Heinz Schmidt (pilot)
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Heinz Schmidt (20 April 1920 – 5 September 1943) 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 opposin ...
, a
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 ...
credited with 173 enemy aircraft shot down in 712 combat missions. All of his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front. Born in
Bad Homburg Bad Homburg vor der Höhe () is the district town of the Hochtaunuskreis, Hesse, on the southern slope of the Taunus mountains. Bad Homburg is part of the Frankfurt Rhein-Main Regional Authority, Frankfurt Rhein-Main urban area. The town's offic ...
, Schmidt volunteered for military service in the Luftwaffe of
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
in 1938. Following flight training, he was posted to ''Jagdgeschwader'' 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in 1940. He flew his first combat missions in 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 ...
and claimed his first aerial victory in the opening phase 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. Following his 51st aerial victory he 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' ...
on 23 August 1942 and 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 16 September 1942 after 102 victories. In July 1943, Schmidt 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 6. '' Staffel'' (6th squadron) of JG 52. Schmidt was posted as
missing in action Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been killed, wounded, captured, ex ...
after aerial combat near Markor on 5 September 1943. It is believed that he was mistakenly shot down by Hungarian fighters operating in the same area. He was promoted to ''
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 ...
'' (captain) posthumously.


Early life and career

Schmidt was born on 20 April 1920 in
Bad Homburg Bad Homburg vor der Höhe () is the district town of the Hochtaunuskreis, Hesse, on the southern slope of the Taunus mountains. Bad Homburg is part of the Frankfurt Rhein-Main Regional Authority, Frankfurt Rhein-Main urban area. The town's offic ...
, the son of metal worker Adolf Schmidt. His friends called him Johnny. From Easter 1930, he attended the ''Realgymnasium''—a secondary school built on the mid-level ''
Realschule ''Realschule'' () is a type of secondary school in Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia (''realna gimnazija''), the Austrian Empire, the German Empire, Denmark and Norway (''realskole''), Sweden (''realskola''), ...
'' to achieve the ''
Abitur ''Abitur'' (), often shortened colloquially to ''Abi'', is a qualification granted at the end of secondary education in Germany. It is conferred on students who pass their final exams at the end of ISCED 3, usually after twelve or thirteen year ...
'' (university entry qualification)—in Bad Homburg and graduated in March 1938. Aged 13, Schmidt joined the ''Hitlerjugend'' (HJ—
Hitler Youth The Hitler Youth (german: Hitlerjugend , often abbreviated as HJ, ) was the youth organisation of the Nazi Party in Germany. Its origins date back to 1922 and it received the name ("Hitler Youth, League of German Worker Youth") in July 1926. ...
) where he attained the rank of '' Kameradschaftsführer'' (Comrade Unit Leader) and learned to fly
glider aircraft A glider is a fixed-wing aircraft that is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against its lifting surfaces, and whose free flight does not depend on an engine. Most gliders do not have an engine, although motor-gliders have ...
. After Schmidt completed his compulsory ''
Reichsarbeitsdienst The Reich Labour Service (''Reichsarbeitsdienst''; RAD) was a major organisation established in Nazi Germany as an agency to help mitigate the effects of unemployment on the German economy, militarise the workforce and indoctrinate it with Nazi ...
'' (RAD—Reich Labor Service) with RAD department 6/225 in Heubach/
Schlüchtern Schlüchtern is a town in the Main-Kinzig district, in Hessen, Germany. It is located on the river Kinzig, approximately 30 km southwest of Fulda. Schlüchtern has a population close to 16,000. Location Schlüchtern is located in the '' Ber ...
, he joined the military service of the Luftwaffe with 3./''Flieger-Ersatz-Abteilung'' 14 (3rd Company of Flier Replacement Unit 14) in
Detmold Detmold () is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with a population of . It was the capital of the small Principality of Lippe from 1468 until 1918 and then of the Free State of Lippe until 1947. Today it is the administrative center of ...
on 10 November 1938. There he completed his
recruit training Military recruit training, commonly known as basic training or boot camp, refers to the initial instruction of new military personnel. It is a physically and psychologically intensive process, which resocializes its subjects for the unique deman ...
and on 12 April 1939 began his pilot training. From 9 October 1939 to 15 May 1940, Schmidt attended the ''Flugzeugführerschule'' A/B (flight school for the
pilot license Pilot licensing or certification refers to permits for operating aircraft. Flight crew licences are regulated by ICAO Annex 1 and issued by the civil aviation authority of each country. CAA’s have to establish that the holder has met a specifi ...
) at
Plauen Plauen (; Czech language, Czech: ''Plavno'') is, with around 65,000 inhabitants, the fifth-largest city of Saxony, Germany after Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz and Zwickau, the second-largest city of the Vogtland after Gera, as well as the larges ...
, Saxony. There he was promoted to ''
Gefreiter Gefreiter (, abbr. Gefr.; plural ''Gefreite'') is a German, Swiss and Austrian military rank that has existed since the 16th century. It is usually the second rank or grade to which an enlisted soldier, airman or sailor could be promoted.Duden; D ...
'' (lance corporal) on 1 December 1939. Upon completion, Schmidt attended the ''Jagdfliegerschule'' 3 (3rd Fighter Pilot School). He began his training on 17 May 1940 with 2. '' Staffel'' (2nd squadron). After completing these training courses, he was assigned to the 2. ''Staffel'' of the ''Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Merseburg'' on 17 July 1940 for final fighter-pilot preparation.


World War II

World War II in Europe had begun on 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. On 12 August 1940, Schmidt was transferred to 4. ''Staffel'' (4th squadron) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing), commanded by ''
Oberleutnant () is the highest lieutenant officer rank in the German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. Austria Germany In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Trans ...
'' (First Lieutenant)
Johannes Steinhoff Johannes "Macky" Steinhoff (15 September 1913 – 21 February 1994) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II, German general, and NATO official. He was one of very few Luftwaffe pilots who survived to fly operationally through the whole ...
. His II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 52 was, at that time, engaged in 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 ...
and was commanded by ''
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 ...
'' (Captain)
Erich Woitke Erich Woitke (29 January 1912 – 24 December 1944) was a fighter pilot 'ace' serving in the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Early life Woitke was born 29 January 1912 in Mülheim, near Duisburg. Military career ''Leutnant'' Woitke served ...
. During 12–18 August, Schmidt flew his first combat missions against England and then from 19 August to 23 September,
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 over the
German Bight The German Bight (german: Deutsche Bucht; da, tyske bugt; nl, Duitse bocht; fry, Dútske bocht; ; sometimes also the German Bay) is the southeastern bight of the North Sea bounded by the Netherlands and Germany to the south, and Denmark and ...
. For a short time (13–26 September), Schmidt served as a pilot in 5./JG 52 (5th squadron) before returning to 4. ''Staffel'' on 27 September. There, he was promoted to ''
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) on 1 October and received 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 est ...
2nd Class () on 22 October and the Iron Cross 1st Class () on 9 November. In early November, JG 52 was withdrawn from combat operations and relocated to Germany to recuperate and replenish their aircraft. There, Schmidt 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 t ...
'' (subordinate officer or lance sergeant) on 1 December. The ''Geschwader'' returned to active service where Schmidt flew further defense of the Reich missions over the Netherlands from 27 December 1940 to 8 February 1941. He then again flew missions against England from 9–24 February, and again defensive missions, now over Belgium, from 25 February to 6 June. On 1 April, Schmidt 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 ...
'' (sergeant) and became a ''
Fähnrich Fähnrich () is an officer candidate rank in the Austrian Bundesheer The Austrian Armed Forces (german: Bundesheer, lit=Federal Army) are the combined military forces of the Republic of Austria. The military consists of 22,050 active-d ...
'' (officer candidate).


Operation Barbarossa

On 9 June 1941, II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 52 was recalled from Western Europe in preparation 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. 4. ''Staffel'' flew to an airfield at
Suwałki Suwałki ( lt, Suvalkai; yi, סואוואַלק) is a city in northeastern Poland with a population of 69,206 (2021). It is the capital of Suwałki County and one of the most important centers of commerce in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. Suwałki i ...
, close to the German-Soviet
demarcation line {{Refimprove, date=January 2008 A political demarcation line is a geopolitical border, often agreed upon as part of an armistice or ceasefire. Africa * Moroccan Wall, delimiting the Moroccan-controlled part of Western Sahara from the Sahrawi- ...
. For the invasion, II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 52 was subordinated to the ''
Stab STAB or stab may refer to: *Stabbing, penetration or contact with a sharp object *Stab, Kentucky, US *Stab (b-boy move), a breakdance technique *Stab (music), an element in musical composition *Stab (Luftwaffe designation), during World War II, a ...
'' (headquarters unit) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing). The ''Geschwader'' was part of the VIII. ''Fliegerkorps'' commanded by ''
Generaloberst A ("colonel general") was the second-highest general officer rank in the German ''Reichswehr'' and ''Wehrmacht'', the Austro-Hungarian Common Army, the East Germany, East German National People's Army and in their respective police services. ...
''
Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen Wolfram Karl Ludwig Moritz Hermann Freiherr von Richthofen (10 October 1895 – 12 July 1945) was a German World War I flying ace who rose to the rank of ''Generalfeldmarschall'' in the Luftwaffe during World War II. Born in 1895 into a fa ...
which supported the northern wing of
Army Group Centre Army Group Centre (german: Heeresgruppe Mitte) was the name of two distinct strategic German Army Groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The first Army Group Centre was created on 22 June 1941, as one of three German Army fo ...
. Schmidt claimed his first victory on 26 June, an
Ilyushin DB-3 The Ilyushin DB-3, where "DB" stands for ''Dalniy Bombardirovschik'' (Russian: Дальний бомбардировщик) meaning "long-range bomber", was a Soviet bomber aircraft of World War II. It was a twin-engined, low-wing monoplane that f ...
bomber shot down near
Varėna Varėna (; pl, Orany; yi, אוראַן ''Oran'') is a city in Dzūkija, Lithuania. History The town was founded in 1862 near the Warsaw – Saint Petersburg Railway, south of Sena Varėna (Old Varėna). At that time it was a small settleme ...
. On 12 August, Schmidt
crash landed "Crash Landed" is the second single from pop music project Sweetbox on the album ''The Next Generation'', featuring Jamie Pineda as frontwoman. Georgie Dennis, Tom Barnes, Gavin Jones, Ben Kohn and Peter Kelleher co-wrote the song with Jamie. The ...
his
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 near Saklinja, approximately into enemy territory, and spent six days evading capture until he was able to get back to the friendly territory, and his unit. He received the
Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe The Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe (german: Frontflugspange) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to aircrew and certain other Luftwaffe personnel in recognition of the number of operational flights flown. It was instituted by ...
in Gold on 22 August. Schmidt claimed his fifth aerial victory on 25 August, on his 116th combat mission of the war. The next day, he claimed a
Polikarpov I-17 Polikarpov Design Bureau was a Soviet OKB (design bureau) for aircraft, led by Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov. Dux Factory was acquired by the USSR and became part of Polikarpov. After the death of Polikarpov on 30 July 1944 at the age of 52, ...
fighter and on 27 August, he was promoted to ''
Oberfeldwebel (OFw or OF) is the fourth-lowest non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in German Army and German Air Force. History The rank was introduced first by the German Reichswehr in 1920. Preferable most experienced Protégée-NCO of the old army ...
'' (warrant officer second class). On 2 September, II. ''Gruppe'' moved to Lyuban, staying there until end-September. From there, the ''Gruppe'' flew missions against
Shlisselburg Shlisselburg ( rus, Шлиссельбу́рг, p=ʂlʲɪsʲɪlʲˈburk; german: Schlüsselburg; fi, Pähkinälinna; sv, Nöteborg), formerly Oreshek (Орешек) (1323–1611) and Petrokrepost (Петрокрепость) (1944–1992), is ...
,
Mga MGA can refer to: Transport *MGA, IATA code for Augusto C. Sandino International Airport (Managua International Airport) in Managua, Nicaragua *Monongahela Railway, a former coal-hauling short line railroad in the United States *The MG MGA, a pop ...
and
Leningrad Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
. II. ''Gruppe''s subordination to JG 27 ended on 20 October and they came under the command of the ''Stab'' of JG 52. On 4 November, the ''Gruppe'' was moved to an airfield at Ruza, approximately west of
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
and participated in the
Battle of Moscow The Battle of Moscow was a military campaign that consisted of two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front (World War II), Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between September 1941 and January ...
. Schmidt claimed his last two aerial victories of 1941 in late November, a DB-3, followed by 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, also referred to as a I-301 by the Germans.


Eastern Front

On 22 December, JG 52 was withdrawn from combat operations for a period of recuperation and replenishment and was moved to 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 ...
, arriving on 16 January 1942. Following the relocation, Schmidt was posted to the
infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
on 19 January. This assignment ended on 27 February and he was then sent to Germany (28 February – 7 May 1942). During this period, Schmidt was commissioned, attaining the rank of ''
Leutnant () is the lowest Junior officer rank in the armed forces the German (language), German-speaking of Germany (Bundeswehr), Austrian Armed Forces, and military of Switzerland. History The German noun (with the meaning "" (in English "deputy") fro ...
'' (second lieutenant). The infantry ''
Kampfgruppe In military history, the German term (pl. ; abbrev. KG, or KGr in usage during World War II, literally "fighting group" or "battle group") can refer to a combat formation of any kind, but most usually to that employed by the of Nazi Germa ...
'' to which Schmidt had been assigned, consisted predominantly of ground personnel and a few pilots of II./JG 52. The unit was deployed in ground fighting at Dugino, approximately west of Moscow, where it suffered heavy casualties. At Jesau, the ''Gruppe'' began upgrading their aircraft to the Bf 109 F-4. On 14 April, II. ''Gruppe'' was ordered to Pilsen, where they finished the conversion. The unit then moved to Wien-Schwechat on 24 April before flying to Zürichtal, present-day Solote Pole, a village near the urban settlement Kirovske in the
Crimea Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...
. There II. ''Gruppe'' participated in Operation Trappenjagd, a German counterattack during the
Battle of the Kerch Peninsula The Battle of the Kerch Peninsula, which commenced with the Soviet Kerch-Feodosia Landing Operation (russian: Керченско-Феодосийская десантная операция, ''Kerchensko-Feodosiyskaya desantnaya operatsiya'') ...
, launched on 8 May. On the second day of the operation, Schmidt claimed his 16th victory, a
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 (russian: Микоян-Гуревич МиГ-1) was a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II that was designed to meet a requirement for a high-altitude fighter issued in 1939. To minimize demand on strategic materia ...
fighter. By 4 July his score increased to 45 victories and he was presentated 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 ...
() two days later. On 1 July, he temporarily led 5. ''Staffel'' of JG 52 after its commander, ''Oberleutnant''
Siegfried Simsch Siegfried Simsch (6 September 1913 – 8 June 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviation, military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 54 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front (World War II ...
had been wounded in combat on 29 May. Initially, ''Leutnant''
Waldemar Semelka Waldemar Semelka (8 January 1920 – 21 August 1942) 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 succe ...
had let the ''Staffel'' until his transfer on 30 June. By the end of July, his tally of aerial victories had reached 64. Schmidt was promoted to ''
Oberleutnant () is the highest lieutenant officer rank in the German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. Austria Germany In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Trans ...
'' (first lieutenant) on 1 August. As JG 52 continued to fight in the air battles in the advance toward
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 ...
, Schmidt 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 () on 20 August. Three days later, he was also honored with 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' ...
().


Stalingrad

The
Battle of Stalingrad The Battle of Stalingrad (23 August 19422 February 1943) was a major battle on the Eastern Front of World War II where Nazi Germany and its allies unsuccessfully fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad (later re ...
began on 23 August when German forces began breaking out from the bridgehead across the
Don River The Don ( rus, Дон, p=don) is the fifth-longest river in Europe. Flowing from Central Russia to the Sea of Azov in Southern Russia, it is one of Russia's largest rivers and played an important role for traders from the Byzantine Empire. Its ...
. The next day, Schmidt became an " ace-in-a-day" when he shot down seven LaGG-3s in combat over the outskirts of Stalingrad, taking his total to 82 aerial victories. On 9 September, Schmidt shot down two
Ilyushin Il-2 The Ilyushin Il-2 (Russian: Илью́шин Ил-2) is a ground-attack plane that was produced by the Soviet Union in large numbers during the Second World War. The word ''shturmovík'' (Cyrillic: штурмовик), the generic Russian term ...
ground attack aircraft An attack aircraft, strike aircraft, or attack bomber is a tactical military aircraft that has a primary role of carrying out airstrikes with greater precision than bombers, and is prepared to encounter strong low-level air defenses while pres ...
, taking his number of aerial victories to 100. He was the 21st Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century-mark and 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 16 September in Germany for 102 aerial victories claimed. He was the 124th member of the German armed forces to be so honored. Returning in late November, he was assigned to 6. Staffel, near Stalingrad, after the Soviets had launched
Operation Uranus Operation Uranus (russian: Опера́ция «Ура́н», Operatsiya "Uran") was the codename of the Soviet Red Army's 19–23 November 1942 strategic operation on the Eastern Front of World War II which led to the encirclement of Axis ...
that encircled Axis forces fighting in and near the city. As the Germans were retreating back to
Taganrog Taganrog ( rus, Таганрог, p=təɡɐnˈrok) is a port city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, on the north shore of the Taganrog Bay in the Sea of Azov, several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don River. Population: History of Taganrog The ...
and
Rostov Rostov ( rus, Росто́в, p=rɐˈstof) is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring. It is located on the shores of Lake Nero, northeast of Moscow. Population: While t ...
, he scored his 125th victory on 7 January 1943. Eight days later, his Bf 109 G-2 (''Werknummer'' 14556—factory number) fighter crashed after suffering engine problems. He was shot down again behind Russian lines in mid-February, returning to friendly territory after a two-day trek across the frozen
Sea of Azov The Sea of Azov ( Crimean Tatar: ''Azaq deñizi''; russian: Азовское море, Azovskoye more; uk, Азовське море, Azovs'ke more) is a sea in Eastern Europe connected to the Black Sea by the narrow (about ) Strait of Kerch, ...
minus one fur-lined flying boot and with a smashed shoulder and dislocated right arm. Schmidt then spent five days at the
field hospital A field hospital is a temporary hospital or mobile medical unit that takes care of casualties on-site before they can be safely transported to more permanent facilities. This term was initially used in military medicine (such as the Mobile A ...
before he was transferred to the ''Luftwaffen-Lazarett'' (military hospital) in
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
, and was then sent to his hometown ''Reserve-Lazarett'' (reserve military hospital) in Bad Homburg.


Kuban, Kharkov and death

Following his convalescence, Schmidt returned to the Eastern Front and was briefly assigned to 4. ''Staffel'' before he was transferred to 6. ''Staffel'' on 23 July. At the time of his return, II. ''Gruppe'' was based at
Mariupol Mariupol (, ; uk, Маріу́поль ; russian: Мариу́поль) is a city in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It is situated on the northern coast (Pryazovia) of the Sea of Azov, at the mouth of the Kalmius River. Prior to the 2022 Russian i ...
, and fighting in the
Kuban bridgehead The Kuban Bridgehead (german: Kuban-Brückenkopf), also known as the "Goth's head position" (), was a German military position on the Taman Peninsula, Russia, between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Existing from January to October 1943, the b ...
as part of the
Battle of the Caucasus The Battle of the Caucasus is a name given to a series of Axis and Soviet operations in the Caucasus area on the Eastern Front of World War II. On 25 July 1942, German troops captured Rostov-on-Don, Russia, opening the Caucasus region of t ...
. On 27 July, Schmidt 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 6. ''Staffel'', replacing ''Oberleutnant''
Helmut Lipfert Helmut Lipfert (6 August 1916 – 10 August 1990) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Lipfert ranks as the world's thirteenth fighter ace. Lipfert was credited with 203 victori ...
who had temporarily held this position following the death of ''Oberleutnant'' Karl Ritzenberger on 24 May. The next day, he claimed his 131st victory, a
Bell P-39 Airacobra The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by the ...
fighter. The military situation of
Army Group South Army Group South (german: Heeresgruppe Süd) was the name of three German Army Groups during World War II. It was first used in the 1939 September Campaign, along with Army Group North to invade Poland. In the invasion of Poland Army Group Sou ...
resulted in splitting the forces of II. ''Gruppe''. All of 6. ''Staffel'' and parts of 5. ''Staffel'' were relocated to Kutejnykowe, approximately west of
Amvrosiivka Amvrosiivka or Amvrosievka ( uk, Амвросіївка, ; russian: Амвросиевка) is a city and was the administrative center of Amvrosiivka Raion in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. , the population was approximately It is currently occupied ...
, on 1 August. This task force was put under the command of ''Oberleutnant''
Gerhard Barkhorn Gerhard "Gerd" Barkhorn (20 March 1919 – 11 January 1983) was a German military aviator and wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was the second most successful fighter pilot of all time after fellow ...
. Two days later, Soviet forced launched the Belgorod-Kharkov Offensive Operation resulting in another redeployment of JG 52. Now based at the Kharkov-
Rogan Rogan is an Irish surname, deriving from the Irish ''Ó Ruadhagáin'', which can be loosely translated to mean "red-haired." History The clan is descended from one of the septs of Oriel which originated in Counties Armagh and Monaghan and part ...
airfield, southeast of
Kharkov Kharkiv ( uk, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest city and municipality in Ukraine.
, Schmidt became an "ace-in-a-day" again. That day, he was credited with five aerial victories, an Il-2, three
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 1978 ...
fighters and 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. On 11 August, the task force was ordered from Charkow-Rogan to
Lebedyn Lebedyn ( uk, Лебеди́н, ) is a city in Sumy Oblast, Ukraine. Lebedyn is located in Sumy Raion. Before July 2020, Lebedyn served as the administrative center of Lebedyn Raion; it was administratively incorporated as a city of oblast sig ...
. Here it provided fighter protection over the areas of operation between the 8th Army and
4th Panzer Army The 4th Panzer Army (german: 4. Panzerarmee) (operating as Panzer Group 4 (german: 4. Panzergruppe) from its formation on 15 February 1941 to 1 January 1942, when it was redesignated as a full army) was a German panzer formation during World War ...
. This transfer detached the task force from the command of I. ''Gruppe'', to which it had been assigned. Barkhorn, who at the time also served as acting ''
Gruppenkommandeur ''Gruppenkommandeur'' is a Luftwaffe position (not rank), that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. A ''Gruppenkommandeur'' usually has the rank of Major or ''Oberstleutnant'' (Lieutenant Colonel), and commands ...
'' (group commander), stayed with I. ''Gruppe''. Command of the task force subsequently went to Schmidt. He achieved his 150th aerial victory the next day after claiming a pair of Yak-1s. On 1 September, II. ''Gruppe'' was made complete again, reuniting with all three ''Staffeln'' at a makeshift airfield named Karlowka located located approximately east of
Poltava Poltava (, ; uk, Полтава ) is a city located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the capital city of the Poltava Oblast (province) and of the surrounding Poltava Raion (district) of the oblast. Poltava is administratively ...
. On 5 September, Schmidt claimed his 172nd and 173rd victories, a La-5 and an Il-2. These were his final claims before he was posted as
missing in action Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been killed, wounded, captured, ex ...
after aerial combat near Markor, near
Kotelva Kotelva ( uk, Котельва) is an urban-type settlement in Poltava Raion in Poltava Oblast in northeastern Ukraine, and formerly the administrative centre of Kotelva Raion prior to its abolition in 2020. Population: Location Kotelva is in ...
, that day. His Bf 109 G-6 aircraft 'Yellow 7' (''Werknummer'' 15903—factory number) was possibly shot down in error by Hungarian fighters operating in the same area. At the time of his death, he was the highest-scoring fighter pilot of II. ''Gruppe''. Authors Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock state that the circumstances about his death remain unanswered. They further speculate that the story about him having been shot down by friendly fighters could be a myth, created to uphold the illusion that he was killed undefeated by the enemy. Schmidt was posthumously promoted to ''Hauptmann''. Command of 6. ''Staffel'' again went to Lipfert.


Summary of career


Aerial victory claims

According to US historian
David T. Zabecki David T. Zabecki (born 1947) is an American military historian, author and editor. Zabecki served in the U.S. Army both in the Vietnam War and in United States Army Europe in Germany attaining the rank of major general. Zabecki holds PhDs in eng ...
, Schmidt was credited with 173 aerial victories. Obermaier also lists Schmidt with 173 aerial victories claimed in over 700 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 173 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front. Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = ''Planquadrat''), for example "PQ 49241". 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 3 × 4 km in size.


Awards

* ''Flugzeugführerabzeichen'' (Pilots Badge) *
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 Class (22 October 1940) ** 1st Class (9 November 1940) *
Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe The Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe (german: Frontflugspange) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to aircrew and certain other Luftwaffe personnel in recognition of the number of operational flights flown. It was instituted by ...
** in Gold (22 August 1941) ** in Gold with pennant (12 December 1942) *
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 6 July 1942 as ''
Leutnant () is the lowest Junior officer rank in the armed forces the German (language), German-speaking of Germany (Bundeswehr), Austrian Armed Forces, and military of Switzerland. History The German noun (with the meaning "" (in English "deputy") fro ...
'' and pilot *
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 13 August 1942 as ''Leutnant'' in the 4./''Jagdgeschwader'' 52 * Medaille "Winterschlacht Im Osten 1941/42" (30 August 1942) *
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' ...
** Knight's Cross on 23 August 1942 as ''Leutnant'' and pilot in the 6./''Jagdgeschwader'' 52 ** 124th Oak Leaves on 16 September 1942 as ''Leutnant'' and pilot in the 6./''Jagdgeschwader'' 52


Dates of rank


Notes


References


Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Schmidt, Heinz 1920 births 1943 deaths People from Bad Homburg vor der Höhe People from Hesse-Nassau Luftwaffe pilots German World War II flying aces Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II Missing in action of World War II Aviators killed by being shot down Reich Labour Service members Aerial disappearances of military personnel in action Hitler Youth members Military personnel from Hesse