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Anton "Toni" Hackl (25 March 1915 – 10 July 1984) was a German
Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
military aviator during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, a fighter ace credited with 192 enemy aircraft shot down in over 1,000 combat missions. The majority of his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front, with 87 claims over the Western Front. Of his 87 victories over the
Western Allies The Allies, formally referred to as the United Nations from 1942, were an international military coalition formed during the Second World War (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers, led by Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and Fascist Italy ...
, at least 32 were four-engined bombers, a further 24 victories were unconfirmed. Born in Regensburg, Hackl volunteered for military service in the ''
Reichsheer ''Reichswehr'' () was the official name of the German armed forces during the Weimar Republic and the first years of the Third Reich. After Germany was defeated in World War I, the Imperial German Army () was dissolved in order to be reshaped ...
'' in 1933. He transferred to the Luftwaffe (Air Force) in 1935 and following flight training, Hackl was posted to ''Jagdgeschwader'' 77 (JG 77–77th Fighter Wing) in April 1938. Following the outbreak of World War II, he flew his first combat missions during the winter 1939/40, a period dubbed the
Phoney War The Phoney War (french: Drôle de guerre; german: Sitzkrieg) was an eight-month period at the start of World War II, during which there was only one limited military land operation on the Western Front, when French troops invaded Germa ...
. Hackl claimed four victories during the Norwegian Campaign and then flew missions on the Channel Front in aftermath of the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
. Hackl then fought in the aerial battles of
Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named after ...
, the German invasion of the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
. On 29 July 1941, Hackl was appointed ''
Staffelkapitän ''Staffelkapitän'' is a position (not a rank) in flying units ( ''Staffel'') of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a ''Staffelkapitän'' is of '' Oberstleutnant'' or ''Major'' rank. In the ...
'' (squadron leader) of the 5. '' Staffel'' (5th squadron) of JG 77. He claimed 23 further aerial victories by the end of 1941, and following his 51st victory was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 25 May 1942. He claimed his 100th victory on 3 August, and on 6 August, he was awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves 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' ...
following his 106th aerial victory. On 19 September 1942, Hackl claimed his 118th and last victory on the Eastern Front, and was then transferred to the North Africa, fighting in the
Tunisia Campaign The Tunisian campaign (also known as the Battle of Tunisia) was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces from 17 November 1942 to 13 May 1943. Th ...
. Hackl claimed six aerial victories over North Africa before he was severely wounded on 4 February 1943. After a period of convalescence, Hackl was posted to III. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 11 (JG 11–11th Fighter Wing), fighting in Defense of the Reich. Appointed '' Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) of the III. ''Gruppe'' on 1 October 1943, Hackl was wounded in action again on 15 April 1944, at the time his total was 142 aerial victories. Back in action, following his 162nd victory, he was awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords 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 ...
on 13 July 1944. He died on 10 July 1984 in Regensburg.


Early life and career

Hackl was born on 25 March 1915 in Regensburg,
Upper Palatinate The Upper Palatinate (german: Oberpfalz, , ) is one of the seven administrative districts of Bavaria, Germany, and is located in the east of Bavaria. Geography The Upper Palatinate is a landscape with low mountains and numerous ponds and lakes ...
of the
Kingdom of Bavaria The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German ...
, as part of the German Empire. He was the son of a
master Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans *Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...
joiner A joiner is an artisan and tradesperson who builds things by joining pieces of wood, particularly lighter and more ornamental work than that done by a carpenter, including furniture and the "fittings" of a house, ship, etc. Joiners may work in ...
. He joined the ''
Reichswehr ''Reichswehr'' () was the official name of the German armed forces during the Weimar Republic and the first years of the Third Reich. After Germany was defeated in World War I, the Imperial German Army () was dissolved in order to be reshape ...
'' (Army of the Weimar Republic) in 1933, initially serving with 20. ''(Bayerisches) Infanterie-Regiment'' (20th Bavarian Infantry Regiment), subordinated to the 7. ''Division'' (7th Division). In 1936, Hackl transferred to the newly formed
Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
, initially serving as a driver. In 1937, holding the rank ''
Obergefreiter Obergefreiter (''abbr.'' OGefr.) is an enlisted rank of the German and Swiss militaries which dates from the 19th century. In today's Bundeswehr, every ''Gefreiter'' is normally promoted ''Obergefreiter'' after six months. The NATO-Code is OR-3 ...
'' (senior lance-corporal), Hackl was sent to
Halberstadt Halberstadt ( Eastphalian: ''Halverstidde'') is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, the capital of Harz district. Located north of the Harz mountain range, it is known for its old town center that was greatly destroyed by Allied bomb ...
where he received flight training. There, he received his pilot license and was trained in
aerobatics Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aerial" and "acrobatics". Aerobatics are performed in aeroplanes and glide ...
. He was promoted to ''
Unteroffizier () is a junior non-commissioned officer rank used by the . It is also the collective name for all non-commissioned officers in Austria and Germany. It was formerly a rank in the Imperial Russian Army. Austria , also , is the collective name to ...
'' (staff sergeant) in 1937, received fighter pilot training, and in April 1938 was posted to the II. '' Gruppe'' (2nd group) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 77 (JG 77–77th Fighter Wing),For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II. at the time under the command of ''
Oberstleutnant () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedi ...
'' (Lieutenant Colonel) Carl-Alfred Schumacher. In early 1938, II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 77 was known as ''Küstenjagdgruppe'' I./136 (Coastal Fighter Group). In October 1938, I./136 was renamed to II. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 333 (JG 333–333rd Fighter Wing). On 1 May 1939, the ''Gruppe'' was again renamed, and from then on, was referred to as II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 77.


World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. On the invasion day, Hackl was promoted to ''
Feldwebel ''Feldwebel '' (Fw or F, ) is a non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in several countries. The rank originated in Germany, and is also used in Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia. The rank has also been used in Russia, Austria-Hungary, occupi ...
'' (staff sergeant) and did not participate in the Polish campaign. At the time, he attended an officers training course. Following officer training, Hackl was promoted to '' Oberleutnant'' (first lieutenant), effective as of 1 August 1940, bypassing the rank of ''
Leutnant () is the lowest Junior officer rank in the armed forces the German-speaking of Germany (Bundeswehr), Austrian Armed Forces, and military of Switzerland. History The German noun (with the meaning "" (in English "deputy") from Middle High Ge ...
'' (second lieutenant). In the winter 1939/40, Hackl was back with II. ''Gruppe'', flying
combat air patrol Combat air patrol (CAP) is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft. A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, ...
missions along Germany's western border during the period dubbed the
Phoney War The Phoney War (french: Drôle de guerre; german: Sitzkrieg) was an eight-month period at the start of World War II, during which there was only one limited military land operation on the Western Front, when French troops invaded Germa ...
. For this, he was awarded the
Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...
Second Class () on 6 March 1940.


Norwegian Campaign

By May 1940, Hackl was based in
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
, with JG 77 when he claimed his first aerial victory on 15 June 1940. That day, 5. ''Staffel'' flew from Stavanger-Sola and encountered a flight of
Lockheed Hudson The Lockheed Hudson is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and p ...
light bombers from the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
(RAF) No. 233 Squadron. In the resulting aerial combat, Hackl claimed two Hudsons shot down, the first at 9:00 and the second at 9:02. The battleship ''Scharnhorst'' had been damaged in combat on 8 June 1940. Following preliminary repairs at
Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, and ...
, ''Scharnhorst'' began its return voyage to Germany on 20 June. II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 77 had been tasked to provide fighter coverage for ''Scharnhorst''. On 21 June, ''Scharnhorst'' came under two air attacks by six Swordfish torpedo bombers and nine Beaufort bombers. In this encounter, Hackl was credited with his third aerial victory, claiming a Beaufort shot down between 16:00 and 18:00. At 9:40 on 25 June, he shot down a No. 269 Squadron Hudson for his fourth aerial victory, but was also slightly wounded by the defensive fire. His opponent was Hudson (N7330) "C" of No. 269 Squadron piloted by Pilot Officer P.N. Trolove. His four aerial victories in Norway earned Hackl the Iron Cross First Class () on 2 July 1940.


War against the Soviet Union

In July 1941 he was posted with JG 77 to the Eastern Front, supporting ''
Generalfeldmarschall ''Generalfeldmarschall'' (from Old High German ''marahscalc'', "marshal, stable master, groom"; en, general field marshal, field marshal general, or field marshal; ; often abbreviated to ''Feldmarschall'') was a rank in the armies of several ...
'' (Field Marshal)
Gerd von Rundstedt Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (12 December 1875 – 24 February 1953) was a German field marshal in the '' Heer'' (Army) of Nazi Germany during World War II. Born into a Prussian family with a long military tradition, Rundstedt entered th ...
's ''Heeresgruppe Süd'' (Army Group South), with the objective of capturing the Ukraine and its capital Kiev. On 29 July 1941, Hackl was appointed ''
Staffelkapitän ''Staffelkapitän'' is a position (not a rank) in flying units ( ''Staffel'') of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a ''Staffelkapitän'' is of '' Oberstleutnant'' or ''Major'' rank. In the ...
'' of 5. ''Staffel'', replacing ''
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian, and Swiss armies. While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has and originally had the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literally ...
'' Erich Friedrich. Hackl claimed his first victory on the Eastern Front, and fifth overall, on 1 August 1941. Operating from an airfield at Kishinev, II. ''Gruppe'' flew missions in the vicinity of Grigoriopol, on the eastern bank of the river
Dniester The Dniester, ; rus, Дне́стр, links=1, Dnéstr, ˈdⁿʲestr; ro, Nistru; grc, Τύρᾱς, Tyrās, ; la, Tyrās, la, Danaster, label=none, ) ( ,) is a transboundary river in Eastern Europe. It runs first through Ukraine and th ...
. That day, Hackl flew an
escort fighter The escort fighter was a concept for a fighter aircraft designed to escort bombers to and from their targets. An escort fighter needed range long enough to reach the target, loiter over it for the duration of the raid to defend the bombers, and ...
mission for ''Kampfgeschwader'' 27 (KG 27–27th Bomber Wing), claiming a
Polikarpov I-16 The Polikarpov I-16 (russian: Поликарпов И-16) is a Soviet single-engine single-seat fighter aircraft of revolutionary design; it was the world's first low-wing cantilever monoplane fighter with retractable landing gear to attain ...
fighter aircraft shot down. By the end of 1941, his number of aerial victories had increased to 26. Hackl became an " ace-in-a-day" for the first time on 19 April 1942, claiming two
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-3) was a Soviet fighter-interceptor used during World War II. It was a development of the MiG-1 by the OKO (opytno-konstruktorskij otdel — Experimental Design Departme ...
, two Polikarpov R-Z and one I-18 shot down over the
Isthmus of Perekop The Isthmus of Perekop, literally Isthmus of the Trench ( uk, Перекопський перешийок; transliteration: ''Perekops'kyy pereshyyok''; russian: Перекопский перешеек; transliteration: ''Perekopskiy peresheek ...
. His score increased further, and by May 1942, after 51 victories he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (). During the month of July 1942, Hackl claimed 37 enemy aircraft shot down in the aerial battles around
Voronezh Voronezh ( rus, links=no, Воро́неж, p=vɐˈronʲɪʂ}) is a city and the administrative centre of Voronezh Oblast in southwestern Russia straddling the Voronezh River, located from where it flows into the Don River. The city sits on ...
, including 6 victories in a day on both 21 and 23 July. In August 1942, he claimed 14 further victories which included his 100th claim on 3 August. He was the 16th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. Following his 106th aerial victory, he was awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves 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' ...
() on 7 August 1942. He was the 109th member of the German armed forces to be so honored. Hackl and together with ''Oberfeldwebel'' Franz-Josef Beerenbrock were presented the Oak Leaves by
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
at the '' Führerhauptquartier'' at Rastenburg. He claimed his last victory on the Eastern Front on 5 September 1942. On 7 November, II. ''Gruppe'' received orders to immediately transfer to the Mediterranean theater.


North Africa

The first elements of II. ''Gruppe'' arrived in North Africa on 5 December where it was based at Zazur airfield, approximately west of Tripoli. Hackl's 5. ''Staffel'' arrived in North Africa on 13 December, initially based at Tripoli and then moved to Zazur on 18 December. On 20 December 1942, Hackl claimed two victories over North Africa. That day, 5. ''Staffel'' encountered a flight of
Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time an ...
ground-attack aircraft. In the encounter, 5. ''Staffel'' claimed five aerial victories, two by Hackl. In combat with
P-38 Lightning The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive tw ...
s escorting a flight of 24 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress' on 4 February 1943, he was badly wounded resulting in a forced landing in his Bf 109 G-2 trop (''Werknummer'' 10787—factory number) near Matmata. His injuries to the head and right hand turned out to be severe. He was flown to
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
and was hospitalized for several months. Command of 5. ''Staffel'' was passed on to ''Oberleutnant'' Franz Hrdlicka.


Defense of the Reich

Returning to duties in September 1943, Hackl next operated with III. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 11 (JG 11–11th Fighter Wing) on ''Reichsverteidigung'' ( Defense of the Reich) duties. On 1 October, he became '' Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 11, succeeding ''Hauptmann'' Ernst-Günther Heinze. Hackl went on to claim 25 four-engined bombers shot down during his time with III. ''Gruppe'', including three Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers shot down on 18 March 1944 taking his total to 139 aerial victories. In April 1944, he briefly acted as commander of JG 11, replacing ''Oberstleutnant'' Hermann Graf who had been wounded in combat on 29 March. On 15 April 1944, Hackl was shot down in his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A and wounded in combat with
United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
(USAAF)
P-47 Thunderbolt The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bom ...
s, grounding him for a period of convalescence. During this period, he was promoted to '' Major'' (major) on 1 May 1944. On 30 May 1944, he was replaced by ''Hauptmann''
Horst-Günther von Fassong Horst-Günther von Fassong (27 April 1919 – 1 January 1945) was a German Luftwaffe military aviation, military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. Depending on source, he is credited between 63 and 136 aerial victories achieved in an ...
as ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of III. ''Gruppe''. Following additional training at the ''Verbandsführerschule'' of the '' General der Jagdflieger'', a training school for unit leaders, Hackl was appointed '' Geschwaderkommodore'' (Wing Commander) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 76 (JG 76–76th Fighter Wing). The authors Prien and Rodeike describe Hackl as a tough and ruthless unit commander. According to an
Ultra adopted by British military intelligence in June 1941 for wartime signals intelligence obtained by breaking high-level encrypted enemy radio and teleprinter communications at the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS) at Bletchley Park. ' ...
deciphered message sent by Hackl to the ''General der Jagdflieger'' on 20 May, he had made recommendations on how to best utilize the young and inexperienced new fighter pilots in combat. His suggestions included attacking the bomber formations from the rear, driving the attack to
point-blank range Point-blank range is any distance over which a certain firearm can hit a target without the need to compensate for bullet drop, and can be adjusted over a wide range of distances by sighting in the firearm. If the bullet leaves the barrel para ...
, and threatening the new pilots with court-martial if they did not follow these orders. Hackl received the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords 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 ...
() on 12 July for 162 aerial victories. The ''Geschwaderstab'' (headquarters unit) of JG 76 was formed on 21 July at
Rotenburg an der Wümme Rotenburg an der Wümme (also known as ''Rotenburg (Wümme)''; ''Rotenburg in Hannover'' until May 1969; Northern Low Saxon: ''Rodenborg'') is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Rotenburg. Geography Rotenburg ...
and equipped with factory new Bf 109 G-6 aircraft. On 23 August, transferred to Athies-sous-Laon in France where it replaced the ''Geschwaderstab'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 3 (JG 3–3rd Fighter Wing). There, Hackl's command included III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 76 and III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 3 and initially was subordinated to the 5. ''Jagd Division'' (5th Fighter Division). His command flew combat missions in the area of the Seine near Rouen. On 28 August, the ''Geschwaderstab'' was forced to retreat to
Azannes-et-Soumazannes Azannes-et-Soumazannes () is a commune in the Meuse department in the Grand Est region in northeastern France. See also *Communes of the Meuse department The following is a list of the 499 communes of the Meuse department of France. The c ...
where it came under the control of the 4. ''Jagd Division'' (4th Fighter Division). At Azannes-et-Soumazannes, the airfield came under a
strafing Strafing is the military practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons. Less commonly, the term is used by extension to describe high-speed firing runs by any land or naval craft such ...
attack, losing five aircraft in the attack. On 31 August, the ''Geschwaderstab'' was ordered to Wiesbaden-Erbenheim Airfield and to Freiburg im Breisgau on 5 September where it again came under control of the 5. ''Jagd Division''. There the ''Geschwaderstab'' was reequipped with the Fw 190 A-8. On 7 October, Hackl transferred command of JG 76 to ''Major''
Ernst Düllberg Ernst Düllberg (28 March 1913 – 27 July 1984) was a former German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Ernst Düllberg was credited with 45 victories in 650 combat missions, 36 o ...
. On 8 October, he succeeded ''Hauptmann''
Georg-Peter Eder Georg-Peter ''"Schorsch"'' Eder (8 March 1921 – 11 March 1986) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 78 aerial victories achieved in 572 combat missions, including 150 combat missi ...
as ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of II. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26–26th Fighter Wing) with 165 victories to his credit. In late-November, II. ''Gruppe'' was withdrawn from combat operations and moved to Reinsehlen Airfield for conversion training to the new inline engine powered Fw 190 D-9, the second unit to receive this aircraft. Following the conversion training, II. ''Gruppe'' flew its first combat mission on 23 December. Scrambled to intercept an USAAF bomber formation, the flight encountered a flight of 27 Avro Lancaster bombers and three De Havilland Mosquito aircraft. During this aerial encounter, Hackl claimed his 167th aerial victory. By the end of the year he now had 172 victories. On 29 January 1945, he was appointed ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 300 (JG 300–300th Fighter Wing). He was succeeded by ''Oberleutnant'' Waldemar Radener as commander of II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 26. In late February, he was appointed ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of JG 11. His last 24 victories were never officially confirmed. On 3 May 1945, two JG 11 pilots, ''Leutnant'' Hermann Gern and ''Feldwebel'' Franz Keller, attempted to steal a Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun aircraft to desert and fly to southern Germany. Too outspoken, the two were denounced and arrested. Gern and Keller were court-martialed and sentenced to death. A number of non-commissioned officers of JG 11 spoke to Hackl on behalf of Keller, no attempt was made to save Gern. While Keller was pardoned, Gern was executed by firing squad on 7 May. He was shot down eight times and wounded four times. Anton Hackl died on 10 July 1984 in Regensburg.


Summary of career


Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Hackl was credited with 192 aerial victories. Bergström and Mikhailov state that Hackl flew about 1,000 combat missions and also list him with shooting down 192 enemy aircraft plus another 24 unconfirmed aerial victories. Of this figure, 105 victories were claimed while serving on the Eastern Front and 87 on the Western Front. Among these numbers are 34 four-engined bombers which puts him in second place behind Georg-Peter Eder as the leading daylight bomber claimant. Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the German Federal Archives and state that Hackl was credited with more than 180 aerial victories. This figure includes at least 103 claims made on the Eastern Front and 44 on the Western Front, including at least 16 four-engined bombers. Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = ''Planquadrat''), for example "PQ 35 Ost 53224". The Luftwaffe grid map () covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of
latitude In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north– south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from –90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pol ...
by 30 minutes of
longitude Longitude (, ) is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east– west position of a point on the surface of the Earth, or another celestial body. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees and denoted by the Greek lette ...
, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size.


Awards

*
Wound Badge The Wound Badge (german: Verwundetenabzeichen) was a German military decoration first promulgated by Wilhelm II, German Emperor on 3 March 1918, which was first awarded to soldiers of the German Army who were wounded during World War I. Between ...
in Gold * Front Flying Clasp of the ''Luftwaffe'' in Gold with Pennant "1000" * Combined Pilots-Observation Badge *"''Afrika''"
Cuff title The cuff title (German: ''Ärmelstreifen'') is a form of commemorative or affiliation insignia placed on the sleeve, near the cuff, of German military and paramilitary uniforms. The tradition can be traced back to the foundation of the "Gibralta ...
* Crimea Shield *
Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...
(1939) **2nd Class (6 March 1940) **1st Class (2 July 1940) *
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords 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 ...
** Knight's Cross on 25 May 1942 as '' Oberleutnant'' and ''
Staffelkapitän ''Staffelkapitän'' is a position (not a rank) in flying units ( ''Staffel'') of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a ''Staffelkapitän'' is of '' Oberstleutnant'' or ''Major'' rank. In the ...
'' of the 5./''Jagdgeschwader'' 77 ** 109th Oak Leaves 9 August 1942 as ''
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian, and Swiss armies. While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has and originally had the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literally ...
'' and ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 5./''Jagdgeschwader'' 77 ** 78th Swords on 9 July 1944 as '' Major'' and '' Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./''Jagdgeschwader'' 11


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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hackl, Anton 1915 births 1984 deaths German World War II flying aces Luftwaffe pilots Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords People from the Kingdom of Bavaria Reichswehr personnel Military personnel from Regensburg