Robert Weiß

Robert "Bazi" Weiß (21 April 1920 – 29 December 1944) was an Austrian-born Luftwaffe fighter pilot during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 121 aerial victories claimed in more than 471 combat missions. Weiß claimed the majority of his victories over the Eastern Front, and 26 over the Western Allies, including three four-engined heavy bombers.

Born in Baden bei Wien, Weiß joined the military service in the Luftwaffe in 1939, initially serving with the anti-aircraft artillery. He was then accepted for pilot training and was then posted to Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing) in early 1941. Fighting on the English Channel, he claimed his first aerial victory on 21 September 1941. In September 1942, Weiß was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) which was fighting on the Eastern Front. In July 1943, Weiß was made a Staffelkapitän (squadron leader), first of 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of JG 54, then of 1. and 10. Staffel and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in March 1944. In June, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III. Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 54. He was killed in action on 29 December 1944 during the aerial battles of the Battle of the Bulge, shot down near Lengerich. Posthumously, Weiß was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 12 March 1945.

Early life and career Weiß was born on 21 April 1920 in Baden bei Wien, Austria. He was the oldest son of a higher city secretary (Stadtobersekretär), a public servant, and police commissioner (Polizei-Inspektor). Following four years of schooling at a Volksschule (compulsory education) in Baden, he attended the Bundesgymnasium (secondary education) since 3 September 1930, graduating with his Matura (maturity diploma) in 1938. In early 1939, he volunteered for military service with the Luftwaffe as an officer cadet, serving with Flak-Regiment 22, an anti-aircraft artillery regiment based at Döberitz.

World War II World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. For the invasion, Flak-Regiment 22 was subordinated to the 3. leichte Division (3rd Light Division). Following this campaign, Weiß was trained as a fighter pilot, and was posted to 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing) on 1 January 1941. On 1 April, he was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant).

Fighting against the Royal Air Force (RAF) on the English Channel, Weiß claimed his first aerial victory on 21 September. That day, RAF Fighter Command flew "Circus" No. 101 consisting of twelve Bristol Blenheim bombers and escorted by fourteen squadrons of Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane fighters which targeted Béthune and Gosnay. In combat over Étaples and northwest of Berck, Weiß managed to shoot down a No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron Spitfire at 16:25, his first aerial victory. On 9 March 1942, the RAF sent six Douglas A-20 Havoc bombers of "Circus" No. 113 to the power station at Gosnay. Defending against this attack, Weiß claimed a Spitfire shot down west of Boulogne. On 31 May, RAF Fighter Command sent several "Rodeos" to France. II. Gruppe intercepted several Spitfires over the Abbeville-Drucat Airfield where Weiß shot down a Spitfire of the Royal New Zealand Air Force No. 485 Squadron. In September 1942, Weiß was transferred to 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) which was based on the Eastern Front.

Eastern Front In September 1942, 1. Staffel of JG 54 was commanded by Oberleutnant Heinz Lange and part of I. Gruppe, which was headed by Hauptmann Hans Philipp. The Gruppe was based at Krasnogvardeysk and was fighting in the siege of Leningrad. Weiß claimed his first aerial victories on the Eastern Front on 12 January 1943 when Soviet forces launched Operation Iskra which created a land connection to Leningrad. That day, Weiß claimed two Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft shot down. On 1 March, Weiß was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant). Then fighting and flying with 3. Staffel in the combat area of Leningrad, Weiß claimed his 31st aerial victory on 13 April when he shot down a Soviet Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber making an attack on the Luftwaffe airfield at Krasnogvardeysk. Falling ill in May 1943, he was hospitalized until July 1943. During his convalescence, Weiß was awarded the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 8 May.

After Oberleutnant Franz Eisenach was wounded in combat on 8 July, Weiß temporarily replaced him as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of JG 54 until his return on 15 September 1943. On 12 July, Weiß was awarded the German Cross in Gold . On 20 July, I. Gruppe relocated to an Karachev during the Battle of Kursk. Weiß claimed two Il-2 ground-attack aircraft destroyed, his first aerial victories following his return to combat operations, on 2 August while supporting German troops retreating northwest of Orel and southwest of Kromy. On 15 September, Weiß was temporarily given command of 1. Staffel, replacing Oberleutnant Otto Vinzent who had stepped in for Oberleutnant Walter Nowotny after Nowotny had been put in command of I. Gruppe. On 28 September, Weiß was transferred to IV. Gruppe where was made Staffelkapitän of 10. Staffel of JG 54. He replaced Oberleutnant Alfred Teumer who had been wounded in aerial combat on 3 September. Command of 1. Staffel was then passed to Oberleutnant Kurt Fischer. On 11 September, Weiß made an emergency landing in his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer 530 337—factory number) at Shatalovka following aerial combat. On 15 February 1944, Weiß claimed his last aerial victories on the Eastern Front when he shot down four Il-2 ground-attack aircraft in support of 16th Army fighting in the combat area near Luga. Two days later, he left IV. Gruppe, handing over command of 10. Staffel to Oberleutnant Paul-Rudolf Deterra. Weiß had telegraphed his fiancée, that for the four weeks he would be rehabilitating at a clinic in Oberschreiberhau, present-day Szklarska Poręba, near Hirschberg, present-day Jelenia Góra in Poland.

Western Front and death While Weiß was recovering at Oberschreiberhau, the commander of 10. Staffel of JG 54 was killed in action on 21 February 1944. In consequence, Weiß was became Staffelkapitän of 10. Staffel. The Staffel was subordinated to III. Gruppe of JG 54 and was based at Ludwigslust, fighting in defense of the Reich against the Western Allies. Weiß, who had been nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross while serving with 3. Staffel of JG 54, received the award on 26 March 1944. On 20 April, III. Gruppe relocated to Landau an der Isar. Here Weiß claimed his first aerial victory with III. Gruppe on 19 May when he shot down a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Lockheed P-38 Lightning southeast of Oschersleben. On 27 May, Weiß claimed his first heavy bomber when he shot down a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress northwest of Colmar.

On 6 June 1944, Weiß was temporarily appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III. Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 54. On 21 June, he officially succeeded Major Werner Schröer, who had been transferred. Command of 8. Staffel then went to Leutnant Alfred Gross. Weiß was promoted to Hauptmann (captain) on 1 July 1944. At the time, the Gruppe was based at Vélizy – Villacoublay Air Base, France on the Western Front and fought in German retreat following the Invasion of Normandy. The Gruppe was withdrawn from combat operations on 5 September, relocating to Oldenburg Airfield (Gruppenstab, 9. and 12. Staffel) and Varrelbusch Airfield (10. and 11. Staffel), where it became the first unit to receive the new Fw 190 D-9. On 28 September, Weiß was credited with the destruction of a Spitfire fighter, his 119th victory claim. His opponent was Flight Lieutenant Duncan McCuaig from the RAF No. 541 Squadron, a photographic reconnaissance squadron.

III. Gruppe became fully operational on 25 December with all three squadrons uniting at Varrelbusch Airfield. On 27 December, III. Gruppe fought Hawker Tempest fighters from the No. 486 Squadron, a New Zealand fighter squadron of the RAF. In this encounter, III. Gruppe lost five aircraft for one victory claimed. On 29 December, Weiß led his Gruppe in combat against Allied fighters of the RAF Second Tactical Air Force. Vectored by ground control to the Münster-Rheine area, the engagement ended with the destruction of 15 fighters, plus two further damaged, 13 pilots killed and two wounded. In return III. Gruppe claimed eight aircraft shot down. Weiß was one of the pilots killed, he was shot down in his Fw 190 D-9 (Werknummer 210 060) "Black 10" near Lengerich. His victor was Flight Sergeant K. F. Haanes of the RAF No. 331 Squadron, a Norwegian squadron. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 12 March 1945, the 782nd officer or soldier of the Wehrmacht so honored. Initially he was interred on the new cemetery in Lingen. In 1958, his remains were moved and reinterred to the war cemetery at Baden bei Wien and again moved to the Helenen cemetery where he now rests in a family grave. He was replaced by Oberleutnant Hans Dortenmann as commander of III. Gruppe of JG 54.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Weiß was credited with 121 aerial victories. Obermaier also lists Weiß with 121 aerial victories in claimed 471 missions. Spick claims that Weiß shot down 90 aircraft on the Eastern front and 31 on Western Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 122 aerial victory claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 96 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 26 Western Front, including three four-engined bombers.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 10191". 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 26 –On the Western Front — 22 June 1941 – 31 December 1941 1 21 September 1941 16:25 Spitfire northwest of Berck – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26 –On the Western Front — 1 January – 31 December 1942 2 9 March 1942 16:40 Spitfire west of Boulogne 3 31 May 1942 19:40 Spitfire Abbeville – 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943 4 12 January 1943 09:57 Il-2 PQ 10191east of Mga 9 15 January 1943 11:47? Yak-1 PQ 00252 west-southwest of Shlisselburg 5 12 January 1943 14:19? Il-2 PQ 00262 southwest of Shlisselburg 10 23 January 1943 12:55 P-40 PQ 10324 southeast of Mga 6 14 January 1943 09:15 Il-2 PQ 10182east of Mga 11 24 January 1943 14:47 Il-2 PQ 00412 east of Pushkin 7 14 January 1943 12:35 I-153 PQ 10322 southeast of Mga 12 29 January 1943 14:33 Il-2 PQ 10153southeast of Shlisselburg 8 15 January 1943 09:25 Su-2 (Seversky) PQ 10143south of Shlisselburg – 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — February 1943 13 10 February 1943 11:15 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10151southeast of Shlisselburg 16 17 February 1943 15:34 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10611 northeast of Luban 14 11 February 1943 08:25 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 00412 east of Pushkin 17 23 February 1943 14:25 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 00283 west of Mga 15 14 February 1943 15:08 I-153 PQ 36 Ost 00414 east of Pushkin – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — March – 31 December 1943 18 7 March 1943 11:44 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 1835 north-northwest of Shlisselburg 43 14 August 1943 18:03 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 51872 south of Bohodukhiv 19 7 March 1943 11:45 Il-2? PQ 35 Ost 18391 northeast of Cholm 44 17 August 1943 08:50 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 41491 20 14 March 1943 07:45 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 00264 southwest of Shlisselburg 45 17 August 1943 08:57 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 41484 21 16 March 1943 07:20 MiG-3 PQ 35 Ost 18274 southeast of Staraya Russa 46 19 August 1943 15:25 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 51551, Popowkanortheast of Bohodukhiv 22 17 March 1943 16:17 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 18143 south-southeast of Staraya Russa 47 19 August 1943 15:27 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 51581northeast of Bohodukhiv 23 20 March 1943 12:15 P-40 PQ 36 Ost 00283 west of Mga 48 19 August 1943 15:30 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 51554northeast of Bohodukhiv 24 22 March 1943 08:53 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 00421Pushkin-Mga 49 20 August 1943 15:35 MiG-3 PQ 35 Ost 51581northeast of Bohodukhiv 25 22 March 1943 08:54 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 00238 west of Mga 50 22 August 1943 10:26 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 41691 26 22 March 1943 08:55 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 00253 west of Mga 51 22 August 1943 16:02 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 61773 northwest of Kharkov 27 24 March 1943 06:54 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10332 east-southeast of Mga 52 23 August 1943 17:00 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 60123Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda 28 30 March 1943 18:28 MiG-3 PQ 36 Ost 00224 northeast of Pushkin 53 23 August 1943 17:05 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 60133Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda 29 3 April 1943 18:11 P-39 PQ 36 Ost 00271 northeast of Pushkin 54 23 August 1943 17:07 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 60132Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda 30 8 April 1943 16:35 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 01774 north-northeast of Leningrad 55 24 August 1943 17:04 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 60183Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda 31 13 April 1943 18:02 Pe-2 PQ 36 Ost 00154 south of Leningrad 56 25 August 1943 18:17 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 51713 southeast of Achtyrka 32 2 August 1943 16:50 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 54593 northeast of Karachev 57 28 August 1943 13:40 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 43792 south-southwest of Sevsk 33 2 August 1943 17:00 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 54623 west of Bolkhov 58 30 August 1943 18:12 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 35531 southeast of Yelnya 34 3 August 1943 17:13 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 54831 northwest of Karachev 59 1 September 1943 05:58 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 36391 east of Yelnya 35 4 August 1943 11:54? Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 54532 west of Bolkhov 60 2 September 1943 10:10 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 35512 southwest of Yelnya 36 7 August 1943 08:45 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 54593 northeast of Karachev 61 4 September 1943 08:25 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 35574 south-southwest of Yelnya 37 10 August 1943 12:30 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 51573northeast of Bohodukhiv 62 6 September 1943 06:55 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 26851 north of Yartsevo 38 12 August 1943 17:25 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 41691 63 7 September 1943 16:40 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 34234 southwest of Kirov 39 13 August 1943 07:45 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 5181 64 7 September 1943 16:41 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 45773 west-southwest of Kirov 40 14 August 1943 07:08 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 51832, Dolstrik south of Zolochev 65 10 September 1943 16:43? Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 44171 northwest of Dyatkovo 41 14 August 1943 18:00 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 50214Gulf of Finland 66 10 September 1943 16:47? Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 34263 southeast of Ostashkov 42 14 August 1943 18:01 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 50213Gulf of Finland ? 15 September 1943 16:10 LaGG-3 southeast of Yelnya – 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — September 1943 67 22 September 1943 11:30 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 58514 68 24 September 1943 10:10 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 02532 – 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — 28 September – 31 December 1943 69 17 October 1943 14:25 LaGG-3 PQ 26 Ost 90262, east of Oranienbaum northwest of Krassnoje-Selo 75 17 November 1943 09:13? Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 97483 northwest of Velikye-Luki 70 17 October 1943 14:30 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 00152 south of Leningrad 76 17 November 1943 09:15 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 97483 northwest of Velikye-Luki 71 5 November 1943 14:50? Il-2? south of Nevelsouth of Nevel 77 8 December 1943 11:29 Pe-2 northeast of Aksis 72 12 November 1943 08:55 Yak-9 west of Nevel 78 14 December 1943 12:28 LaGG-3 PQ 26 Ost 90272 south of Lomonosov 73 17 November 1943 09:10 P-40 PQ 25 Ost 97562 east-northeast of Idriza 79 29 December 1943 12:57 La-5 PQ 26 Ost 90423 west of Gorodok 74 17 November 1943 09:12? P-40 PQ 25 Ost 97562 east-northeast of Idriza – 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — 1 January – February 1944 80 8 January 1944 12:13 P-40 PQ 36 Ost 00182 northwest of Pushkin 90 24 January 1944 13:32 Il-2 east of Gagarin 81 15 January 1944 10:38 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 90283 southeast of Lomonosov 91 25 January 1944 10:00 Pe-2 82 15 January 1944 13:01 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 90414 south of Lomonosov 92 25 January 1944 10:08 Il-2 vicinity of Gagarin 83 15 January 1944 13:02 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 90421 southeast of Lomonosov 93 25 January 1944 12:23 Il-2 northeast of Gagarin 84 17 January 1944 10:50 Il-2 94 25 January 1944 12:25 Il-2 north of Gagarin 85 17 January 1944 10:55 Il-2 near Pushkin 95 15 February 1944 13:10 Il-2 south-southeast of Gorodets 86 17 January 1944 10:56 Il-2 east of Pushkin 96 15 February 1944 13:11 Il-2 south-southeast of Gorodets 87 19 January 1944 09:45 Il-2 northwest of Novgorod 97 15 February 1944 13:12 Il-2 south-southeast of Gorodets 88 19 January 1944 10:15 Il-2 west of Novgorod 98 15 February 1944 13:13 Il-2 south-southeast of Gorodets 89 24 January 1944 13:20 Il-2 southwest of Gagarin – 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Western Front — May – 21 June 1944 99 19 May 1944 13:17 P-38 southeast of Oschersleben 103 10 June 1944 14:21 P-47 PQ 15 West S/UU-5Caen 100 27 May 1944 12:18 B-17 northwest of Colmar 104 17 June 1944 19:03 Spitfire PQ 15 Ost S/UT-2Carpiquet 101 7 June 1944 13:45 Spitfire southeast of Caen 105 17 June 1944 19:08 Spitfire PQ 04 Ost N/AA-1southeast of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives 102 7 June 1944 14:14 P-51 PQ 04 Ost N/AE-7/1, Guyancourt – Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Western Front — 21 June – 29 December 1944 106 22 June 1944 21:15 P-51 PQ 05 Ost S/UB-6/9Bernay 114 23 July 1944 19:18 P-38 PQ 04 Ost N/BE-4Arpajon 107 23 June 1944 16:50 Spitfire PQ 15 Ost S/UU-2Caen 115 28 July 1944 20:14 B-26 PQ 04 Ost N/AA-1Vimoutiers 108 23 June 1944 16:57 Spitfire PQ 15 Ost S/UU-2Caen 116 6 August 1944 12:21 B-24 PQ 05 Ost S/UE/UDMantes-Pontoise 109 27 June 1944 13:47 Spitfire PQ 04 Ost S/AA-4Trun 117 6 August 1944 12:22 B-24 PQ 05 Ost S/UE/UDMantes-Pontoise 110 4 July 1944 19:45 Spitfire PQ 15 Ost S/TS/USCarentan-Saint-Lô 118 8 August 1944 14:48 P-38 PQ 15 Ost S/BT-4Mortain 111 12 July 1944 14:30 P-47 PQ 04 Ost N/ABConches 119 28 September 1944 16:07 Spitfire PQ 05 Ost S/ES-8 northwest of Apelstedt 112 12 July 1944 14:33 P-47 PQ 04 Ost N/ABConches 120 6 November 1944 14:48 P-38 PQ 05 Ost S/CP, Norderneyover sea 113 23 July 1944 19:17 P-38 PQ 04 Ost N/BE-4Arpajon 121 29 December 1944 11:00 Spitfire PQ 05 Ost S/FQ-7Gersten

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (August 1940) 1st Class (5 December 1941) Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 8 May 1943 as Oberleutnant and pilot German Cross in Gold on 12 July 1943 as Oberleutnant in the I./Jagdgeschwader 54 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 26 March 1944 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 3./Jagdgeschwader 54 782nd Oak Leaves on 12 March 1945 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Jagdgeschwader 54

Dates of rank 1 April 1941: Leutnant (second lieutenant) 1 March 1943: Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) 1 July 1944: Hauptmann (captain)