Anton Lindner

Anton Lindner (12 April 1917 – 17 February 1994) 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, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Lindner joined the postwar German Air Force, at the time named the Bundesluftwaffe, in 1956 and retired in 1972 as an Oberstleutnant (colonel). During his career he was credited with 73 aerial victories, one on the Western Front and 72 on the Eastern Front, claimed in 650 combat missions.

Early life and career Lindner was born on 12 April 1917 in Hohenkemnath, present-day part of Ursensollen, then in Kingdom of Bavaria within the German Empire.

World War II On 24 May 1940, Linder was shot down and wounded in aerial combat with Royal Air Force Supermarine Spitfire fighters. He successfully bailed out of his Messerschmitt Bf 109 E near Calais.

On 8 April 1945, Lindner was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the Stabsstaffel (headquarters squadron) of JG 51. He succeeded Leutnant Wilhelm Hübner who had been killed in action. On 24 April, Lindner was also placed in command of 15. Staffel of JG 51, succeeding Hauptmann Helmut Scheuber. Lindner held both command positions until the end of World War II in Europe.

Later life Following World War II, Lindner reentered military service in the West German Air Force, at the time referred to as the Bundesluftwaffe. He retired in March 1972 holding the rank of Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) and died on 17 February 1994 at the age of in Hohenkemnath, Germany.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Lindner was credited with 73 aerial victories. Spick also lists him with 73 aerial victories, 72 of which on the Eastern Front and one on the Western Front, claimed in 650 combat mission. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Lindner was credited with approximately 72 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, plus one further unconfirmed claim on the Western Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 56441". The Luftwaffe grid map covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941 1 23 June 1941 13:04 R-3 6 27 July 1941 18:45 I-16 2 29 June 1941 18:08 SB-2 7 6 September 1941 17:10 I-16 3 2 July 1941 14:18 DB-3 8 6 October 1941 10:05 Pe-2 4 10 July 1941 18:56 V-11 9 6 October 1941 13:03 Pe-2 5 24 July 1941 12:03 V-11 – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 30 April 1942 10 7 March 1942 10:52 I-16 11 1 April 1942 11:40 I-61 (MiG-3) – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943 12 6 July 1942 19:35 Pe-2 16 8 December 1942 13:12 MiG-3 vicinity of Dubrovka 13 29 October 1942 13:45 P-40 over Volokolamsk 17 17 December 1942? 13:50 Pe-2 PQ 56441 west-northwest of Mozhaysk 14 4 December 1942 08:16 P-40 northwest of Rzhev 18 15 January 1943 12:43 MiG-3 PQ 07653 15 8 December 1942 13:08 MiG-3 vicinity of Rodsselja – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943 19 23 January 1943 07:34 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 64533 northeast of Telchje 41 15 August 1943 10:30 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 51859 east of Bohodukhiv 20 23 January 1943 08:16 Pe-2? PQ 35 Ost 63254 southeast of Zalegoshch 42 19 August 1943 14:00 Il-2 m.H. east of Liubotyn 21 24 January 1943 06:58 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 44233 north-northeast of Zhizdra 43 22 August 1943 06:22 Il-2 m.H. MeragatschijDergatsch 22 24 January 1943 07:04 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 44251 north of Zhizdra 44 22 August 1943 06:59 Yak-1 northeast of Liubotyn 23 26 July 1943 10:23 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63129 east of Oryol 45 23 August 1943 11:57 LaGG-3 northeast of Juchnyi 24 26 July 1943 10:40 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 63142 south of Oryol 46 23 August 1943 12.08 LaGG-3 Danilovka 25 28 July 1943 18:15 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63395 north-northwest of Maloarkhangelsk 47 29 August 1943 08:49 LaGG-3 Kruschenschow 26 29 July 1943 16:38 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 54648, southwest of Bolkhov northeast of Znamenskoye 48 29 August 1943 08:52 Il-2 m.H. GolijuckowaArtiyevovka 27? 29 July 1943 19:01 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 64127 49 29 August 1943 08:57 Il-2 m.H. GolijuckowaArtiyevovka 28 1 August 1943 10:14 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 54662 southwest of Belev 50 31 August 1943 12:40 La-5 west of Leonovo 29 1 August 1943 18:53 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 53475 southwest of Kromy 51 1 September 1943 12:40 La-5 east of Bolschaja-Lipnja 30 2 August 1943 11:44 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 53454 southwest of Kromy 52 2 September 1943 10:53 LaGG-3 Yelnya 31 2 August 1943 11:52 Boston PQ 35 Ost 53469 east of Kromy 53 2 September 1943 11:04 Il-2 m.H. southwest of Leonovo 32 5 August 1943 09:07 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 53446 south-southeast of Sockowo 54 7 September 1943 12:33 Il-2 m.H. east of Mokroje 33 5 August 1943 14:15 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 54725 west of Znamenskoye 55 14 September 1943 12:13 Pe-2 Shezkino 34 5 August 1943 17:12 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 54726 west of Znamenskoye 56 14 September 1943 16:39 La-5 Torshok 35 6 August 1943 12:17 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 44654 northeast of Bryansk 57 15 September 1943 17:16 Yak-1 Pjolki 36 6 August 1943 12:20 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 44687 east-northeast of Bryansk 58 15 September 1943 17:19 Il-2 m.H. north of Yelnya 37 8 August 1943 08:04 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 54729 west of Znamenskoye 59 17 September 1943 10:43 Pe-2 south of Gluchow 38 8 August 1943 08:07 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 54731vicinity of Znamenskoye 60? 18 September 1943 13:27 Yak-9 west of Yelnya 39 12 August 1943 06:14 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 51544vicinity of Kirikowka 61 6 October 1943 12:09 LaGG-3 Budniza 40 14 August 1943 17:45 Il-2 northwest of Klenovo 62 25 October 1943 11:34 LaGG-3 Lojew

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class German Cross in Gold on 27 May 1942 as Oberfeldwebel in the I./Jagdgeschwader 51 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 8 April 1944 as Leutnant and pilot in the Stabsstaffel/Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"