Karl-Heinz Meltzer

Feldwebel Karl-Heinz Meltzer (also known as Karlheinz) (23 February 1922 – August 1943) was a German fighter ace of World War II. He was born in Hamburg, served in the Luftwaffe on the Eastern front and was presumed killed in action in August 1943.

Career Karl-Heinz Meltzer was born on 23 February 1922 in Hamburg. He served in the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) during the Second World War and is credited as one of their most successful fighter aces.

Early service

Following compulsory service in the Reicharbeitsdienst (German Labour Corps) in Northern Germany he enlisted in the Luftwaffe and trained as a fighter pilot. After pre-operational training at Ergänzungsjagdgruppe Ost (Training Fighter Wing – East) in the spring of 1942 during which he survived a major crash, he was transferred on 28 July 1942 as an Unteroffizier to 8./Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) flying near Rostov on the Eastern Front. This squadron was commanded by Günther Rall, the third most successful fighter pilot in history.

Operational service

Flying to the east of Mount Elbrus on 24 August 1942 Meltzer scored his first victory when he shot down a Russian Pe-2 fast light bomber. Between 21 September 1942 and 12 October 1942 in the same general area of operations he shot down 7 more Russian fighters and one Ilyushin-2 Stormovik ground attack bomber, and was belatedly awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class and also the Iron Cross 1st Class.

His unit moved to the Kharkov area in preparation for the Battle of Kursk, and, in flying operations between 4 and 12 July 1943, Meltzer shot down fourteen Russian aircraft, including 4 victories during four different missions on 5 July, scored by his squadron, 8. Staffel. During combat above the enormous tank Battle of Kursk he flew several times as wingman to the commander of III. Gruppe of JG 52 Major Günther Rall. and also to Leutnant Friedrich Obleser now in command of 8. Staffel.

Luftwaffe ground-crew ("black men") positioning a Bf 109 G-6 "Kanonenvogel" equipped with the Rüstsatz VI underwing gondola cannon kit. Note the slats on the leading edge of the port wing. JG 2, France, autumn of 1943. In the last two weeks of July his unit flew from bases further north near Orel, where he shot down more Russian aircraft before they moved south again to the Kharkov area; his 50th victory in early August 1943 was acknowledged as the 850th victory of 8 Staffel. John Weal in More Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front states that “in the eleven days thereafter Meltzer was credited with 24 more (victories), taking his total to 74 before he was himself shot down near Kharkov on 14 August”.

Meltzer was shot down in combat over Russian-occupied territory, and, like many German aces, he was never seen again. Award also recorded as Unteroffizier and pilot in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 52 German Cross in Gold on 6 December 1943 as Unteroffizier in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 52 Award also recorded as Unteroffizier in a Jagdgeschwader