Hans Von Hahn
Hans von Hahn (7th August 1914 – 5th November 1957) 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 was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career he was credited with 34 aerial victories, 15 on the Western Front and 19 on the Eastern Front.
World War II
World War II in Europe began on Friday 1st September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 18th September 1939, Hahn was appointed Staffelkapitän of 8. Staffel (8th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing). He was the first commander of the Staffel which was part of the newly created III. Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 53 under the command of Hauptmann Werner Mölders. Hahn claimed his first aerial victory on 22nd December 1939 during “Phoney War”. That day, he claimed a Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricane fighter from the No. 73 Squadron.
On 27th August 1940, Hahn was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). He replaced Oberleutnant Lothar Keller who had temporarily led the Gruppe after its former commander Hauptmann Günther Lützow had been Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 3 on 21st August. Command of 8. Staffel of JG 53 was given to Oberleutnant Hans Kunert.
War against the Soviet Union
In preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the I. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Dub on 18th June 1941. At the start of the campaign, JG 3 was subordinated to the V. Fliegerkorps (5th Air Corps), under command of General der Flieger Robert Ritter von Greim, which was part of Luftflotte 4 (4th Air Fleet), under command of Generaloberst Alexander Löhr. These air elements supported Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt’s Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South), with the objective of capturing Ukraine and its capital Kiev.
Rudder of Hans von Hahn`s Bf 109F shows twenty-four victories, three balloons and three aircraft destroyed on the ground.
Summary of career
Aerial victory claims
According to Obermaier, Hahn was credited with 34 aerial victories claimed in over combat missions. This figure includes 19 claims on the Eastern Front and 15 over the Western Allies. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 31 aerial victory claims, plus three further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 19 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 12 on the Western Front.
1 22nd December 1939 Hurricane 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Metz
2 21st May 1940 LeO 451 Châlons
21st May 1940 M.S.406 east of Paris
21st May 1940 Curtiss east of Paris
3 24th May 1940 Curtiss
4 31st May 1940 Curtiss Abbeville
5 3rd June 1940 Hurricane Paris
3rd June 1940 M.S.406 Paris
6 7th June 1940 M.S.406 Compiègne
7 25th August 1940 Spitfire 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Portland
8 5th September 1940 Spitfire vicinity of London
9 15th September 1940 Spitfire north of London
10 7th October 1940 Hurricane Thames Estuary
11 7th October 1940 Hurricane Thames Estuary
12 10th January 1941 Blenheim 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Nieuwpoort
13 25th June 1941 I-153 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Dubno
14 26th June 1941 DB-3 northeast of Brody
15 26th June 1941 DB-3 northeast of Brody
16 26th June 1941 SB-2 Szcurowcze
17 29th June 1941 I-153 12 km (7.5 mi) west of Brody
18 29th June 1941 I-153 12 km (7.5 mi) west of Brody
19 5th July 1941 Pe-2 northwest of Gudnow
20 6th July 1941 DB-3 southeast of Shepetivka
21 6th July 1941 DB-3 southeast of Shepetivka
22 10th July 1941 I-17 (MiG-1) 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Kurin
23 10th July 1941 SB-2 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Barbolok
24 12th July 1941 DB-3 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Zhytomyr
25 14th July 1941 DB-3 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Berdychiv
26 14th July 1941 DB-3 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Berdychiv
27 14th July 1941 DB-3 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Berdychiv
28 11th August 1941 SB-2 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of Wihenkij
29 11th August 1941 SB-2 6 km (3.7 mi) west of Boryspil
30 14th August 1941 I-16 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Kaniv
31 16th August 1941 I-17 (MiG-1) 3 km (1.9 mi) southwest of Kaniv
Awards
- Aviator badge
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
- Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 9th July 1941 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Jagdgeschwader 3
Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2 flown by Hauptmann Hans von Hahn from Stab I./JG 3 stationed in Lutsk, Ukraine, Soviet Union, July 6th, 1941
Hobbymaster BF 109F-2 “Hans Von Hahn” JG 3, Russia, July 1941
September 16th, 1939 Hans von Hahn was appointed Staffelkapitan of 8./JG 53. He scored six victories during the French Campaign and added five more during the Battle of Britain. On August 27th, 1940, with eleven victories to his credit Hans von Hahn was appointed the Gruppenkommandeur for I./JG 3. From the Western Front he moved to the Eastern Front in time to take part on day one of the attack on Soviet Union. When WWII had ended von Hahn had accumulated a total of 34 victories.
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Thank you for reading this week’s Newsletter.
Richard.
Flying Tigers.
