfn	51	31 December 1943	14:18	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 34 Ost 66522, northwest of KesyTemplate:Sfn vicinity of Felsen Nowyj Sswet
26	4 August 1943	16:00	R-5	PQ 35 Ost 51292, southeast of RahinojeTemplate:Sfn	52	31 December 1943	15:20	P-39	PQ 34 Ost 66521, northeast of TschokrakTemplate:Sfn
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Template:Sfn Eastern Front – 1 January 1944 – 16 March 1945
53	3 January 1944	11:15	Yak-7	east of KolonkaTemplate:Sfn east of Kolonka	79♠	7 May 1944	14:25	Il-2	PQ 35612Template:Sfn Black Sea, south of Sevastopol
54	17 January 1944	09:04	P-39	southeast of KerchTemplate:Sfn north-northwest of Baksy	80♠	7 May 1944	14:40	Yak-7	PQ 35453Template:Sfn east of Sevastopol
55	17 January 1944	11:37	P-39	north-northwest of BaksyTemplate:Sfn southeast of Kerch	81♠	7 May 1944	18:05	P-39	PQ 35612Template:Sfn Black Sea, south of Sevastopol
56	17 January 1944	14:40	Yak-7	Adshim-UschkajTemplate:Sfn north of Adshim-Uschkaj	82♠	7 May 1944	18:25	Yak-7	PQ 35443Template:Sfn vicinity of Sevastopol
57	18 January 1944	09:32	Yak-7	north of BaksyTemplate:Sfn north of Baksy	83	8 May 1944	15:40	Yak-7	vicinity of BalaklavaTemplate:Sfn south of Sevastopol
58	22 January 1944	13:28	P-39	southwest of BagerowoTemplate:Sfn southwest of Bagerowo	84	9 May 1944	11:35	Il-2	vicinity of BalaklavaTemplate:Sfn Black Sea, south of Sevastopol
59	22 January 1944	13:40	Yak-7	Cape TarchanTemplate:Sfn northwest of Cape Tarchan	85	9 May 1944	11:38	Yak-7	icinity of BalaklavaTemplate:Sfn south of Sevastopol
60	23 January 1944	07:25	P-39	Cape KhroniTemplate:Sfn west of Cape Khroni	86	9 May 1944	11:43	Yak-7	icinity of BalaklavaTemplate:Sfn south of Sevastopol
61	24 January 1944	07:10	Yak-1	east of KolonkaTemplate:Sfn east of Kolonka	87	30 May 1944	11:42	P-39	vicinity of HușiTemplate:Sfn north of Iași
62	24 January 1944	12:48	Yak-1	Kamysch-BurunTemplate:Sfn east of Kamysch-Burun	88	30 May 1944	17:24	P-39	vicinity of SulaniTemplate:Sfn
63	7 February 1944	11:05	Yak-7	Adshim-UschkajTemplate:Sfn southwest of Adshim-Uschkaj	89	31 May 1944	08:45	P-39	vicinity of IașiTemplate:Sfn south of Iași
64	7 February 1944	13:43	Yak-9	north of Cape TarchanTemplate:Sfn north of Cape Tarchan	90	31 May 1944	12:19	P-39	PQ 78645Template:Sfn south of Tudora
65	12 February 1944	08:36	Yak-9	east-northeast of BulganakTemplate:Sfn east-northeast of Bulganak	91	31 May 1944	16:40	Yak-1	PQ 78643Template:Sfn south of Tudora
66	15 February 1944	08:37	P-39	southeast of BulganakTemplate:Sfn southeast of Bulganak	92	31 May 1944	16:44	P-39	vicinity of HușiTemplate:Sfn south of Tudora
67	11 March 1944	11:50	Yak-7	AlexandrovkaTemplate:Sfn north-northwest of Alexandrovka	93	2 June 1944	08:55	Pe-2	PQ 78683Template:Sfn northeast of Iași
68	11 March 1944	15:00	Yak-7	west of TschigaryTemplate:Sfn west of Tschigary	94	2 June 1944	14:47	Yak-7	PQ 78533Template:Sfn west of Tudora
69	13 March 1944	08:37	Yak-7	east of FeodosiaTemplate:Sfn east of Feodosia	95	2 June 1944	16:05	P-39	PQ 78564Template:Sfn southwest of Tudora
70	13 March 1944	08:42	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 56873Template:Sfn east of Feodosia	96	6 June 1944	09:04	Pe-2	PQ 48652Template:Sfn north-northeast of Bistritz
71	16 March 1944	14:15	Yak-9	south of TschigaryTemplate:Sfn south of Tschigary	97♠	8 June 1944	10:30	La-5	PQ 78551Template:Sfn west-southwest of Tudora
72	17 March 1944	10:05	Yak-7	east of KarankutTemplate:Sfn east of Karankut	98♠	8 June 1944	10:36	La-5	PQ 78552Template:Sfn west-southwest of Tudora
73	17 March 1944	13:38	Yak-7	southwest of TschigaryTemplate:Sfn southwest of Tschigary	99♠	8 June 1944	13:13	P-39	PQ 78562Template:Sfn southwest of Tudora
74	18 March 1944	16:50	Yak-7	FedorowkaTemplate:Sfn	100♠	8 June 1944	13:14	P-39	PQ 78641Template:Sfn south of Tudora
75	22 March 1944	10:40	LaGG-3	vicinity of Cape TarchanTemplate:Sfn	101♠	8 June 1944	19:22	Il-2	PQ 78592Template:Sfn northwest of Iași
76	22 March 1944	10:45	LaGG-3?Template:Refn	Cape TarchanTemplate:Sfn east of Bulganak	102	22 August 1944	13:25	Boston	PQ 97573Template:Sfn east of Serpnewoje (Leipzig)
77♠	7 May 1944	08:34	Yak-1	vicinity of BalaklavaTemplate:Sfn Black Sea, south of Sevastopol	103	3 March 1945	—	P-51	Hungary
78♠	7 May 1944	10:35	Yak-7	vicinity of BalaklavaTemplate:Sfn south of Sevastopol	104	16 April 1945	—	P-39	Hungary

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st ClassTemplate:Sfn
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 11 October 1943 as Feldwebel and pilotTemplate:SfnTemplate:Refn
• German Cross in Gold on 17 October 1943 as Feldwebel in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 52Template:Sfn
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 June 1944 as Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel and pilot in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 52Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn