Ernst-Erich Hirschfeld

Ernst-Erich Hirschfeld (25 August 1918 – 28 July 1944) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II of Nazi Germany. During his career he was credited with 24 aerial victories, 23 on the Western Front and 1 on the Eastern Front.

On 28 July 1944, Hirschfeld was killed in action after his parachute failed to open after he bailed out from his damaged Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 (Werknummer 171459—factory number) between Gehren and Erfurt. Hirschfeld, who had commanded the 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 300 (JG 300—300th Fighter Wing), was succeeded by Oberleutnant Hans-Joachim Weber. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross on 24 October 1944.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 18 aerial victories, plus seven further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed aerial victories includes one claim on the Eastern Front and 17 claims on the Western Front, including more than nine four-engined bombers.

Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — 27 March – July 1943 1 26 May 1943 19:34 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 20231 – 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 300 –Western Front — July 1943 – June 1943 2? 24 August 1943 four-engine bomber 10 20 February 1944 04:20 Lancaster Leipzig 3 22 September 1943 22:55 Stirling Hannover 11 21 February 1944 14:45 B-24 vicinity of Achmer 4? 22 September 1943 23:15 Lancaster south of Vechta 12 8 March 1944 15:42 P-38 north of Twente ? 27 September 1943 23:04 Lancaster Hannover 13? 13 June 1944 B-24 Weilheim 5 27 September 1943 23:15 Stirling west of Hannover 14? 13 June 1944 B-24 Weilheim 6 3 October 1943 22:27 Stirling south of Kassel 15 21 June 1944 10:18 B-24 Berlin-Lichtenberg 7? 18 November 1943 four-engine bomber vicinity of Mannheim 16 21 June 1944 10:20 B-17 Berlin-Lichtenberg 8? 18 November 1943 four-engine bomber vicinity of Mannheim ? 21 June 1944 10:24 B-24& south of Berlin 9? 29 January 1944 four-engine bomber – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 300 –Western Front — June – 28 July 1944 17 26 June 1944 09:40 B-24 southwest of Tulln 21 19 July 1944 09:35 P-51 Kempten-SonthofenImmenstadt 18? 26 June 1944 B-24 east of Stockerau 22 25 July 1944 10:58 B-24 vicinity of Ostmark 19 7 July 1944 09:38 B-24 vicinity of Magdeburg 23 26 July 1944 11:10 P-51 Austria 20 16 July 1944 09:48 B-17 northwest of Munich 24 26 July 1944 11:20 B-17 Austria

Awards Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 15 April 1944 as Leutnant and pilot German Cross in Gold on 10 September 1944 as Oberleutnant in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 300 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 24 October 1944 as Oberleutnant and pilot in the 5./Jagdgeschwader 300.