Reinhold Hoffmann

Reinhold Hoffmann (9 August 1921 – 24 May 1944) 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. On 24 May 1944, Hoffmann attempted an emergency landing at Friesack following aerial combat. His Focke-Wulf Fw 190 crashed, killing him instantly. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross on 28 January 1945. Depending on source, he was credited between 61 and 67 aerial victories, at least 58 of which on the Eastern Front.

Career Hoffmann was born on 9 August 1921 in Petersdorf, now Piechowice in southwestern Poland, then in Province of Lower Silesia within the Weimar Republic.

On 24 May 1944, Hoffmann was killed in action flying Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 (Werknummer 680184—factory number), crashing west of Friesack. His aircraft somersaulted during the emergency landing. Posthumously, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 28 January 1945.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Hoffmann was credited with 67 aerial victories. Spick lists him with 66 aerial victories, 60 on the Eastern Front and six heavy bombers on the Western Front, claimed in an unknown number of combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 67 aerial victory claims. This number includes 64 claims on the Eastern Front and three heavy bombers on the Western Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 54431". 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 – 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — July 1942 – 3 February 1943 1? 27 July 1942 19:05 Yak-1 southeast of Pola train station 2 22 August 1942 06:11 Il-2 PQ 54431 southwest of Belyov – 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — 4 February – November 1944 3 21 March 1943 08:40 Yak-1 PQ 36 Ost 00272 northeast of Pushkin 27 20 October 1943 15:48 Yak-7 north of Kiev 4 30 May 1943 20:04 P-40 PQ 36 Ost 10122east of Shlisselburg ? 14 September 1943 16:07 Il-2 north-northwest of Jarzewo 5 12 July 1943 19:25 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 74754 28♠ 21 October 1943 12:09 Yak-7 east of Khodoriv 6 13 July 1943 12:52 Boston PQ 35 Ost 63254 east-southeast of Oryol 29♠ 21 October 1943 12:15 Yak-9 south of Jaschniki 7 13 July 1943 12:53 Boston PQ 35 Ost 63291 southeast of Oryol 30♠ 21 October 1943 14:50 La-5 east of Kargalnik 8 13 July 1943 12:56 Boston PQ 35 Ost 73172 31♠ 21 October 1943 15:00 Yak-7 west-southwest of Pii 9 16 July 1943 11:30 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 64853 southeast of Mtsensk 32♠ 21 October 1943 15:03 Il-2 west-southwest of Pii 10 16 July 1943 11:37 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 64894 southeast of Mtsensk 33♠ 21 October 1943 15:04 Il-2 northeast of Pii 11 16 July 1943 11:42 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 74743 34♠ 21 October 1943 15:06 Il-2 south of Gruschewo 12 22 July 1943 18:25 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63112vicinity of Oryol 35♠ 22 October 1943 06:19 La-5 south of Daljewkasouth of Lalzka 13 22 July 1943 18:35 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63162 southeast of Oryol 36♠ 22 October 1943 09:14 Il-2 south-southeast of Kussinojesouth-southeast of Kusminzy 14 2 August 1943 09:00 Yak-7 PQ 36 Ost 00262 southwest of Shlisselburg 37♠ 22 October 1943 09:15 Il-2 north of Pii ? 2 August 1943 12:58 LaGG-3 west-southwest of Shlisselburg 38♠ 22 October 1943 09:17 Il-2 west of Schtschutschinka 15 9 August 1943 16:01 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 54582 northeast of Karachev 39♠ 22 October 1943 09:21 Il-2 east of Rzhyshchivwest of Schtschutschinka 16 9 August 1943 16:02 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 54591 northeast of Karachev 40♠ 22 October 1943 12:08 La-5 east of Romaschki 17 11 August 1943 18:32 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 45762 northeast of Kitov 41♠ 22 October 1943 12:11 Yak-7 north of Chodorow 18 17 August 1943 04:50 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 53253 southwest of Oryol 42♠ 22 October 1943 12:14 Yak-7 north of Chodorow ? 21 August 1943 16:45 Il-2 southwest of Sevsk 43 24 October 1943 12:45 Yak-9 south of Trachtemirowsouth of Frantimirow 19 23 August 1943 07:11 Boston PQ 35 Ost 44413 southwest of Zhizdra 44 2 November 1943 15:07 Yak-9 east of Lyutezh 20 23 August 1943 07:14 Boston PQ 35 Ost 44283 south of Zhizdra 45♠ 3 November 1943 09:15 Il-2 east of Glebowkasouth of Vyshgorod 21 24 August 1943 07:04 DB-3 PQ 35 Ost 44523, west of Stajka south-southwest of Dyatkovo 46♠ 3 November 1943 11:09? Yak-7 south of Vyshgorodsoutheast of Vyshgorod ? 26 August 1943 16:25 Boston southeast of Sevsk 47♠ 3 November 1943 11:13 Yak-9 southeast of Vyshgorodeast of Valki 22 1 September 1943 18:01 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 25462 west of Yelnya 48♠ 3 November 1943 12:25 Il-2 east of Valkieast-southeast of Lyutezh 23 1 September 1943 18:07 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 35343 southeast of Yelnya 49♠ 3 November 1943 12:28 Il-2 east-southeast of Lyutezhwest of Vyshgorod 24 6 September 1943 06:00 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 26734 northeast of Moschna 50♠ 3 November 1943 12:40 Yak-9 west of Vyshgorodeast of Glebowka 25 6 September 1943 09:50 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 26841 northwest of Yartsevo 51♠ 3 November 1943 14:38 Yak-9 west of Valki ? 7 September 1943 17:31 La-5 north of Zhizdra 52♠ 3 November 1943 14:49 Yak-9 southeast of Lyutezh 26 8 September 1943 11:35 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 4416 53 6 November 1943 07:55 Yak-7 south of Lyutezheast of Lyutezh – 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — 1 January – April 1944 54 6 April 1944 08:00 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 88364 southwest of Selo 57 17 April 1944 06:55 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 88883 southeast of Ostrov 55 8 April 1944 10:00 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 88883 southeast of Ostrov 58 17 April 1944 06:59 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 88824 southeast of Ostrov 56 17 April 1944 06:53 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 88842 south-southeast of Ostrov 59 21 April 1944 11:23 La-5 PQ 26 Ost 70644 west-southwest of Hungerburg – 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Defense of the Reich — May 1944 60 19 May 1944 13:15 B-24 PQ 15 Ost FBsouth of Wittingen 62 19 May 1944 13:31? B-24* PQ 15 Ost JBsouth of Wittingen 61 19 May 1944 13:18 B-24* PQ 15 Ost FBNienburg

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 1 November 1943 as Unteroffizier and pilot German Cross in Gold on 14 November 1943 as Feldwebel in the II./Jagdgeschwader 54 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 28 January 1945 as Leutnant and pilot in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 54