Everyone knows the feats of the Soviet pilot-ases,showed their heroism during the Second World War. But little is said about the fact that the German pilots of that period were in no way inferior to our aviators. Moreover, the German pilot Hartman Erich is the ace who has the largest number of victories in the history of world aviation. Let's look at his biography in detail.
Hartman Erich Alfred was born on April 19, 1922years in the small town of Weiss, in Württemberg. He was not the only child in the family, the future ace had a younger brother, Alfred, later also a combat pilot.
In the 1920s, the Hartman family decided to move toChina. The reason for this was the extreme poverty in which the family was in Germany, which was at the time undergoing a severe economic crisis. However, already in 1928, Hartman Erich, with his parents and brother, were forced to return to their homeland, where they settled in the town of Weil im Schönbuch in Württemberg.
Любовь к авиации была у Эриха в крови, ведь его Eliza Hartman's mother was one of the first female pilots in Germany. In the 30s, she even opened her own glider school, which her son successfully graduated from.
After graduating from Hartman Erich in 1936enters the National Institute of Political Education. Three years later, he makes a proposal to the girl Ursula, whom he met while studying at the gymnasium in Kornthal. Naturally, she could not refuse such an interesting and promising young man as Erich Hartmann. Photos from their family album can be seen below.
After the start of World War II, the future pilotErich Hartman decided to serve in the Luftwaffe - the Wehrmacht Air Force. In the wake of the brilliant victories of the German aces, his desire only grew stronger, and in October 1941 he successfully completed his flight training.
In the first months of 1942, with Erich spentclasses and instruction one of the best german aces - hoganen. This fact, undoubtedly, in the future could not but affect its excellent results. Of paramount importance were their classes in the Messerschmitt Bf109 fighter, with which Hartman Erich tied his entire future career as a pilot.
Finally, in October 1942, the future ace wassent to the North Caucasus as part of the ninth squadron of the 52nd Fighter Squadron (JG-52), which by that time already had fame and fame, led by its commander Dietrich Grabak.
Soon there was a baptism of Erich Hartman.Nothing heroic or outstanding future ace then did not. While flying together with his direct mentor, Edmund Rossman, he lost sight of his older comrade. In addition, the plane of Erich Hartman was subjected to a sudden attack by a Soviet fighter. But we must pay tribute to the young pilot - he still managed to get away from the enemy and land his apparatus.
Many experts subsequently stated thatErich Hartman simply frightened. But fear was typical of almost all pilots making the first sortie, and even those who in the future became recognized ace. However, in further flights, Erich never again gave a scare to take over the top.
But, despite such a depressing start to a military career, in early November, Hartman Erich was able to win his first victory over the enemy in the air.
Soviet became the victim of a twenty year old pilotIl-2 attack aircraft, which has always been considered a very inconvenient and dangerous enemy for German pilots. But Erich managed to master him masterfully. He managed to get to the enemy plane as close as possible and precisely hit his oil radiator. This tactic of fighting a young pilot was taught by the German ace Alfred Grislavsky. Later, pilot Hartman used this trick more than once in a battle with devices of this type.
However, as always, there was a spoon in a barrel of honeytar. The proximity of the distance with the downed plane played a cruel joke, and the pieces from him caught the Erich apparatus. He was forced to make an emergency landing. This served as a good lesson for the young pilot, and henceforth, after striking the enemy at close range, he always tried to lead his plane away as far as possible.
After this relatively successful battle followed a series of ineffectual sorties. So, Erich Hartman for the next three months was able to knock down only one enemy unit.
The real high point for the young pilotcame at the time of the Battle of Kursk, which took place in July-August 1943. Despite the general deplorable outcome of this battle for the German troops, it was then that Erich showed the most impressive results. After the Kursk battle for him the title was fixed - the pilot-ace. Hartman Erich in just one day of the battle showed a phenomenal result, shooting down seven enemy aircraft.
In the future, the pilot only increased the number of their victories. During August 1943, he shot down 43 Soviet aircraft, and their total number by this time reached ninety.
In one of these battles, Erich Hartman barely escaped captivity. Memoirs, written by him, tell in detail about this incident.
When the German pilot fought with the Sovietpilots, his plane was seriously damaged. After Hartman Erich knocked down another enemy vehicle, a sham boomerang covered his own car. This forced the ace to land on enemy territory.
Erich started fixing his plane.But suddenly he saw that a detachment of Soviet soldiers was approaching the place where he was carrying out repairs. The only chance to escape and not to be captured was to pretend to be seriously wounded. Hartman took this opportunity perfectly. His acting was so flawless that the Red Army fighters believed that Erich was in a dying state.
The soldiers loaded the German ace on a stretcher andsent by truck to the part. But Erich, having improved the moment, jumped out of the car and ran. Not a single bullet aimed at Hartman hit the target, but ironically, on the German side of the front, he was wounded by a sentry of his own army, who took the fleeing pilot for the enemy.
It is difficult to judge how true the story told Erich Hartman. The memoirs of this pilot are the only source from which the world learned it.
Although the German army further retreated tothe borders of the Reich, Eric Hartman with each battle increased the number of their personal victories. By the end of 1943, their number was almost one hundred and sixty. By that time, As had already managed to receive the Knight's Cross award, the highest distinction in the German army.
A huge number of victories Hartman sowed graindoubts about their authenticity even among the German command. But later, Eric was able to prove that such suspicions are groundless. At the beginning of March 1944, the number of enemy aircraft, shot down by the German ace, exceeded two hundred, and on July 1 reached two hundred and fifty.
By this time the war in the European theaterfighting entered American aircraft. And now it was the American aircraft, mainly the Mustangs, that became the main opponents of the German pilot.
Но слава имеет две стороны медали.After in August 1944 Erich’s number of victories exceeded three hundred, he became a living legend, the most successful ace of all times and peoples. This made the leadership of the Wehrmacht think that, in the event of his death, this fact significantly demoralizes the German army. Therefore, it was decided to withdraw the legendary pilot from the area of active hostilities. With great difficulty, Hartman managed to defend his right to be at the forefront.
In early 1945, Erich Hartman was assigned to command the squadron link. He showed himself well in this position.
His last battle German ace spent May 8, 1945years, in fact, after the signing of the surrender of Germany, over the Czechoslovak city of Brno. That day he shot down a Soviet fighter. But, having understood the futility of resistance, in the end, Hartman, with the remnants of his link, was forced to surrender to a division of the US armed forces.
After the end of the Second World War, according to the agreements between the winners, Erich Hartman was handed over by the Americans to the Soviet side as a soldier who fought against the Red Army.
In the Soviet Union, Hartman was convicted immediately by 10years for war crimes. And then for 25 years for organizing a riot in prison. But in 1955, the legendary ace was released, according to a bilateral agreement between the USSR and the FRG on the repatriation of prisoners of war.
Immediately upon returning home, Hartmanrecovered in military service in the officer rank. He was appointed commander of the squadron. The famous ace resigned in 1970, although after that he continued to work as an aviation instructor.
Death overtook Eric Hartman on September 19, 1993, at the age of 71.
Hartman was characterized by his fellow workers associable and cheerful person. He quickly poured into the new team and invariably enjoyed the respect and sympathy of his comrades. Not every person could endear himself like Erich Hartmann. Photos that we have available once again confirm the evidence of his sociable nature. They are almost always captured smiling and cheerful, often in the company of comrades.
Co-workers gave Hartman a playful nickname “Bubi”, which means “Kid”. The reason was his short stature and the fact that he looked young for his age.
Erich hartman never liked to get involved inlong exhausting air battles, preferring to act suddenly and quickly, but at close range. After striking, he tried to leave the battlefield as soon as possible, so as not to be covered with shrapnel from a downed plane or overtaken by other enemy pilots. Perhaps it was thanks to this tactic that Hartman was able to achieve such an impressive number of victories.
Currently, many military historians and biographers are studying the life path of such an outstanding pilot as Erich Hartman. Photos, documents, memoirs are the main help in this difficult work.
Erich Hartman rightfully bore the titlethe greatest ace of all time. In total for the Second World War, he participated in 802 air battles, of which 352 ended in victories, which is still an unsurpassed result. At the same time they made 1404 combat sorties.
