Oskar Zimmermann

Oskar Zimmermann (6 December 1917 – 12 June 1976) was a German 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. He received this award after 28 aerial victories—that is, 28 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft.

World War II On 7 April 1944, Zimmermann was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 6. Staffel of JG 3. He replaced Hauptmann Heinrich Sannemann who was transferred and led the Staffel until late April when Zimmermann took command. On 19 May, Zimmermann and his wingman had a mid-air collision. Both pilots bailed out and were unhurt, their Messerschmitt Bf 109 aircraft crashed southeast of Wittenberge.

In July, Zimmermann was transferred again and appointed Staffelkapitän of 9. Staffel of JG 3. He succeeded Leutnant Dieter Zink who had been shot down by anti-aircraft artillery and taken prisoner of war on 11 July. Zimmermann was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 October for 28 aerial victories claimed. On 18 December during the Battle of the Bulge, Zimmermann claimed his 29th aerial victory when he shot down a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter. On 1 January 1945 during Operation Bodenplatte, Zimmermann claimed a Hawker Tempest shot down.

Later life Zimmermann died on 12 February 1976 at the age of in Bad Hersfeld, West Germany.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to Obermaier, Zimmermann was credited with 34 victories in over 580 combat missions, 28 of which claimed on the Western Front including 14 heavy bombers. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that he was credited with at least 28 aerial victories, plus two further unconfirmed claims. Of this figure, he claimed six aerial victories on the Eastern Front and more than 22 over the Western Allies, including eleven four-engined heavy bombers.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 46264". 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 – 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – March 1943 1 4 August 1942 19:15 Il-2 PQ 46264 east-northeast of Konaja 2 18 March 1943 08:28 MiG-3 PQ 35 Ost 53594 north-north-east of Dmitriyev-Lgovsky – Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Eastern Front — July – August 1943 3 5 July 1943 11:00 MiG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63582 southwest of Maloarkhangelsk 5 15 July 1943 15:50 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 54453 northwest of Bolkhov 4 6 July 1943 09:03 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63592 south-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk 6 18 August 1943 14:34 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 26732 northeast of Moschna – 11. Sturmstaffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Defense of the Reich — February – 24 April 1944 7 8 April 1944 14:16 B-17 northwest of Braunschweig 12 18 April 1944 14:32 B-17 northwest of Nauen 8 11 April 1944 11:04 B-17 west of Haldensleben 13? 18 April 1944 B-17* 9 11 April 1944 11:05 P-38 west of Haldensleben 14 19 April 1944 10:46 B-17 PQ 15 Ost S/LAsoutheast of Göttingen 10 11 April 1944 13:15 B-17 south of Rostock 15 24 April 1944 13:35 B-17 PQ 04 Ost S/CE, northeast of Munichsouth of Landshut 11 13 April 1944 14:00 B-17* PQ 05 Ost S/ST-3 16? 24 April 1944 B-17* – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Defense of the Reich — 29 April – 6 June 1944 17 29 April 1944 11:05 B-17 northwest of Magdeburg 20 13 May 1944 14:30 P-51 PQ 15 Ost S/AFJördenstorf-Demmin 18 8 May 1944 10:17 B-24 southwest of Braunschweig 21 19 May 1944 13:46 B-17 Dreis-Brück 19 8 May 1944 10:40 B-24* west of Braunschweig 22 30 May 1944 11:45 P-51 Braunschweig – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Invasion of Normandy — 7 June – July 1944 23 12 June 1944 15:12 P-47 PQ 04 Ost N/AC-2vicinity of Dreux 25 25 July 1944 11:25 P-51 PQ 04 Ost N/BD-9/BE-7vicinity of Dourdan 24 24 July 1944 15:31 P-51 PQ 15 West UU-2/4vicinity of Caen – 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Invasion of Normandy — August – 22 September 1944 26 14 August 1944 16:50 P-47 PQ 04 Ost N/CC-2/3southeast of Chartres 28 22 August 1944 14:37 P-47 PQ 04 Ost N/AJ-3/6south of Châlons-sur-Marne 27 18 August 1944 19:25 P-51 PQ 04 Ost N/TE-7/8vicinity of Beauvais – 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Defense of the Reich and on the Western Front — 24 November 1944 – January 1945 29 18 December 1944 13:27 P-47 PQ 05 Ost OO-2Lommersum 30 1 January 1945 Tempest

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class German Cross in Gold (1 October 1944) as Leutnant in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 3 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 October 1944 as Leutnant and pilot in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"