Wolfgang Tonne

Wolfgang Tonne (28 February 1918 – 20 April 1943) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 122 aerial victories—that is, 122 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—achieved in 641 combat missions. This figure includes 96 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, and further 26 victories over the Western Allies, including one four-engined bomber.

Born in Moßbach, Tonne grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. He joined the military service in the Luftwaffe in 1937. Following flight training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing) in 1939. Flying with this wing, Tonne claimed his first aerial victory on 14 May 1940 on the Western Front during the Battle of France. He then fought in the Battle of Britain and Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. In late 1941, his unit was sent to Mediterranean theater. There, he was made Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of JG 53 in January 1942. In May 1942, his unit was posted to the Eastern Front were following his 101st aerial victory he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 24 September 1942. His unit was then ordered to North Africa in October 1942. Tonne was killed in a flying accident on 20 April 1943 at Protville, Tunisia.

Early life and career

Tonne was born on 28 February 1918 in Moßbach, near Schleiz, in Thuringia of the German Empire. His father was a one-room school teacher (Dorfschullehrer). Tonne had a brother who got him interested in flying glider aircraft.Template:Sfn In November 1937, Tonne joined the Luftwaffe as an office cadet at the Luftkriegsschule 4 (LKS 4—4th Air War School) near Fürstenfeldbruck. He completed his A/B pilot license,Template:Refn and was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) on 1 September 1939.Template:Sfn

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 6 December 1939, Tonne was posted to 3. Staffel (3rd Squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing).Template:Sfn At the time, the Staffel was commanded by Oberleutnant Wolfgang Lippert and was subordinated to I. Gruppe (1st Group) of JG 53 headed by Hauptmann Lothar von Janson which was based at Darmstadt-Griesheim Airfield.Template:Sfn Tonne received the Iron Cross 2nd Class () on 18 April 1940.Template:Sfn Tonne claimed his first aerial victory over a Royal Air Force (RAF) Bristol Blenheim twin-engined bomber over Sedan from either No. 21, No. 107 or No. 110 Squadron on 14 May 1940 during the Battle of France.Template:Sfn On that mission, he was also shot down near Bouillon in combat with Hawker Hurricane fighters.Template:Sfn He bailed out of his Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-3 landing in enemy territory but was able to return to his unit uninjured.Template:Sfn

Over England and the Channel he was to gain a further three victories by the spring of 1941. I. Gruppe left the English Channel front on 6 June 1941, relocating to Mannheim-Sandhofen Airfield.Template:Sfn Following a maintenance overhaul of the aircraft, I. Gruppe moved to an airfield named Krzewicza located near Międzyrzec Podlaski, approximately west of Brest, from 12 to 14 June.Template:Sfn

Operation Barbarossa and Malta

On 22 June, the Geschwader crossed into Soviet airspace in support of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, which opened the Eastern Front. I. Gruppe took off on its first mission at 3:40 am, escorting Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers.Template:Sfn On 24 June 1941, Tonne who had been appointed adjutant in I. Gruppe of JG 53, claimed his first aerial victory when he shot down a Tupolev SB bomber.Template:Sfn On 5 July, I. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Dubno.Template:Sfn On 11 July, Tonne was wounded in aerial combat when a shell casing entered the cockpit of his Bf 109 F-2 (Werknummer 6728—factory number), hitting him in the face. Following the injury, he crash landed his aircraft near Berdychiv.Template:Sfn On 1 October 1941, Tonne was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant).Template:Sfn Flying combat air patrol the next day, Tonne claimed two aerial victories.Template:Sfn

In August 1941, I. Gruppe was withdrawn from the Eastern Front and were equipped with the Bf 109 F-4 at Mannheim-Sandhofen Airfield. On 20 September, the Gruppe relocated to the Netherlands where they were based at airfields at Katwijk and Haamstede where they were tasked with patrolling the Dutch airspace.Template:Sfn In December 1941, I. Gruppe was moved to Mediterranean air bases at Gela in Sicily where they fought in the aerial battles of the Siege of Malta.Template:Sfn On 24 January 1942, Tonne was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of JG 53. He succeeded Oberleutnant Ulrich Wollschläger.Template:Sfn Tonne flew 116 combat missions over Malta, without claiming aerial victories.Template:Sfn On 29 April, I. Gruppe flew its last mission over Malta before returning to Germany. In early May, the Gruppe transferred to Schwäbisch Hall for preparations to redeploy on the Eastern Front.Template:Sfn

Eastern Front

In early May 1942, I. Gruppe was transferred back to the Eastern Front. Prior to the relocation, the Gruppe received a full complement of 41 factory new Bf 109 F-4 aircraft at Schwäbisch Hall before heading for Prague Ruzyne Airfield on 28 May. The following day, I. Gruppe flew to Kursk. There, the Gruppe supported the German 4th Panzer Army in its advance towards Voronezh during Case Blue, the 1942 strategic summer offensive in southern Russia between 28 June and 24 November 1942.Template:Sfn

From 31 May 1942 to 29 September 1942, Tonne flew 155 combat missions and shot down 88 aircraft on the Eastern Front. He received the German Cross in Gold () on 21 August.Template:Sfn Tonne was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () on 6 September 1942 following his 54th aerial victory.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves () were awarded on 24 September for 101 victories.Template:Sfn The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler in October at the Führerhauptquartier Werwolf, Hitler's headquarters located in a pine forest about north of Vinnytsia, in Ukraine. Three other Luftwaffe officers were presented with the Oak Leaves that day by Hitler, Oberleutnant Friedrich-Karl Müller, Leutant Hans Beißwenger and Feldwebel Wilhelm Crinius.Template:Sfn Following the presentation, Tonne, Müller and Crinius were ordered to Berlin where they made a propaganda appearance at the "House of the Press".Template:Sfn At the same time, I. Gruppe of JG 53 relocated from the Eastern Front to Comiso Airfiled in Sicily where they arrived on 10 October.Template:Sfn

North Africa and death

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-468-1404-28, Italien, Flugzeuge Me 109 auf Feldflugplatz.jpg

Bf 109s of JG 53, similar to those flown byTonne.

When British forces launched the Second Battle of El Alamein on 23 October, elements of I. Gruppe of JG 53 were ordered to North Africa.Template:Sfn He claimed his first victory in this theater on 26 December 1942 shooting down a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) P-38 Lightning twin-engine fighter. On 28 December leading a flight of six Bf 109 to the Souk-el-Arba Airfield, Tonne shot down a Supermarine Spitfire fighter near the airfield.Template:Sfn On 1 January 1943, I. Gruppe flew many missions to Bône harbor, escorting Ju 87 dive bombers. That day, Tonne claimed two Spitfire fighters shot down. The next day, I. Gruppe again escorted Ju 87 dive bombers from II. Gruppe Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 (StG 3—3rd Dive Bomber Wing) and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 ground attack aircraft from III. Gruppe of Zerstörergeschwader 2 (ZG 2—2nd Destroyer Wing) to Bône. During this mission, Tonne claimed a Spitfire fighter shot down.Template:Sfn

Tonne flew 82 combat missions and claimed 21 victories over Tunisia. On 6 March, Tonne was credited with shooting down the RAF No. 93 Squadron Spitfire fighter piloted by Sergeant W.F. Hockey.Template:Sfn On 2 April, I. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Protville located approximately northwest of Raoued and southwest of Kalâat el-Andalous.Template:Sfn

On 20 April 1943, Tonne claimed his 122nd aerial victory.Template:Sfn Returning from that mission, he was killed in a flying accident over the airfield at Protville in his Bf 109 G-6 /R1 (Werknummer 16523).Template:Sfn Tonne had waggled his wings to signal an aerial victory claimed. He then pulled his Bf 109 into a steep climb, while turning the aircraft, extending the undercarriage, and sideslipping the excess altitude before touching down. He had executed this risky maneuver many times before but apparently had misjudged his height and crashed at the edge of the airfield.Template:Sfn Tonne was posthumously promoted to Major (major).Template:Sfn He was temporarily succeeded by Leutnant Rupert Weninger before Oberleutnant Walter Seiz took command of 3. Staffel.Template:Sfn

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Tonne was credited with 122 aerial victories.Template:Sfn Spick also lists him with 122 aerial victories claimed in 641 combat missions, of which 5 victories were claimed during the Battle of France and Britain, 96 on the Eastern Front and 21 over North Africa.Template:Sfn Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 120 aerial victory claims, plus six further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 95 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 25 on the Western Front.Template:Sfn

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 49293". 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 – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Tonne did not receive credit.   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
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –Template:Sfn Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940
1	14 May 1940	19:40	Blenheim	northwest of SedanTemplate:Sfn	2	9 June 1940	14:40	Hawk 36	Saint-DizierTemplate:Sfn
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –Template:Sfn Action at the Channel and over England — 26 June 1940 – 7 June 1941
3	15 September 1940	15:55	HurricaneTemplate:Sfn		5	26 April 1941	10:30	Spitfire	south of Boulogne-sur-MerTemplate:Sfn
4	17 October 1940	16:37	Spitfire	southeast of LondonTemplate:Sfn
– Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 –Template:Sfn Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 7 August 1941
6	24 June 1941	09:40	SB-2Template:Sfn		10	7 July 1941	09:08	DB-3	south of PloskirovTemplate:Sfn
7	24 June 1941	09:45	SB-2	north of PruzhanyTemplate:Sfn	11	11 July 1941	13:40?Template:Refn	DB-3Template:Sfn
8	6 July 1941	17:30	DB-3	TarnopolTemplate:Sfn	12	12 July 1941	10:40	I-153?Template:SfnTemplate:Refn
9	6 July 1941	17:36	DB-3	TarnopolTemplate:Sfn	13	18 July 1941	12:08	SB-3Template:Sfn
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –Template:Sfn Eastern Front — 28 May – 27 September 1942
14	31 May 1942	03:45	I-61 (MiG-3)	northeast of KurskTemplate:Sfn	58	18 August 1942	08:55	MiG-3	PQ 49293Template:Sfn east of Stalingrad
15	31 May 1942	03:48	I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn		59	19 August 1942	04:21	R-5	PQ 4084Template:Sfn north-northeast of Stalingrad
16	31 May 1942	03:55	I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn		60	19 August 1942	10:55	LaGG-3	PQ 4923Template:Sfn east-northeast of Stalingrad
17	5 June 1942	12:28	I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn		61	21 August 1942	17:35	I-180 (Yak-7)	PQ 4945Template:Sfn southeast of Stalingrad
18	5 June 1942	12:34	I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn		62	22 August 1942	10:15	LaGG-3	PQ 4913Template:Sfn north of Grebenka
19	9 June 1942	17:09	I-61 (MiG-3)Template:Sfn		63	23 August 1942	16:05	MiG-3	PQ 49124Template:Sfn north of Gumrak
20	23 June 1942	15:00	R-5Template:Sfn		64	24 August 1942	06:12	MiG-3	PQ 5914Template:Sfn east-northeast of Stalingrad
21	23 June 1942	15:05	R-5Template:Sfn		65	3 September 1942	05:01?Template:Refn	MiG-3	PQ 49244Template:Sfn northeast of Stalingrad
22	28 June 1942	18:30?Template:Refn	R-10 (Seversky)Template:Sfn		66	3 September 1942	15:52	Yak-1	PQ 5089Template:Sfn
23	28 June 1942	18:32	R-10 (Seversky)	east of SchatowaTemplate:Sfn	67	4 September 1942	07:50?Template:Refn	LaGG-3	PQ 4019Template:Sfn north of Grebenka
24	2 July 1942	12:45	Pe-2Template:Sfn		68	5 September 1942	10:05	Yak-1	PQ 49360Template:Sfn south of Stalingrad
25	5 July 1942	13:20	Boston	east-northeast of VoronezhTemplate:Sfn	69	5 September 1942	15:45	LaGG-3	PQ 4933Template:Sfn Stalingrad
26	5 July 1942	18:50	Pe-2	northeast of VoronezhTemplate:Sfn	70?Template:Refn	6 September 1942	13:55	Il-2	PQ 4913Template:Sfn
27	6 July 1942	07:40	LaGG-3	east of GnilowodyTemplate:Sfn	71	7 September 1942	16:57	Yak-1	PQ 4929Template:Sfn east of Stalingrad
28	6 July 1942	17:23?Template:Refn	LaGG-3Template:Sfn		72	8 September 1942	10:16?Template:Refn	Yak-1	PQ 49142Template:Sfn
29	6 July 1942	17:32	LaGG-3Template:Sfn		73	8 September 1942	10:25	Yak-1	PQ 4087Template:Sfn north-northeast of Stalingrad
30	7 July 1942	18:15	LaGG-3Template:Sfn		74	8 September 1942	10:30	Yak-1	PQ 5054Template:Sfn northeast of Grebenka
31	8 July 1942	07:15	MiG-3Template:Sfn		75	8 September 1942	10:45	Yak-1	PQ 4085Template:Sfn north-northeast of Stalingrad
32	11 July 1942	09:57	BostonTemplate:Sfn		76	9 September 1942	10:43?Template:Refn	Yak-1	PQ 4076Template:Sfn north of Grebenka
33	11 July 1942	09:59	BostonTemplate:Sfn		77	9 September 1942	10:49	Yak-1	PQ 4059Template:Sfn north of Grebenka
34	26 July 1942	04:25	LaGG-3Template:Sfn		78	11 September 1942	11:30	La-5	PQ 4922Template:Sfn east-northeast of Stalingrad
35	26 July 1942	12:35?Template:Refn	Pe-2Template:Sfn		79	12 September 1942	16:53	Pe-2	PQ 4941Template:Sfn southeast of Stalingrad
36	31 July 1942	11:40	Il-2	PQ 3915Template:Sfn northwest of Kalach	80	13 September 1942	07:12?Template:Refn	La-5	PQ 49282Template:Sfn east of Stalingrad
37	31 July 1942	13:55	Il-2	PQ 39163Template:Sfn north-northwest of Kalach	81	13 September 1942	07:28?Template:Refn	LaGG-3	PQ 49122Template:Sfn north of Gumrak
38	31 July 1942	14:15	MiG-3	PQ 3919Template:Sfn vicinity of Kalach	82	13 September 1942	15:45	LaGG-3	PQ 4933Template:Sfn vicinity of Stalingrad
39	31 July 1942	17:00	Hurricane	PQ 3927Template:Sfn vicinity of Kalach	83	14 September 1942	04:45	Il-2	PQ 49413Template:Sfn east of Stalingrad
40	1 August 1942	14:19	LaGG-3	PQ 3926Template:Sfn north of Pitomnik	84	14 September 1942	16:40	Il-2	PQ 49452Template:Sfn east of Stalingrad
41	2 August 1942	12:25	Il-2	PQ 3919Template:Sfn vicinity of Kalach	85	16 September 1942	16:48	Yak-1	PQ 5055Template:Sfn
42	2 August 1942	12:35	Il-2	PQ 3948Template:Sfn southeast of Kalach	86	17 September 1942	06:29	Pe-2	PQ 49111Template:Sfn north-northeast of Pitomnik
43	5 August 1942	07:10	MiG-3?Template:Refn	PQ 49742Template:Sfn east-northeast of Aksal	87	17 September 1942	09:47	Yak-1	PQ 4076Template:Sfn north of Grebenka
44	5 August 1942	07:17	MiG-3	PQ 49751Template:Sfn east-northeast of Aksal	88	18 September 1942	10:07	Yak-1	PQ 4059Template:Sfn north of Grebenka
45	5 August 1942	11:29	MiG-3	PQ 49783Template:Sfn vicinity of Shutow	89	18 September 1942	16:53	Yak-1	PQ 40750Template:Sfn north of Gumrak
46	5 August 1942	17:10	MiG-3	PQ 49582Template:Sfn east-northeast of Aksal	90	18 September 1942	17:02?Template:Refn	Yak-1	PQ 4073Template:Sfn north of Grebenka
47	6 August 1942	06:23	MiG-3	PQ 39891Template:Sfn vicinity of Aksal	91	19 September 1942	09:28	Yak-1	PQ 49124Template:Sfn north of Gumrak
48	6 August 1942	06:30	MiG-3	PQ 39891Template:Sfn vicinity of Aksal	92	19 September 1942	09:40	Yak-1	PQ 4039Template:Sfn north of Grebenka
49	6 August 1942	16:00	R-5	PQ 49321Template:Sfn south of Bassargino	93	20 September 1942	06:53	Yak-1	PQ 49133Template:Sfn north of Grebenka
50	8 August 1942	05:35	MiG-3	PQ 49512Template:Sfn south-southwest of Bassargino	94	20 September 1942	07:13	Yak-1	PQ 49422Template:Sfn east of Stalingrad
51	8 August 1942	06:02	Il-2	PQ 4956Template:Sfn south of Stalingrad	95	20 September 1942	10:07	Yak-1	PQ 49294Template:Sfn east of Stalingrad
52	8 August 1942	17:04	LaGG-3	PQ 49611Template:Sfn south-southeast of Stalingrad	96	21 September 1942	14:57	Yak-1	PQ 49431Template:Sfn east of Stalingrad
53	9 August 1942	07:04	MiG-3	PQ 4952Template:Sfn south-southwest of Stalingrad	97	21 September 1942	15:12	Yak-1	PQ 49433Template:Sfn east of Stalingrad
54	10 August 1942	17:20	LaGG-3	PQ 39670Template:Sfn northwest of Shutow	98	21 September 1942	17:20	Yak-1	PQ 4079Template:Sfn north of Grebenka
55	12 August 1942	04:23	Il-2	PQ 38114Template:Sfn west of Shutow	99	22 September 1942	06:46?Template:Refn	Yak-1	PQ 49132Template:Sfn north of Grebenka
56	12 August 1942	04:33	MiG-3	PQ 39461Template:Sfn southwest of Bassargino	100	22 September 1942	16:29	Yak-1	PQ 49422Template:Sfn east of Stalingrad
57	15 August 1942	11:40	LaGG-3	PQ 4943Template:Sfn east-southeast of Stalingrad	101	22 September 1942	16:38	Yak-1	PQ 49262Template:Sfn east of Stalingrad
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –Template:Sfn Mediterranean Theater — 1 October – 20 April 1943
—	26 December 1942	—	P-38Template:Sfn		112	1 March 1943	17:45	Spitfire	west of BéjaTemplate:Sfn
102	28 December 1942	14:05	Spitfire	south of Souk El ArbaaTemplate:Sfn	113	3 March 1943	16:05	P-38	south of Majaz al BabTemplate:Sfn
103	1 January 1943	11:08	Spitfire	south of BôneTemplate:Sfn	114	6 March 1943	17:44	Spitfire	south of Pont du FahsTemplate:Sfn
104	1 January 1943	15:51	Spitfire	southwest of BôneTemplate:Sfn	115	22 March 1943	13:41	P-38	north of BizerteTemplate:Sfn
105	2 January 1943	09:14	Spitfire	northwest of La CalleTemplate:Sfn	116	31 March 1943	15:51	Spitfire	southwest of AbiodTemplate:Sfn
106	15 January 1943	07:57	M.S.406Template:Refn	northeast of TébessaTemplate:Sfn	117	10 April 1943	16:50	Spitfire	north of Oued ZargaTemplate:Sfn
107	15 January 1943	08:16	P-40	northeast of TébessaTemplate:Sfn	118	10 April 1943	17:00	Spitfire	south BéjaTemplate:Sfn
108	15 January 1943	11:08	P-40	airfield ThélepteTemplate:Sfn	119	13 April 1943	07:00	Spitfire	northeast of Oued ZargaTemplate:Sfn
109	18 January 1943	16:32	Spitfire	southwest of Bou AradaTemplate:Sfn	120	20 April 1943	10:04	Spitfire	airfield Tunis E-21Template:Sfn
110?Template:Refn	29 January 1943	11:05	B-17	west of BéjaTemplate:Sfn	121	20 April 1943	10:11	Spitfire	north of TebourbaTemplate:Sfn
111	25 February 1943	16:40	Spitfire	northwest of Cap RosaTemplate:Sfn	122	20 April 1943	16:58	Spitfire	southwest of airfield 76Template:Sfn

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (18 April 1940)Template:Sfn
  • 1st Class (23 May 1940)Template:Sfn
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for fighter pilots in Gold (5 May 1941)Template:Sfn
• Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (6 August 1941)Template:Sfn
• German Cross in Gold on 21 August 1942 as Oberleutnant in the I./Jagdgeschwader 53Template:Sfn
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 6 September 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 3./Jagdgeschwader 53Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
  • 128th Oak Leaves on 24 September 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 3./Jagdgeschwader 53Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn