Friedrich Körner

Friedrich Körner (24 January 1921 – 3 September 1998) was a World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. 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. Körner was credited with 36 victories in over 250 missions. All of his victories were scored whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.

Military career Körner was born on 24 January 1921 in Schwerte, in the Province of Westphalia of the Weimar Republic. He joined the Luftwaffe on 15 November 1939. Following flight and fighter pilot training, Körner was posted to I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing) in North Africa on 4 July 1941. At the time, the Gruppe was based at Ayn al-Ġazāla and equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-7 fighter aircraft. Körner claimed his first victory on 12 October near Sallum when he shot down a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk.

In June 1942 he scored 20 kills, five on the 26 June making him an "ace-in-a-day", Körner's most successful day. On 4 July 1942, a year to the day of his arrival, he was shot down whilst scrambling to intercept a Royal Air Force (RAF) bomber formation over the front line near El Alamein in his Bf 109 F-4/Trop (Werknummer 8696—factory number) "Red 11". His victor was Lieutenant Lawrence Waugh of 1 Squadron SAAF. Körner was captured and sent to a prisoner of war camp in Canada, and released in 1947.

After the war In January 1956, Körner joined the West German Air Force, at the time referred to as the Bundesluftwaffe, holding the rank of Oberleutnant. Initially serving as a flight instructor, he later received general staff training. He retired from military service on 30 June 1979, having reached the rank of Brigadegeneral. Following his retirement, Körner and his wife lived in Paris. He died on 3 September 1998 at the age of in Bailly north-central France.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims Körner was credited with 36 aerial victories claimed in approximately 250 combat missions, all of which over North Africa. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 36 aerial victory claims, all of which over North Africa.

Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 –Sicily, Balkans and North Africa — 19 July – 17 November 1941 1 12 October 1941 09:34 P-40 southeast of Sallum 2 20 October 1941 09:45 Blenheim north of Marsa Luccech – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 –In North Africa — 18 November 1941 – 4 July 1942 3 10 December 1941 14:03 Boston east of Bir Hacheim 20 14 June 1942 11:05 P-40 north of Kambut 4 28 December 1941 08:55 Hurricane northeast of El Hasseiat 21 14 June 1942 11:10 P-40 north of Kambut 5 11 January 1942 12:50 P-40 north of Marsa al-Brega 22 14 June 1942 17:05 Beaufighter north-northeast of Derna 6 13 January 1942 14:35 P-40 Antelat 23 16 June 1942 15:20 P-40 east of El Adem 7 7 February 1942 14:27 Blenheim northeast of Derna 24 16 June 1942 18:50 P-40 southwest of Kambut 8 8 February 1942 14:27 P-40 Bomba Bay 25 17 June 1942 08:50 P-40 east of Sidi Rezegh 9 9 March 1942 16:50 Albacore southwest of Sidi Barrani 26♠ 26 June 1942 11:48 P-40 west of Marsa Matruh 10 19 March 1942 10:35 P-40 north of Kambut 27♠ 26 June 1942 12:18 P-40 west of Marsa Matruh 11 20 March 1942 08:03 P-40 south of Martuba 28♠ 26 June 1942 18:42 P-40 south of Marsa Matruh 12 20 March 1942 08:08 P-40 south of Ayn al-Ġazāla 29♠ 26 June 1942 18:46 Spitfire Marsa Matruh 13 21 March 1942 08:55 Boston southeast of Bir Hacheim 30♠ 26 June 1942 19:05 Spitfire southeast of Marsa Matruh 14 2 April 1942 14:28 Hurricane north of Kambut 31 1 July 1942 19:01 P-40 west of Borg El Arab 15 27 May 1942 15:30 P-40 south of Kambut 32 1 July 1942 19:03 P-40 west of Borg El Arab 16 29 May 1942 07:52 P-40 west of Tobruk 33 1 July 1942 19:11 P-40 west of Borg El Arab 17 13 June 1942 06:40 P-40 south of Fort Acroma 34 2 July 1942 18:15 P-40 El Alamein 18 13 June 1942 06:50 Hurricane north of Wadi Es Sahaae 35 2 July 1942 18:20 P-40 Borg El Arab 19 13 June 1942 06:53 P-40 Tobruk 36 3 July 1942 15:11 Hurricane southeast of El Alamein

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 10 August 1942 as Leutnant and pilot German Cross in Gold on 21 August 1942 as Leutnant in the I./Jagdgeschwader 27 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 September 1942 as Leutnant and Staffelführer of the 2./Jagdgeschwader 27