Fritz Tegtmeier

Fritz Tegtmeier (30 July 1917 – 8 April 1999) was a World War II Luftwaffe flying ace who had 146 aerial victories and received the coveted 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. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.

Early life and career Tegtmeier was born on 30 July 1917 in Sundern, now part of Stemwede, then in the Province of Westphalia within the German Empire. He joined the military service of the Luftwaffe and, following flight and fighter pilot training, Tegtmeier was posted to the 2. Staffel (2nd squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) in October 1940.

At the time, his Staffel was commanded by Oberleutnant Rudolf Unger and subordinated to I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 54 headed by Hauptmann Hubertus von Bonin. The Gruppe had just been withdrawn from the English Channel, where it had fought in the Battle of Britain, and was ordered to Jever Airfield for a period of rest and replenishment. The Gruppe was then split up, with 2. Staffel initially based at Westerland Airfield before moving to Wangerooge, where they flew fighter patrols over the German Bight. Here, Tegtmeier was severely injured on 17 November, when his Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-1 (Werknummer 6043—factory number) suffered engine failure, resulting in a crash landing at Jever Airfield.

World War II On Friday 1 September 1939, German forces invaded Poland, which marked the beginning of World War II. Following his injuries sustained on 17 November 1940, Tegtmeier returned to his Staffel in the spring of 1941.

Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, began on 22 June 1941. This opened up the Eastern Front. In the fortnight prior, JG 54 had been moved to an airfield in Lindenthal near Rautenberg, East Prussia, present-day Uslowoje in Kaliningrad Oblast. Tasked with supporting Army Group North in its advance through the Baltic states towards Leningrad, the unit began combat operations shortly afterwards. In the opening phase of Operation Barbarossa, Tegtmeier claimed his first aerial victory.

On 8 September, I. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Ziverskaya, southwest of Leningrad. There, on 11 September, he was again severely injured in a collision in his Bf 109 F-2, resulting in a crash landing at Ziverskaya. He returned to active duty in April 1942 and was assigned to 1. Staffel of JG 54. By the end of 1942, he had claimed 24 aerial victories.

On 14 January 1943, Tegtmeier became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time. That day, pilots of I. Gruppe had claimed 30 aerial victories (Luftsiege). He claimed aerial victories number 36 and 37 on 23 January. On 3 May 1943, he claimed numbers 51–53. Tegtmeier was then posted to Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost (EJGr Ost—Supplementary Fighter Group, East), a specialized training unit for new fighter pilots destined for the Eastern Front, where he served as a fighter pilot instructor. In September 1943, he returned to front line duty, this time with 3. Staffel of JG 54. In November 1943, he achieved his 75th aerial victory. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 28 March 1944, following his 99th aerial victory. Tegtmeier was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) on 20 April 1944. He claimed his 100th and 101st aerial victories on 3 May 1944. He was the 71st Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. On 1 September 1944, he was made Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel. He succeeded Leutnant Otto Kittel who was transferred. By the end of 1944, his score of aerial victories stood at 139. When he was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 7 for flight training on the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter in March 1945, his score stood at 146 aerial victories. Tegtmeier had been nominated for the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross .

Later life Tegtmeier died on 8 April 1999 at the age of in Greven, Germany.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Tegtmeier was credited with 146 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, looked through the German Federal Archives and found records for 146 aerial victory claims, all of which were claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 01852". 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 54 –Operation Barbrossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941 1 23 June 1941? 10:24 SB-2 5 13 August 1941 15:42 I-18 (MiG-1) 2 24 June 1941 05:44 SB-2 6 14 August 1941 05:07 I-18 (MiG-1) 3 24 June 1941 05:48 SB-2 7 3 September 1941 15:50 I-16 north of Krasnogvardeysk 4 18 July 1941 13:54 I-18 (MiG-1) 8 15 November 1941 11:20 I-18 (MiG-1) – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943 9 10 June 1942 10:20 Pe-2 24 30 December 1942 12:13? Pe-2 PQ 01852 northwest of Shlisselburg 10 22 June 1942 18:45 MiG-3 25 7 January 1943 11:30 LaGG-3 PQ 01762 north-northeast of Leningrad 11 22 July 1942 10:26 Yak-1 26 12 January 1943 09:35 P-40 PQ 00251 west-southwest of Shlisselburg 12 23 July 1942 09:30 MiG-3 27 12 January 1943 14:22 Il-2 PQ 10184east of Mga 13 1 August 1942 16:40 LaGG-3 PQ 00172 north of Selo 28♠ 14 January 1943 09:02 La-5 PQ 10181east of Mga 14 5 August 1942 15:10 MiG-3 PQ 20542 east of Lyuban 29♠ 14 January 1943 09:05 La-5 PQ 10193east of Mga 15 5 August 1942 15:13 MiG-3 PQ 20593 northeast of Chudovo 30♠ 14 January 1943 09:10 Il-2 PQ 00292 west of Mga 16 7 August 1942 13:30 P-40 PQ 20731 east-northeast of Chudovo 31♠ 14 January 1943 14:30 Il-2 PQ 00294 west of Mga 17 11 August 1942 14:23? Il-2 PQ 28311 east-northeast of Demyansk 32♠ 14 January 1943 14:33? Il-2 PQ 00274 west of Mga 18 20 August 1942 06:20 Yak-1 PQ 47662 south of Staritsa 33 16 January 1943 09:35 Il-2 PQ 10142south of Shlisselburg 19 25 August 1942 14:20 Yak-1 PQ 36573 south-southeast of Gagarin 34 16 January 1943 09:43 Yak-1 PQ 10311 south of Mga 20 26 August 1942 13:30 R-5 PQ 47864 east-southeast of Zubtsov 35 22 January 1943 08:46 Yak-1 PQ 10212 west of Volkhov 21 5 September 1942 12:40 Yak-1 PQ 10841southeast of Shlisselburg 36 23 January 1943 13:05 Yak-1 PQ 10191east of Mga 22 5 September 1942 12:45 Yak-1 PQ 10954southeast of Shlisselburg 37 23 January 1943 13:38 Il-2 PQ 00411 east of Pushkin 23 11 September 1942 16:35 I-16 PQ 00223 west of Shlisselburg 38 24 January 1943 13:35 La-5 PQ 10143south of Shlisselburg – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — 4 February – March 1943 39 10 February 1943 11:15 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10142south of Shlisselburg 42 21 February 1943 13:00 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 00412 east of Pushkin 40 17 February 1943 12:05 Yak-1 PQ 36 Ost 00281 west of Mga 43 23 February 1943 07:05 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 00412 east of Pushkin 41 21 February 1943 10:50 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 00442 southeast of Slutsk 44 23 February 1943 07:10 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 00283 west of Mga – 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — April – 31 December 1943 ? 3 March 1943 11:10 I-16 east of Leningrad 61 5 October 1943 13:21 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 02682 45 3 April 1943 12:45 Yak-1? PQ 36 Ost 00421Pushkin-Mga 62 9 October 1943 07:20 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 07772 east of Nevel ? 10 April 1943 11:50 Yak-1 south of Lomonosov 63 14 October 1943 08:15 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 15512, southeast of Bajewo north-northeast of Krassnyj 46? 11 April 1943 18:25 Il-2 south of Leningrad 64 20 October 1943 11:35 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 06312 47 13 April 1943 17:57? Pe-2 PQ 36 Ost 00163 southeast of Leningrad 65 21 October 1943 10:45 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 02232 48 2 May 1943 19:05 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 00463 north of Tosno 66 21 October 1943 10:50 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 02233, east of Lojew 49 2 May 1943 19:07 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 00273 west of Mga 67 22 October 1943 08:20 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 15332 north of Krassnyj 50 3 May 1943 17:45 La-5 PQ 26 Ost 90252 west-southwest of Shlisselburg 68 22 October 1943 10:40 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 05282east of Kshischtschew 51 14 September 1943 11:52? Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 26231 northeast of Moschna 69 27 October 1943 09:15 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 15342 west of Krassnyj 52 14 September 1943 16:30 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 25663 east of Schatalowka 70 28 October 1943 12:45 Boston PQ 35 Ost 03823 53 15 September 1943 08:50 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 26732 northeast of Moschna 71 28 October 1943 12:47 Boston PQ 35 Ost 03824 54 15 September 1943 14:00? Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 35492 west of Yelnya 72 28 October 1943 12:50 Boston PQ 35 Ost 03864 55 15 September 1943 14:15 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 35531 southeast of Yelnya 73 28 October 1943 12:53 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 03893 56 17 September 1943 11:00 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 35321 west of Yelnya 74 6 November 1943 09:50 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 06154 57 22 September 1943 17:38 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 12742 75 6 November 1943 09:55 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 06163, Lake Ssennitza 58 22 September 1943 17:40 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 12721 76? 17 November 1943 07:50 LaGG-3 59 26 September 1943 12:20 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 25532 north of Schatalowka 77 8 December 1943 14:00 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 06384 60 5 October 1943 13:20 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 02682 – 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — 1 January – September 1944 78 3 February 1944 14:15 Il-2 101 26 May 1944 18:50 La-5 Baltic Sea, north-northwest of Hungerburg 79 3 February 1944 14:17 Il-2 102 15 June 1944 07:37 Il-2 80 7 February 1944 07:37 La-5 103 16 June 1944 19:00 Yak-9 81 7 February 1944 10:36 La-5 104 16 June 1944 19:00 Yak-9 82 7 February 1944 10:37 La-5 105 14 July 1944 17:58 Yak-9 83 7 February 1944 11:05 La-5 106 16 July 1944 08:35 Yak-9 84 7 February 1944 11:07 La-5 107 16 July 1944 08:40 P-39 85 12 February 1944 14:30 La-5 108 21 July 1944 09:20 Yak-9 86 16 February 1944 14:10 Yak-9 southwest of Narva 109 21 July 1944 09:25 Yak-9 87 24 February 1944 11:00 Yak-9 southwest of Narva 110 22 July 1944 15:55 La-5 88 25 February 1944 11:10 Il-2 southwest of Narva 111 22 July 1944 19:15 LaGG-3 89 6 March 1944 07:55 La-5 south of Narva 112 27 July 1944 15:55 Pe-2 90 6 March 1944 08:05 Yak-9 southwest of Narva 113 28 July 1944 15:15 Yak-9 91 7 March 1944 12:36 La-5 west-southwest of Narva 114 1 August 1944 12:17 La-5 92 8 March 1944 15:46 Il-2 Baltic Sea, northeast of Kunda 115 6 August 1944 18:39 Yak-9 93 8 March 1944 16:10 Il-2 Baltic Sea, northeast of Kunda 116 7 August 1944 13:43 P-39 94 8 March 1944 16:23 Yak-9 Baltic Sea, northeast of Kunda 117 7 August 1944 18:20 La-5 95 9 March 1944 09:08 La-5 southwest of Narva 118 7 August 1944 18:24 La-5 96 23 March 1944 15:35 Il-2 119 16 August 1944 10:45 La-5 97 1 April 1944 10:12 LaGG-3 southeast of Pskov 120 25 August 1944 09:23 Pe-2 98 2 April 1944 15:25 La-5 northeast of Kunda 121 27 August 1944 15:05 Yak-9 99 4 April 1944 08:19 La-5 northeast of Kunda 122 27 August 1944 15:10 Pe-2 100 20 May 1944 12:31 Yak-1 Baltic Sea, north-northwest of Hungerburg 123 29 August 1944 18:30 La-5 – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — September – October 1944 124♠ 14 September 1944 10:00 Yak-9 northwest of Kreuzburg 132 17 September 1944 13:22 Yak-9 northwest of Pasewalk 125♠ 14 September 1944 12:00 P-39 northeast of Pasewalk 133 20 September 1944 11:13 Yak-9 south of Riga 126♠ 14 September 1944 12:03 P-39 northeast of Pasewalk 134 10 October 1944 09:07 La-5 east of Riga 127♠ 14 September 1944 12:04 Yak-9 northeast of Pasewalk 135 12 October 1944 12:25 Il-2 southeast of Riga 128♠ 14 September 1944 12:10 Il-2 northeast of Pasewalk 136 12 October 1944 16:05 Pe-2 north of Riga 129♠ 14 September 1944 16:40 Pe-2 south of Riga 137 12 October 1944 16:07 Pe-2 northeast of Riga 130 15 September 1944 09:33 Il-2 north-northwest of Kreuzburg 138 29 October 1944 19:56 Il-2 northeast of Telsche 131 17 September 1944 12:40 Yak-9 south-southeast of Riga 139 30 October 1944 11:35 Pe-2 east of Libau According to Mathews and Foreman, aerial victories 140 to 146 were not documented.

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (5 October 1942) German Cross in Gold on 23 January 1943 as Oberfeldwebel in the I./Jagdgeschwader 54 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 28 March 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 2./Jagdgeschwader 54