Английская Википедия:Heinrich Sterr

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Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Infobox military person

Heinrich Sterr (24 September 1919 – 26 November 1944) was a World War II Luftwaffe military aviator. As a flying ace, he is credited with 130 aerial victories predominantly claimed on the Eastern Front. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. On 26 November 1944, he was shot down and killed in action by USAAF fighters.

Career

Sterr was born on 24 September 1919 in Ortenburg, Lower Bavaria as part of the Free State of Bavaria. Unlike many other flying aces in the Luftwaffe, he was not a member of the pre-war Luftwaffe (he had only just turned 20 when war broke out) and he missed the early warfare over Poland, France and the first year in the East. After completing his pilot-training in 1942,Шаблон:Refn Sterr was sent as an Unteroffizier, to 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing).Шаблон:Sfn At the time it was based at Ryelbitzi, west of Lake Ilmen covering the battles around Demyansk Pocket as the Soviets continued to try and break through the German forces in front of Leningrad where he scored his first victory on 6 April when he shot down a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 fighter aircraft.Шаблон:Sfn

In late 1942, II. Gruppe was scheduled to be reequipped with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-4 at Heiligenbeil, present-day Mamonovo.Шаблон:Sfn On 7 January 1943, Sterr was shot down and wounded in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 13609—factory number) by Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighters in the vicinity of Ramushevo on the Lovat River.Шаблон:Sfn By the end of March 1943, Sterr had over 30 victories, and on 30 April he was awarded the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Шаблон:Lang). In June, Luftflotte 1 staged a last big effort to blow the railway bridges of the vital supply link to Leningrad. In July, most other fighter Gruppen were assembled around the Kursk salient for the next German offensive - Operation Zitadelle. Although II./JG 54 was kept back guarding Leningrad, it appears several of its pilots, including Oberfeldwebel Sterr, went with I./JG 54 to Orel. In the fortnight or so that it was where he scored a further ten victories to add to his tally of shootdowns. On 23 July, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Шаблон:Lang).Шаблон:Sfn

Eventually the German forces were stretched too thin across the Eastern Front to provide constant air cover and were increasingly being used as "fire brigades", as new Soviet offensives broke out up and down the line. Sterr's victory list is a case in point, on the nomadic existence of II./JG 54 from here on: early August gave 15 victories over Leningrad, then later in the month a clutch of victories south-east of Smolensk. On 8 October 1943, Sterr became an "ace-in-a-day" for the second time, claiming six Lavochkin La-5 fighters shot down north of Kiev.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Refn That day, Sterr was also shot down in his Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer 530353) Шаблон:Convert northeast of Dymer. He managed to bail out but was wounded nevertheless.Шаблон:Sfn

Oberfeldwebel Sterr was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Шаблон:Lang) on 5 December 1943 (nominally for 86 victories) and sent home for officer-training. Returning as a Leutnant in January he was back to Ukraine where he shot down more Soviet aircraft. On 31 March 1944, Sterr was credited with his 100th aerial victory,Шаблон:Sfn making him the 68th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.Шаблон:Sfn In March, he was then briefly posted to 3. Staffel of JG 54 in Estonia for a couple of months. On 3 April, Sterr was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 6. Staffel of JG 54, replacing Leutnant Albin Wolf who had been killed in action the day before.Шаблон:Sfn On 29, II. Gruppe received orders to send a fully staffed Staffel for fighting in defense of the Reich. In consequence, 6. Staffel, augmented by pilots from the other Staffeln, was detached and became a fourth Staffel of IV. Gruppe of JG 54.Шаблон:Sfn

IV. Gruppe of JG 54 had been withdrawn from the Eastern Front on 25 May and sent to Illesheim Airfield for conversion training to the Fw 190. Here, the Gruppe was placed under command of Major Wolfgang Späte and was joined by the pilots of 6. Staffel led by Sterr.Шаблон:Sfn On 22 June, Soviet forces launched Operation Bagration, attacking Army Group Centre in Byelorussia, with the objective of encircling and destroying its main component armies. In consequence, IV. Gruppe was not sent to the Western Front but was ordered to relocate east on 26 June. The following day, the Gruppe arrived at an airfield near Baranavichy located approximately Шаблон:Convert southwest of Minsk.Шаблон:Sfn On 20 August, the Jagdwaffe (Luftwaffe fighter force) had a major unit re-organization. Within IV. Gruppe, the 10. Staffel became the 13., the 11. was renamed to 14., the 12. to 15., and Sterr's 6. Staffel was made the 16. Staffel of JG 54.Шаблон:Sfn

Defense of the Reich

On 14 September, IV. Gruppe was withdrawn from the Eastern Front and relocated to Löbnitz. Three days later, the Allied Forces launched Operation Market Garden to seize the bridges to Arnhem. This forced the urgent transfer of IV. Gruppe of JG 54 to Plantlünne where the unit was subordinated to the 3. Jagd Division (3rd Fighter Division).Шаблон:Sfn This was now a different air war - not the low-level dogfighting and pursuits of the Eastern Front, but the high-altitude engagement against the massive American bomber formations, and their hundreds of escort fighters. With such odds stacked against them, it was often just luck if a pilot would survive. In just 3 weeks, IV. Gruppe of JG 54 lost 30 pilots for only 10 victories - and was soon pulled out the line to reform for the second time in a month.Шаблон:Sfn

Flying Fw 190 A-8 (Werknummer 171684), Sterr was killed in action on 26 November 1944 while during his landing approach at an airfield at Vörden.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn He was shot down by a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt piloted by Captain P.L. Larsen from the 78th Fighter Group. He was nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Шаблон:Lang).Шаблон:Sfn He was succeeded by Leutnant Paul Brandt as commander of 16. Staffel of JG 54.Шаблон:Sfn

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Sterr was credited with 129 aerial victories.Шаблон:Sfn Spick lists Sterr with 130 aerial victories in an unknown number of combat missions, all but three on the Eastern Front.Шаблон:Sfn Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 108 aerial victories, all but two claimed on the Eastern Front.Шаблон:Sfn

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 28142". 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

Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Шаблон:Sfn
Eastern Front — 20 January – 30 April 1942
1 6 April 1942 14:05 MiG-3Шаблон:Sfn
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Шаблон:Sfn
Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943
2 9 June 1942 10:04 Pe-2Шаблон:Sfn 9 25 December 1942 12:13 Il-2 Шаблон:Convert southeast of StrelitzkyШаблон:Sfn
3 19 July 1942 14:44 Il-2 Pola railway stationШаблон:Sfn 10 29 December 1942 11:05 LaGG-3 PQ 28142Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert northwest of Demyansk
4 28 September 1942 13:06?Шаблон:Refn LaGG-3 PQ 18242Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Staraya Russa
11 29 December 1942 12:45?Шаблон:Refn Il-2 PQ 28171Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west-northwest of Demyansk
5 29 September 1942 09:05 Yak-1 PQ 18254Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Staraya Russa
12 30 December 1942 09:45 Il-2 PQ 28114Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert northwest of Demyansk
6 6 December 1942 12:30 Pe-2 PQ 28354Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west of Demyansk
13 30 December 1942 12:17 LaGG-3 PQ 18262Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east-southeast of Staraya Russa
7 12 December 1942 14:00 LaGG-3 Шаблон:Convert east of Lake WerchneШаблон:Sfn 14 7 January 1943 10:50 LaGG-3 PQ 18294Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Staraya Russa
8 17 December 1942 13:50 LaGG-3 PQ 28653Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert south-southeast of Demyansk
15 25 January 1943 09:53 LaGG-3 PQ 00291Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west of Mga
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Шаблон:Sfn
Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943
16 11 February 1943 10:19 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10621Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert northeast of Lyuban
46 13 July 1943 14:14 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63273Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert northwest of Bolkhov
17 23 February 1943 13:47 P-40 PQ 35 Ost 19842Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert northeast of Staraya Russa
47 13 July 1943 14:16 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63254Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east-southeast of Oryol
18 27 February 1943 15:26 P-40 PQ 35 Ost 28311Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west-northwest of Demyansk
48 14 July 1943 14:15 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 54362Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east-southeast of Zhizdra
19 27 February 1943 15:38 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 18492Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west-southwest of Demyansk
49 14 July 1943 14:20 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 54333Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east-southeast of Zhizdra
20 28 February 1943 13:55 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 18382Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert north of Chełm
50 17 July 1943 06:47 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 54613Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west of Bolkhov
21 28 February 1943 13:57 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 18382Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert north of Chełm
51 18 July 1943 19:18 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 54455Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert northwest of Bolkhov
22 5 March 1943 16:16 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 18364Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert south of Staraya Russa
52 19 July 1943 11:41 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 54623Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west of Bolkhov
23 5 March 1943 16:17 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 18362Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert south of Staraya Russa
53 19 July 1943 11:43 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 54622Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west of Bolkhov
24 7 March 1943 09:22 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 18274Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Staraya Russa
54 21 July 1943 07:13 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63211Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east of Oryol
25 7 March 1943 15:55 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 18472Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west-southwest of Demyansk
55 28 July 1943 09:15 Pe-2 PQ 36 Ost 10243Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east-southeast of Shlisselburg
26 7 March 1943 15:57 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 18473Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west-southwest of Demyansk
56 28 July 1943 09:18 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10172Шаблон:Sfn
vicinity of Mga
27 14 March 1943 13:58?Шаблон:Refn P-40 PQ 35 Ost 18452Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west of Demyansk
57 28 July 1943 14:56 Yak-7 PQ 36 Ost 10441Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Mga
28 15 March 1943 15:53 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 18272Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Staraya Russa
58 29 July 1943 08:05 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10194Шаблон:Sfn
east of Mga
29 18 March 1943 09:18 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 18221Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east-southeast of Staraya Russa
59 29 July 1943 08:08 Yak-7 PQ 36 Ost 10413Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east-southeast of Mga
30 19 March 1943 15:24 Pe-2 PQ 36 Ost 00412Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east of Pushkin
60 29 July 1943 08:11 Yak-7 PQ 36 Ost 10191Шаблон:Sfn
south of Shlisselburg
31 23 March 1943 08:06 P-40 PQ 36 Ost 00411Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east of Pushkin
61 31 July 1943 13:54 P-39 PQ 36 Ost 10142Шаблон:Sfn
south of Shlisselburg
32 17 May 1943 05:09 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10742Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert south-southwest of Lyuban
62 1 August 1943 06:31 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10142Шаблон:Sfn
south of Shlisselburg
33 22 May 1943 10:56 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 21893Шаблон:Sfn 63♠ 2 August 1943 10:25 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10182Шаблон:Sfn
east of Mga
34 22 May 1943 10:58 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 20222Шаблон:Sfn 64♠ 2 August 1943 12:55 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10322Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Mga
35 30 May 1943 13:44 Yak-1 PQ 36 Ost 10113Шаблон:Sfn
vicinity of Shlisselburg
65♠ 2 August 1943 12:57 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10323Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Mga
36 30 May 1943 20:16 P-40 PQ 36 Ost 11773Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert northwest of Spaskaja-Polist
66♠ 2 August 1943 13:24 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10331Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east-southeast of Mga
37 3 June 1943 12:57?Шаблон:Refn Pe-2 PQ 26 Ost 90141Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west-southwest of Lomomosov
67♠ 2 August 1943 13:25 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 10183Шаблон:Sfn
east of Mga
38 10 June 1943 15:52 LaGG-3 PQ 26 Ost 90121Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west of Lomomosov
68♠ 2 August 1943 17:34 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10113Шаблон:Sfn
vicinity of Shlisselburg
39 17 June 1943 05:07 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 20224Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east of Volkhov
69♠ 2 August 1943 19:21 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10354Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Mga
40 17 June 1943 05:17 Hurricane PQ 36 Ost 20174Шаблон:Sfn
vicinity of Volkhov
70 11 August 1943 05:10 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 45724Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert north-northeast of Kirov
41 18 June 1943 12:12 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 10262Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west-southwest of Shlisselburg
71 12 August 1943 07:50 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 45751Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert northwest of Kirov
42 23 June 1943 20:07 P-39 PQ 36 Ost 11741Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert north of Shlisselburg
72 12 August 1943 07:59 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 45761Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert north-northeast of Kirov
43 24 June 1943 11:11 Yak-1?Шаблон:Refn PQ 36 Ost 20191Шаблон:Sfn
west of Volkhov
73 12 August 1943 16:02 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 45742Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west of Kirov
44 9 July 1943 08:42 Yak-9 PQ 36 Ost 10264Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west-southwest of Shlisselburg
74 14 August 1943 04:59 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 45751Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert northwest of Kirov
45 12 July 1943 18:19 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 64882Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Mtsensk
75 14 August 1943 05:02 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 45753Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert north of Kirov
The authors Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock have an unaccounted gap of six aerial victories, ranging from aerial victory 76 to 81.Шаблон:Sfn According to Mathews and Foreman, these six aerial victories are also not documented.Шаблон:Sfn
82 7 October 1943 13:39 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 11794Шаблон:Sfn
over Lake Ladoga
86♠ 8 October 1943 05:57 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 01131Шаблон:Sfn
over Lake Ladoga
83 7 October 1943 14:03 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 10124Шаблон:Sfn
east of Shlisselburg
87♠ 8 October 1943 08:24 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 01411Шаблон:Sfn
over Lake Ladoga
84♠ 8 October 1943 05:51 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 02793Шаблон:Sfn 88♠ 8 October 1943 08:25 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 01413Шаблон:Sfn
over Lake Ladoga
85♠ 8 October 1943 05:53 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 02794Шаблон:Sfn 89♠ 8 October 1943 08:27 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 01413Шаблон:Sfn
over Lake Ladoga
– 6. Staffel with II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Шаблон:Sfn
Eastern Front — 1 January – 29 May 1944
90 11 January 1944 13:42 Yak-4 PQ 26 Ost 80792Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Narva
100 31 March 1944 17:12 Pe-2 PQ 25 Ost 78243Шаблон:Sfn
91 25 January 1944 10:46 La-5 PQ 26 Ost 90571Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southwest of Lissino
101 1 April 1944 12:45 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 88392Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Selo
92 25 January 1944 10:48 Il-2 PQ 26 Ost 80661Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east of Narva
102 2 April 1944 14:40 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 88413Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southwest of Pskov
93 28 January 1944 15:10 La-5 PQ 26 Ost 80663Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east of Narva
103 8 April 1944 05:33 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 78291Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert west of Pskov
94 19 March 1944 09:36 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 88133Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert north-northeast of Pskov
104 28 April 1944 17:52 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 87694Шаблон:Sfn
vicinity of Idritsa
95 27 March 1944 06:20 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 78532, east-northeast of PetseriШаблон:Sfn 105 28 April 1944 17:54 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 97572Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east of Idritsa
96 27 March 1944 06:22 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 78254, east-northeast of PetseriШаблон:Sfn 106 1 May 1944 11:10 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 96513Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert east of Polotsk
97 27 March 1944 06:24 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 7826, east-northeast of PetseriШаблон:Sfn 107 1 May 1944 11:13 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 96381Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Dretun
98 27 March 1944 06:26 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 78264, Kriwska, east-northeast of PetseriШаблон:Sfn 108 1 May 1944 11:14 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 96381Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert southeast of Dretun
99 31 March 1944 12:43 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 88334Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Convert south of Pskov
– 6. Staffel with IV. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Шаблон:Sfn
Eastern Front — June – 20 August 1944
9 July 1944 09:39 P-40 PQ 25 Ost 41165Шаблон:Sfn 21 July 1944 04:15 Yak-9
15 July 1944 13:48 Yak-9 PQ 26 Ost 50155Шаблон:Sfn
over sea in the middle of the Gulf of Finland
118 12 August 1944 10:15 Yak-9 WarkaШаблон:Sfn
The authors Prien, Stemmer, Balke and Bock state that Sterr claimed 13 undocumented aerial victories in the timeframe June to September 1944 while serving with 6. and 16. Staffel.Шаблон:Sfn These claims are also not listed by Mathews and Foreman.Шаблон:Sfn
– 16. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Шаблон:Sfn
Western Front — September 1944
126 23 September 1944 18:45 P-47 PQ 05 Ost 62256Шаблон:Sfn
vicinity of Nijmegen
127 25 September 1944 18:05 B-25 PQ 05 Ost 52238Шаблон:Sfn

Awards

Notes

Шаблон:Reflist

References

Citations

Шаблон:Reflist

Bibliography

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Шаблон:Refend

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Шаблон:Top German World War II Aces Шаблон:Subject bar