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The Kracker Luftwaffe Archive: Axis Powers Pilots and Crew

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#	Pilot/Crew SORT (↑)	Rank	Born	Place	Score SORT (↑)	Photo	Units	Aircraft	Awards	***********Notes***********
1	Wiese, Johannes 'Hannes'	Maj	3/7/1915	Breslau Schlesien	133		Recon pilot, 2/JG-52 (8/42), 5/JG-52, Stafkpt 2/JG-52 (7/43), Kdr I/JG-52 (8/43 S.U.), Kdr JG-77 (44)	Bf 109F "Black 3", Bf 109G-2/R6 "Black 3" & Bf 109G-4 Werk # 19510 "Balck 1" in 2/JG-52, Bf 109G-2 "White 1", "Bf 109G-6 "Black 5", Bf 109G-6 Werk # 15999 "Black <<+" in I/JG-52, Bf 109G-14 "Black <<"	RK(1/5/43) EL(3/2/44) Deutsches Kreuz - Gold(2/8/43) Romanian Order EP(11/6/42) EK 1 & 2 Wound Badge Ftr Oper Clasp	Plus 75 Unconfirmed. My "Pen Pal", "Hannes", NN "Kubanski Lion". Russian POW, 10 years. Shot down on 24 December, 1944 over Bottrop. His parachute was either burning or faulty, because he sustained a serious back injury when parachuting. Succeeded Johannes Steinhoff as Kdr of JG-77, and replaced by Maj Erich Leie after his injury. Turned over to the Russians after the war and confined until 1950. 480 missions. The Luftwaffe's 3rd highest Sturmovik killer with 70+ victories over the Il-2. Third only to Otto Kittel (94) and Joachim Brendel (88).His first known Soviet victory, A P-2 on 3 August, 1942. His 2nd, a LaGG-3 on 4 August, 1942. Four Il-2s on 25 October, 1942. Three Il-2s on 25 December, 1942. A Yak-1 and an Il-7 on 9 May, 1943. A Yak-1, a Pe-2, a Spitfire and a LaGG-3 on 26 May, 1943. An Il-7, a Yak-1 and a LaGG-5 on 28 May, 1943. Two Il-7s on 30 May, 1943. Probably his highest scoring day, on 5 July, 1943, he downed Eight Il-4s and four Il-2s, bringing his total to 88. Two Il-7s and two Il-2s on 17 July, 1943, equaling 100 victories. All victories in the East. NN "Kubanski Lion". His Wk# 19510 was flown to Turkey by Fw Gerhard Jüngel 25 July, 1943. Deceased 16 August, 1991. Photos & Autograph (Added by Pietrzak Youngs) Johannes Wiese (7 May 1915 – 16 August 1991) was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1935 until the end of World War II on 8 May 1945. After the war in 1956 he joined the Bundeswehr and attained the rank of Oberstleutnant . He retired on 30 November 1970. His most successful day was 5 July 1943 when he shot down twelve enemy aircraft in one mission. [1 ] Johannes Wiese was officially credited with 133 victories claimed in 480 combat missions. Additionally he had 75 more unconfirmed claims. [1 ] Among his claims are 70 Il-2 Stormoviks . Soviet fighter pilots therefore greatly respected Wiese, and referred to him as the "Lion of Kuban ." On December 1, 1944, Wiese became Geschwaderkommodore of the JG 77 . Only three weeks later he was severely injured when, following ejection at an altitude of more than 9000 meters after combat with British Spitfires, his parachute ruptured 80 meters above ground. He spent the rest of the winter in hospital, and was replaced as commander by Erich Leie . He surrendered to U.S. forces at the end of the war but was released from captivity only weeks later. However, Wiese spent over four years in Soviet POW camps from September 1945 onward, having been denounced by German communists. (Source: Wikipedia)
2	Leie, Erich	Maj	9/10/1916	Kiel	118		Stfkpt 5/JG-51 (10/39), II/JG-2 (5/40), Kdr I/JG-2 (41 Channel), Kdr I/JG-51 (4/44 Orscha,S.U.), Kdr JG-77	Bf 109D, E, F-4 "<- + I" (10/41 in JG-2),Fw 190A-3 Wk # 130326 (lost 8/19/42), Bf 109G-6 Werk # Unk "Black <<" (4/44), Bf 109G-14/AS Wk#786329 "Black <1 + -" (lost 3/7/45)	RK(8/1/41) Deutsches Kreuz - Gold(11/9/42) EK 1 & 2 Wound Badge Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold with pendant	KilledInAction (KIA) 7 March, 1945 in Bf 109G-14/AS Werk # 786329 "Black <1+", near Schwarzwasser/Hultschin, Cz., when he collided with a shot-down Yak-9, and tried to to bale out with 200 feet of altitude. His AC crashed at Drogomysl, Poland, engine being recovered in 2010 (Kristoff Starczewski). Bailed successfully over Dieppe, with wounds, from his A-3 on 19 August, 1942, the victim of an RAF Spitfire.1 Bomber. Wiese successor. Was nominated for the EL. 500 combat missions; 43 victories in the West, 1 four engine bomber. His first victory, a Blenheim 12 km east of Sedan, 14 May, 1940, while in Stab III/JG-2. While Kdr I/JG-2, bailed with wounds 19 August, 1942 near Abbeville after aerial combat with fighters. His first known Soviet victory, two Il-2s on 10 September, 1942. A Soviet Pe-2 on 16 March, 1943. Two Il-2s and a LaGG-3 on 29 July, 1943. Four Il-2s on 8 August, 1943. Nos. 85-89, three Yak-9s and a LaGG-5 on 5 October, 1943, near Orscha. His 115th victory, and Il-2 between Freistadt and Bielitz on 14 February, 1945. His 116th, an La-5 near Freistadt on 20 February, 1945. His last two victories, nos. 117 & 118, the same day of his death, an La-5 and a Yak-9, 7 March, 1945. Showing service in JG-26 per Les Butler (Pilot List). Courtesy Christian König
3	Dowhan, Heinz	Uffz	1918/12/11 (CK)	Bensberg (CK)	1	Courtesy CK	1./JG 2 (08/42 Channel)	Fw 190 A-3 Werknr 5523 (lost 21/11/42)	EK 2 probably at least Fighter Operational Clasp in Bronze	KIC 21 November, 1942; crashed at the Marseille-Marignane airfield due to engine failure, during a transfer flight to southern France. One known victory, a Spitfire on 8 September, 1942. Pictured with the wounded Erich Leie, August, 1942. "Luftwaffe.cz." Alternate spelling: Dowhane (appearing on the KilledInAction (KIA) detail).

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Wiese, Johannes 'Hannes'

Maj

3/7/1915

Breslau Schlesien

133

Recon pilot, 2/JG-52 (8/42), 5/JG-52, Stafkpt 2/JG-52 (7/43), Kdr I/JG-52 (8/43 S.U.), Kdr JG-77 (44)

Bf 109F "Black 3", Bf 109G-2/R6 "Black 3" & Bf 109G-4 Werk # 19510 "Balck 1" in 2/JG-52, Bf 109G-2 "White 1", "Bf 109G-6 "Black 5", Bf 109G-6 Werk # 15999 "Black <<+" in I/JG-52, Bf 109G-14 "Black <<"

RK(1/5/43)
EL(3/2/44)

Deutsches Kreuz - Gold(2/8/43)
Romanian Order
EP(11/6/42)

EK 1 & 2
Wound Badge
Ftr Oper Clasp

Plus 75 Unconfirmed. My "Pen Pal", "Hannes", NN "Kubanski Lion". Russian POW, 10 years. Shot down on 24 December, 1944 over Bottrop. His parachute was either burning or faulty, because he sustained a serious back injury when parachuting. Succeeded Johannes Steinhoff as Kdr of JG-77, and replaced by Maj Erich Leie after his injury. Turned over to the Russians after the war and confined until 1950. 480 missions. The Luftwaffe's 3rd highest Sturmovik killer with 70+ victories over the Il-2. Third only to Otto Kittel (94) and Joachim Brendel (88).His first known Soviet victory, A P-2 on 3 August, 1942. His 2nd, a LaGG-3 on 4 August, 1942. Four Il-2s on 25 October, 1942. Three Il-2s on 25 December, 1942. A Yak-1 and an Il-7 on 9 May, 1943. A Yak-1, a Pe-2, a Spitfire and a LaGG-3 on 26 May, 1943. An Il-7, a Yak-1 and a LaGG-5 on 28 May, 1943. Two Il-7s on 30 May, 1943. Probably his highest scoring day, on 5 July, 1943, he downed Eight Il-4s and four Il-2s, bringing his total to 88. Two Il-7s and two Il-2s on 17 July, 1943, equaling 100 victories. All victories in the East. NN "Kubanski Lion". His Wk# 19510 was flown to Turkey by Fw Gerhard Jüngel 25 July, 1943. Deceased 16 August, 1991. Photos & Autograph

(Added by Pietrzak Youngs)
Johannes Wiese (7 May 1915 – 16 August 1991) was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1935 until the end of World War II on 8 May 1945. After the war in 1956 he joined the Bundeswehr and attained the rank of Oberstleutnant . He retired on 30 November 1970. His most successful day was 5 July 1943 when he shot down twelve enemy aircraft in one mission. [1 ] Johannes Wiese was officially credited with 133 victories claimed in 480 combat missions. Additionally he had 75 more unconfirmed claims. [1 ] Among his claims are 70 Il-2 Stormoviks . Soviet fighter pilots therefore greatly respected Wiese, and referred to him as the "Lion of Kuban ." On December 1, 1944, Wiese became Geschwaderkommodore of the JG 77 . Only three weeks later he was severely injured when, following ejection at an altitude of more than 9000 meters after combat with British Spitfires, his parachute ruptured 80 meters above ground. He spent the rest of the winter in hospital, and was replaced as commander by Erich Leie . He surrendered to U.S. forces at the end of the war but was released from captivity only weeks later. However, Wiese spent over four years in Soviet POW camps from September 1945 onward, having been denounced by German communists. (Source: Wikipedia)

Leie, Erich

Maj

9/10/1916

Kiel

118

Stfkpt 5/JG-51 (10/39), II/JG-2 (5/40), Kdr I/JG-2 (41 Channel), Kdr I/JG-51 (4/44 Orscha,S.U.), Kdr JG-77

Bf 109D, E, F-4 "<- + I" (10/41 in JG-2),Fw 190A-3 Wk # 130326 (lost 8/19/42), Bf 109G-6 Werk # Unk "Black <<" (4/44), Bf 109G-14/AS Wk#786329 "Black <1 + -" (lost 3/7/45)

RK(8/1/41)

Deutsches Kreuz - Gold(11/9/42)

EK 1 & 2
Wound Badge

Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold with pendant

KilledInAction (KIA) 7 March, 1945 in Bf 109G-14/AS Werk # 786329 "Black <1+", near Schwarzwasser/Hultschin, Cz., when he collided with a shot-down Yak-9, and tried to to bale out with 200 feet of altitude. His AC crashed at Drogomysl, Poland, engine being recovered in 2010 (Kristoff Starczewski). Bailed successfully over Dieppe, with wounds, from his A-3 on 19 August, 1942, the victim of an RAF Spitfire.1 Bomber. Wiese successor. Was nominated for the EL. 500 combat missions; 43 victories in the West, 1 four engine bomber. His first victory, a Blenheim 12 km east of Sedan, 14 May, 1940, while in Stab III/JG-2. While Kdr I/JG-2, bailed with wounds 19 August, 1942 near Abbeville after aerial combat with fighters. His first known Soviet victory, two Il-2s on 10 September, 1942. A Soviet Pe-2 on 16 March, 1943. Two Il-2s and a LaGG-3 on 29 July, 1943. Four Il-2s on 8 August, 1943. Nos. 85-89, three Yak-9s and a LaGG-5 on 5 October, 1943, near Orscha. His 115th victory, and Il-2 between Freistadt and Bielitz on 14 February, 1945. His 116th, an La-5 near Freistadt on 20 February, 1945. His last two victories, nos. 117 & 118, the same day of his death, an La-5 and a Yak-9, 7 March, 1945. Showing service in JG-26 per Les Butler (Pilot List).

Courtesy Christian König

Dowhan, Heinz

Uffz

1918/12/11 (CK)

Bensberg (CK)

Courtesy CK

1./JG 2 (08/42 Channel)

Fw 190 A-3 Werknr 5523 (lost 21/11/42)

EK 2

probably at least Fighter Operational Clasp in Bronze

KIC 21 November, 1942; crashed at the Marseille-Marignane airfield due to engine failure, during a transfer flight to southern France. One known victory, a Spitfire on 8 September, 1942. Pictured with the wounded Erich Leie, August, 1942. "Luftwaffe.cz." Alternate spelling: Dowhane (appearing on the KilledInAction (KIA) detail).

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