Hans-Karl Mayer

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.

Hans-Karl Mayer
Nickname(s)Mayer-Ast
Born9 March 1911
Rufach, German Empire
Died17 October 1940(1940-10-17) (aged 29)
over the English Channel
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Reichsmarine
Balkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service1933–40
RankHauptmann (captain)
UnitCondor Legion
JG 53
Battles/wars
See battles
AwardsSpanish Cross In Gold with Swords
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Early life and career

Mayer, nicknamed Mayer-Ast,[1] 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.[2] 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,[3] claiming eight victories.[4]

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.[5] He was later awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern) on 14 April 1939 for his service in the Spanish Civil War.[6] Upon his return from Spain, Mayer was posted to the 1. Staffel of the Jagdgeschwader 334 (JG 334—334th Fighter Wing).[4] 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.[7]

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.[8][9] He claimed his first victory of World War II on 5 November 1939 downing a French Potez 63 reconnaissance aircraft near Saarburg.[10] 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.[11] 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".[12]

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.[13] The next day Mayer shot down two Spitfires. One of his victim was ace Sergeant Cyril Babbage of No. 602 Squadron, who bailed out.[14] Hauptmann Mayer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 3 September.[15]

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.[16] 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.[17] He was possibly a victim of Flight Officer Desmond McMullen or Sergeant John Burgess, both from No. 222 Squadron RAF.[18] He is buried at Hawkinge Cemetery, Kent.[19] Command of I. Gruppe was then given to Hauptmann Hans-Heinrich Brustellin.[16]

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.[2] 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.[6]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Mayer an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Forsyth, Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88 –[6]
Spanish Civil War
1 7 February 1938
—
 SB-2[20]  ?[Note 1] 10 June 1938
—
 SB-2[6]
2 7 February 1938
—
 I-16[20] 5 13 June 1938
—
 I-16[20]
3 21 February 1938
—
 I-16[20] 6?[Note 2] 16 June 1938
—
 SB-2[20]
4 29 March 1938
—
 I-15[20]
According to Forsyth, Mayer claimed two further aerial victories in Spain.[20] Mathews and Foreman do not list these claims.[6]
World War II
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[6]
"Phoney War" — 1 September 1939 – 9 May 1940
1 5 November 1939 15:15 Potez 63 west of Losheim am See[21] 2 21 April 1940 12:05 Hurricane northwest of Merzig[21]
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 –[6]
Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940
3 11 May 1940 07:53 M.S.406 10–15 km (6.2–9.3 mi) south of Metz[22] 7♠ 14 May 1940 16:40 Blenheim southwest of Sedan[22]
4♠ 14 May 1940 16:23 Hurricane Sedan[22] 8♠ 14 May 1940 16:55?[Note 3] Battle?[Note 3] south of Sedan[22]
5♠ 14 May 1940 16:24 Battle Sedan[22] 9 25 May 1940 12:05 Curtiss south of Attigny[22]
6♠ 14 May 1940 16:30 Blenheim Sedan[22]
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[6]
Battle of Britain and on the English Channel — 26 June – 31 August 1940
10 12 August 1940 13:20 Hurricane[23] off Isle of Wight-Portsmouth[24] 14 24 August 1940 17:40 Spitfire Isle of Wight[23]
11 12 August 1940 13:25 Hurricane English Channel[23]
off Isle of Wight-Portsmouth		 15 25 August 1940 18:30 Hurricane west of Portland[23]
12 13 August 1940 17:00 Hurricane Portland[23] 16 26 August 1940 14:30 Spitfire east of Portsmouth[25]
13 15 August 1940 18:45 Hurricane Salisbury[23] 17 26 August 1940 17:35 Spitfire Portsmouth[25]
– Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[6]
Battle of Britain and on the English Channel — 1 September – 17 October 1940
18 6 September 1940 10:30 Hurricane northwest of Dungeness[25] 21 15 September 1940 12:45 Spitfire 15 km (9.3 mi) south of London[25]
19 7 September 1940 18:00 Hurricane[25] 22 15 September 1940 13:10 Spitfire Maidstone[25]
20 9 September 1940 19:05 Hurricane[25]

Awards

Notes
  1. This claim is not listed by Forsyth.[20]
  2. This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[6]
  3. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 16:35 as a Bristol Blenheim bomber.[6]

References

Citations
  1. Prien 1997, p. 76.
  2. Obermaier 1989, p. 165.
  3. Laureau 2010, p. 107.
  4. Goss 2018, p. 75.
  5. Forsyth 2011, p. 90.
  6. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 823.
  7. Prien et al. 2000a, pp. 230, 232.
  8. Prien et al. 2001, pp. 361, 363.
  9. Braatz 2009, p. 193.
  10. Prien 1997, p. 56.
  11. Prien 1997, pp. 81, 85.
  12. Page 2020, p. 30.
  13. Goss 2020, p. 23.
  14. Goss 2017, p. 54.
  15. Goss 2020, p. 167.
  16. Prien et al. 2002, p. 197.
  17. Prien et al. 2002, p. 208.
  18. Goss 2017, p. 71.
  19. Goss 2020, p. 206.
  20. Forsyth 2011, p. 104.
  21. Prien et al. 2001, p. 369.
  22. Prien et al. 2000b, p. 327.
  23. Prien et al. 2002, p. 201.
  24. Goss 2018, p. 79.
  25. Prien et al. 2002, p. 203.
  26. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 305.
  27. Scherzer 2007, p. 531.

Bibliography
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  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Forsyth, Robert (2011). Aces of the Legion Condor. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 99. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84908-347-8.
  • Goss, Chris (2017). Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik-As" Bf 109 Aces of 1940. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 132. London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4728-1873-7.
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  • Goss, Chris (2020). Brothers in Arms: The Story of a British and a German Fighter Unit, August to December 1940. Havertown: Pen & Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-5267-8292-2.
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