Anton Hermann Benning (15 May 1918 – 29 September 2013) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight' ...

during World War II.Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-45 - Anton Benning (German language)
Retrieved 5 October 2013

Career

Benning joined the Luftwaffe in 1938 and was initially posted as a flying instructor. As a transport pilot flying the

Junkers Ju 52 The Junkers Ju 52/3m (nicknamed ''Tante Ju'' ("Aunt Ju") and ''Iron Annie'') is a transport aircraft that was designed and manufactured by German aviation company Junkers. Development of the Ju 52 commenced during 1930, headed by German Aeros ...

, he took part in supplying the

Stalingrad Volgograd ( rus, Волгогра́д, a=ru-Volgograd.ogg, p=vəɫɡɐˈɡrat), geographical renaming, formerly Tsaritsyn (russian: Цари́цын, Tsarítsyn, label=none; ) (1589–1925), and Stalingrad (russian: Сталингра́д, Stal ...

pocket in early 1943, before retraining as a single engined fighter pilot with Jagdgeschwader 106 (JG 106). In June 1943 '' Oberfeldwebel'' Benning was transferred to 2./ Jagdgeschwader 301 (JG 301) to operate as a "

Wilde Sau ''Wilde Sau'' ( Lit. wild sow; generally known in English as "Wild Boar") was the term given by the ''Luftwaffe'' to the tactic used from 1943 to 1944 during World War II by which British night bombers were engaged by single-seat day-fighter airc ...

" night fighter. He was transferred to 2./ Jagdgeschwader 302 (JG 302) as a '' Leutnant'', before becoming '' Staffelkapitän'' of 10./JG 301 in late 1944. He received the Ritterkreuz on 13 April 1945. Benning was credited with 28 victories (inc. 18 four engined bombers, of which 3 were RAF Lancasters), all on the Western Front. He studied dentistry in Hamburg, Germany, and started a dental office in Marl, Germany. He was well known as the „flying dentist“ in his area. Both of his sons became pilots as well. After his death in 2013 a place at the Marl-Loemühle airfield was named after him where he was a founding member. The "Toni Benning Square".

Death

He died 29 September 2013, aged 95 in Recklinghausen.Notice of Death Anton Benning
Retrieved 5 October 2013

Awards

* Flugzeugführerabzeichen * Iron Cross (1939) ** 2nd Class (1 September 1940) ** 1st Class (31 January 1942) * German Cross in Gold on 1 January 1945 as '' Oberfeldwebel'' in the 2./Jagdgeschwader 302. *

on 13 April 1945 as '' Leutnant'' and '' Staffelkapitän'' of the 1./Jagdgeschwader 301Fellgiebel 2000, p. 110.

References

Citations

Bibliography

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External links

TracesOfWar.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benning, Anton 1918 births 2013 deaths Luftwaffe pilots German World War II flying aces Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross People from Havelland Military personnel from the Province of Brandenburg Military personnel from Brandenburg