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Hans Schleef (19 July 1920 – 31 December 1944) 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 and
fighter ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
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 opposin ...
. He is credited with at least 98 aerial victories achieved in over 500 combat missions. This figure includes 91 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, and further seven 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 ...
, including one four-engined
heavy bomber Heavy bombers are bomber aircraft capable of delivering the largest payload of air-to-ground weaponry (usually bombs) and longest range (takeoff to landing) of their era. Archetypal heavy bombers have therefore usually been among the larges ...
. Born in Groß Börnecke, Schleef was posted to ''Jagdgeschwader'' 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) in late 1940. He claimed his first aerial victory in February 1941 fighting against 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) and ...
. In June 1941, his unit was transferred east and fought in
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. On 9 May 1942, Schleef was awarded 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' ...
for 41 aerial victories claimed. He then served as a fighter pilot instructor with ''
Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost ''Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost'' (EJGr Ost)For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organization (Supplementary Fighter Group, East) was a fighter pilot training unit of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It w ...
'' and became an officer. Transferred back to JG 3 in February 1943, he claimed further aerial victories before his unit was transferred to Germany where they fought in
Defense of the Reich The Defence of the Reich (german: Reichsverteidigung) is the name given to the strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany over German-occupied Europe and Germany during World War II. Its aim was to prevent the ...
. Schleef 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 3. '' Staffel'' (3rd squadron) of JG 3 in October 1943. He was transferred in July 1944, taking command of 8. ''Staffel'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing), a squadron which became 16. ''Staffel'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 4 (JG 4—4th Fighter Wing) in October 1944. On 31 December 1944 during the
Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive (military), offensive military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted fr ...
, he was shot down and killed in action by US fighters near
Bad Dürkheim Bad Dürkheim () is a spa town in the Rhine-Neckar urban agglomeration, and is the seat of the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Geography Location Bad Dürkheim lies at the edge of Palatinate Forest on the German Wine ...
.


Career

Schleef was born on 19 July 1920 in Groß Börnecke, present-day part of Hecklingen, at the time in the
Province of Saxony The Province of Saxony (german: link=no, Provinz Sachsen), also known as Prussian Saxony () was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and later the Free State of Prussia from 1816 until 1944. Its capital was Magdeburg. It was formed by the merge ...
within the
Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional federal republic for the first time in history; hence it is al ...
. Following flight training, he was posted to 7. '' Staffel'' (7th squadron) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) in late 1940. The squadron was subordinated to III. '' Gruppe'' (3rd group) of JG 3 and at the time based at
Desvres Desvres (; pcd, Dèfes; vls, Deveren) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is a market town, known for its pottery. In 2018 its population was 4,930 inhabitants. It is the seat of the canton of Desvres. Populati ...
, France. On 5 February 1941, 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) and ...
(RAF) flew "Circus" No. 3 targeting the airfield at
Saint-Omer Saint-Omer (; vls, Sint-Omaars) is a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department in France. It is west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais, and is located in the Artois province. The town is named after Saint Audomar, ...
. That day, Schleef claimed his first aerial victory when he shot down a
Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...
fighter. Ten days later, III. ''Gruppe'' was withdrawn from combat operations and relocated to
Gütersloh Airfield Gütersloh () is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in the area of Westphalia and the administrative region of Detmold. Gütersloh is the administrative centre for a Gütersloh (district), district of the same name and has a pop ...
in Germany. Following the return to Germany, the pilots went on R&R, skiing in
Kleinwalsertal Kleinwalsertal is a valley in the Austrian province of Vorarlberg and part of the Bregenz district. It includes the municipality of Mittelberg and consists of three villages along the River Breitach. Due to the geographic location in the Allgä ...
from 8 to 26 March. On 17 April, the ''Gruppe'' received a complement of factory new
Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War an ...
 F-2 aircraft. Following familiarization with the new aircraft, the ''Gruppe'' relocated to France on 5 May where they were initially based at
Auchy-au-Bois Auchy-au-Bois () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in a Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography A farming village situated west of Béthune and west of Lille Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in ...
. On 31 May, Schleef claimed his second and last aerial victory on the
English Channel The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...
when he shot down a RAF
Bristol Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Bristol) which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until ...
bomber. That day, the ''Gruppe'' received orders for relocation east. The ground elements were withdrawn on 2 June while the air elements of the ''Gruppe'' headed for
Radom Radom is a city in east-central Poland, located approximately south of the capital, Warsaw. It is situated on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), having previously been the seat of a separate Radom Voivodeship (1975–1 ...
on 9 June.


Operation Barbarossa

The ''Gruppe'' relocated to an airfield at Moderówka on 18 June where the ''Gruppe'' concluded their last preparations for
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. At the start of the campaign, JG 3 was subordinated to the V. ''Fliegerkorps'' (5th Air Corps), under command of ''General der Flieger''
Robert Ritter von Greim Robert ''Ritter'' von Greim (born Robert Greim; 22 June 1892 – 24 May 1945) was a German field marshal and First World War flying ace. In April 1945, in the last days of World War II, Adolf Hitler appointed Greim commander-in-chief of the ''L ...
, which was part of ''Luftflotte'' 4 (4th Air Fleet), under command of ''Generaloberst''
Alexander Löhr Alexander Löhr (20 May 1885 – 26 February 1947) was an Austrian Air Force commander during the 1930s and, after the annexation of Austria, he was a Luftwaffe commander. Löhr served in the Luftwaffe during World War II, rising to commander of ...
. These air elements supported ''Generalfeldmarschall''
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 Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
. On 29 June, the air elements of III. ''Gruppe'' followed the German advance and relocated to
Lutsk Lutsk ( uk, Луцьк, translit=Lutsk}, ; pl, Łuck ; yi, לוצק, Lutzk) is a city on the Styr River in northwestern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Volyn Oblast (province) and the administrative center of the surrounding Luts ...
. Operating from Lutsk, Schleef claimed his first aerial victory on the Eastern Front on 2 July, shooting down 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 ope ...
fighter. During the early weeks of the Battle of Kiev, Schleef claimed further aerial victories while flying from an airfield
Bila Tserkva Bila Tserkva ( uk, Бі́ла Це́рква ; ) is a city in the center of Ukraine, the largest city in Kyiv Oblast (after Kyiv, which is the administrative center, but not part of the oblast), and part of the Right Bank. It serves as the admi ...
, including his 20th on 4 August. By mid-August, many soldiers of JG 3 had fallen ill with
Shigellosis Shigellosis is an infection of the intestines caused by ''Shigella'' bacteria. Symptoms generally start one to two days after exposure and include diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, and feeling the need to pass stools even when the bowels are emp ...
, preventing them from flying further combat operations, and in some instances had to be sent home for a period of convalescence. During this period, Schleef was awarded the
Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe The ''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'' (Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe) was a Luftwaffe award established on 27 February 1940 by Hermann Göring, ''Reichsmarschall'' Hermann Göring, the ''Reich'' Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luft ...
() on 23 September 1941. On 6 November, III. ''Gruppe'' received orders for relocation to Germany for a period of rest and replenishment. Travelling by train, the various elements of the ''Gruppe'' relocated to Mannheim-Sandhofen Airfield. There, the majority of the staff were given leave for Christmas. Following the death of ''Generaloberst''
Ernst Udet Ernst Udet (26 April 1896 – 17 November 1941) was a German pilot during World War I and a ''Luftwaffe'' Colonel-General (''Generaloberst'') during World War II. Udet joined the Imperial German Air Service at the age of 19, and eventually ...
, ''Reichsmarschall''
Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German politician, military leader and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1 ...
ordered JG 3 to be given the honorary name "Udet" on 1 December.


Eastern Front

The first elements of the ''Gruppe'' arrived by train in Mannheim on 8 December, the transfer was completed a week later. There, the personnel were sent on home leave. The ''Gruppe'' received a full complement of 41
Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War an ...
 F-4 aircraft and on 6 January 1942 was ordered to relocated to
Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...
. On 13 January, 7. ''Staffel'' and elements of 8. and 9. ''Staffel'' boarded a train to
Bari Bari ( , ; nap, label= Barese, Bare ; lat, Barium) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, southern Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy a ...
in southern Italy while the rest of III. ''Gruppe'' headed for
Sciacca Sciacca (; Greek language, Greek: ; Latin: Thermae Selinuntinae, Thermae Selinuntiae, Thermae, Aquae Labrodes and Aquae Labodes) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Agrigento on the southwestern coast of Sicily, southern Italy. It has vi ...
, Sicily. The relocation progressed until 26 January when new orders were received, ordering the ''Gruppe'' to return to Germany. At Jesau near
Königsberg Königsberg (, ) was the historic Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia. Königsberg was founded in 1255 on the site of the ancient Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades, and was named ...
, present-day Kaliningrad in Russia, III. ''Gruppe'' began preparations for redeployment to the Eastern Front again. Schleef claimed his next aerial victories in February 1942 while German forces were fighting in the
Demyansk Pocket The Demyansk Pocket (german: Kessel von Demjansk; russian: Демя́нский котёл) was the name given to the pocket of German troops encircled by the Red Army around Demyansk, south of Leningrad, during World War II's Eastern Front. Th ...
, an area southeast of
Lake Ilmen Lake Ilmen ( rus, И́льмень, p=ˈilʲmʲɪnʲ) is a large lake in the Novgorod Oblast of Russia. A historically important lake, it formed a vital part of the medieval trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks. The city of Novgorod - wh ...
. The ''Gruppe'' had been moved to an airfield at
Soltsy Soltsy (russian: Сольцы́) is a town and the administrative center of Soletsky District in Novgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the left bank of the Shelon River, southwest of Veliky Novgorod, the administrative center of the oblast. Populat ...
on 10 February. Schleef claimed an I-61 fighter, an early war designation for the
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-3) was a Soviet Union, Soviet interceptor aircraft, fighter-interceptor used during World War II. It was a development of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1, MiG-1 by the OKO (op ...
, on 20 February. On 4 May 1942, Schleef was awarded the
German Cross The War Order of the German Cross (german: Der Kriegsorden Deutsches Kreuz), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repe ...
in Gold () followed by 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' ...
() five days later for 41 aerial victories claimed. From July 1942 to February 1943, Schleef served as an instructor with ''
Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost ''Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost'' (EJGr Ost)For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organization (Supplementary Fighter Group, East) was a fighter pilot training unit of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It w ...
'', specialized training unit for new fighter pilots destined for the Eastern Front. On 5 July during the
Battle of Kursk The Battle of Kursk was a major World War II Eastern Front engagement between the forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union near Kursk in the southwestern USSR during late summer 1943; it ultimately became the largest tank battle in history. ...
, Schleef was shot down in his Bf 109 G-4 (''Werknummer'' 16 172—factory number) southeast of
Grayvoron Grayvoron (russian: Гра́йворон) is a town and the administrative center of Grayvoronsky District in Belgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the shores of the Vorskla (a tributary of the Dnieper) and Grayvoronka Rivers. Population: It was ...
. His victor probably was a pilot from 40 GvIAP (Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment—) flying a
Lavochkin La-5 The Lavochkin La-5 (Лавочкин Ла-5) was a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II. It was a development and refinement of the LaGG-3, replacing the earlier model's inline engine with the much more powerful Shvetsov ASh-82 radial engine. ...
fighter. When on 14 July ''Hauptmann''
Karl-Heinz Langer Karl-Heinz Langer (19 April 1914 – 6 May 1955) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successf ...
temporarily had been given command of III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 3, Schleef also temporarily replaced Langer as commander of 7. ''Staffel''. When on 20 July, ''Hauptmann''
Walther Dahl Walther Dahl (27 March 1916 – 25 November 1985) was a German pilot and a fighter ace during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany. Dahl claimed some 128 enemy aircraft shot do ...
officially was given command of III. ''Gruppe'', Lange returned to 7. ''Staffel'', relieving Schleef of the command. On 1 August, III. ''Gruppe'' flew its last combat mission on the Eastern Front. That day, Schleef claimed a
Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 The Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 (Лавочкин-Горбунов-Гудков ЛаГГ-3) was a Soviet Union, Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II. It was a refinement of the earlier Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-1, LaGG-1 and was one o ...
fighter on an early morning mission near
Stepanivka Stepanivka ( uk, Степанівка), sometimes transcribed as Stepanovka (russian: Степановка), in Ukraine, is the site of an ancient settlement dating to 5000 - 4300 B.C. belonging to the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture. The settle ...
. The following day, the ''Gruppe'' began its relocation to
Münster-Handorf Airfield Münster-Handorf Airfield is a former military airfield located in Germany about 5 miles east-northeast of Münster (Nordrhein-Westfalen); approximately 250 miles west of Berlin. Fliegerhorst Münster-Handorf was one of the first Luftwaffe airfi ...
in Germany. Schleef's 93rd and last aerial victory claimed on the Eastern Front may be linked to the death of Soviet female fighter pilot
Lydia Litvyak Lydia Vladimirovna Litvyak (russian: Лидия Владимировна Литвяк; 18 August 1921, in Moscow – 1 August 1943, in Krasnyi Luch), also known as Lilya, was a fighter pilot in the Soviet Air Force during World War II. Historians ...
. However, time of death and type of aircraft flown by Litvyak, she flew a
Yakovlev Yak-1 The Yakovlev Yak-1 (russian: Яковлев Як-1) was a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II. The Yak-1 was a single-seat monoplane with a composite structure and wooden wings; production began in early 1940.Angelucci and Matricardi 197 ...
fighter, does not match the Luftwaffe records.


Defense of the Reich

III. ''Gruppe'' arrived in Münster-Handorf on 3 August where it was placed under the command of Dahl. The ''Gruppe'' immediately began preparations for
Defense of the Reich The Defence of the Reich (german: Reichsverteidigung) is the name given to the strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany over German-occupied Europe and Germany during World War II. Its aim was to prevent the ...
() missions and was subordinated to Fighter Leader for the Holland area (). Flying their first mission on the Western Front against
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) bombers, Schleef shot down a
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
north of
Königswinter Königswinter ( ksh, Köningkswinte; Low Franconian: ) is a town and summer resort in the Rhein-Sieg district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Geography Königswinter is situated on the right bank of the Rhine, opposite Bad Godesberg, at th ...
on 12 August. Five days later, Schleef was shot down in aerial combat with escorting
Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...
fighters while defending against the Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission. He bailed out of his Bf 109 G-6 (''Werknummer'' 20 444) and landed safely near
's-Heer Arendskerke s-Heer Arendskerke is a village in the municipality of Goes in the south-western Netherlands. Overview The settlement consists of two circles of houses around a Protestant church, on a single main road with an obsolete village hall. On the other ...
. When on 14 October 1943 the commander of 3. ''Staffel'' of JG 3 "Udet", ''Hauptman'' Rudolf Germeroth, was killed in action, Schleef 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 this ''Staffel''. On 20 July 1944, Schleef was transferred to ''Jagdgeschwader'' 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing), where he became ''Staffelkapitän'' of 8. ''Staffel'', succeeding ''Oberleutnant'' Lorenz Andresen who had been killed in action that day. Command of his former 3. ''Staffel'' of JG 3 was passed to ''Leutnant'' Wolf-Dietrich Stiebler. On 16 October, II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 5 moved to
Finsterwalde Finsterwalde (, dsb, Grabin) is a town in the Elbe-Elster district (German: Landkreis), in Lower Lusatia, Brandenburg, Germany. Overview It is situated on the Schackebach, a tributary of the Kleine Elster, 28 m. W.S.W of Cottbus by rail. Pop. ( ...
. Four days later, the ''Gruppe'' was subordinated to ''Jagdgeschwader'' 4 (JG 4—4th Fighter Wing) where it became IV. ''Gruppe'' of JG 4. Consequently, Schleef's 8. ''Staffel'' of JG 5 became 16. ''Staffel'' of JG 4. On 20 November, the ''Gruppe'' relocated to the Frankfurt Rhein/Main Airfield. On 23 December during the
Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive (military), offensive military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted fr ...
, Schleef led a flight IV. ''Gruppe'' of JG 4 which intercepted
Republic 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-bombe ...
fighters of the 514th Fighter-Bomber Squadron of the
406th Fighter Group 4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures. In mathematics Four is the smallest c ...
near
Trier Trier ( , ; lb, Tréier ), formerly known in English as Trèves ( ;) and Triers (see also names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle in Germany. It lies in a valley between low vine-covered hills of red sandstone in the ...
. In this encounter, IV. ''Gruppe'' pilots claimed three P-47 fighters shot down, including one by Schleef, for the loss of five of their own. Schleef was killed in action on 31 December 1944, shot down near
Bad Dürkheim Bad Dürkheim () is a spa town in the Rhine-Neckar urban agglomeration, and is the seat of the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Geography Location Bad Dürkheim lies at the edge of Palatinate Forest on the German Wine ...
in his Bf 109 G-10 (''Werknummer'' 490 758). He was shot down by USAAF P-47 fighters patrolling west of the
Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...
.


Summary of career


Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Schleef was credited with 99 aerial victories. Spick lists Schleef with 98 aerial victories, of which 92 were claimed over the Eastern Front and a further six 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 ...
, claimed in over 500 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the
German Federal Archives The German Federal Archives or Bundesarchiv (BArch) (german: Bundesarchiv) are the National Archives of Germany. They were established at the current location in Koblenz in 1952. They are subordinated to the Federal Commissioner for Culture and t ...
and found records for 96 aerial victory claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 89 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and seven over the Western Allies, including one four-engined
heavy bomber Heavy bombers are bomber aircraft capable of delivering the largest payload of air-to-ground weaponry (usually bombs) and longest range (takeoff to landing) of their era. Archetypal heavy bombers have therefore usually been among the larges ...
. Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = ''Planquadrat''), for example "PQ 35 Ost 6013". The Luftwaffe grid map () covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15
minutes Minutes, also known as minutes of meeting (abbreviation MoM), protocols or, informally, notes, are the instant written record of a meeting or hearing. They typically describe the events of the meeting and may include a list of attendees, a state ...
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 letter l ...
, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.


Awards

*
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 est ...
(1939) 2nd and 1st Class *
Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe The ''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'' (Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe) was a Luftwaffe award established on 27 February 1940 by ''Reichsmarschall'' Hermann Göring, the ''Reich'' Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was of ...
on 23 September 1941 as ''
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 ...
'' in a ''Jagdgeschwader'' *
German Cross The War Order of the German Cross (german: Der Kriegsorden Deutsches Kreuz), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repe ...
in Gold on 4 May 1942 as ''Feldwebel'' in the 7./''Jagdgeschwader'' 3 *
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' ...
on 9 May 1942 as ''Feldwebel'' and pilot in the 7./''Jagdgeschwader'' 3 "Udet"


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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Schleef, Hans 1920 births 1944 deaths Luftwaffe pilots German World War II flying aces Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Aviators killed by being shot down People from Salzlandkreis Military personnel from Saxony-Anhalt