Английская Википедия:Hans-Karl Mayer

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Hans-Karl Mayer (9 March 1911 – 17 October 1940) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during Spanish Civil War and World War II. He is credited with eight aerial victories during the Spanish Civil War and further 31 aerial victories on the Western Front of World War II.

Early life and career

Mayer, nicknamed Mayer-Ast,Шаблон:Sfn was born on 9 March 1911 in Rufach at the time in the Imperial Territory of Alsace–Lorraine as part of the German Empire, present-day Rouffach in north-eastern France.Шаблон:Sfn He joined the Reichsmarine, the German Navy during the Weimar Republic, before transferring to the newly formed Luftwaffe. During the Spanish Civil War, Mayer volunteered for service with the Condor Legion, a unit composed of volunteers from the Luftwaffe and from the Army which served with the Nationalists. There, he was assigned to 1. Staffel (1st squadron) of Jagdgruppe 88 (J/88—88th Fighter Group) under the command of Oberleutnant Wolfgang Schellmann,Шаблон:Sfn claiming eight victories.Шаблон:Sfn

On 7 February 1938, Mayer claimed his first two aerial victories when he shot down a Tupolev SB bomber and a Polikarpov I-16 fighter.Шаблон:Sfn He was later awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (Шаблон:Lang) on 14 April 1939 for his service in the Spanish Civil War.Шаблон:Sfn Upon his return from Spain, Mayer was posted to the 1. Staffel of the Jagdgeschwader 334 (JG 334—334th Fighter Wing).Шаблон:Sfn This Staffel was part of I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 334 commanded by Major Hans-Hugo Witt. On 1 November, the Gruppe was renamed and became I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 133 (JG 133—133rd Fighter Wing). In early 1939, the Gruppe received the then new Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-1 and E-3 fighter aircraft. On 1 May, the unit was again renamed, receiving its final designation, and became the I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing). On 15 March, Mayer's 1 Staffel was placed under the command of Hauptmann Werner Mölders and based at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim Airfield.Шаблон:Sfn

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 1 October, Mayer was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1. Staffel, thus succeeding Mölders who was transferred.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn He claimed his first victory of World War II on 5 November 1939 downing a French Potez 63 reconnaissance aircraft near Saarburg.Шаблон:Sfn On 21 April 1940, Mayer claimed his second aerial victory on a fighter sweep mission to the area of Trier-Pirmasens. His claim over a Hawker Hurricane was the sixth for his Staffel and the 24th of I. Gruppe.Шаблон:Sfn For this, he received the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Шаблон:Lang).Шаблон:Sfn Mayer claimed eight more victories during the Battle of France, including five aircraft shot down on 14 May 1940, making him an "ace-in-a-day".Шаблон:Sfn

During the Battle of Britain he then shot down two Hurricanes over the Isle of Wight on 12 August 1940. On 25 August, Mayer shot down a Hurricane for his 15th victory, possibly that of Flight Lieutenant Alfred Bayne of No. 17 Squadron, who bailed out.Шаблон:Sfn The next day Mayer shot down two Spitfires. One of his victim was ace Sergeant Cyril Babbage of No. 602 Squadron, who bailed out.Шаблон:Sfn Hauptmann Mayer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Шаблон:Lang) on 3 September.Шаблон:Sfn

Mayer was made Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) I. Gruppe of JG 53 on 1 September 1940, he replaced Hauptmann Albert Blumensaat who was transferred. Command of 1. Staffel was passed on to Oberleutnant Hans Ohly.Шаблон:Sfn He recorded his 30th victory on 15 September. On 17 October 1940, Mayer took off in Bf 109 E-7 (Werknummer 4138—factory number) on a test flight and never returned, his body washing up on the English coast 10 days later.Шаблон:Sfn He was possibly a victim of Flying Officer Desmond McMullen or Sergeant John Burgess, both from No. 222 Squadron RAF.Шаблон:Sfn Mayer was the first Luftwaffe Knights Cross recipient to be killed in action.Шаблон:Sfn He is buried at Hawkinge Cemetery, Kent.Шаблон:Sfn Command of I. Gruppe was then given to Hauptmann Hans-Heinrich Brustellin.Шаблон:Sfn

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Obermaier, Mayer was credited with 39 aerial victories, eight in the Spanish Civil War and 31 on the Western Front of World War II.Шаблон:Sfn Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 28 aerial victory claims. This number includes six claims during the Spanish Civil War and 22 over the Western Allies.Шаблон:Sfn

Chronicle of aerial victories
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88 –Шаблон:Sfn Spanish Civil War
1	7 February 1938	Шаблон:Center	SB-2Шаблон:Sfn		?Шаблон:Refn	10 June 1938	Шаблон:Center	SB-2Шаблон:Sfn
2	7 February 1938	Шаблон:Center	I-16Шаблон:Sfn		5	13 June 1938	Шаблон:Center	I-16Шаблон:Sfn
3	21 February 1938	Шаблон:Center	I-16Шаблон:Sfn		6?Шаблон:Refn	16 June 1938	Шаблон:Center	SB-2Шаблон:Sfn
4	29 March 1938	Шаблон:Center	I-15Шаблон:Sfn
According to Forsyth, Mayer claimed two further aerial victories in Spain.Шаблон:Sfn Mathews and Foreman do not list these claims.Шаблон:Sfn
World War II
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –Шаблон:Sfn "Phoney War" — 1 September 1939 – 9 May 1940
1	5 November 1939	15:15	Potez 63	west of Losheim am SeeШаблон:Sfn	2	21 April 1940	12:05	Hurricane	northwest of MerzigШаблон:Sfn
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 –Шаблон:Sfn Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940
3	11 May 1940	07:53	M.S.406	Шаблон:Convert south of MetzШаблон:Sfn	7♠	14 May 1940	16:40	Blenheim	southwest of SedanШаблон:Sfn
4♠	14 May 1940	16:23	Hurricane	SedanШаблон:Sfn	8♠	14 May 1940	16:55?Шаблон:Refn	Battle?	south of SedanШаблон:Sfn
5♠	14 May 1940	16:24	Battle	SedanШаблон:Sfn	9	25 May 1940	12:05	Curtiss	south of AttignyШаблон:Sfn
6♠	14 May 1940	16:30	Blenheim	SedanШаблон:Sfn
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –Шаблон:Sfn Battle of Britain and on the English Channel — 26 June – 31 August 1940
10	12 August 1940	13:20	HurricaneШаблон:Sfn	off Isle of Wight-PortsmouthШаблон:Sfn	14	24 August 1940	17:40	Spitfire	Isle of WightШаблон:Sfn
11	12 August 1940	13:25	Hurricane	English ChannelШаблон:Sfn off Isle of Wight-Portsmouth	15	25 August 1940	18:30	Hurricane	west of PortlandШаблон:Sfn
12	13 August 1940	17:00	Hurricane	PortlandШаблон:Sfn	16	26 August 1940	14:30	Spitfire	east of PortsmouthШаблон:Sfn
13	15 August 1940	18:45	Hurricane	SalisburyШаблон:Sfn	17	26 August 1940	17:35	Spitfire	PortsmouthШаблон:Sfn
– Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 –Шаблон:Sfn Battle of Britain and on the English Channel — 1 September – 17 October 1940
18	6 September 1940	10:30	Hurricane	northwest of DungenessШаблон:Sfn	21	15 September 1940	12:45	Spitfire	Шаблон:Convert south of LondonШаблон:Sfn
19	7 September 1940	18:00	HurricaneШаблон:Sfn		22	15 September 1940	13:10	Spitfire	MaidstoneШаблон:Sfn
20	9 September 1940	19:05	HurricaneШаблон:Sfn

Awards

• Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939)Шаблон:Sfn
• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st ClassШаблон:Sfn
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 September 1940 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän in the 1./Jagdgeschwader 53Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn

References

Bibliography

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• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 1, 1. September 1939 bis 31. Dezember 1941 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. Шаблон:ISBN.