Heinrich Krafft

Heinrich "Gaudi" Krafft (13 August 1914 – 14 December 1942) 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. During his career he was credited with 78 aerial victories, 4 over the Western Front and 74 over the Eastern Front.

Career On 10 November 1940, Krafft was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of JG 51, replacing Oberleutnant Richard Leppla who was transferred.

On 18 March, Krafft and fellow JG 51 pilot Leutnant Hans Strelow were awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for 46 and 52 aerial victories claimed respectively.

On 1 June 1942, Krafft succeeded Hauptmann Josef Fözö as Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of JG 51. On 10 August, I. Gruppe of JG 51 was withdrawn from the Eastern Front and sent to Jesau, near present-day Bagrationovsk, to Heiligenbeil, present-day Mamonovo, to be reequipped with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A. The pilots were sent to Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe West based at Cazaux, France for conversion training. Conversion completed, the Gruppe then relocated to Lyuban on 10 September. Here they came under control of Army Group North and fought in the area south of Lake Ladoga.

On 14 December 1942, Krafft's Fw 190 A-3 (Werknummer 0539—factory number) was hit by anti-aircraft artillery resulting in a forced landing near Torbin, located approximately south of Bely behind enemy lines. Krafft was captured by Soviet forces and beaten to death. His body was later recovered by German forces, indicating severe blows to the head. Command of I. Gruppe of JG 51 was temporarily passed to Oberleutnant Rudolf Busch before Hauptmann Erich Leie was given command on 6 January 1943.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Krafft was credited with 78 aerial victories.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 46131". 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 – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940 1 11 May 1940 18:08 Hurricane Rotterdam 3 21 May 1940 08:10 M.S.406 Abbeville 2 11 May 1940 18:16 Hurricane Rotterdam 4 22 May 1940 Curtiss Abbeville – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941 5 22 June 1941 07:02 I-153 18 31 August 1941 10:31 SB-3 6 22 June 1941 09:55 SB-2 19 31 August 1941 10:36 SB-3 7 22 June 1941 10:02 SB-2 20 8 September 1941 09:30 Pe-2 8 22 June 1941 17:45 DB-3 21 4 October 1941 08:20 I-16 9 25 June 1941 14:00 SB-2 22 5 October 1941 06:50 I-61 southwest of Dubrowka 10 29 June 1941 12:40 I-16 23 8 October 1941 14:15 DB-3 11 30 June 1941 13:05 SB-3 24 10 October 1941 11:00 I-61 12 30 June 1941 18:50 DB-3 25 11 October 1941 14:35 I-61 13 13 July 1941 14:55 SB-3 26 22 October 1941 11:35 I-61 14 24 July 1941 11:30 Seversky 27 24 October 1941 15:45 I-61 15 26 August 1941 17:14 V-11 28 25 October 1941 08:50 I-61 16 26 August 1941 17:19 V-11 southeast of Dobruschij 29 1 December 1941 13:13 I-61 17 31 August 1941 10:25 SB-3 30 5 December 1941 14:30 I-61 – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 30 April 1942 31 6 December 1941 11:32 I-61 # 10 February 1942 15:14 I-61 32 6 December 1941 14:38 BSch (Il-2) # 10 February 1942 15:17 I-61 33 6 December 1941 14:40 BSch (Il-2) # 16 February 1942 15:25 I-61 34 12 December 1941 12:19 I-61 # 17 February 1942 16:20 I-61 35 18 December 1941 11:00 I-61 # 18 February 1942 15:30 I-61 36 18 December 1941 11:07 BSch (Il-2) # 20 February 1942 10:10 U-2 # 25 January 1942 15:03 I-61 # 30 April 1942 16:33 Il-2 # 26 January 1942 15:20 I-61 – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –Eastern Front — May – 14 December 1942 # 22 May 1942 16:13 unknown # 6 July 1942 10:51 unknown # 3 June 1942 19:20 unknown # 6 July 1942 15:20 unknown # 11 June 1942 07:56 unknown # 6 July 1942 15:20 unknown # 11 June 1942 07:58 unknown # 7 July 1942 09:55 unknown # 26 June 1942 14:58 unknown # 7 July 1942 19:42 unknown # 26 June 1942 14:59 unknown # 8 July 1942 15:43 unknown # 27 June 1942 09:41 unknown According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Krafft claimed two undocumented aerial victories before August 1942. 61 7 August 1942 09:55 Il-2 70 30 November 1942 12:07 Il-2 PQ 46131 62 29 September 1942 I-16 71♠ 4 December 1942 09:25 Il-2 vicinity of Ssolowino 63 30 September 1942 I-16 72♠ 4 December 1942 09:30 Il-2 vicinity of Bortniki 64 1 October 1942 Hurricane 73♠ 4 December 1942 12:15 Il-2 south of Dubawo 65 23 October 1942 15:22 LaGG-3 Sapadnaja Dwina 74♠ 4 December 1942 12:17 Il-2 Dubawo 66 11 November 1942 14:16 LaGG-3 PQ 27814 75♠ 4 December 1942 14:57 Il-2 vicinity of Swrtuiki 67 26 November 1942 12:24 Il-2 PQ 26422, west of Ramuschewo 76 8 December 1942 13:35 La-5 PQ 26281 68 26 November 1942 12:26 Il-2 PQ 26384, west of Ramuschewo 77 10 December 1942 09:35 LaGG-3 vicinity of Ssawoschny 69 26 November 1942 12:28 Il-2 PQ 26284, west of Ramuschewo 78 10 December 1942 12:28 Pe-2 vicinity of Meinzorow

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class German Cross in Gold on 25 January 1942 as Oberleutnant in the I./Jagdgeschwader 51 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 18 March 1942 as Oberleutnant of the Reserves and Staffelkapitän of the 3./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"