Hans-Karl Mayer

Hans-Karl Mayer (9 March 1911 – 17 October 1940) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during Spanish Civil War and World War II. He is credited with eight aerial victories during the Spanish Civil War and further 31 aerial victories on the Western Front of World War II.

Early life and career

Mayer, nicknamed Mayer-Ast, was born on 9 March 1911 in Rufach at the time in the Imperial Territory of Alsace–Lorraine as part of the German Empire, present-day Rouffach in north-eastern France. He joined the ''Reichsmarine'', the German Navy during the Weimar Republic, before transferring to the newly formed Luftwaffe. During the Spanish Civil War, Mayer volunteered for service with the Condor Legion, a unit composed of volunteers from the Luftwaffe and from the Army which served with the Nationalists. There, he was assigned to 1. '' Staffel'' (1st squadron) of ''Jagdgruppe'' 88 (J/88—88th Fighter Group) under the command of ''Oberleutnant'' Wolfgang Schellmann, claiming eight victories.

On 7 February 1938, Mayer claimed his first two aerial victories when he shot down a Tupolev SB bomber and a Polikarpov I-16 fighter. He was later awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords () on 14 April 1939 for his service in the Spanish Civil War. Upon his return from Spain, Mayer was posted to the 1. ''Staffel'' of the ''Jagdgeschwader'' 334 (JG 334—334th Fighter Wing). This ''Staffel'' was part of I. '' Gruppe'' (1st group) of JG 334 commanded by ''Major'' Hans-Hugo Witt. On 1 November, the ''Gruppe'' was renamed and became I. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 133 (JG 133—133rd Fighter Wing). In early 1939, the ''Gruppe'' received the then new Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-1 and E-3 fighter aircraft. On 1 May, the unit was again renamed, receiving its final designation, and became the I. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing). On 15 March, Mayer's 1 ''Staffel'' was placed under the command of ''Hauptmann'' Werner Mölders and based at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim Airfield.

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 1 October, Mayer was appointed ''Staffelkapitän'' (squadron leader) of 1. ''Staffel'', thus succeeding Mölders who was transferred. He claimed his first victory of World War II on 5 November 1939 downing a French Potez 63 reconnaissance aircraft near Saarburg. On 21 April 1940, Mayer claimed his second aerial victory on a fighter sweep mission to the area of Trier-Pirmasens. His claim over a Hawker Hurricane was the sixth for his ''Staffel'' and the 24th of I. ''Gruppe''. For this, he received the Iron Cross 2nd Class (). Mayer claimed eight more victories during the Battle of France, including five aircraft shot down on 14 May 1940, making him an " ace-in-a-day".

During the Battle of Britain he then shot down two Hurricanes over the Isle of Wight on 12 August 1940. On 25 August, Mayer shot down a Hurricane for his 15th victory, possibly that of Flight Lieutenant Alfred Bayne of No. 17 Squadron, who bailed out. The next day Mayer shot down two Spitfires. One of his victim was ace Sergeant Cyril Babbage of No. 602 Squadron, who bailed out. ''Hauptmann'' Mayer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () on 3 September.

Mayer was made ''Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) I. ''Gruppe'' of JG 53 on 1 September 1940, he replaced ''Hauptmann'' Albert Blumensaat who was transferred. Command of 1. ''Staffel'' was passed on to ''Oberleutnant'' Hans Ohly. He recorded his 30th victory on 15 September. On 17 October 1940, Mayer took off in Bf 109 E-7 (''Werknummer'' 4138—factory number) on a test flight and never returned, his body washing up on the English coast 10 days later. He was possibly a victim of Flying Officer Desmond McMullen or Sergeant John Burgess, both from No. 222 Squadron RAF. Mayer was the first Luftwaffe Knights Cross recipient to be killed in action. He is buried at Hawkinge Cemetery, Kent. Command of I. ''Gruppe'' was then given to ''Hauptmann'' Hans-Heinrich Brustellin.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Obermaier, Mayer was credited with 39 aerial victories, eight in the Spanish Civil War and 31 on the Western Front of World War II. Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 28 aerial victory claims. This number includes six claims during the Spanish Civil War and 22 over the Western Allies.

Awards

* Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939)
* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 September 1940 as ''Hauptmann'' and ''Staffelkapitän'' in the 1./''Jagdgeschwader'' 53

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

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* ''Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 1, 1. September 1939 bis 31. Dezember 1941'' (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. .

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mayer, Hans-Karl
1911 births
1940 deaths
People from Rouffach
Military personnel from Alsace-Lorraine
German World War II flying aces
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II
Spanish Civil War flying aces
Aviators killed by being shot down
Condor Legion personnel