Werner Lucas

Werner Georg Emil Lucas (27 December 1917 – 24 October 1943) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 106 enemy aircraft shot down. The majority of his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front, with one claim over the Western Front.

Born in Berlin, Lucas volunteered for military service in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany in 1938. Following flight training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) in 1941. He claimed his first aerial victories in July 1941 during Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Following his 57th aerial victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 September 1942. He was then appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 4. Staffel (4th squadron) of JG 3 which he continued to lead on the Eastern Front. He claimed his 100th aerial victory on 21 July 1943.

In October 1943, Lucas and his unit were transferred to the Western Front fighting in Defense of the Reich. In this theatre, Lucas claimed his 106th and last aerial victory before he was killed in action in aerial combat with Supermarine Spitfires on 24 October 1943.

Military career

Lucas was born on 27 December 1917 in Berlin of the German Empire. Following flight training,Template:Refn he was posted to the 4. Staffel (4th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) on 8 February 1941.Template:Sfn World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. At the time of his posting, II. Gruppe of JG 3 was based in Arques in northern France and fighting against the Royal Air Force.Template:Sfn On 10 February 1941, II. Gruppe was ordered to return to Germany for a period of rest and reequipment. The unit arrived at Darmstadt-Griesheim on 16 February where they received a complement of the new Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2 fighter aircraft.Template:Sfn

On 25 April 1941, II. Gruppe began relocating back to the English Channel Front at Monchy-Breton. The Gruppe completed relocation on 4 May and flew its first mission on 7 May 1941. On 1 June 1941, II. Gruppe began its relocation to the Eastern Front. The ground elements moved immediately while the air elements followed on 8 June. On that day, they flew to Saint-Dizier and then to Böblingen. On the following day, they continued to Breslau-Gandau, now Wrocław Airport in Poland, via Straubing.Template:Sfn

Operation Barbarossa

In preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, II. Gruppe headed further east on 18 June. Following a stopover at Kraków, the unit was moved to Hostynne. At the start of the campaign, JG 3 under the command of Major (Major) Günther Lützow was subordinated to the V. Fliegerkorps (5th Air Corps), under the command of General der Flieger (General of the Aviators) Robert Ritter von Greim, itself part of Luftflotte 4 (4th Air Fleet), under the command of Generaloberst (Colonel General) Alexander Löhr. These air elements supported Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshal) Gerd von Rundstedt's Army Group South, with the objective of capturing Ukraine and its capital Kiev. At 17:00 on 21 June 1941, the 5th Air Corps, based at Lipsko, briefed the various unit commanders of the upcoming attack. That evening, Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe Lothar Keller informed his subordinates of the attack.Template:Sfn

A map of Eastern Europe depicting the movement of military units and formations.

Map indicating Operation Barbarossa's attack plan

The invasion of the Soviet Union began on 22 June 1941. II. Gruppe flew its first missions on the Eastern Front shortly before 04:00, flying low attacks against Soviet airfields in the vicinity of Lvov in Ukraine. At 06:30 the Gruppe fought its first aerial battles. 4. Staffel claimed three victories and the Gruppenstab four.Template:Sfn In the beginning of July 1941, the front in the vicinity of the northern sector of Army Group South became increasingly fluid. This necessitated the relocation of II. Gruppe to Volodymyr-Volynskyi.Template:Sfn On 2 July, II. Gruppe claimed 23 aerial victories in the combat area west of Berdichev and Zhitomir, including the first aerial victory by Lucas.Template:Sfn The rapid advance of German ground forces required II. Gruppe to move to Lutsk on 5 July, then to Dubno that evening and to Miropol on 10 July. That day, Lucas claimed three Tupolev TB-3 bombers shot down.Template:Sfn He and his wingman, Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) Franz Beyer, had encountered twelve TB-3s from 14 Tyazhyolyy Bombardirovochnyy Aviatsionnyy (14 TBAP—14th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment). The two pilots claimed five of the bombers destroyed while Soviet records indicate that seven were lost.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

On 8 August 1941, Lucas became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time, shooting down five Soviet bombers in combat near the Dnieper river.Template:Sfn On 31 October 1941, II. Gruppe flew its last combat mission over the northern Crimean combat zone and was ordered to retreat to Germany for a period of rest and refurbishment.Template:Sfn On 1 December 1941, JG 3 was given the honorary name "Udet" following the suicide of World War I fighter pilot and Luftwaffe Generalleutnant Ernst Udet.Template:Sfn

Mediterranean Theatre

At Wiesbaden-Erbenheim airfield, II. Gruppe was equipped with Bf 109 F-4 trop as the unit was to be deployed in the Mediterranean Theatre. After almost two months of rest, II. Gruppe was ordered to transfer to Sicily in early January 1942.Template:Sfn Lucas was awarded the German Cross in Gold () on 27 March 1942.Template:Sfn II. Gruppe flew its last combat mission over Malta on 25 April 1942.Template:Sfn On 27 April, II. Gruppe arrived at Plzeň where it was placed under the command of Hauptmann (Captain) Kurt Brändle.Template:Sfn

Eastern Front

After three weeks of rest, II. Gruppe was moved to the southern sector of the Eastern Front and placed under control of VIII. Fliegerkorps (8th Air Corps) on the left wing of Army Group South.Template:Sfn On 15 July, II. Gruppe was moved to an airfield at Millerovo.Template:Sfn Flying from this airfield, Lucas claimed his 33rd and 34th aerial victory.Template:Sfn On 27 July 1942, Lucas flew on a fighter escort mission for nine Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers and claimed his 39th and 40th aerial victory. The flight was intercepted by Yakovlev Yak-7 fighters from 434 Istrebitelny Aviatsionny Polk (434 IAP—434rd Fighter Aviation Regiment). In this encounter, Lucas claimed two Yakovlev fighters shot down. It is possible that his opponents were Mládshiy Leytenánt Kukushin and Serzhánt Smirnov, who both were shot down that day.Template:Sfn

On 20 August 1942, for the second time in his combat career, Lucas became an "ace-in-a-day". On his first combat mission of the day, he claimed an Ilyushin Il-2 dive bomber destroyed, followed by four Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers within six minutes, taking his total to 52 aerial victories.Template:Sfn On 19 September 1942, Lucas received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () for 57 air victories.Template:Sfn In November 1942, Lucas was appointed Staffelkapitän of the 4. Staffel of JG 3. He thus succeeded Hauptmann Gerhard Wendt who was posted to a staff position with Luftflotte 4.Template:Sfn In December, Lucas volunteered for the Platzschutzstaffel (airfield defence squadron) of the Pitomnik Airfield. The Staffel, largely made up from volunteers from I. and II. Gruppe of JG 3, was responsible for providing fighter escort to Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft and Heinkel He 111 bombers shuttling supplies for the encircled German forces fighting in the Battle of Stalingrad.Template:Sfn On 21 July 1943, Lucas was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 47th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.Template:Sfn During the Donbass Strategic Offensive, II. Gruppe supported the 6th Army on the Mius-Front.Template:Sfn On 31 July 1943, II. Gruppe claimed 17 aerial victories in this sector, including two by Lucas, his last two claims on the Eastern Front.Template:Sfn On 2 August, the Gruppe was ordered to return to Germany.Template:Sfn

Defense of the Reich and death

File:Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Ysselsteyn - Werner Lucas.jpg

Ysselsteyn German war cemetery grave CW 1-21

The increasing daytime attacks of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force against targets in western Europe forced the Luftwaffe to transfer more and more fighter units from the Eastern Front back to Germany in Defense of the Reich.Template:Sfn On 3 August 1943, II. GruppeTemplate:'s air elements arrived at Uetersen Airfield in northern Germany.Template:Sfn On 20 October, the USAAF targeted Düren. II. Gruppe intercepted the bombers near Venlo but were fended off by the escorting Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters. Elements of II. Gruppe managed to reach the bombers on their return. Two Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers were shot down, including one by Lucas.Template:Sfn

Whilst with JG 3 flying from Schiphol, he was killed in combat with Supermarine Spitfires, possibly escorting USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress bombers, on 24 October 1943.Template:Sfn His Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 27080 —factory number) crashed in the city centre of Leiden, Netherlands.Template:Sfn He on purpose, crashed his aircraft in the courtyard of a hospital on the Hooigracht, thus taking no other people with him than his 106 kills.Template:Sfn

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Lucas was credited with 106 aerial victories.Template:Sfn Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 105 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim. This figure includes 104 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and a four-engined bomber over the Western Allies.Template:Sfn

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47844". 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 Lucas 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
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Template:Sfn Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 1 November 1941
1?Template:Refn	2 July 1941	06:20	I-16Template:Sfn	south of KrylowTemplate:Sfn	17	25 August 1941	05:45	Pe-2Template:Sfn	JanzewoTemplate:Sfn
2	10 July 1941	19:22	TB-3Template:Sfn	east of KorostyshivTemplate:Sfn	18	30 August 1941	12:19	DB-3Template:Sfn	southwest of NowokosmoskTemplate:Sfn
3	10 July 1941	19:30	TB-3Template:Sfn	west of MaidanowkaTemplate:Sfn	19	30 August 1941	12:25	DB-3Template:Sfn	south of NikolajewskajaTemplate:Sfn
4	10 July 1941	19:33	TB-3Template:Sfn	ChromovkaTemplate:Sfn	20	2 September 1941	06:45	DB-3Template:Sfn	DumchailowkaTemplate:Sfn
5	26 July 1941	06:39	I-153Template:Sfn	west of ChrebjonkaTemplate:Sfn	21	3 September 1941	13:38	V-11 (Il-2)Template:Sfn	west of KobeljakiTemplate:Sfn
6	26 July 1941	10:59	V-11 (Il-2)Template:Sfn	south of GermanowkaTemplate:Sfn	22	6 September 1941	18:25	SB-3Template:Sfn	KoselschtschinaTemplate:Sfn
7	8 August 1941	13:40	DB-3Template:Sfn	south of GorodishcheTemplate:Sfn	23	7 September 1941	05:30	I-180 (Yak-7)Template:Sfn	west of WoskabojniaTemplate:Sfn
8	9 August 1941	04:50	DB-3Template:Sfn	east of PawlitschTemplate:Sfn	24	13 September 1941	17:25?Template:Refn	V-11 (Il-2)Template:Sfn	east of BalakliiaTemplate:Sfn
9	12 August 1941	07:45	DB-3Template:Sfn	KnajschitschijTemplate:Sfn	25	23 September 1941	16:35	I-153Template:Sfn	northeast of KotowkaTemplate:Sfn
10♠	17 August 1941	09:07	DB-3Template:Sfn	BoschedarowkaTemplate:Sfn	26	25 September 1941	07:23	I-26 (Yak-1)Template:Sfn	east of KirkowkaTemplate:Sfn
11♠	17 August 1941	09:08	DB-3Template:Sfn	east of AdamowkaTemplate:Sfn	27	25 September 1941	14:45	DB-3Template:Sfn	southeast of SenkowTemplate:Sfn
12♠	17 August 1941	09:15	DB-3Template:Sfn	northeast of TschumakiTemplate:Sfn	28	28 September 1941	14:47	Pe-2Template:Sfn	east of NowokosmoskTemplate:Sfn
13♠	17 August 1941	17:50	SB-3Template:Sfn	RaduschnajaTemplate:Sfn	29	29 September 1941	10:25	I-180 (Yak-7)Template:Sfn	southeast of PestschanojeTemplate:Sfn
14♠	17 August 1941	17:55	SB-3Template:Sfn	ApostoloveTemplate:Sfn	30	8 October 1941	13:15	Pe-2Template:Sfn	east of MosalskTemplate:Sfn
15	21 August 1941	16:35	DB-3Template:Sfn	southwest of PismenajaTemplate:Sfn	31	17 October 1941	09:15	I-26 (Yak-1)Template:Sfn	east of Kurulu-KiptschokTemplate:Sfn
16	21 August 1941	16:43	DB-3Template:Sfn	southeast of IwkowkaTemplate:Sfn	32	18 October 1941	13:11	I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn	KadshanbakTemplate:Sfn
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Template:Sfn Eastern Front — 26 April 1942 – 3 February 1943
33	15 July 1942	15:15	DB-3Template:Sfn	west of Naro-FominskTemplate:Sfn	54	13 September 1942	06:58	Pe-2Template:Sfn	PQ 47844, KonopatjaTemplate:Sfn
34	15 July 1942	16:50	Pe-2Template:Sfn	northeast of MillerovoTemplate:Sfn	55	13 September 1942	07:03	Pe-2Template:Sfn	PQ 47682, KonopatjaTemplate:Sfn
35	20 July 1942	11:59	Il-2Template:Sfn	OlchowskijTemplate:Sfn	56	15 September 1942	09:12	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 47842, RashdestowenoTemplate:Sfn
36	21 July 1942	09:07	Il-2Template:Sfn	south of StrachowskijTemplate:Sfn	57	15 September 1942	14:44	Pe-2Template:Sfn	east of KrestowoTemplate:Sfn
37	23 July 1942	17:30	Il-2Template:Sfn	northeast of TschernschowskajaTemplate:Sfn	58	23 September 1942	07:17	LaGG-3Template:Sfn	west of StraschewitschiTemplate:Sfn
38	26 July 1942	15:14	Pe-2Template:Sfn	northwest of DmitrijewkaTemplate:Sfn	59	15 October 1942	08:58	LaGG-3Template:Sfn	PQ 38614, ParalesokTemplate:Sfn
39	27 July 1942	16:02	Yak-1Template:Sfn	south of DubinskijTemplate:Sfn	60	26 November 1942	12:17	Il-2Template:Sfn	west of BeljinTemplate:Sfn
40	27 July 1942	16:05	Yak-1Template:Sfn	northwest of MarinowkaTemplate:Sfn	61	26 November 1942	12:19	Il-2Template:Sfn	northwest of BeljinTemplate:Sfn
41	4 August 1942	17:35	Pe-2Template:Sfn	southwest of "Haltepunkt 75km" (stopping point 75 km)Template:Sfn	62	30 November 1942	13:56	Il-2Template:Sfn	southeast of BeljinTemplate:Sfn
42	5 August 1942	04:30	Pe-2Template:Sfn	west of TschapurnikiTemplate:Sfn	63	3 December 1942	12:37	Il-2Template:Sfn	west of BeljinTemplate:Sfn
43	5 August 1942	04:35	MiG-1Template:Sfn	west of TschapurnikiTemplate:Sfn	64	17 December 1942	11:35	Pe-2Template:Sfn	south of Kotluban train stationTemplate:Sfn
44	6 August 1942	14:40	R-5Template:Sfn	north of FlodowitojeTemplate:Sfn	65	17 December 1942	11:36	Pe-2Template:Sfn	east of GnilowskojeTemplate:Sfn
45	7 August 1942	17:47	Pe-2Template:Sfn	east of KlischewskijTemplate:Sfn	66	19 December 1942	09:30	Il-2Template:Sfn	west of AkimowskijTemplate:Sfn
46	17 August 1942	05:20	Il-2Template:Sfn	southwest of PrudkijTemplate:Sfn	67	19 December 1942	09:50	Il-2Template:Sfn	northwest of DmitirjewkaTemplate:Sfn
47	19 August 1942	17:44	Il-2Template:Sfn	east of KatschalinskajaTemplate:Sfn	68	5 January 1943	07:10	La-5Template:Sfn	PQ 19591, Krasno SnamenkoTemplate:Sfn
48♠	20 August 1942	04:33	Il-2Template:Sfn	east of GratschijTemplate:Sfn	69	5 January 1943	07:20	La-5Template:Sfn	northwest of ProkowskijTemplate:Sfn
49♠	20 August 1942	04:40	Pe-2Template:Sfn	west of PitschugiTemplate:Sfn	70	15 January 1943	13:00	PS-84?Template:SfnTemplate:Refn	northwest of Kotluban train stationTemplate:Sfn
50♠	20 August 1942	04:42	Pe-2Template:Sfn	northeast of WarlamowTemplate:Sfn	71	15 January 1943	13:04	PS-84?Template:Sfn	PQ 49183, west of PitomnikTemplate:Sfn
51♠	20 August 1942	04:43	Pe-2Template:Sfn	east of ArakanzewTemplate:Sfn	72	15 January 1943	13:08	PS-84?Template:Sfn	southwest of SsamofalowkaTemplate:Sfn
52♠	20 August 1942	04:46	Pe-2Template:Sfn	east of PantschinoTemplate:Sfn	73	1 February 1943	11:55	BostonTemplate:Sfn	PQ 99833, west KorolewkaTemplate:Sfn
53	21 August 1942	17:45	Il-2Template:Sfn	northeast of Dubowy OwragTemplate:Sfn
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Template:Sfn Eastern Front — 4 February – 3 August 1943
74	10 February 1943	09:00	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 99454, KuschilowkaTemplate:Sfn	90♠	5 July 1943	09:15	Pe-2Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 61112, west of DmitrijewkaTemplate:Sfn
75	20 April 1943	10:04	BostonTemplate:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 75453, southwest of NoworossijskTemplate:Sfn	91♠	5 July 1943	09:30	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 61342, southwest of TomarowkaTemplate:Sfn
76	20 April 1943	16:00	Boston,Template:Sfn south of NoworossijskTemplate:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 75454	92♠	5 July 1943	18:05	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 61483, south-southeast of BelgorodTemplate:Sfn
77	20 April 1943	16:05	BostonTemplate:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 75781, southwest of NoworossijskTemplate:Sfn	93	6 July 1943	17:13	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 61661, west of TitowkaTemplate:Sfn
78	23 April 1943	17:04	LaGG-3Template:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 75433, south of NoworossijskTemplate:Sfn	94	7 July 1943	04:30	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 61362, PolonnajaTemplate:Sfn
79	23 April 1943	17:08	LaGG-3Template:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 75497, south-southeast of KarbadinkaTemplate:Sfn	95	7 July 1943	04:34	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 61532, PokaljannojeTemplate:Sfn
80	6 May 1943	13:45	LaGG-3Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 71153, north of KoschtschejewoTemplate:Sfn	96	15 July 1943	14:45	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 61253, SchachowaTemplate:Sfn
81	7 May 1943	16:30	La-5Template:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost, southwest of GretscheskojeTemplate:Sfn	97	15 July 1943	14:50	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 71147, KolomizewoTemplate:Sfn
82	9 May 1943	08:57	La-5Template:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 75252, west-southwest of KrymskajaTemplate:Sfn	98	19 July 1943	12:20	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 88422, SemenowskijTemplate:Sfn
83	8 June 1943	11:12	LaGG-3Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 61213, southwest of ProchorowkaTemplate:Sfn	99	19 July 1943	18:20	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 88233, east of DmitrijewkaTemplate:Sfn
84	8 June 1943	11:22	La-5Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 61243, northeast of LuckiTemplate:Sfn	100	21 July 1943	08:05	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 88252, Sour-MglinskijTemplate:Sfn
85	16 June 1943	03:35	Yak-1Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 60294, southeast of AnnowkaTemplate:Sfn	101	21 July 1943	14:10	Yak-1Template:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 88211, south of TschistjakowoTemplate:Sfn
86	19 June 1943	15:57	Pe-2Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 61431, near MelechowoTemplate:Sfn	102	22 July 1943	04:13	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 88183, northeast of KuteinykoveTemplate:Sfn
87	21 June 1943	14:32	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 53462, northwest of BorissowkaTemplate:Sfn	103	30 July 1943	17:12	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 88261, south of MarinowkaTemplate:Sfn
88♠	5 July 1943	03:25	Il-2?Template:Refn	PQ 35 Ost 60182, north of SkripajTemplate:Sfn	104	31 July 1943	11:00	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 88264, east of GregorjewkaTemplate:Sfn
89♠	5 July 1943	04:05	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 35 Ost 60334, ButowkaTemplate:Sfn	105	31 July 1943	11:13	Il-2Template:Sfn	PQ 34 Ost 88283, east of AleksejewkaTemplate:Sfn
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Template:Sfn Defense of the Reich — 12 September – 24 October 1943
106	20 October 1943	14:45?Template:Refn	B-17Template:Sfn	PQ 05 Ost S/KN 9, south of VenrayTemplate:Sfn

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st ClassTemplate:Sfn
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 2 October 1941 as Unteroffizier and pilotTemplate:Sfn
• German Cross in Gold on 27 March 1942 Feldwebel in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 3Template:SfnTemplate:Refn
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 September 1942 as Feldwebel and pilot in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn