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Manfred Meurer

January 01, 1970

Manfred Meurer (8 September 1919 – 22 January 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a night fighter ace credited with 65 aerial victories claimed in 130 combat missions making him the fifth most successful night fighter pilot in the history of aerial warfare.[1] All of his victories were claimed over the Western Front in Defense of the Reich missions against the Royal Air Force's (RAF) Bomber Command.

Manfred Meurer
Born(1919-09-08)8 September 1919
Free City of Hamburg, Weimar Republic
Died22 January 1944(1944-01-22) (aged 24)
near Magdeburg, Free State of Prussia, Nazi Germany
Cause of deathKilled in action
Buried
Ohlsdorf Cemetery in Hamburg
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service1938–1944
RankHauptmann (Captain)
UnitNJG 1
Commands held3./NJG 1, I./NJG 1
Battles/wars
See battles

World War II

AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Born in Hamburg, Meurer grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. Following graduation from school and the compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service), he joined the military service in 1938, at first with an anti aircraft artillery regiment before being trained as a pilot. Meurer then served with Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76—76th Destroyer Wing), flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter. In October 1941, he transferred to Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing) where he became a night fighter pilot and claimed his first aerial victory on the night of 26/27 March 1942. Meurer was appointed squadron leader of 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of NJG 1 in January 1943. Following his 50th aerial victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 2 August 1943. The Knight's Cross (German: Ritterkreuz), and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. On 5 August 1943, he was appointed group commander of II. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 (NJG 5—5th Night Fighter Wing). Meurer and his crew were killed in action in a mid-air collision with a RAF bomber on the night of 21/22 January 1944.

Early life and career edit

Meurer, the son of sports editor-in-chief Georg Meurer,[2] was born on 8 September 1919 in Hamburg, at the time a sovereign state of the German Empire. After attending school and passing his Abitur (School Leaving Certificate) and compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service), he joined the military service of Nazi Germany in 1938. He initially served with Flak-Regiment 6 (6th anti aircraft artillery regiment) of the Luftwaffe as a Fahnenjunker (officer cadet).[3]

World War II edit

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. Following the outbreak of war, Meurer was accepted for flight training and was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) on 1 April 1940.[Note 1] From the Heeresaufklärern (army aerial reconnaissance), he was posted to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76—76th Destroyer Wing).[Note 2] In Oktober 1941, he transferred to III. Gruppe (3rd group) of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing) where he became a night fighter pilot.[3] There, he was assigned to the 9. Staffel (9th squadron) of NJG 1.[5]

Night fighter career edit

 
A map of part of the Kammhuber Line. The 'belt' and night fighter 'boxes' are shown.

Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, Royal Air Force (RAF) attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign.[6] By mid-1940, Generalmajor (Brigadier General) Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a Himmelbett (canopy bed) would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942.[7]

Meurer was credited with his first aerial victory on 26/27 March 1942, a Vickers Wellington bomber, claimed shot down at 00:10 approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) east of Wichmond.[8] For this, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse) on 17 April 1942.[3] On 30/31 May 1942, he claimed his second victory, a Handley Page Hampden at 02:05 roughly 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) north of Deventer.[9] The Hampden was identified as P2116 from the RAF No. 14 Operational Training Unit.[10] He shot down a Handley Page Halifax at 01:54 on 2/3 June 1942 claimed near Emmerich.[11] At 04:17 on 15/16 August 1942, Meurer claimed a Wellington shot down at Rozendaal.[12] Meurer became an ace on the night of 10/11 September 1942 after having claimed a Wellington shot down at 00:06 in the vicinity 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) west of Bienen. Three nights later, he claimed his sixth victory over an Avro Lancaster bomber at 03:26 about 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) north of Apeldoorn.[13] On 1/2 October 1942, he claimed another Wellington shot down at 21:47 roughly 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) north-northeast of Haldern.[14] Meurer claimed his last aerial victory in 1942 on the night of 15/16 October. The victory was claimed over a Halifax bomber at 22:52 about 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) north of Hellendoorn.[15] Credited with eight victories, he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse) on 19 December 1942.[3]

Staffelkapitän edit

On 1 January 1943, Meurer was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of NJG 1.[5] His first victory of 1943 was claimed on the night of 3/4 January. He shot down a Lancaster at 20:23 about 20 kilometres (12 miles) north-northeast of Roermond.[16] The aircraft was Lancaster "U-Uncle" from No. 207 Squadron piloted by Flight Sergeant 'Barry' Chaster. In the attack, four crew members were killed.[17] His 10th aerial victory was over a Halifax claimed at 20:53 on 27/28 January 1943 at Handel, followed by a Stirling claimed at 20:41 on 3/4 February 1943 near 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) south of Amersfoort.[18]

On 14/15 February 1943, he claimed three heavy bombers, two Halifax and one Wellington. At 20:05 about 50 kilometres (31 miles) east of Eindhoven, he claimed the first Halifax of the night. The second was believed to have been shot down at 20:20 north-northeast of Maastricht. The Wellington was then claimed at 21:06 roughly 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) west of Roermond.[19] Meurer claimed two bombers shot down on 26/27 February 1943. He destroyed a Lancaster at 21:18 about 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) northeast of Roermond, and a Wellington at 21:35 roughly 20 kilometres (12 miles) northeast of Eindhoven. On 1/2 March 1942, he was victorious over another Lancaster, claimed at 23:56 approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) southeast of Rotterdam.[20]

Battle of the Ruhr edit

In March 1943, RAF Bomber Command, under the command of Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris, initiated a 5-month long campaign of strategic bombing targeting the industrial centres in the Ruhr Area. This series of bombing attacks, dubbed the Battle of the Ruhr (5 March 1943 – 31 July 1943), caused heavy damage to German industry.[Note 3] The Battle of the Ruhr began with a 442-aircraft attack on Essen on the night of 5/6 March 1943. That night, Meurer shot down a Halifax shot down at 20:57 west of Düsseldorf and, at 21:20, a Wellington 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) northwest of Weeze.[22] On 12/13 March 1943, as RAF Bomber Command targeted the Krupp factory in Essen, Meurer claimed four aerial victories, two Halifax, one Lancaster, and one Wellington. The first Halifax was shot down at 21:16 northwest of Venlo; the Lancaster at 21:25 approximately 3–5 kilometres (1.9–3.1 miles) east of Bergen; the second Halifax at 21:48 at Grafwegen;and the Wellington at 22:25 roughly 25 kilometres (16 miles) northeast of 's-Hertogenbosch.[23] Credited with 23 aerial victories, Meurer was awarded the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 15 March 1943, the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 31 March 1943, and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 16 April 1943.[24]

In May 1943, Meuerer was credited with 14 more aerial victories, which included one on 12/13 May, another the next night, three on 23/24 May, again three on 25/26 May, two on 27/28 May, and four on 29/30 May.[25] The victory on 12/13 May was over a Wellington, claimed at 02:10 roughly 18 kilometres (11 miles) east-southeast Eindhoven.[26] On 13/14 May at 02:31, a Halifax was claimed in an unknown location.[27] The three victories claimed on 23/24 May were over a Wellington at 01:55 about 13 kilometres (8.1 miles) northwest of Eindhoven, a second Wellington at 02:12 east of Essen, and a Lancaster at 02:33 in a position 32 kilometres (20 miles) southeast of Nijmegen.[28] The three further victories claimed on 25/26 May were over a Wellington at 01:24 at Oostrum, a Lancaster at 01:36 about 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) southeast of Roermond, and a second Lancaster at 02:08 in a position 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) west of Nijmegen.[29] The two victories claimed on 27/28 May were over a Lancaster at 00:38 about 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) north-northeast of Barlo, and a Wellington at 02:12 approximately 21 kilometres (13 miles) southeast of Wanroij.[30] On 21/22 June 1943, Bomber command targeted Krefeld, losing 44 aircraft in the attack. That night, Meurer shot down two bombers, one from No. 83 Squadron and another from No. 77 Squadron. Meurer's aircraft was hit by defensive fire of his second opponent, forcing him to bail out.[31] His first victory was a Lancaster shot down at 01:23 about 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) west of Oeffelt, and a Halifax at 01:48 roughly 0.5 kilometres (0.31 miles) southwest of Wamel.[32] Flying a specialized Junkers Ju 88 with GM-1 power boost, Meurer was credited with his 50th aerial victory over De Havilland Mosquito IV DZ458 from No. 139 Squadron on 27/28 July 1943.[31]

Gruppenkommandeur edit

 
Heinkel He 219

On 2 August 1943, Meurer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler at the Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters in Rastenburg, present-day Kętrzyn in Poland on 10/11 August. Five other Luftwaffe officers were presented with awards that day by Hitler, Hauptmann Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld, Hauptmann Heinrich Ehrler, Oberleutnant Joachim Kirschner, Hauptmann Werner Schröer, Oberleutnant Theodor Weissenberger were also awarded the Oak Leaves, and Major Helmut Lent received the Swords to his Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.[33][34]

On 5 August 1943, Meurer was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 (NJG 5—5th Night Fighter Wing), replacing Hauptmann Rudolf Schoenert who was transferred.[35] On 23/24 August 1943, Meurer claimed a Lancaster at 00:58 over the eastern area of Berlin and a second Lancaster at 01:38 at Fürstenberg/Havel.[36] On the last night of August 1943, he claimed a Stirling bomber destroyed at 01:00 on 1 September in a vicinity 20 kilometres (12 miles) west-northwest of Berlin.[37] He returned to NJG 1 on 28 September 1943 as Gruppenkommandeur of I. Gruppe.[24] He replaced Hauptmann Hans-Dieter Frank who was killed in action.[38] I. Gruppe flew the Heinkel He 219 and Meurer gained five victories flying this type. At 20:05 on 18/19 October 1943, he claimed a Lancaster for his 57th aerial victory at Erichshagen.[39] Near Bühne and Haarbrück on the night of 22/23 October 1943, he claimed a Lancaster shot down at 21:20.[40] At 20:15 on 3/4 November 1943, Meurer claimed a Halifax 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) northeast of Tilburg.[41]

Battle of Berlin and death edit

In November 1943, Bomber Command initiated the aerial bombing campaign on Berlin. During the Battle of Berlin (18 November 1943 – 31 March 1944), the RAF also targeted other German cities to prevent the concentration of defences. At the start of this campaign, Meurer with his I. Gruppe were based at Venlo Airfield.[42] Meurer was credited with his 60th aerial victory on 12/13 December 1943 for a claim made at 19:25 over a Mosquito west of Zaltbommel.[43] The Mosquito was DZ354 from No. 105 Squadron piloted by Flying Officer Benjamin Frank Reynolds and Flying Officer John Douglass Phillips, both killed in action.[44][45] On 16/17 December 1943, he claimed his 61st and 62nd victory.[24] The 61st claim was made at 19:25 over an aircraft of unknown type and position.[43] His 62nd claim was over a Lancaster at an unknown time and location.[46]

On the night of 21/22 January 1944, he collided with the Lancaster W4852 LS-B, piloted by Flight Sergeant Robert Butler, roughly 20 kilometres (12 miles) east of Magdeburg.[47] His He 219 A-0 (Werknummer 190070—factory number) "G9+BB" crashed and Meurer, his radar operator Oberfeldwebel Gerhard Scheibe, the first radio operator of the night fighter force to have received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and all seven members of the Lancaster crew, were killed in action.[48] Meurer had been credited with 65 nocturnal victories, including 40 four-engined bombers and two Mosquitos, claimed in 130 combat missions.[49] On 31 January 1944, Meurer was given a military funeral on the Ohlsdorf Cemetery in Hamburg.[24]

Summary of career edit

Aerial victory claims edit

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Meurer was credited with 65 aerial victories.[50][Note 4] Foreman, Mathews and Parry, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 65 nocturnal victory claims, numerically ranging from 1 to 61, 61, 65, 63 and 64.[51] According to Bowman, Meurer shot down Mosquito IV DZ458 from No. 139 Squadron on 27/28 July 1943. This claim is not documented by Foreman, Mathews and Parry.[31] Mathews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, listing Meurer with 62 claims.[52]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ! (exclamation mark) indicates aerial victories listed in Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945 but not in Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims.
Claim Date Time Type Location Serial No./Squadron No.
– 9. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –[53]
1 27 March 1942 00:10 Wellington[8] 2 km (1.2 mi) east Wichmond
– Stab III. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –[54]
2 31 May 1942 02:05 Hampden[9] 3 km (1.9 mi) north Deventer Hampden P2116/No. 14 Operational Training Unit RAF[55]
3 3 June 1942 01:54 Halifax[11] near Emmerich Lancaster R5562/No. 61 Squadron RAF[56]
4 16 August 1942 04:17 Wellington[12] Rozendaal Wellington DF666/No. 156 Squadron RAF[57]
5 11 September 1942 00:06 Wellington[13] 1 km (0.62 mi) west Bienen Wellington DV890/No. 11 Operational Training Unit RAF[58]
6 14 September 1942 03:26 Lancaster[13] 10 km (6.2 mi) north Appeldoorn
7 1 October 1942 21:47 Wellington[14] 2 km (1.2 mi) north-northeast Haldern
8 15 October 1942 21:47 Halifax[15] 1 km (0.62 mi) north Hellendoorn Halifax W1108/No. 158 Squadron RAF[59]
– 3. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –[60]
9 3 January 1943 20:23 Lancaster[16] 20 km (12 mi) north-northeast Roermond Lancaster W4134/No. 207 Squadron RAF[61]
10 27 January 1943 20:53 Halifax[18] Handel Halifax DT721/No. 51 Squadron RAF[62]
11 3 February 1943 20:41 Stirling[18] 5 km (3.1 mi) south Amersfoort Stirling BF406/No. 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron RAF[63]
12 14 February 1943 20:05 Halifax[18] 50 km (31 mi) east Eindhoven
13 14 February 1943 20:20 Halifax[18] north-northeast Maastricht Halifax DT788/No. 10 Squadron RAF[64]
14 14 February 1943 21:06 Wellington[65] 5 km (3.1 mi) west Roermond
15 26 February 1943 21:18 Lancaster[20] 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast Roermond Lancaster W4846/No. 83 Squadron RAF[66]
16 26 February 1943 21:35 Wellington[20] 20 km (12 mi) northeast Eindhoven Wellington Z1599/No. 426 Squadron RCAF[67]
17 1 March 1943 23:56 Lancaster[20] 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast Rotterdam Lancaster ED423/No. 50 Squadron RAF[68]
18 5 March 1943 20:57 Halifax[22] west Düsseldorf
19 5 March 1943 21:20 Wellington[22] 4 km (2.5 mi) northwest Weeze Wellington BK150/No. 300 Polish Bomber Squadron[69]
20 12 March 1943 21:16 Halifax[23] northwest Venlo Halifax HR692/No. 10 Squadron RAF[70]
21 12 March 1943 21:25 Lancaster[23] 3–5 km (1.9–3.1 mi) east Bergen Lancaster ED449/No. 50 Squadron RAF[71]
22 12 March 1943 21:48 Halifax[23] Grafwegen
23 12 March 1943 22:25 Wellington[23] 25 km (16 mi) northeast of 's-Hertogenbosch
24 13 May 1943 02:10 Wellington[26] 18 km (11 mi) east-southeast Eindhoven
25 14 May 1943 02:31 Halifax[27]
26 24 May 1943 01:55 Wellington[72] 13 km (8.1 mi) northwest Eindhoven Wellington HE655/No. 166 Squadron RAF[73]
27 24 May 1943 02:12 Wellington[29] east Essen Wellington HZ582/No. 199 Squadron RAF[74]
28 24 May 1943 02:33 Lancaster[29] 32 km (20 mi) southeast Nijmegen Lancaster W4919/No. 101 Squadron RAF[75]
29 26 May 1943 01:24 Wellington[29] Oostrum
30 26 May 1943 01:36 Lancaster[29] 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast Roermond
31 26 May 1943 02:08 Lancaster[29] 5 km (3.1 mi) west Nijmegen
32 28 May 1943 00:38 Lancaster[29] 2 km (1.2 mi) north-northeast Barlo
33 28 May 1943 01:30 Wellington[76] 21 km (13 mi) southeast Wanroij
34 30 May 1943 00:33 Halifax[76] 5 km (3.1 mi) north-northeast Roermond
35 30 May 1943 00:50 Wellington[76] 12 km (7.5 mi) northeast Roermond
36 30 May 1943 01:09 Stirling[76] southeast Roermond
37 30 May 1943 01:44 Lancaster[76] 20 km (12 mi) west Geldern Lancaster EE123/No. 44 Squadron RAF[77]
Peter Grattan Holt RCAF and crew KIA[78]
38 12 June 1943 01:14 Wellington[79] Coesfeld
39 12 June 1943 01:40 Halifax[79] Zutphen
40 12 June 1943 01:55 Halifax[79] 7 km (4.3 mi) north Xanten Halifax JD143/No. 419 Squadron RCAF[80]
41 13 June 1943 01:14 Lancaster[81] Beaumetz
42 15 June 1943 01:02 Lancaster[82] Hünshoven Lancaster W4936/No. 44 Squadron RAF[83]
43 15 June 1943 01:11 Lancaster[82] east-southeast Sittard
44 15 June 1943 01:15 Lancaster[82] 4 km (2.5 mi) west-southwest Bracht
45 17 June 1943 00:55 Lancaster[82] southwest Krüchen
46 17 June 1943 01:20 Lancaster[82] 2 km (1.2 mi) west Braunsrath
47 17 June 1943 01:41 Lancaster[82] south Boerdonk Lancaster ED497/No. 49 Squadron RAF[84]
48 17 June 1943 01:55 Lancaster[85] 4 km (2.5 mi) north Bortel
49 22 June 1943 01:23 Lancaster[85] 2 km (1.2 mi) west Oeffelt
50 22 June 1943 01:48 Halifax[85] 0.5 km (0.31 mi) southwest Wamel
– Stab II. 'Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 –[60]
51 24 August 1943 00:58 Lancaster[86] eastern part Berlin
52 24 August 1943 01:38 Lancaster[87] Oranienburg/Fürstenberg
53 1 September 1943 01:00 Lancaster[37] 20 km (12 mi) west-northwest Berlin
54 7 September 1943 00:40 Lancaster[88] south Munich Lancaster JB177/No. 156 Squadron RAF[89]
55 7 September 1943 00:50 Lancaster[88] 25 km (16 mi) south Munich Halifax JB921/No. 102 Squadron RAF[90]
56 28 September 1943 23:20 B-17[91] south Hanover
– Stab I. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –[92]
57 18 October 1943 20:05 Lancaster[39] Erichshagen
58 22 October 1943 21:20 Lancaster[39] Bühne-Haarbrück
59 3 November 1943 20:15 Halifax[41] 14 km (8.7 mi) northeast Tilburg
60 12 December 1943 19:25 Mosquito[43] Herwijnen Mosquito DZ354/No. 105 Squadron RAF[93]
61! 16 December 1943 19:25 Lancaster[43]
62! 16/17 December 1943
—
 Lancaster[46]
63! 1/2 January 1944
—
 Lancaster[94]
64 22 January 1944 23:10 Halifax[95] Magdeburg
65 22 January 1944 23:50 Lancaster[95] 20 km (12 mi) southwest Magdeburg Lancaster W4852/No. 15 Squadron RAF[96]

Awards edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations. For pilots destined to fly multi-engine aircraft, the training was completed with the Luftwaffe Advanced Pilot's Certificate (Erweiterter Luftwaffen-Flugzeugführerschein), also known as the C-Certificate.[4]
  2. ^ For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II.
  3. ^ During the Battle of the Ruhr, Bomber Command severely disrupted German production. Tooze states steel production fell by 200,000 tons and the armaments industry was facing a steel shortfall of 400,000 tons. After doubling production in 1942, production of steel increased only by 20 percent in 1943. Adolf Hitler and Albert Speer were forced to cut planned increases in production. This disruption caused the Zulieferungskrise (sub-components crisis). The increase of aircraft production for the Luftwaffe also came to an abrupt halt. Monthly production failed to increase between July 1943 and March 1944. Tooze concludes; "Bomber Command had stopped Speer's armamanets miracle in its tracks".[21]
  4. ^ For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Scutts 1998, p. 88.
  2. ^ Brütting 1979, p. 484.
  3. ^ a b c d Stockert 2012, p. 267.
  4. ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 17.
  5. ^ a b Obermaier 1989, p. 57.
  6. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 9.
  7. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 27.
  8. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 36.
  9. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 42.
  10. ^ Bowman 2016b, p. 73.
  11. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 43.
  12. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 54.
  13. ^ a b c Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 58.
  14. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 60.
  15. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 61.
  16. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 64.
  17. ^ Bowman 2012, p. 102.
  18. ^ a b c d e Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 66.
  19. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, pp. 66–67.
  20. ^ a b c d Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 68.
  21. ^ Tooze 2006, p. 598.
  22. ^ a b c Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 70.
  23. ^ a b c d e Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 71.
  24. ^ a b c d Stockert 2012, p. 268.
  25. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, pp. 79–83.
  26. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 79.
  27. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 80.
  28. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, pp. 81–82.
  29. ^ a b c d e f g Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 82.
  30. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, pp. 82–83.
  31. ^ a b c Bowman 2016b, p. 156.
  32. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, pp. 87–88.
  33. ^ Stockert 2012, p. 280.
  34. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 204.
  35. ^ Aders 1978, p. 229.
  36. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, pp. 105–106.
  37. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 110.
  38. ^ Aders 1978, p. 226.
  39. ^ a b c Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 123.
  40. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 124.
  41. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 126.
  42. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 127.
  43. ^ a b c d Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 132.
  44. ^ Bowman 2016b, p. 230.
  45. ^ Chorley 1996, p. 419.
  46. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 133.
  47. ^ Bowman 2016a, p. 15.
  48. ^ Remp 2000, p. 84.
  49. ^ Bowman 2015.
  50. ^ Zabecki 2014, p. 1617.
  51. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, pp. 36–143.
  52. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 842–844.
  53. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 842.
  54. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 842–843.
  55. ^ Hampden P2116.
  56. ^ Lancaster R5562.
  57. ^ Wellington DF666.
  58. ^ Wellington DV890.
  59. ^ Halifax W1108.
  60. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 843.
  61. ^ Lancaster W4134.
  62. ^ Halifax DT721.
  63. ^ Stirling BF406.
  64. ^ Halifax DT788.
  65. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 67.
  66. ^ Lancaster W4846.
  67. ^ Wellington Z1599.
  68. ^ Lancaster ED423.
  69. ^ Wellington BK150.
  70. ^ Halifax HR692.
  71. ^ Lancaster ED449.
  72. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 81.
  73. ^ Wellington HE655.
  74. ^ Wellington HZ582.
  75. ^ Lancaster W4919.
  76. ^ a b c d e Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 83.
  77. ^ Lancaster EE123.
  78. ^ Bowman 2016b, p. 153.
  79. ^ a b c Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 84.
  80. ^ Halifax JD143.
  81. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 85.
  82. ^ a b c d e f Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 86.
  83. ^ Lancaster W4936.
  84. ^ Lancaster ED497.
  85. ^ a b c Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 87.
  86. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 105.
  87. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 106.
  88. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 112.
  89. ^ Lancaster JB177.
  90. ^ Halifax JB921.
  91. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 117.
  92. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 843–844.
  93. ^ Mosquito DZ354.
  94. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 138.
  95. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 143.
  96. ^ Lancaster W4852.
  97. ^ a b Thomas 1998, p. 74.
  98. ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 184.
  99. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 307.
  100. ^ a b Scherzer 2007, p. 540.
  101. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 309.
  102. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 70.

Bibliography edit

  • Aders, Gebhard (1978). History of the German Night Fighter Force, 1917–1945. London: Janes. ISBN 978-0-354-01247-8.
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  • Chorley, W. R (1996). Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War: Aircraft and crew losses: 1943. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 978-0-9045-9791-2.
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  • Foreman, John; Parry, Simon; Mathews, Johannes (2004). Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939–1945. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-0-9538061-4-0.
  • Hinchliffe, Peter (2003). "The Lent Papers" Helmut Lent. Bristol, UK: Cerberus Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84145-105-3.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 3 M–R. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-20-2.
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  • Accident description for Halifax DT721 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Halifax DT788 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Halifax HR692 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Halifax JB921 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Halifax JD143 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Halifax W1108 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Hampden P2116 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Mosquito DZ354 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Lancaster ED423 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Lancaster ED449 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Lancaster ED497 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Lancaster EE123 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
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  • Accident description for Wellington DF666 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Wellington DV890 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Wellington HE655 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Wellington HZ582 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.
  • Accident description for Wellington Z1599 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 April 2022.

January 01, 1970
manfred, meurer, september, 1919, january, 1944, german, luftwaffe, military, aviator, during, world, night, fighter, credited, with, aerial, victories, claimed, combat, missions, making, fifth, most, successful, night, fighter, pilot, history, aerial, warfare. Manfred Meurer 8 September 1919 22 January 1944 was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II a night fighter ace credited with 65 aerial victories claimed in 130 combat missions making him the fifth most successful night fighter pilot in the history of aerial warfare 1 All of his victories were claimed over the Western Front in Defense of the Reich missions against the Royal Air Force s RAF Bomber Command Manfred MeurerBorn 1919 09 08 8 September 1919Free City of Hamburg Weimar RepublicDied22 January 1944 1944 01 22 aged 24 near Magdeburg Free State of Prussia Nazi GermanyCause of deathKilled in actionBuriedOhlsdorf Cemetery in HamburgAllegiance Nazi GermanyService wbr branch LuftwaffeYears of service1938 1944RankHauptmann Captain UnitNJG 1Commands held3 NJG 1 I NJG 1Battles warsSee battlesWorld War II Defense of the Reich Battle of the Ruhr Battle of Berlin AwardsKnight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Born in Hamburg Meurer grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany Following graduation from school and the compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst Reich Labour Service he joined the military service in 1938 at first with an anti aircraft artillery regiment before being trained as a pilot Meurer then served with Zerstorergeschwader 76 ZG 76 76th Destroyer Wing flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter In October 1941 he transferred to Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 NJG 1 1st Night Fighter Wing where he became a night fighter pilot and claimed his first aerial victory on the night of 26 27 March 1942 Meurer was appointed squadron leader of 3 Staffel 3rd squadron of NJG 1 in January 1943 Following his 50th aerial victory he was awarded the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 2 August 1943 The Knight s Cross German Ritterkreuz and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II On 5 August 1943 he was appointed group commander of II Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 NJG 5 5th Night Fighter Wing Meurer and his crew were killed in action in a mid air collision with a RAF bomber on the night of 21 22 January 1944 Contents 1 Early life and career 2 World War II 2 1 Night fighter career 2 2 Staffelkapitan 2 3 Battle of the Ruhr 2 4 Gruppenkommandeur 2 5 Battle of Berlin and death 3 Summary of career 3 1 Aerial victory claims 3 2 Awards 4 Notes 5 References 5 1 Citations 5 2 BibliographyEarly life and career editMeurer the son of sports editor in chief Georg Meurer 2 was born on 8 September 1919 in Hamburg at the time a sovereign state of the German Empire After attending school and passing his Abitur School Leaving Certificate and compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst Reich Labour Service he joined the military service of Nazi Germany in 1938 He initially served with Flak Regiment 6 6th anti aircraft artillery regiment of the Luftwaffe as a Fahnenjunker officer cadet 3 World War II editWorld War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland Following the outbreak of war Meurer was accepted for flight training and was promoted to Leutnant second lieutenant on 1 April 1940 Note 1 From the Heeresaufklarern army aerial reconnaissance he was posted to II Gruppe 2nd group of Zerstorergeschwader 76 ZG 76 76th Destroyer Wing Note 2 In Oktober 1941 he transferred to III Gruppe 3rd group of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 NJG 1 1st Night Fighter Wing where he became a night fighter pilot 3 There he was assigned to the 9 Staffel 9th squadron of NJG 1 5 Night fighter career edit nbsp A map of part of the Kammhuber Line The belt and night fighter boxes are shown Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight Royal Air Force RAF attacks shifted to the cover of darkness initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign 6 By mid 1940 Generalmajor Brigadier General Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter Each sector named a Himmelbett canopy bed would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers In 1941 the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942 7 Meurer was credited with his first aerial victory on 26 27 March 1942 a Vickers Wellington bomber claimed shot down at 00 10 approximately 2 kilometres 1 2 miles east of Wichmond 8 For this he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse on 17 April 1942 3 On 30 31 May 1942 he claimed his second victory a Handley Page Hampden at 02 05 roughly 3 kilometres 1 9 miles north of Deventer 9 The Hampden was identified as P2116 from the RAF No 14 Operational Training Unit 10 He shot down a Handley Page Halifax at 01 54 on 2 3 June 1942 claimed near Emmerich 11 At 04 17 on 15 16 August 1942 Meurer claimed a Wellington shot down at Rozendaal 12 Meurer became an ace on the night of 10 11 September 1942 after having claimed a Wellington shot down at 00 06 in the vicinity 1 kilometre 0 62 miles west of Bienen Three nights later he claimed his sixth victory over an Avro Lancaster bomber at 03 26 about 10 kilometres 6 2 miles north of Apeldoorn 13 On 1 2 October 1942 he claimed another Wellington shot down at 21 47 roughly 2 kilometres 1 2 miles north northeast of Haldern 14 Meurer claimed his last aerial victory in 1942 on the night of 15 16 October The victory was claimed over a Halifax bomber at 22 52 about 1 kilometre 0 62 miles north of Hellendoorn 15 Credited with eight victories he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse on 19 December 1942 3 Staffelkapitan edit On 1 January 1943 Meurer was appointed Staffelkapitan squadron leader of 3 Staffel 3rd squadron of NJG 1 5 His first victory of 1943 was claimed on the night of 3 4 January He shot down a Lancaster at 20 23 about 20 kilometres 12 miles north northeast of Roermond 16 The aircraft was Lancaster U Uncle from No 207 Squadron piloted by Flight Sergeant Barry Chaster In the attack four crew members were killed 17 His 10th aerial victory was over a Halifax claimed at 20 53 on 27 28 January 1943 at Handel followed by a Stirling claimed at 20 41 on 3 4 February 1943 near 5 kilometres 3 1 miles south of Amersfoort 18 On 14 15 February 1943 he claimed three heavy bombers two Halifax and one Wellington At 20 05 about 50 kilometres 31 miles east of Eindhoven he claimed the first Halifax of the night The second was believed to have been shot down at 20 20 north northeast of Maastricht The Wellington was then claimed at 21 06 roughly 5 kilometres 3 1 miles west of Roermond 19 Meurer claimed two bombers shot down on 26 27 February 1943 He destroyed a Lancaster at 21 18 about 10 kilometres 6 2 miles northeast of Roermond and a Wellington at 21 35 roughly 20 kilometres 12 miles northeast of Eindhoven On 1 2 March 1942 he was victorious over another Lancaster claimed at 23 56 approximately 10 kilometres 6 2 miles southeast of Rotterdam 20 Battle of the Ruhr edit In March 1943 RAF Bomber Command under the command of Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris initiated a 5 month long campaign of strategic bombing targeting the industrial centres in the Ruhr Area This series of bombing attacks dubbed the Battle of the Ruhr 5 March 1943 31 July 1943 caused heavy damage to German industry Note 3 The Battle of the Ruhr began with a 442 aircraft attack on Essen on the night of 5 6 March 1943 That night Meurer shot down a Halifax shot down at 20 57 west of Dusseldorf and at 21 20 a Wellington 4 kilometres 2 5 miles northwest of Weeze 22 On 12 13 March 1943 as RAF Bomber Command targeted the Krupp factory in Essen Meurer claimed four aerial victories two Halifax one Lancaster and one Wellington The first Halifax was shot down at 21 16 northwest of Venlo the Lancaster at 21 25 approximately 3 5 kilometres 1 9 3 1 miles east of Bergen the second Halifax at 21 48 at Grafwegen and the Wellington at 22 25 roughly 25 kilometres 16 miles northeast of s Hertogenbosch 23 Credited with 23 aerial victories Meurer was awarded the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 15 March 1943 the German Cross in Gold Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 31 March 1943 and the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 16 April 1943 24 In May 1943 Meuerer was credited with 14 more aerial victories which included one on 12 13 May another the next night three on 23 24 May again three on 25 26 May two on 27 28 May and four on 29 30 May 25 The victory on 12 13 May was over a Wellington claimed at 02 10 roughly 18 kilometres 11 miles east southeast Eindhoven 26 On 13 14 May at 02 31 a Halifax was claimed in an unknown location 27 The three victories claimed on 23 24 May were over a Wellington at 01 55 about 13 kilometres 8 1 miles northwest of Eindhoven a second Wellington at 02 12 east of Essen and a Lancaster at 02 33 in a position 32 kilometres 20 miles southeast of Nijmegen 28 The three further victories claimed on 25 26 May were over a Wellington at 01 24 at Oostrum a Lancaster at 01 36 about 10 kilometres 6 2 miles southeast of Roermond and a second Lancaster at 02 08 in a position 5 kilometres 3 1 miles west of Nijmegen 29 The two victories claimed on 27 28 May were over a Lancaster at 00 38 about 2 kilometres 1 2 miles north northeast of Barlo and a Wellington at 02 12 approximately 21 kilometres 13 miles southeast of Wanroij 30 On 21 22 June 1943 Bomber command targeted Krefeld losing 44 aircraft in the attack That night Meurer shot down two bombers one from No 83 Squadron and another from No 77 Squadron Meurer s aircraft was hit by defensive fire of his second opponent forcing him to bail out 31 His first victory was a Lancaster shot down at 01 23 about 2 kilometres 1 2 miles west of Oeffelt and a Halifax at 01 48 roughly 0 5 kilometres 0 31 miles southwest of Wamel 32 Flying a specialized Junkers Ju 88 with GM 1 power boost Meurer was credited with his 50th aerial victory over De Havilland Mosquito IV DZ458 from No 139 Squadron on 27 28 July 1943 31 Gruppenkommandeur edit nbsp Heinkel He 219 On 2 August 1943 Meurer was awarded the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler at the Wolf s Lair Hitler s headquarters in Rastenburg present day Ketrzyn in Poland on 10 11 August Five other Luftwaffe officers were presented with awards that day by Hitler Hauptmann Egmont Prinz zur Lippe Weissenfeld Hauptmann Heinrich Ehrler Oberleutnant Joachim Kirschner Hauptmann Werner Schroer Oberleutnant Theodor Weissenberger were also awarded the Oak Leaves and Major Helmut Lent received the Swords to his Knight s Cross with Oak Leaves 33 34 On 5 August 1943 Meurer was appointed Gruppenkommandeur group commander of II Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 NJG 5 5th Night Fighter Wing replacing Hauptmann Rudolf Schoenert who was transferred 35 On 23 24 August 1943 Meurer claimed a Lancaster at 00 58 over the eastern area of Berlin and a second Lancaster at 01 38 at Furstenberg Havel 36 On the last night of August 1943 he claimed a Stirling bomber destroyed at 01 00 on 1 September in a vicinity 20 kilometres 12 miles west northwest of Berlin 37 He returned to NJG 1 on 28 September 1943 as Gruppenkommandeur of I Gruppe 24 He replaced Hauptmann Hans Dieter Frank who was killed in action 38 I Gruppe flew the Heinkel He 219 and Meurer gained five victories flying this type At 20 05 on 18 19 October 1943 he claimed a Lancaster for his 57th aerial victory at Erichshagen 39 Near Buhne and Haarbruck on the night of 22 23 October 1943 he claimed a Lancaster shot down at 21 20 40 At 20 15 on 3 4 November 1943 Meurer claimed a Halifax 14 kilometres 8 7 miles northeast of Tilburg 41 Battle of Berlin and death edit In November 1943 Bomber Command initiated the aerial bombing campaign on Berlin During the Battle of Berlin 18 November 1943 31 March 1944 the RAF also targeted other German cities to prevent the concentration of defences At the start of this campaign Meurer with his I Gruppe were based at Venlo Airfield 42 Meurer was credited with his 60th aerial victory on 12 13 December 1943 for a claim made at 19 25 over a Mosquito west of Zaltbommel 43 The Mosquito was DZ354 from No 105 Squadron piloted by Flying Officer Benjamin Frank Reynolds and Flying Officer John Douglass Phillips both killed in action 44 45 On 16 17 December 1943 he claimed his 61st and 62nd victory 24 The 61st claim was made at 19 25 over an aircraft of unknown type and position 43 His 62nd claim was over a Lancaster at an unknown time and location 46 On the night of 21 22 January 1944 he collided with the Lancaster W4852 LS B piloted by Flight Sergeant Robert Butler roughly 20 kilometres 12 miles east of Magdeburg 47 His He 219 A 0 Werknummer 190070 factory number G9 BB crashed and Meurer his radar operator Oberfeldwebel Gerhard Scheibe the first radio operator of the night fighter force to have received the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross and all seven members of the Lancaster crew were killed in action 48 Meurer had been credited with 65 nocturnal victories including 40 four engined bombers and two Mosquitos claimed in 130 combat missions 49 On 31 January 1944 Meurer was given a military funeral on the Ohlsdorf Cemetery in Hamburg 24 Summary of career editAerial victory claims edit According to US historian David T Zabecki Meurer was credited with 65 aerial victories 50 Note 4 Foreman Mathews and Parry authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 1945 researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 65 nocturnal victory claims numerically ranging from 1 to 61 61 65 63 and 64 51 According to Bowman Meurer shot down Mosquito IV DZ458 from No 139 Squadron on 27 28 July 1943 This claim is not documented by Foreman Mathews and Parry 31 Mathews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces Biographies and Victory Claims listing Meurer with 62 claims 52 Chronicle of aerial victories This and the exclamation mark indicates aerial victories listed in Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 1945 but not in Luftwaffe Aces Biographies and Victory Claims Claim Date Time Type Location Serial No Squadron No 9 Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 53 1 27 March 1942 00 10 Wellington 8 2 km 1 2 mi east Wichmond Stab III Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 54 2 31 May 1942 02 05 Hampden 9 3 km 1 9 mi north Deventer Hampden P2116 No 14 Operational Training Unit RAF 55 3 3 June 1942 01 54 Halifax 11 near Emmerich Lancaster R5562 No 61 Squadron RAF 56 4 16 August 1942 04 17 Wellington 12 Rozendaal Wellington DF666 No 156 Squadron RAF 57 5 11 September 1942 00 06 Wellington 13 1 km 0 62 mi west Bienen Wellington DV890 No 11 Operational Training Unit RAF 58 6 14 September 1942 03 26 Lancaster 13 10 km 6 2 mi north Appeldoorn 7 1 October 1942 21 47 Wellington 14 2 km 1 2 mi north northeast Haldern 8 15 October 1942 21 47 Halifax 15 1 km 0 62 mi north Hellendoorn Halifax W1108 No 158 Squadron RAF 59 3 Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 60 9 3 January 1943 20 23 Lancaster 16 20 km 12 mi north northeast Roermond Lancaster W4134 No 207 Squadron RAF 61 10 27 January 1943 20 53 Halifax 18 Handel Halifax DT721 No 51 Squadron RAF 62 11 3 February 1943 20 41 Stirling 18 5 km 3 1 mi south Amersfoort Stirling BF406 No 218 Gold Coast Squadron RAF 63 12 14 February 1943 20 05 Halifax 18 50 km 31 mi east Eindhoven 13 14 February 1943 20 20 Halifax 18 north northeast Maastricht Halifax DT788 No 10 Squadron RAF 64 14 14 February 1943 21 06 Wellington 65 5 km 3 1 mi west Roermond 15 26 February 1943 21 18 Lancaster 20 10 km 6 2 mi northeast Roermond Lancaster W4846 No 83 Squadron RAF 66 16 26 February 1943 21 35 Wellington 20 20 km 12 mi northeast Eindhoven Wellington Z1599 No 426 Squadron RCAF 67 17 1 March 1943 23 56 Lancaster 20 10 km 6 2 mi southeast Rotterdam Lancaster ED423 No 50 Squadron RAF 68 18 5 March 1943 20 57 Halifax 22 west Dusseldorf 19 5 March 1943 21 20 Wellington 22 4 km 2 5 mi northwest Weeze Wellington BK150 No 300 Polish Bomber Squadron 69 20 12 March 1943 21 16 Halifax 23 northwest Venlo Halifax HR692 No 10 Squadron RAF 70 21 12 March 1943 21 25 Lancaster 23 3 5 km 1 9 3 1 mi east Bergen Lancaster ED449 No 50 Squadron RAF 71 22 12 March 1943 21 48 Halifax 23 Grafwegen 23 12 March 1943 22 25 Wellington 23 25 km 16 mi northeast of s Hertogenbosch 24 13 May 1943 02 10 Wellington 26 18 km 11 mi east southeast Eindhoven 25 14 May 1943 02 31 Halifax 27 26 24 May 1943 01 55 Wellington 72 13 km 8 1 mi northwest Eindhoven Wellington HE655 No 166 Squadron RAF 73 27 24 May 1943 02 12 Wellington 29 east Essen Wellington HZ582 No 199 Squadron RAF 74 28 24 May 1943 02 33 Lancaster 29 32 km 20 mi southeast Nijmegen Lancaster W4919 No 101 Squadron RAF 75 29 26 May 1943 01 24 Wellington 29 Oostrum 30 26 May 1943 01 36 Lancaster 29 10 km 6 2 mi southeast Roermond 31 26 May 1943 02 08 Lancaster 29 5 km 3 1 mi west Nijmegen 32 28 May 1943 00 38 Lancaster 29 2 km 1 2 mi north northeast Barlo 33 28 May 1943 01 30 Wellington 76 21 km 13 mi southeast Wanroij 34 30 May 1943 00 33 Halifax 76 5 km 3 1 mi north northeast Roermond 35 30 May 1943 00 50 Wellington 76 12 km 7 5 mi northeast Roermond 36 30 May 1943 01 09 Stirling 76 southeast Roermond 37 30 May 1943 01 44 Lancaster 76 20 km 12 mi west Geldern Lancaster EE123 No 44 Squadron RAF 77 Peter Grattan Holt RCAF and crew KIA 78 38 12 June 1943 01 14 Wellington 79 Coesfeld 39 12 June 1943 01 40 Halifax 79 Zutphen 40 12 June 1943 01 55 Halifax 79 7 km 4 3 mi north Xanten Halifax JD143 No 419 Squadron RCAF 80 41 13 June 1943 01 14 Lancaster 81 Beaumetz 42 15 June 1943 01 02 Lancaster 82 Hunshoven Lancaster W4936 No 44 Squadron RAF 83 43 15 June 1943 01 11 Lancaster 82 east southeast Sittard 44 15 June 1943 01 15 Lancaster 82 4 km 2 5 mi west southwest Bracht 45 17 June 1943 00 55 Lancaster 82 southwest Kruchen 46 17 June 1943 01 20 Lancaster 82 2 km 1 2 mi west Braunsrath 47 17 June 1943 01 41 Lancaster 82 south Boerdonk Lancaster ED497 No 49 Squadron RAF 84 48 17 June 1943 01 55 Lancaster 85 4 km 2 5 mi north Bortel 49 22 June 1943 01 23 Lancaster 85 2 km 1 2 mi west Oeffelt 50 22 June 1943 01 48 Halifax 85 0 5 km 0 31 mi southwest Wamel Stab II GruppeofNachtjagdgeschwader5 60 51 24 August 1943 00 58 Lancaster 86 eastern part Berlin 52 24 August 1943 01 38 Lancaster 87 Oranienburg Furstenberg 53 1 September 1943 01 00 Lancaster 37 20 km 12 mi west northwest Berlin 54 7 September 1943 00 40 Lancaster 88 south Munich Lancaster JB177 No 156 Squadron RAF 89 55 7 September 1943 00 50 Lancaster 88 25 km 16 mi south Munich Halifax JB921 No 102 Squadron RAF 90 56 28 September 1943 23 20 B 17 91 south Hanover Stab I Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 92 57 18 October 1943 20 05 Lancaster 39 Erichshagen 58 22 October 1943 21 20 Lancaster 39 Buhne Haarbruck 59 3 November 1943 20 15 Halifax 41 14 km 8 7 mi northeast Tilburg 60 12 December 1943 19 25 Mosquito 43 Herwijnen Mosquito DZ354 No 105 Squadron RAF 93 61 16 December 1943 19 25 Lancaster 43 62 16 17 December 1943 Lancaster 46 63 1 2 January 1944 Lancaster 94 64 22 January 1944 23 10 Halifax 95 Magdeburg 65 22 January 1944 23 50 Lancaster 95 20 km 12 mi southwest Magdeburg Lancaster W4852 No 15 Squadron RAF 96 Awards edit Iron Cross 1939 2nd Class 17 April 1942 97 1st Class 19 December 1942 97 Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 15 March 1943 as Oberleutnant and pilot 98 German Cross in Gold on 31 March 1943 as Oberleutnant in the 3 Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 99 Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight s Cross on 16 April 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitan of the 3 Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 100 101 264th Oak Leaves on 2 August 1943 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitan of the 3 Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 100 102 Notes edit Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1 A2 and B1 B2 referred to as A B flight training A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics navigation long distance flights and dead stick landings The B courses included high altitude flights instrument flights night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations For pilots destined to fly multi engine aircraft the training was completed with the Luftwaffe Advanced Pilot s Certificate Erweiterter Luftwaffen Flugzeugfuhrerschein also known as the C Certificate 4 For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II During the Battle of the Ruhr Bomber Command severely disrupted German production Tooze states steel production fell by 200 000 tons and the armaments industry was facing a steel shortfall of 400 000 tons After doubling production in 1942 production of steel increased only by 20 percent in 1943 Adolf Hitler and Albert Speer were forced to cut planned increases in production This disruption caused the Zulieferungskrise sub components crisis The increase of aircraft production for the Luftwaffe also came to an abrupt halt Monthly production failed to increase between July 1943 and March 1944 Tooze concludes Bomber Command had stopped Speer s armamanets miracle in its tracks 21 For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter acesReferences editCitations edit Scutts 1998 p 88 Brutting 1979 p 484 a b c d Stockert 2012 p 267 Bergstrom Antipov amp Sundin 2003 p 17 a b Obermaier 1989 p 57 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 9 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 27 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 36 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 42 Bowman 2016b p 73 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 43 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 54 a b c Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 58 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 60 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 61 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 64 Bowman 2012 p 102 a b c d e Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 66 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 pp 66 67 a b c d Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 68 Tooze 2006 p 598 a b c Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 70 a b c d e Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 71 a b c d Stockert 2012 p 268 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 pp 79 83 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 79 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 80 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 pp 81 82 a b c d e f g Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 82 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 pp 82 83 a b c Bowman 2016b p 156 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 pp 87 88 Stockert 2012 p 280 Hinchliffe 2003 p 204 Aders 1978 p 229 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 pp 105 106 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 110 Aders 1978 p 226 a b c Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 123 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 124 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 126 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 127 a b c d Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 132 Bowman 2016b p 230 Chorley 1996 p 419 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 133 Bowman 2016a p 15 Remp 2000 p 84 Bowman 2015 Zabecki 2014 p 1617 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 pp 36 143 Mathews amp Foreman 2015 pp 842 844 Mathews amp Foreman 2015 p 842 Mathews amp Foreman 2015 pp 842 843 Hampden P2116 Lancaster R5562 Wellington DF666 Wellington DV890 Halifax W1108 a b Mathews amp Foreman 2015 p 843 Lancaster W4134 Halifax DT721 Stirling BF406 Halifax DT788 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 67 Lancaster W4846 Wellington Z1599 Lancaster ED423 Wellington BK150 Halifax HR692 Lancaster ED449 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 81 Wellington HE655 Wellington HZ582 Lancaster W4919 a b c d e Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 83 Lancaster EE123 Bowman 2016b p 153 a b c Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 84 Halifax JD143 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 85 a b c d e f Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 86 Lancaster W4936 Lancaster ED497 a b c Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 87 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 105 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 106 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 112 Lancaster JB177 Halifax JB921 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 117 Mathews amp Foreman 2015 pp 843 844 Mosquito DZ354 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 138 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 143 Lancaster W4852 a b Thomas 1998 p 74 Patzwall 2008 p 184 Patzwall amp Scherzer 2001 p 307 a b Scherzer 2007 p 540 Fellgiebel 2000 p 309 Fellgiebel 2000 p 70 Bibliography edit Aders Gebhard 1978 History of the German Night Fighter Force 1917 1945 London Janes ISBN 978 0 354 01247 8 Bergstrom Christer in Swedish Antipov Vlad Sundin Claes 2003 Graf amp Grislawski A Pair of Aces Hamilton MT Eagle Editions ISBN 978 0 9721060 4 7 Bowman Martin 2012 Bomber Command Reflections of War Live to Die Another Day June 1942 Summer 1943 Bransley South Yorkshire Pen and Sword Aviation ISBN 978 1 84884 493 3 Bowman Martin 2015 The Night Air War Bransley South Yorkshire Pen and Sword Aviation ISBN 978 1 84884 493 3 Bowman Martin 2016a German Night Fighters Versus Bomber Command 1943 1945 Barnsley South Yorkshire Pen and Sword Aviation ISBN 978 1 4738 4979 2 Bowman Martin 2016b Nachtjagd Defenders of the Reich 1940 1943 Barnsley South Yorkshire Pen and Sword Aviation ISBN 978 1 4738 4984 6 Brutting Peter 1979 Das Buch der deutschen Fluggeschichte The Book of German Aviation History in German Vol 3 Stuttgart Germany Drei Brunnen Verlag ISBN 978 3 87174 001 5 Chorley W R 1996 Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War Aircraft and crew losses 1943 Midland Counties Publications ISBN 978 0 9045 9791 2 Fellgiebel Walther Peer in German 2000 1986 Die Trager des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 1945 Die Inhaber der hochsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile The Bearers of the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 1945 The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches in German Friedberg Germany Podzun Pallas ISBN 978 3 7909 0284 6 Foreman John Parry Simon Mathews Johannes 2004 Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 1945 Walton on Thames Red Kite ISBN 978 0 9538061 4 0 Hinchliffe Peter 2003 The Lent Papers Helmut Lent Bristol UK Cerberus Publishing ISBN 978 1 84145 105 3 Mathews Andrew Johannes Foreman John 2015 Luftwaffe Aces Biographies and Victory Claims Volume 3 M R Walton on Thames Red Kite ISBN 978 1 906592 20 2 Obermaier Ernst 1989 Die Ritterkreuztrager der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 1945 The Knight s Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 1945 in German Mainz Germany Verlag Dieter Hoffmann ISBN 978 3 87341 065 7 Patzwall Klaus D Scherzer Veit 2001 Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II The German Cross 1941 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 in German Norderstedt Germany Verlag Klaus D Patzwall ISBN 978 3 931533 45 8 Patzwall Klaus D 2008 Der Ehrenpokal fur besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War in German Norderstedt Germany Verlag Klaus D Patzwall ISBN 978 3 931533 08 3 Remp Roland 2000 Der Nachtjager Heinkel He 219 The Night Fighter Heinkel He 219 in German Oberhaching Germany AVIATIC Verlag GmbH ISBN 978 3 925505 51 5 Scherzer Veit 2007 Die Ritterkreuztrager 1939 1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer Luftwaffe Kriegsmarine Waffen SS Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbundeter Streitkrafte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives The Knight s Cross Bearers 1939 1945 The Holders of the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army Air Force Navy Waffen SS Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives in German Jena Germany Scherzers Militaer Verlag ISBN 978 3 938845 17 2 Scutts Jerry 1998 German Night Fighter Aces of World War 2 Aircraft of the Aces Vol 20 Oxford Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 85532 696 5 Stockert Peter 2012 1997 Die Eichenlaubtrager 1939 1945 Band 3 The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939 1945 Volume 3 in German 3rd ed Bad Friedrichshall Germany Friedrichshaller Rundblick ISBN 978 3 932915 01 7 Thomas Franz 1998 Die Eichenlaubtrager 1939 1945 Band 2 L Z The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939 1945 Volume 2 L Z in German Osnabruck Germany Biblio Verlag ISBN 978 3 7648 2300 9 Tooze Adam 2006 The Wages of Destruction The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy London UK Allen Lane ISBN 978 0 7139 9566 4 Zabecki David T ed 2014 Germany at War 400 Years of Military History Santa Barbara California ABC Clio ISBN 978 1 59884 981 3 Accident description for Halifax DT721 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Halifax DT788 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Halifax HR692 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Halifax JB921 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Halifax JD143 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Halifax W1108 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Hampden P2116 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Mosquito DZ354 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Lancaster ED423 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Lancaster ED449 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Lancaster ED497 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Lancaster EE123 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Lancaster JB177 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Lancaster R5562 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Lancaster W4134 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Lancaster W4846 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Lancaster W4852 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Lancaster W4919 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Lancaster W4936 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Stirling BF406 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Wellington BK150 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Wellington DF666 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Wellington DV890 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Wellington HE655 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Wellington HZ582 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Accident description for Wellington Z1599 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 11 April 2022 Portals nbsp Aviation nbsp Biography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Manfred Meurer amp oldid 1206850881, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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