Английская Википедия:Emil Bitsch

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Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:Use American English Шаблон:Infobox military person

Emil Bitsch (14 June 1916 – 15 March 1944) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. He was one of the most successful pilots on the Eastern Front; being credited with 108 aerial victories. He claimed 104 over the Eastern Front and four four-engine bombers over the Western Front.Шаблон:Sfn He may have been the pilot that shot down Soviet female ace Yekaterina Budanova. Bitsch was killed in action against United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) fighters on 15 March 1944.

Career

Bitsch was born on 14 June 1916 in Bad Griesbach in the Grand Duchy of Baden within the German Empire.Шаблон:Sfn

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. In July 1941, Bitsch served with III. Gruppe (3rd group) of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3–3rd Fighter Wing), based on the Eastern Front and under the command of Walter Oesau.Шаблон:Refn The Wehrmacht had launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, on 22 June 1941. III. Gruppe supported Army Group South in its strategic goal towards the heavily populated and agricultural heartland of Ukraine, taking Kiev before continuing eastward over the steppes of southern USSR to the Volga with the aim of controlling the oil-rich Caucasus.Шаблон:Sfn

Operating from an airfield at Lutsk, Bitsch claimed his first victory on 2 July over an Ilyushin Il-2.Шаблон:Sfn He had a total of five victories by the end of the year. He claimed two Russian Yak-4 twin-engine fighters which were shot down on 24 June 1942 to claim his 9th and 10th victories. In July, he claimed 15 victories, including his 20th 'kill' which he shot down on 13 July. Bitsch recorded 18 victories in August, including his 30th victim shot down on 16 August; his score had risen to 40 on 28 August.Шаблон:Sfn On 6 November, III. Gruppe was withdrawn from the Eastern Front and sent to Mannheim-Sandhofen Airfield for a period of rest and replenishment. The first elements of the Gruppe arrived by train in Mannheim on 8 December, the transfer was completed a week later. There, the personnel was sent on home leave.Шаблон:Sfn The Gruppe received a full complement of 41 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 aircraft and on 6 January 1942 was ordered to relocated to Sicily. On 13 January, 7. Staffel and elements of 8. and 9. Staffel boarded a train to Bari in southern Italy while the rest of III. Gruppe headed for Sciacca, Sicily. The relocation progressed until 26 January when new orders were received, ordering the Gruppe to return to Germany. At Jesau near Königsberg, present-day Kaliningrad in Russia, III. Gruppe began preparations for redeployment to the Eastern Front again.Шаблон:Sfn

On 4 September 1942, Oberleutnant Bitsch was shot down by anti aircraft artillery northwest of Stalingrad. He bailed out of his Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 (Werknummer 13325—factory number) and landed safely but suffered light injuries in the incident.Шаблон:Sfn He later returned to combat duty and continued flying. Bitsch recorded his 50th victory on 19 March 1943 three km South of Stary. On 1 June 1943, Bitsch succeeded Oberleunant Franz Beyer who was transferred to IV. Gruppe as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 8./JG 3.Шаблон:Sfn In July, Oberleutnant Bitsch claimed 29 aerial victories. On 5 July, he became an "ace-in-a-day",Шаблон:Sfn including three Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft on one mission.Шаблон:Sfn On 19 July he shot a Yakovlev Yak-1 down on the Mius front, possibly flown by Soviet female ace Yekaterina Budanova.Шаблон:Sfn He recorded his 100th victory on 21 July 1943 over a Lavochkin La-5.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn He was the 46th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.Шаблон:Sfn III. Gruppe flew its last combat missions on the Eastern Front on 1 August 1943. The next day, the Gruppe was ordered to Tschassof-Jar and then back to Germany where it was based at Münster-Handorf Airfield.Шаблон:Sfn

Defense of the Reich and death

Файл:Combatbox.gif
Combat box of a 12-plane B-17 squadron. Three such boxes completed a 36-plane group box. Шаблон:Ordered list

III. Gruppe arrived in Münster-Handorf on 3 August where it was placed under the command of Major Walther Dahl.Шаблон:Sfn Dahl had been appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) on 20 July 1943.Шаблон:Sfn The Gruppe immediately began preparations for Defense of the Reich (Шаблон:Lang) missions and was subordinated to Fighter Leader for the Holland area (Шаблон:Lang).Шаблон:Sfn Bitsch was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Шаблон:Lang) on 29 August after 104 victories claimed on the Eastern Front.Шаблон:Sfn On 25 August, III. Gruppe was ordered to relocate to Bad Wörishofen in southern Germany.Шаблон:Sfn On 1 October, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) attacked German aircraft production, approaching from the south, targeting the Wiener Neustadt Flugzeugwerke (WNF) in Wiener Neustadt and other targets at Friedrichshafen. At 12:30, III. Gruppe was scrambled. Approximately one hour later, the Gruppe intercepted the flight of 50 to 60 Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers and 25 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. In aerial combat which in parts was fought in Swiss airspace, III. Gruppe, without loss, claimed four aerial victories and three Herausschüsse (separation shots–a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from its combat box and which the Luftwaffe counted as an aerial victory).Шаблон:Sfn In this engagement, Bitsch claimed the destruction of a B-17 which was shot down at 13:44.Шаблон:Sfn

On 14 October, the USAAF Eighth Air Force (USAAF) launched the second Schweinfurt raid, attacking the vital ball bearing factories at Schweinfurt. In total, 291 B-17s from the 1st and 3rd Air Division, escorted by two fighter groups, were sent on the mission. The USAAF suffered heavy losses that day. III. Gruppe claimed eighteen aerial victories and Herausschüsse that day.Шаблон:Sfn A B-17 destroyed at 14:45 was credited to Bitsch.Шаблон:Sfn On 19 December, the Fifteenth Air Force targeted the railroad transportation infrastructure at Insbruck as well as Messerschmitt aircraft manufacturing sites at Augsburg. III. Gruppe intercepted the bombers near Insbruck and claimed eight aerial victories, among them, a B-17 shot down by Bitsch.Шаблон:Sfn

Because the weather conditions at Bad Wörishofen rendered the airfield unserviceable, III. Gruppe was ordered to relocate to Leipheim on 18 February 1944.Шаблон:Sfn Bitsch claimed his 108th and last aerial victory on 23 February during the USAAF "Big Week" operation.Шаблон:Sfn On 15 March 1944, 344 heavy bombers of 2nd and 3rd Air Division, escorted by 588 fighter aircraft, attacked German aircraft manufacturing at Braunschweig. At 10:57, 20 aircraft from III. Gruppe took off at Leipheim and were initially ordered to Wiesbaden-Erbenheim. While the flight was still airborne, the Gruppe received further instructions and were vectored to intercept the USAAF bombers on their return from the target area. In the vicinity of Volkel in North Brabant, Netherlands, III. Gruppe came under attack of approximately 20 to 30 Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters. In this engagement, III. Gruppe lost six Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 fighters for one aerial victory claimed.Шаблон:Sfn That day, Bitsch was shot down and killed in action by a P-47 of the 352d Fighter Group in his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 161139) Шаблон:Convert west of Schijndel.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Bitsch was succeeded by Oberleutnant Raimund Koch as commander of 8. Staffel.Шаблон:Sfn

Post-war

Файл:Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Ysselsteyn - Emil Bitsch.jpg
German War Cemetery Ysselsteyn – Emil Bitsch

Bitsch is buried at the German war cemetery at Ysselsteyn (in the Netherlands). The crash site was rediscovered in 1994 by Thijs Hellings, a researcher of the World War II airwar from Schijndel. With help from the landowner, remains of the plane were recovered including the radio, armored glass, the compass and many other small items.Шаблон:Sfn

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Bitsch was credited with 108 aerial victories.Шаблон:Sfn Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 106 aerial victory claims. This figure includes 105 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and one four-engined bomber on the Western Front.Шаблон:Sfn

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 34 Ost 7546". The Luftwaffe grid map (Шаблон:Lang) 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 Шаблон:Convert. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area Шаблон:Convert in size.Шаблон:Sfn

Chronicle of aerial victories

Шаблон:Legend Шаблон:Legend Шаблон:Legend

Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 –Шаблон:Sfn
Operation Barbarossa – 22 June – 5 December 1941
1 2 July 1941 12:28 V-11 (Il-2)Шаблон:Sfn 4 3 October 1941 14:42 V-11 (Il-2)Шаблон:Sfn
2 10 July 1941 14:45 I-16 Шаблон:Convert south of SabelotschjeШаблон:Sfn 5 5 October 1941 14:38 SB-3Шаблон:Sfn
3 20 September 1941 17:06 Pe-2Шаблон:Sfn 6 5 November 1941 11:55 I-61 (MiG-3)Шаблон:Sfn
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Шаблон:Sfn
Eastern Front – 10 February 1942 – 14 April 1942
7 26 February 1942 14:33 I-301 (LaGG-3) south of Staraya RussaШаблон:Sfn 9 19 March 1942 08:57 I-61 (MiG-3) Шаблон:Convert south of Staraya RussaШаблон:Sfn
8 15 March 1942 12:58 Pe-2 Шаблон:Convert south of DemyanskШаблон:Sfn
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Шаблон:Sfn
Eastern Front – 19 May – 13 August 1942
10 24 June 1942 18:12 Yak-4 northeast of ShchigryШаблон:Sfn 21 13 July 1942 09:58 R-10Шаблон:Sfn
11 24 June 1942 18:17 Yak-4 northeast of Stary TschenoissinowoШаблон:Sfn 22 26 July 1942 16:15 LaGG-3Шаблон:Sfn
12 2 July 1942 07:00 MiG-3Шаблон:Sfn 23 26 July 1942 16:18 LaGG-3Шаблон:Sfn
13 2 July 1942 12:10 BostonШаблон:Sfn 24 28 July 1942 13:13 LaGG-3Шаблон:Sfn
14 2 July 1942 12:13 BostonШаблон:Sfn 25 31 July 1942 11:05 Pe-2 southeast of KalachШаблон:Sfn
15 3 July 1942 19:25 Il-2Шаблон:Sfn 26 31 July 1942 11:42 Il-2 west of KletskayaШаблон:Sfn
16 3 July 1942 19:26 Il-2Шаблон:Sfn 27 7 August 1942 17:40 Pe-2 southwest of StalingradШаблон:Sfn
17 4 July 1942 17:16 BostonШаблон:Sfn 28 7 August 1942 17:41 Pe-2 Шаблон:Convert southwest of StalingradШаблон:Sfn
18 4 July 1942 17:17 BostonШаблон:Sfn 29 12 August 1942 18:00 LaGG-3 southeast of Kalach
19 5 July 1942 06:20 Yak-4Шаблон:Sfn 30 13 August 1942 09:35 MiG-3 north of PasowШаблон:Sfn
20 5 July 1942 06:22 Yak-4Шаблон:Sfn
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Шаблон:Sfn
Eastern Front – 16 August 1942 – 3 February 1943
31 16 August 1942 09:35 MiG-3 Шаблон:Convert south of JagowoШаблон:Sfn 40 28 August 1942 17:00 LaGG-3 northeast of StalingradШаблон:Sfn
32 19 August 1942 17:50 Il-2 southeast of KatschalinskayaШаблон:Sfn 41 28 August 1942 17:20 Il-2 east of StalingradШаблон:Sfn
33 19 August 1942 17:55 R-5 southeast of KatschalinskayaШаблон:Sfn 42 29 August 1942 06:05 LaGG-3 northwest of DubovkaШаблон:Sfn
34 20 August 1942 16:22 Pe-2 south-southwest of RajgorodШаблон:Sfn 43 30 August 1942 16:50 Il-2 west of SareptaШаблон:Sfn
35 20 August 1942 16:26 Pe-2 west of Lake SvetlijaШаблон:Sfn 44 31 August 1942 10:45 Il-2 east of SareptaШаблон:Sfn
36 21 August 1942 17:40 LaGG-3 east of StalingradШаблон:Sfn 45 2 September 1942 17:10 Pe-2 Шаблон:Convert northeast of StalingradШаблон:Sfn
37 25 August 1942 05:30 R-5 StalingradШаблон:Sfn 46 2 September 1942 17:11 Pe-2 Шаблон:Convert northeast of StalingradШаблон:Sfn
38 27 August 1942 05:25 I-16 AchtubaШаблон:Sfn 47 4 September 1942 06:55 Il-2 Шаблон:Convert west of StalingradШаблон:Sfn
39 27 August 1942 15:20 LaGG-3 north-northwest of AchtubaШаблон:Sfn
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Шаблон:Sfn
Eastern Front – 4 February – March 1943
48 9 March 1943 11:35 Yak-1 PetrovskyШаблон:Sfn ?Шаблон:Refn 16 March 1943 15:15 La-5?Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Refn
49 9 March 1943 11:37 Yak-1 southwest of PetrovskyШаблон:Sfn
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Шаблон:Sfn
Eastern Front – March – April 1943
50 19 March 1943 10:38 Il-2 Шаблон:Convert south of StaryШаблон:Sfn 55 23 April 1943 09:15 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 7546, KabardinkaШаблон:Sfn
51 20 March 1943 08:45 LaGG-3 Шаблон:Convert southwest of Rostov-on-DonШаблон:Sfn 56 27 April 1943 04:45 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 8812, southeast of MakiivkaШаблон:Sfn
52 23 March 1943 15:46 Il-2 Шаблон:Convert east of ChuhuivШаблон:Sfn 57 27 April 1943 04:50 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 8823, southeast of MakiivkaШаблон:Sfn
53 25 March 1943 13:50 LaGG-3 Шаблон:Convert south of Rostov-on-DonШаблон:Sfn 58 27 April 1943 04:52 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 8979, east of MakiivkaШаблон:Sfn
54 20 April 1943 08:35 LaGG-3Шаблон:Sfn 59 29 April 1943 09:20 R-5 PQ 34 Ost 9868, south of MassalskojeШаблон:Sfn
?Шаблон:Refn 20 April 1943 11:05 Il-2 Шаблон:Convert south of Novorossiysk
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Шаблон:Sfn
Eastern Front – 4 February – 1 August 1943
60?[Note 1] 2 May 1943 06:05 LaGG-3 east of StarobilskШаблон:Sfn 83 8 July 1943 05:57 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 6123, southeast of ProkhorovkaШаблон:Sfn
61 6 May 1943 18:10 Il-2 southeast of SlavyanskШаблон:Sfn 84 8 July 1943 13:02 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 6127, north of BelgorodШаблон:Sfn
62 6 May 1943 18:13 Il-2 east of Krasnyi LymanШаблон:Sfn 85 8 July 1943 13:12 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 6124, north of BelgorodШаблон:Sfn
63 9 May 1943 06:55 LaGG-3 BatayskШаблон:Sfn 86 11 July 1943 13:35 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 6124, southeast of WerchopenjeШаблон:Sfn
64 9 May 1943 16:10 Pe-2 northeast of Krasnyi LymanШаблон:Sfn 87 11 July 1943 13:35 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 6124, southeast of WerchopenjeШаблон:Sfn
65 12 May 1943 05:05 Il-2 southwest of IziumШаблон:Sfn 88 13 July 1943 05:39 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 6287, west of ProkhorovkaШаблон:Sfn
66 14 May 1943 17:35 Il-2 east of PribodnojeШаблон:Sfn 89 13 July 1943 05:41 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 6288, west of ProkhorovkaШаблон:Sfn
67 24 May 1943 07:14 I-16 west of BatayskШаблон:Sfn 90 15 July 1943 18:10 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 7072, IziumШаблон:Sfn
68 24 May 1943 07:17 I-16 west of BatayskШаблон:Sfn 91 16 July 1943 04:57 La-5 east of IziumШаблон:Sfn
69 10 June 1943 08:45 La-5 north of Starobilsk-OstШаблон:Sfn 92 16 July 1943 18:25 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 89142Шаблон:Sfn
70 11 June 1943 11:01 La-5 east of PokrowskojeШаблон:Sfn 93 17 July 1943 10:25 Il-2 Шаблон:Convert south of IziumШаблон:Sfn
71 13 June 1943 04:05 LaGG-3 southeast of StarobilskШаблон:Sfn 94 19 July 1943 05:35 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 7087, southeast of IziumШаблон:Sfn
72 13 June 1943 04:15 LaGG-3 east of StarobilskШаблон:Sfn 95 19 July 1943 05:42 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 7085, southeast of IziumШаблон:Sfn
73 15 June 1943 17:34 LaGG-3 north of StarobilskШаблон:Sfn 96 19 July 1943 05:45 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 7068, northeast of IziumШаблон:Sfn
74 2 July 1943 09:40 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 7922, southeast of SslawjanskШаблон:Sfn 97 19 July 1943 12:10 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 9814Шаблон:Sfn
75♠ 5 July 1943 03:21?Шаблон:Refn Il-2 east of BelgorodШаблон:Sfn 98 20 July 1943 04:15 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 7075, IziumШаблон:Sfn
76♠ 5 July 1943 03:25 Il-2 east of BelgorodШаблон:Sfn 99 20 July 1943 04:20 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 7072, IziumШаблон:Sfn
77♠ 5 July 1943 07:42 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 61184, west of VolchanskШаблон:Sfn 100 21 July 1943 14:14 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 7913, northwest of SslawjankШаблон:Sfn
78♠ 5 July 1943 07:51 Il-2 northwest of ProkhorovkaШаблон:Sfn 101 31 July 1943 05:35 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 8826Шаблон:Sfn
79♠ 5 July 1943 12:35 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 6133, southeast of ProkhorovkaШаблон:Sfn 102 31 July 1943 05:55 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 8823Шаблон:Sfn
80♠ 5 July 1943 16:40 Il-5 PQ 35 Ost 6149, southeast of BelgorodШаблон:Sfn 103 1 August 1943 10:30 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 8822Шаблон:Sfn
81 7 July 1943 04:15 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 6162, southeast of BelgorodШаблон:Sfn 104 1 August 1943 10:32 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 8825Шаблон:Sfn
82 7 July 1943 17:15 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 6127, east of JakowlewoШаблон:Sfn
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –Шаблон:Sfn
Defense of the Reich – 8 August 1943 – 15 March 1944
?Шаблон:RefnШаблон:Refn 1 October 1943 13:44 B-17Шаблон:Sfn 107 19 December 1943 12:28 B-17Шаблон:Sfn PQ 04 Ost S/KCШаблон:Sfn
105?[Note 1] 14 October 1943 14:45 B-17Шаблон:Sfn southeast of SchweinfurtШаблон:Sfn 108?[Note 1] 23 February 1944 Шаблон:Center B-24Шаблон:Sfn
106?[Note 1]Шаблон:Refn 14 October 1943 14:55 B-17* north of ArnsteinШаблон:Sfn

Awards

Notes

Шаблон:Reflist

References

Citations

Шаблон:Reflist

Bibliography

Шаблон:Refbegin

Шаблон:Refend

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