Heinrich Sturm

Heinrich Sturm (12 June 1920 – 22 December 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 158 enemy aircraft shot down in an unknown number of combat missions. All of his aerial victories were claimed over the Eastern Front. He was "ace-in-a-day" four times, shooting down five or more aircraft on a single day.

Born in Dieburg, Sturm joined the military service in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany and was trained as a fighter pilot. He was then posted to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in the summer 1941. JG 52 was based on the central sector of the Eastern Front, where he claimed his first aerial victory on 16 October 1941. In September 1943, he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 4. Staffel (4th squadron) of JG 52. Sturm was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944 and severely wounded by bomb shrapnel on 16 April. Following his convalescence, he returned to JG 52, taking command of 5. Staffel. Sturm was killed in a takeoff accident on 22 December 1944 in Csór, Hungary.

Career Sturm was born on 12 June 1920 in Dieburg in the Province of Hesse-Nassau as part of the Weimar Republic. Following fighter pilot training, he was posted to 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd fighter wing) with the rank of Feldwebel (Sergeant) in the summer of 1941. At the time, JG 52 was based on the Eastern Front, supporting Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. His commanding officer in 6. Staffel was Oberleutnant Rudolf Resch, a squadron subordinated to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 52 headed by Hauptmann Erich Woitke.

On 2 October, German forces launched Operation Typhoon, the failed strategic offensive to capture Moscow. In support of this offensive, the Gruppe had moved to an airfield west of Kalinin, present-day Tver, on 16 October. Two days later, Sturm claimed his first three aerial victory when he shot down a Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber. Sturm then returned to Germany, where he served as an instructor at a fighter pilot school and attended the Kriegsschule.

Eastern Front Following his return to the Eastern Front, he was assigned to the Gruppenstab (headquarters unit) II. Gruppe of JG 52. On 1 January 1943, he was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant). Sturm claimed his first aerial victory with the Gruppenstab, and tenth in total, on 13 February when he shot down a Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighter south of Novorossiysk. At the time, II. Gruppe was based at Slavyansk-na-Kubani and fighting over the Kuban bridgehead following the German defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad. The commanding officer of II. Gruppe was Hauptmann Johannes Steinhoff. On 13 March, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Anapa where it remained until 5 July. On 24 March, Steinhoff left the Gruppe and was replaced by Hauptmann Helmut Kühle.

Sturm claimed three LaGG-3 fighters shot down on 15 April near Abinskaya, taking his total to 22 aerial victories. Five days later he became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time, bringing his total to 30. That day, he shot down a Lavochkin La-5 fighter on mission before noon, and three Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack aircraft and a further La-5 fighter near Gelendzhik in the afternoon. He reached his 40th aerial victory on 6 June when he shot down two La-5 fighters. On 23 July, Sturm was awarded the German Cross in Gold .

Squadron leader and death

On 1 August 1943, Sturm was appointed acting Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 4. Staffel (4th squadron) of JG 52. He replaced Leutnant Helmut Lipfert in this capacity who was transferred to the 6. Staffel (4th squadron) of JG 52. Sturm later officially became the Staffelkapitän of 4. Staffel on 1 September, succeeding Hauptmann Gerhard Barkhorn who was given command of II. Gruppe. That day, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Karlivka where they fought in the aftermath of the Belgorod–Kharkov offensive operation, also referred to as the fourth Battle of Kharkov. Here, Sturm claimed his first aerial victory as Staffelkapitän when he shot down a La-5 fighter. In November, the Red Army launched the Kerch–Eltigen operation leading to the Crimean offensive in early 1944. On 2 November, II. Gruppe was moved to Baherove where elements of the Gruppe remained until 19 March 1944. On 5 November, Sturm again became an "ace-in-a-day" when he shot down an Il-2 ground attack aircraft and five Yakovlev Yak-1 fighters over the Soviet bridge heads. The following day, he claimed six further victories, five Yak-1 fighters and a Bell P-39 Airacobra, making him yet again an "ace-in-a-day".

On 13 December, Sturm claimed his last aerial victory of 1943 when he shot down a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter east of Eltingen, present-day part of Kerch. On 28 February 1944, 4. and 5. Staffel was ordered to Grammatikowo located near Sovietskyi. Sturm was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944. On 8 April, Sturm claimed eight aerial victories, including 100th in total, his last "ace-in-a-day" achievement. He was the 66th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. A few weeks later on 16 April, he was wounded badly by bomb debris in an attack on the airfield at Chersonesus at Sevastopol on the Crimea. In consequence, command of 4. Staffel was passed on to Leutnant Hans Waldmann.

In August 1944, he returned to JG 52 and took over command of 5. Staffel (5th squadron) on 1 September. He replaced Otto Fönnekold, who was killed in action on 31 August. On 22 December 1944, he claimed his last two aerial victories. Taking off for another sortie from Csór that day, one of his Bf 109 G-6/U4 (Werknummer 442036—factory number) aircraft's landing gear struts hit a truck, killing him in the accident. The following day, command of 5. Staffel was given to Leutnant Peter Düttmann.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Sturm was credited with 158 aerial victories. Spick lists Sturm with 157 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions, all of them on the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that he is attributed with 158 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front. The archives revealed records for 123 of these claims. However, there are 52 additional claims attributed to II. Gruppe of JG 52 in the timeframe November to December 1944 that have no names associated to them. The authors assume that many of these claims belong to Sturm. According to Prien, Stemmer, Balke, and Bock, it is currently impossible to verify the exact number of aerial victories claimed by Sturm. According to the authors, the number could be closer to 124. The authors Daniel and Gabor Horvath compared Soviet enemy loss reports to Sturm's claims over Hungary. In the timeframe 18 October to 22 December 1944, Sturm claimed 13 aerial victories, while the authors found eight matching Soviet losses, a corroboration of 62%.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 19424". 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 – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Operation Barbarossa — June – December 1941 1 18 October 1941 13:27 Pe-2 – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — 7 May 1942 – 3 February 1943 2 28 May 1942 18:35 Il-2 6 8 December 1942 08:21 Boston PQ 19424 3 30 June 1942 09:22 LaGG-3 7 8 December 1942 17:15? Il-2 PQ 29652 4 28 August 1942 I-180 (Yak-7) 11:12 PQ 49172 east of Pitomnik 8 17 December 1942 07:47 LaGG-3 PQ 49772 east of Aksay 5 30 October 1942 09:23 Yak-1 PQ 95823 northeast of Lazarevskoye 9 17 December 1942 13:20? Il-2 PQ 3976 – Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — 4 February – 1 August 1943 10 13 February 1943 15:17 LaGG-3 south of Novorossiysk 26♠ 20 April 1943 11:10 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 75461, south of Datschosouthwest of Kabardinka 11 23 February 1943 06:38 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 75211southeast of Gostagajewskaja 27♠ 20 April 1943 16:10 LaGG-3? PQ 34 Ost 75462Black Sea, west of Gelendzhik 12 23 February 1943 06:42 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 7525 28♠ 20 April 1943 16:13 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 75464, west of GelendzhikBlack Sea, south of Kabardinka 13 5 March 1943 09:17 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 8656, Flamanskaja 29♠ 20 April 1943 16:14 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 85371vicinity of Gelendzhik 14 5 March 1943 09:21 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 8662 30♠ 20 April 1943 16:19? La-5 PQ 34 Ost 75462, over of Kabardinka 15 10 March 1943 14:10 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 8515 north of Novocherkassk 31 21 April 1943 11:02 MiG-3 PQ 34 Ost 75462 16 10 March 1943 14:15 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 8516 north of Novocherkassk 32 21 April 1943 11:20 MiG-3 PQ 34 Ost 75464Black Sea, south of Kabardinka 17 12 March 1943 11:25 U-2 PQ 34 Ost 85234vicinity of Cholmskaja 33 23 April 1943 07:20 Pe-2 PQ 34 Ost 85561Black Sea, south of Gelendzhik 18 22 March 1943 13:45 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 86393south of Nowo-Nikplajewskaja 34 9 May 1943 16:28 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 75264, south of Krymskajaeast of Nowo-Bakanskoja 19 22 March 1943 13:55 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 86454south of Dneprowskaja 35 30 May 1943 07:46 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 75352Black Sea, south of Anapa 20 15 April 1943 12:05 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 85142, northwest of Abinskayasoutheast of Krymsk 36 31 May 1943 17:39 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 76894, east of Kijewskoje 21 15 April 1943 15:17 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 85181northeast of Usun 37 3 June 1943 17:47 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 76893, southeast of Kijewskojesouth of Bakanskij 22 15 April 1943 15:20? LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 85184southeast of Tscherkassowski 38 3 June 1943 18:09? La-5 PQ 34 Ost 76773, southwestern edge of Kijewskojenortheast of Krymsk 23 16 April 1943 16:13 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 85273vicinity of Dneprowskaja 39 3 June 1943 18:11 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 75232, southeast of Kijewskojenorth of Krymsk 24 17 April 1943 11:05 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 86452 south of Novorossiysk 40 6 June 1943 07:36 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 76894, east of Kijewskoje 25 17 April 1943 11:10 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 85371, southwest of Gelendzhik 41 6 June 1943 07:37 Il-2 m.H. ? PQ 34 Ost 76894, east of Kijewskoje – 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — September – 31 December 1943 42? 1 September 1943 13:32 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 41812 north of Busk 63♠ 5 November 1943 07:22 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66731, south of Eltigen 43 1 September 1943 16:36 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 60322 southeast of Merefa 64♠ 5 November 1943 07:30 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66732vicinity of Tobetschik 44 5 September 1943 08:01 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 51874 south of Bohodukhiv 65♠ 5 November 1943 11:47 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66671, east of Kerch 45 5 September 1943 08:02 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 51873 south of Bohodukhiv 66♠ 5 November 1943 12:07 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66672east of Kerch 46 6 September 1943 06:20 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 41483 south-westsouth of Lebedin 67♠ 5 November 1943 15:00 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66641, northwest of Bakssyeast of Bulganak 47 6 September 1943 15:20 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 60184 east of Merefa 68♠ 6 November 1943 07:35 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66564vicinity of Kerch 48 7 September 1943 05:45 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 60334 east of Taranovka 69♠ 6 November 1943 07:45 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 66732, east of Eltigenvicinity of Tobetschik 49 2 October 1943 17:07 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 58683 north of Bolschoj Tokmak 70♠ 6 November 1943 11:05 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66841Kerch Strait, southwest of Tamanj 50 13 October 1943 15:41 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 10154 south of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi 71♠ 6 November 1943 11:45 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66813Kerch Strait, vicinity of Kap Tusla 51 13 October 1943 15:42 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 10161 southeast of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi 72♠ 6 November 1943 11:47 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66813Kerch Strait, vicinity of Kap Tusla 52 13 October 1943 15:45 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 10133 southeast of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi 73♠ 6 November 1943 15:10 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 6653 53 15 October 1943 05:49 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 10131, south of Traktomirow southeast of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi 74 30 November 1943 12:03 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66732, east of Eltigenvicinity of Tobetschik 54 15 October 1943 15:17 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 10124 south of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi 75 30 November 1943 12:07 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66592south of Kerch 55 22 October 1943 15:09 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 39321 east of Alexandrija 76 2 December 1943 07:19 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 6673, south of Eltigen 56 22 October 1943 15:14 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 39324 east of Alexandrija 77 2 December 1943 07:25 Il-2 southeast of Tobetschik 57 26 October 1943 07:35 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 57142 west of Melitopol 78 2 December 1943 07:29 Il-2 southeast of Ortmaeti 58 29 October 1943 11:07 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 47182 northwest of Ivanovka 79 5 December 1943 07:43 Yak-9 south of Kossa Tusla 59 2 November 1943 13:30 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 66813Kerch Strait, vicinity of Kap Tusla 80 9 December 1943 11:15 Il-2 southeast of Kossa Tusla 60 4 November 1943 09:07 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 66641, northwest of Bakssyeast of Bulganak 81 11 December 1943 11:40 P-39 east of Kamysch-Burun 61 4 November 1943 14:17 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 6653 82 13 December 1943 09:46 P-40 east of Eltigen 62♠ 5 November 1943 07:15 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 66813Kerch Strait, vicinity of Kap Tusla – 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — 1 January – April 1944 83 12 January 1944 06:55 Boston Adshim-Uschkaivicinity of Kap Tarchan 95 7 April 1944 17:12? Yak-1 PQ 55242 84 12 January 1944 06:57 P-39 PQ 66533vicinity of Bagerovo 96♠ 8 April 1944 11:25 Il-2 PQ 37891 southeast of Perekop 85 12 January 1944 08:40 P-39 PQ 6563vicinity of Grammatikowo 97♠ 8 April 1944 11:27 Yak-1 vicinity of An-Najman 86 12 January 1944 11:30 P-39 PQ 66561vicinity of Malyj 98♠ 8 April 1944 13:35 Yak-1 PQ 37814 northwest of Perekop 87 7 February 1944 06:18 Yak-1 Cape Khroni 99♠ 8 April 1944 13:40 Il-2 vicinity of An-Najman 88? 8 February 1944 10:08 Yak-9 east of Bulganek 100♠ 8 April 1944 15:45 Yak-7 PQ 37894 southeast of Perekop 89 10 February 1944 15:12? Yak-9 vicinity of Bulganekeast of Bulganek 101♠ 8 April 1944 17:31 P-39 PQ 46114east of Tomoschewka 90 15 February 1944 06:08 P-39 PQ 66671east of Kerch 102♠ 8 April 1944 17:44 Yak-1 vicinity of An-Najman 91 14 March 1944 15:35 Yak-7 PQ 47751 south of Dornburg 103♠ 8 April 1944 17:47 Yak-1 PQ 36232 southeast of Perekop 92 26 March 1944 16:00? Yak-1 PQ 47843 south of Genitschek 104 10 April 1944 08:16 Yak-7 Tomaschewka 93 6 April 1944 13:39 Yak-1 PQ 47771south of Gromovka 105 13 April 1944 08:22 Yak-7 vicinity of Sevastopol east of Sevastopol 94 7 April 1944 17:10? Il-2 PQ 55132vicinity of Feodosia 106 13 April 1944 13:30 Yak-7 vicinity of An-Najman – Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — September 1944 107 24 September 1944 09:22 Ju 87 PQ 37445 west-northwest of Turda 109 24 September 1944 11:45 La-5 PQ 37318 east-southeast of Klausenburg 108 24 September 1944 11:40 Il-2 PQ 37453 north of Turda 110 25 September 1944 13:37 Hs 129 PQ 37487vicinity of Turda – 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — October – December 1944 111 18 October 1944 15:29 Yak-7 PQ 18617north of Miki Peres 118 31 October 1944 15:28 Il-2 PQ 97243west of Kecskemét 112 20 October 1944 07:59 La-5 PQ 08841 east of Szolnok 119 2 November 1944 11:35 Yak-9 PQ 98811 north-northwest of Nagykőrös 113 29 October 1944 14:35 La-5 PQ 08735 northeast of Szolnok 120 23 November 1944 11:21 Il-2 PQ 98454 southwest of Gyöngyös 114 29 October 1944 14:36 Il-2 PQ 08754vicinity of Szolnok 121 23 November 1944 11:22 Il-2 PQ 98455 southwest of Gyöngyös 115 31 October 1944 15:18 La-5 PQ 97222north of Kecskemét 122 22 December 1944 unknown vicinity of Csór 116 31 October 1944 15:23 Il-2 PQ 97256vicinity of Kecskemét 123 22 December 1944 unknown vicinity of Csór 117 31 October 1944 15:26 La-5 PQ 97224north of Kecskemét

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 26 July 1943 as Leutnant and pilot German Cross in Gold on 23 July 1943 as Leutnant in the Stab/Jagdgeschwader 52 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944 as Leutnant (war officer) and Staffelführer of the 4./Jagdgeschwader 52