During the Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe’s most accomplished fighter pilots—known as Experten—demonstrated exceptional flying skill, precision, and tactical discipline in their efforts to secure air superiority over England. Many were already combat-experienced from campaigns in Poland and France, and some had flown in Spain with the Condor Legion. These men formed the elite of the Luftwaffe’s Jagdwaffe and were often celebrated in wartime propaganda for their growing victory counts. This page profiles some of the most notable Experten of the battle, examining their backgrounds, aerial victories, and the role they played in one of the most intense aerial confrontations of the war.
Major Helmut Wick
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Jagdgeschwader 2 “Richthofen”
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 56 confirmed (42 during the Battle of Britain)
Helmut Paul Emil Wick was born in Mannheim, Germany, on 5 August 1915. After completing his schooling, he entered military service in 1936 and trained as a fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe. Following officer training and advanced flying instruction, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 2 “Richthofen”, where he began flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Under the influence of experienced leaders such as Werner Mölders, he quickly developed into an effective combat pilot.
Wick saw action during the early months of the war and claimed his first aerial victory on 22 November 1939, when he shot down a French Curtiss Hawk 75 near Nancy. During the Battle of France in May and June 1940, he rapidly increased his score, claiming numerous French aircraft and finishing the campaign with fourteen confirmed victories. This made him one of the Luftwaffe’s leading fighter pilots at that stage of the war.
During the Battle of Britain, Wick rose swiftly in both rank and prominence. On 21 July 1940, he became Staffelkapitän of 3./Jagdgeschwader 2. He continued to add steadily to his score through August and September, earning the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 August 1940. On 9 September 1940, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I./Jagdgeschwader 2. His success in combat, together with his youth and self-confidence, made him a prominent figure in German wartime propaganda.
Wick continued to claim victories throughout the autumn of 1940 and became one of the Luftwaffe’s leading fighter pilots during the air fighting over southern England and the Channel. On 19 October 1940, he was promoted to Major and, after a brief administrative change of plan, was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 2 “Richthofen”. At twenty-five, he became the youngest Major and Geschwaderkommodore in the Luftwaffe.
By late November 1940, Wick had reached a total of fifty-six confirmed victories, making him the highest-scoring fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe at that time. On 28 November 1940, he claimed two further victories over Royal Air Force Spitfires in combat near the Isle of Wight.
Later that same day, while leading another sortie, Wick was shot down over the Channel in a combat involving aircraft from No. 609 Squadron. His Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4 crashed into the sea after he was seen to bale out. Despite extensive air-sea searches, no trace of him was found, and he was officially posted missing, presumed dead.
Helmut Wick was one of the earliest recipients of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and the first holder of that distinction to be lost in combat. He remains one of the most prominent Luftwaffe fighter leaders of the Battle of Britain period, both for his remarkable combat record and for the prominence he achieved in Germany during 1940.
Major Adolf Galland
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Jagdgeschwader 26
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 104 confirmed (57 during the Battle of Britain)
Adolf Joseph Ferdinand Galland was born in Westerholt, Westphalia, on 19 March 1912. As a young man he developed a strong interest in gliding and became an accomplished glider pilot before entering military flying training. He joined military aviation in the early 1930s and, after further training, became part of the Luftwaffe. His early flying career was not without setbacks, including serious crashes, but he persisted and remained in service.
During the Spanish Civil War, Galland served with the Condor Legion, flying ground-attack missions in support of the Nationalist forces. His experience there led to his involvement in tactical and technical work for the German Air Ministry, where he contributed to developing ideas on close air support, fighter armament, and the use of drop tanks. Although he had initially flown attack aircraft, he succeeded in transferring into fighter operations before the campaign in the west in 1940.
Galland flew the Messerschmitt Bf 109 in the Battle of France and quickly built a successful combat record. On 6 June 1940, he took command of III./Jagdgeschwader 26 as Gruppenkommandeur. During the Battle of Britain, he continued to lead from the front and steadily increased his tally of victories in combat over the Channel and southern England.
On 22 August 1940, Galland replaced Gotthard Handrick as Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 26. During this period he became one of the Luftwaffe’s most prominent fighter leaders. His victories continued to mount through the summer and autumn of 1940, and his leadership and combat success brought him rapid promotion and national prominence.
He was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 1 August 1940 and the Oak Leaves on 23 September 1940. By the end of 1940, Galland had become one of Germany’s leading fighter aces and one of the most celebrated figures in the Luftwaffe. His famous remark that he would like “an outfit of Spitfires” reflected both his admiration for the aircraft and his frustration with German fighter escort tactics during the battle.
In November 1941, after the death of Werner Mölders, Galland was appointed General der Jagdflieger and became responsible for Germany’s fighter arm. In that position he increasingly clashed with Hermann Göring over fighter tactics, aircraft procurement, and the defence of the Reich. He strongly supported the development of improved interceptors and later became an enthusiastic advocate of the Messerschmitt Me 262 as a fighter rather than a bomber.
In early 1945, after a serious breakdown in relations with the Luftwaffe leadership, Galland was removed from his post. He was later allowed to return to operational flying and formed Jagdverband 44, an elite Me 262 jet fighter unit. He flew combat missions with the unit in the final weeks of the war.
After the war, Galland worked as an aviation consultant in Argentina before returning to Germany, where he entered business and remained active in aviation circles. He also wrote his memoir, The First and the Last, which became one of the best-known pilot accounts of the war. Adolf Galland died on 9 February 1996 and is remembered as one of the Luftwaffe’s most influential and controversial fighter leaders of the Second World War.
Major Werner Mölders
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Jagdgeschwader 51
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 115 confirmed (54 during the Battle of Britain)
Werner Mölders was born in Gelsenkirchen on 18 March 1913. He joined the German armed forces in the early 1930s and transferred into the newly formed Luftwaffe in 1934. Despite initial difficulties with flight training, he persevered and emerged as one of the most capable fighter pilots of his generation.
Mölders gained early combat experience during the Spanish Civil War, serving with the Condor Legion. Flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109, he became the leading German fighter ace of the conflict, claiming 15 confirmed victories. During this period, he also helped develop new fighter tactics, most notably the “finger-four” formation, which significantly improved flexibility, visibility, and mutual support within fighter units.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Mölders was serving with Jagdgeschwader 53. He quickly established himself as a leading fighter pilot during the Phoney War and the Battle of France. On 5 June 1940, he was shot down by French fighters and taken prisoner, but was released following the French armistice later that month.
On 20 July 1940, Mölders was promoted to Major and took command of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51). Leading the unit during the Battle of Britain, he continued to add steadily to his tally of victories while demonstrating exceptional leadership and tactical awareness. By the end of 1940, he had achieved 55 confirmed victories, making him one of the Luftwaffe’s most successful fighter pilots at that stage of the war.
In June 1941, Mölders and JG 51 were transferred to the Eastern Front for Operation Barbarossa. There, his score rose rapidly, and on 15 July 1941 he became the first pilot in history to surpass 100 aerial victories. Shortly afterward, he was promoted to Oberst and appointed Inspector of Fighters (Inspekteur der Jagdflieger), removing him from further operational flying and placing him in overall responsibility for Luftwaffe fighter tactics and operations.
On 22 November 1941, Mölders was killed when the Heinkel He 111 in which he was traveling as a passenger crashed while attempting to land near Breslau during bad weather. He was 28 years old. Widely respected for both his leadership and his character, Mölders was regarded by his pilots as a calm, principled, and highly capable commander. His influence on fighter tactics and air combat doctrine endured long after his death.
Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Marseille
Nationality: Germany
Unit: I.(Jagd)/Lehrgeschwader 2 / Jagdgeschwader 27
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 158 confirmed (7 during the Battle of Britain)
Hans-Joachim Walter Rudolf Siegfried Marseille was born in Berlin-Charlottenburg on 13 December 1919. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1938 as an officer candidate and began his flying training the following year. From the outset, he showed exceptional natural ability in the air, but his progress was repeatedly hindered by breaches of discipline and a rebellious temperament.
After completing fighter training, Marseille was posted to I.(Jagd)/Lehrgeschwader 2 on 10 August 1940 and began operations over Britain flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109. During the Battle of Britain, he claimed seven confirmed victories. Although his flying skill was obvious, his conduct caused repeated friction with his superiors, and he developed a reputation for unreliability, poor discipline, and a tendency to disregard formation procedure.
In early October 1940, after achieving seven victories with I.(Jagd)/Lehrgeschwader 2, Marseille was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 52. His difficulties continued there, and on 24 December 1940 he was transferred again, this time to Jagdgeschwader 27. It was with this unit that his career began to develop in a more disciplined and effective direction.
Jagdgeschwader 27 was soon sent to North Africa, where Marseille came under the leadership of Eduard Neumann. Neumann recognised his exceptional potential and gave him the guidance he needed to refine his abilities. In the desert air war, Marseille developed into one of the Luftwaffe’s most formidable fighter pilots, mastering high-deflection shooting and close-range attacks with extraordinary precision.
It was in North Africa that Marseille achieved the great majority of his victories. Flying with Jagdgeschwader 27, he claimed all but seven of his 158 official victories against the Desert Air Force and other British Commonwealth opponents. His most remarkable day came on 1 September 1942, when he shot down seventeen enemy aircraft in three sorties.
On 30 September 1942, while leading a Stuka escort mission, Marseille’s Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 suffered engine failure and the cockpit filled with smoke. After reaching friendly territory, he attempted to bale out, but in leaving the aircraft he struck the vertical stabiliser and was either killed instantly or fatally incapacitated before he could open his parachute. He was twenty-two years old.
Hans-Joachim Marseille was already one of the most highly decorated fighter pilots in the Luftwaffe at the time of his death. Remembered as the “Star of Africa,” he remains one of the most celebrated and controversial fighter aces of the Second World War.
Oberleutnant Gerhard Schöpfel
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Jagdgeschwader 26
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 45 confirmed (26 during the Battle of Britain)
Gerhard “Gerd” Schöpfel was born at Erfurt in Thüringen on 19 December 1912. He was originally a member of the police force before transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1936. After completing his flying training, he served with units that were successively redesignated until they became part of Jagdgeschwader 26.
On 23 September 1939, Oberleutnant Schöpfel took command of 9./Jagdgeschwader 26 on its formation. He gained his first victory during the Battle of France on 19 May 1940, when he shot down a Royal Air Force Hawker Hurricane near Courtrai. He continued to add to his score over Dunkirk and then during the Battle of Britain, where he emerged as one of Jagdgeschwader 26’s most successful pilots.
On 18 August 1940, during one of the heaviest days of the battle, Schöpfel shot down four Hawker Hurricanes of No. 501 Squadron in one sortie over Canterbury. On 22 August 1940, the same day Adolf Galland was promoted to command Jagdgeschwader 26, Schöpfel became Gruppenkommandeur of III./Jagdgeschwader 26. Later that day he destroyed a Spitfire of No. 65 Squadron, his thirteenth victory.
Schöpfel continued to build his score during the later stages of the Battle of Britain and was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 11 September 1940 after reaching twenty victories. He remained one of the leading fighter pilots of Jagdgeschwader 26 during the Channel Front fighting that followed.
On 6 December 1941, after Galland was promoted to General der Jagdflieger, Schöpfel became Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 26. In 1942, flying the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, he continued to add to his tally, including two Spitfires destroyed during the Dieppe operations on 19 August 1942. He left Jagdgeschwader 26 on 10 January 1943 with forty-five confirmed victories.
Thereafter he held a series of operational staff appointments, including service in Brittany, southern Italy, Norway, Hungary, and later command positions in Jagdgeschwader 4 and Jagdgeschwader 6. On 6 August 1944 he was shot down and wounded near Schwerin while flying a Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6. At the end of the war he was captured by Soviet forces and remained a prisoner for four and a half years, returning to Germany in December 1949.
After his release, Schöpfel worked in civilian life before returning to aviation in the early 1960s as an executive with Air Lloyd in Bonn. He died of natural causes on 17 May 2003.
Gerhard Schöpfel is remembered as one of Jagdgeschwader 26’s most effective fighter leaders of 1940–42 and one of the more successful Luftwaffe commanders on the Western Front.
Oberleutnant Josef Priller
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Jagdgeschwader 51 / Jagdgeschwader 26
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 101 confirmed (20 during the Battle of Britain)
Josef “Pips” Priller was born in Ingolstadt on 27 July 1915 and joined the Luftwaffe in the mid-1930s. He began his operational career with a fighter unit that was later redesignated as part of Jagdgeschwader 51, becoming Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 51 shortly before the Battle of Britain.
Priller achieved his first victories during the Battle of France and had already claimed fifteen by the end of August 1940. During the Battle of Britain, he continued to build his score, reaching twenty confirmed victories in October 1940, for which he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. He was regarded as an aggressive and effective fighter pilot, flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.
In November 1940, Priller was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 26 “Schlageter” as Staffelkapitän of 1./JG 26. There he continued to distinguish himself during the Channel Front operations of 1941–42. In December 1941, he became Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 26, and in January 1943 he was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of the wing.
By this stage, flying the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Priller was one of the Luftwaffe’s leading fighter commanders in Western Europe, directing operations against RAF Fighter Command and later the growing United States Army Air Forces bomber offensive. He claimed his 100th victory in July 1944.
On 6 June 1944, during the Allied invasion of Normandy, Priller and his wingman, Feldwebel Heinz Wodarczyk, carried out a low-level strafing attack over Sword Beach. Although often portrayed as the only Luftwaffe response over the invasion beaches, other German air units also conducted attacks that day. Nevertheless, Priller’s action became one of the most widely recognised Luftwaffe operations of D-Day, later depicted in The Longest Day.
By the end of the war, Priller had flown over 1,300 combat missions and achieved 101 confirmed victories, all on the Western Front, including a significant number of RAF Spitfires and several USAAF heavy bombers.
After the war, Priller became general manager of the Riegele Brewery in Augsburg, owned by his wife’s family. He later served as an advisor during the production of The Longest Day, in which he was portrayed on screen. He died suddenly of a heart attack on 20 May 1961, aged forty-five.
Hauptmann Gustav Rödel
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Jagdgeschwader 27
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 98 confirmed (12 during the Battle of Britain)
Gustav Rödel was born at Merseburg on 24 October 1915 and joined the Luftwaffe as an officer candidate in 1936. After completing fighter pilot training, he served with the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War, flying with Jagdgruppe 88, where he gained valuable combat experience.
On 15 July 1939, Rödel was posted to Jagdgeschwader 21 and achieved his first aerial victory on 1 September 1939, the opening day of the war, when he shot down a Polish fighter near Warsaw. He later transferred to Jagdgeschwader 27 and saw further success during the Battle of France.
In July 1940, Rödel was assigned to 4./Jagdgeschwader 27 and, on 7 September, became Staffelkapitän of the squadron. During the Battle of Britain, he flew combat operations over southern England and the Channel, claiming the majority of his early victories during this period. By the end of September 1940, he had achieved fourteen confirmed aerial victories.
Rödel remained with Jagdgeschwader 27 as it was deployed to the Balkans in 1941, where he added further victories during the campaign over Greece. He then took part in operations on the Eastern Front before being transferred with his unit to North Africa, where he achieved a significant portion of his total against RAF and Commonwealth forces.
On 20 May 1942, Rödel was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./Jagdgeschwader 27. He continued to score steadily in North Africa, including multiple-victory sorties, and was later promoted to command the entire wing. On 22 April 1943, he became Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 27.
Rödel continued to lead JG 27 through operations in the Mediterranean and later in the Defence of the Reich, where he engaged United States Army Air Forces bomber formations. He achieved his 98th and final victory on 5 July 1944.
By the end of the war, Rödel had flown over 980 combat missions and recorded 98 confirmed victories, all but one against Western Allied aircraft.
After the war, Rödel joined the Bundeswehr in 1957 and served in the newly formed Luftwaffe. He retired on 30 September 1971 with the rank of Brigadegeneral. He died at Bonn-Bad Godesberg on 6 February 1995.
Hauptmann Walter Oesau
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Jagdgeschwader 51
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 127 confirmed (26 during the Battle of Britain)
Walter “Gulle” Oesau was born at Farnewinkel near Meldorf, Holstein, on 28 June 1913. He entered the German Army in 1933 and transferred into Luftwaffe service the following year, undertaking pilot training before being posted to a fighter unit that ultimately became part of Jagdgeschwader 2 “Richthofen.”
Oesau gained his first combat experience during the Spanish Civil War, serving with 3./Jagdgruppe 88 of the Condor Legion. Flying in Spain, he claimed eight victories and was awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Diamonds. He was also wounded during the campaign.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Oesau was serving as Staffelkapitän of 2./Jagdgeschwader 20, a unit later redesignated within Jagdgeschwader 51. He scored his first victory of the war during the Battle of France on 13 May 1940, and by the end of that campaign had increased his total World War II score to five.
During the Battle of Britain, Oesau flew the Messerschmitt Bf 109 as Staffelkapitän of 7./Jagdgeschwader 51 and quickly established himself as one of the Luftwaffe’s most successful fighter leaders. On 10 July 1940, the opening day of the battle, he claimed three Spitfires. On 18 August, during the fighting over Kent, he shot down a Hurricane for his twentieth victory overall and was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross two days later. On 23 August 1940, he became Gruppenkommandeur of III./Jagdgeschwader 51. By October 1940, his total score had risen to forty-eight, including twenty-six Spitfires.
Oesau later transferred to III./Jagdgeschwader 3 and then, in July 1941, assumed command of Jagdgeschwader 2 “Richthofen.” He continued to add to his score on both the Eastern Front and in the west, becoming the third Luftwaffe pilot to reach one hundred aerial victories. He was awarded the Oak Leaves and later the Swords to the Knight’s Cross for his achievements.
On 12 November 1943, Oesau was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 1. In the Defence of the Reich campaign, he led his unit against the growing United States Army Air Forces bomber offensive and became increasingly successful against four-engined bombers.
On 11 May 1944, despite suffering from influenza, Oesau took off from Paderborn in a Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6/AS, “Green 13,” to intercept a major American bomber formation over Belgium. During the ensuing combat near St Vith, he became separated from his formation and was engaged by American fighters, most probably P-38 Lightnings of the 474th Fighter Group. His aircraft was badly hit and crashed south-west of St Vith, killing him. He was thirty years old.
By the time of his death, Walter Oesau had achieved 127 confirmed victories, including fourteen four-engined bombers. Jagdgeschwader 1 was later given the honorific title “Oesau” in his memory. He remains one of the Luftwaffe’s most accomplished and respected fighter leaders of the war.
Leutnant Hans-Ekkehard Bob
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Jagdgeschwader 54
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 60 confirmed (19 during the Battle of Britain)
Hans-Ekkehard Bob was born on 24 January 1917. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1936 as an officer candidate and began flight training on 1 June 1937. After attending the officers’ academy, he served with fighter units in the period before the war, initially flying the Arado Ar 68 and later the Messerschmitt Bf 109.
Before the invasion of Poland, Bob was transferred to 3./Jagdgeschwader 21, a unit later redesignated on 6 June 1940 as 9./Jagdgeschwader 54. He gained his first aerial victory during the Battle of France on 10 May 1940, when he shot down a Gloster Gladiator over Tongeren in Belgium.
During the Battle of Britain, Bob flew the Messerschmitt Bf 109 with 9./Jagdgeschwader 54. His unit was employed in fighter-bomber and anti-shipping operations, and he steadily increased his score during the campaign. By November 1940, he had recorded 19 victories. On 10 October 1940, he was appointed Staffelkapitän of 7./Jagdgeschwader 54 for a short time, and was soon afterwards appointed Staffelkapitän of 9./Jagdgeschwader 54.
He was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 7 March 1941 in recognition of his combat success. After the Battle of Britain, he took part in the Balkan campaign, where he recorded his twentieth and twenty-first victories, and then went east with Jagdgeschwader 54 for Operation Barbarossa. On 23 June 1941, he scored his first victory in Russian airspace, but was himself forced down behind enemy lines and took two days to return to his unit.
Bob continued to serve with distinction on the Eastern Front and later in the west. He achieved his 50th victory on 29 September 1942 and was promoted to Hauptmann later that year. On 1 August 1943, he was promoted to Major and appointed Gruppenkommandeur of IV./Jagdgeschwader 54.
In 1944, he served as Gruppenkommandeur of II./Jagdgeschwader 3 on Defence of the Reich duties. Later that year he joined Erprobungskommando 262 and converted to the Messerschmitt Me 262. In the final months of the war, he served on General Josef Kammhuber’s staff, worked on the allocation of new Me 262 aircraft, and later joined Jagdverband 44 under Adolf Galland.
By the end of the war, Hans-Ekkehard Bob had flown approximately 700 combat missions and achieved 60 confirmed victories, of which 37 were on the Eastern Front.
After the war, Bob returned to civilian life and initially worked as a farm labourer. In 1946, he founded a transport company, and in 1956 established his own business, BOMAG, specialising in drilling equipment. He also helped found the Celle Flying Club. He remained active in aviation and historical commemorative events in later life.
Hans-Ekkehard Bob died on 12 August 2013.
Major Erich Mix
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Jagdgeschwader 2 “Richthofen”
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 8 confirmed (all during the Battle of France and Battle of Britain)
Erich Mix was born on 27 June 1898 in Labuhnken, West Prussia. He initially served as an infantryman during the First World War before transferring to the Imperial German Air Service in 1918. Flying with Jagdstaffel 54, he scored three confirmed aerial victories (with one additional unconfirmed balloon claim) before the end of the war and was awarded both classes of the Iron Cross.
After the war, Mix studied law and entered public service, building a career as a senior administrative official. He resumed flying in the 1930s, retraining as both an observer and fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe. In 1934, he became mayor of Tilsit, and from 1937 served as mayor of Wiesbaden.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Mix returned to active flying duty as a technical officer with I./Jagdgeschwader 53. On 21 September 1939, he shot down three French Morane fighters over the Saar, followed by four more victories on 22 November 1939. In March 1940, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III./Jagdgeschwader 2 “Richthofen.”
During the Battle of France, Mix added further victories, including three Morane fighters on 21 May 1940, though he was himself shot down and forced to land near Roye. After recovering from his injuries, he returned to duty and continued operations into the early stages of the Battle of Britain. On 4 September 1940, he claimed a Hawker Hurricane.
Mix remained Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 2 until 24 September 1940, when he was relieved of command as part of a wider shift toward younger fighter leaders. He later served with Jagdgeschwader 1, claiming his final victory—a Bristol Blenheim—over the Netherlands in July 1941.
Over the course of the war, Erich Mix achieved eight confirmed aerial victories, making him one of the relatively few pilots to have flown operationally in both world wars, though not a “two-war ace” in the strict sense.
After his flying career, Mix held senior staff roles, including serving as Jagdfliegerführer Bretagne from 1943. Following the war, he resumed his political career, serving again as mayor of Wiesbaden from 1954 to 1960. He died on 9 April 1971.
Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Greiser
Nationality: Germany
Units: Jagdgeschwader 2
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E & F
Kills: 34 confirmed (7 during the Battle of Britain)
Karl-Heinz Greisert was born on 2 February 1908 and joined the Luftwaffe in 1936, at a time when Germany was rapidly expanding its air arm. He gained early combat experience during the Spanish Civil War with the Condor Legion, where he scored his first aerial victory.
By the summer of 1940, Greisert was serving with II./Jagdgeschwader 2 during the Battle of Britain, flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E. He participated extensively in operations over southern England and the Channel, claiming a number of victories against RAF fighters. On 3 September 1940, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 2, and following the death of Helmut Wick in November, he briefly served as acting Geschwaderkommodore of JG 2 until early 1941.
Throughout 1941 and early 1942, Greisert remained on the Western Front, taking part in the air battles over northern France and the Channel during the RAF’s “Circus” operations. A steady and disciplined leader, he was highly regarded for his escort tactics and formation control. During this period, he also played a role in major operations such as the Channel Dash, providing fighter cover for German naval units transiting the English Channel. By the spring of 1942, he had accumulated 22 victories over British and French aircraft and was awarded the German Cross in Gold.
In May 1942, Greisert was promoted to Major and transferred to the Eastern Front, taking command of III./Jagdgeschwader 3 during the opening phase of the German summer offensive. Operating in the Donets region, he quickly added to his tally, claiming several Soviet aircraft in the intense, low-level fighting typical of the Eastern Front.
On 22 July 1942, during a low-altitude engagement with Soviet fighters, Greisert’s Bf 109 was damaged. Forced to bail out at very low height, his parachute failed to deploy fully, and he was killed on impact. He was 34 years old. At the time of his death, he had been credited with 34 aerial victories, including numerous RAF fighters and several Il-2 Sturmoviks. Greisert was remembered as a composed, professional officer whose career reflected both the early successes in the West and the brutal, high-intensity combat of the Eastern Front.
Hauptmann Johannes Steinhoff
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Jagdgeschwader 52
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 176 confirmed (6 during the Battle of Britain)
Johannes Steinhoff was born on 15 September 1913 in Bottendorf, Thuringia, and joined the Luftwaffe in 1936 after a brief period in naval service. Following flight training, he was posted to fighter units and, in early 1940, transferred to 4./Jagdgeschwader 52 as Staffelkapitän.
During the Battle of Britain, Steinhoff flew the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E with JG 52, claiming six confirmed aerial victories while escorting bombers and engaging RAF fighters over southern England. Though not among the highest scorers of the campaign, his professionalism, leadership, and ability to train and mentor younger pilots marked him as a rising figure within the Jagdwaffe.
Steinhoff’s combat career expanded significantly following the campaign. On the Eastern Front, he became one of the Luftwaffe’s most successful fighter leaders, eventually achieving 176 confirmed victories across nearly 1,000 combat missions. He later commanded Jagdgeschwader 77 in the Mediterranean theater and, in the final phase of the war, took command of Jagdgeschwader 7, the Luftwaffe’s first operational jet fighter wing flying the Messerschmitt Me 262. He also served with the elite jet unit JV 44 under Adolf Galland.
On 18 April 1945, Steinhoff was severely injured in a takeoff accident when his Me 262 crashed, suffering extensive burns that left lasting physical scars and effectively ended his flying career.
After the war, Steinhoff played a central role in rebuilding West Germany’s air force. As a senior officer in the Bundesluftwaffe, he rose to the rank of General and later served as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, one of the highest military positions within the alliance. He died in 1994, widely respected not only for his wartime record but also for his contributions to postwar military cooperation and reconciliation.
Oberleutnant Friedrich Geißhardt
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Lehrgeschwader 2
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 102 confirmed (6 during the Battle of Britain)
Friedrich Geißhardt was born on 22 January 1919 in Sonnefeld, Bavaria, and joined the Luftwaffe in 1937. He began his operational career with Lehrgeschwader 2, flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 during the early campaigns of the war, including the invasion of Poland and the Battle of France.
Geißhardt saw further action during the Battle of Britain, where he claimed several victories against RAF aircraft while flying escort and fighter sweep missions over southern England and the Channel. By the end of 1940 and into early 1941, he had established himself as an effective and increasingly successful fighter pilot.
His career accelerated rapidly on the Eastern Front following the launch of Operation Barbarossa. There, Geißhardt achieved the majority of his victories, demonstrating aggressive tactics and a high rate of success in the intense and frequent air combat typical of that theater. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross in August 1941 and later the Oak Leaves in June 1942 as his tally continued to rise.
Transferred with his unit to the Mediterranean theater, Geißhardt added further victories over Malta and North Africa, reaching 100 confirmed kills in November 1942. By this stage, he had emerged as one of the Luftwaffe’s leading aces, with a reputation for bold flying and consistent effectiveness in combat.
In early 1943, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III./Jagdgeschwader 26 in Western Europe. On 5 April 1943, while flying a Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Geißhardt was severely wounded by defensive fire from United States Army Air Forces B-17 bombers during an interception mission. Despite his injuries, he managed to land his aircraft, but succumbed to his wounds the following day, on 6 April 1943. He was 24 years old.
At the time of his death, Geißhardt had been credited with 102 aerial victories achieved in over 600 combat missions, the majority on the Eastern Front. He remains one of the youngest high-scoring fighter aces of the war, his career reflecting the rapid rise—and often abrupt end—of many Luftwaffe Experten.
Hauptmann Wilhelm Balthasar
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Jagdgeschwader 1
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 47 confirmed (8 during the Battle of Britain)
Wilhelm Balthasar was born on 2 February 1914 in Fulda and began his military career as an artillery officer in the Reichswehr before transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1935. He gained early combat experience during the Spanish Civil War with the Condor Legion, where he emerged as one of Germany’s most effective early fighter pilots and was awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords and Diamonds.
At the outset of the Second World War, Balthasar quickly distinguished himself during the campaign in the West, becoming the Luftwaffe’s most successful fighter pilot of the Battle of France with 23 victories. By mid-1940, he was serving as a Gruppenkommandeur and later flew operations during the Battle of Britain, flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E. Though wounded during the campaign, he continued to add to his tally and demonstrated determined leadership under combat conditions.
On 16 February 1941, Balthasar was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 2, succeeding Helmut Wick. Leading from the front, he continued to fly operational missions over northern France and the Channel, and by late June 1941 had raised his total to 40 victories, earning the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves.
On 3 July 1941, while engaged in combat over northern France, Balthasar’s Bf 109 F suffered structural failure during a high-speed maneuver, and the aircraft broke apart in flight. He was killed instantly. Posthumously promoted to Major, he was credited with 47 aerial victories, in addition to his successes in Spain.
Balthasar was widely regarded as one of the Luftwaffe’s most capable early-war leaders—an accomplished combat pilot whose aggressive flying and front-line command style exemplified the qualities of the Jagdwaffe at its peak.
Hauptmann Heinrich Bär
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Jagdgeschwader 51
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 220 confirmed (10 during the Battle of Britain)
Oskar-Heinrich “Pritzl” Bär was born on 25 May 1913 in Sommerfeld, Saxony. He joined the Reichswehr in 1934 and transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935. After initially serving as a mechanic and then as a transport pilot, he was informally retrained as a fighter pilot and, on 1 September 1938, posted to I./Jagdgeschwader 135, a unit that later formed the core of Jagdgeschwader 51.
Bär claimed his first aerial victory on 25 September 1939 during the fighting on the French border. By the end of the Battle of France he had added two further victories, and during the Battle of Britain he increased his score by another ten. Flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 with Jagdgeschwader 51, he was already showing the aggressive style and independence that would define his career. By the end of 1940 his total had reached 13, and in early 1941 he added four more victories against the RAF, bringing his score to 17.
In June 1941, Bär went east with Jagdgeschwader 51 for Operation Barbarossa. There he rapidly became one of the Luftwaffe’s leading aces, claiming 27 victories within the first weeks of the campaign and receiving the Knight’s Cross on 2 July 1941. His total continued to rise quickly, and on 14 August he was awarded the Oak Leaves. By 16 February 1942, with 90 victories, he received the Swords to the Knight’s Cross.
In May 1942, Bär was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 77 and later fought in the Mediterranean and North African theatres. There he continued to increase his score, eventually reaching 179 victories. However, his difficult relations with senior commanders, together with his insubordinate manner and independent character, damaged his prospects for further recognition. Hermann Göring in particular disliked him, and despite his extraordinary record he was never awarded the Diamonds.
After a period of disfavour, Bär returned to combat in the Defence of the Reich. In 1944 he served with Jagdgeschwader 1 and later commanded Jagdgeschwader 3. During this phase of the war he became increasingly successful against United States Army Air Forces heavy bombers and reached his 200th victory on 22 April 1944.
In 1945, Bär transferred to jet operations. After commanding the jet training unit III./Ergänzungs-Jagdgeschwader 2, he later joined Jagdverband 44 under Adolf Galland. Flying the Messerschmitt Me 262, he scored 16 victories in jet combat, making him one of the highest-scoring jet aces of the war. He ended the conflict with 220 confirmed victories after more than 1,000 combat missions.
After the war, Bär settled in Braunschweig and remained active in aviation as a consultant and test pilot. On 28 April 1957, while carrying out a routine flight test in a light aircraft near Braunschweig-Waggum, he was killed in a crash.
Heinz Bär remains one of the Luftwaffe’s most formidable fighter pilots, notable not only for the breadth of his combat service across every major European theatre, but also for the way his independence and defiance repeatedly brought him into conflict with his superiors.
Oberleutnant Ulrich Steinhilper
Nationality: Germany
Unit: Jagdgeschwader 52
Aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109 E
Kills: 5 confirmed (during the Battle of Britain)
Ulrich Steinhilper was born on 14 September 1918 in Stuttgart, Germany. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1936 after graduating early to begin flight training, and by 1939 was serving with Jagdgeschwader 52, where he also worked closely with Adolf Galland as an adjutant and communications officer.
During the Battle of France, Steinhilper flew Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters on operational sorties, gaining initial combat experience. In the Battle of Britain, he flew extensively—completing over 150 sorties against England, at times flying multiple missions in a single day. He achieved five confirmed aerial victories, becoming an ace, with additional aircraft destroyed on the ground during attacks on RAF airfields.
On 27 October 1940, after combat with RAF fighters, Steinhilper was shot down near Canterbury by a pilot of No. 74 Squadron and captured after parachuting to safety. He spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner of war, first in Britain and then in Canada, where he made several determined escape attempts—reaching as far as the United States on one occasion—though all ultimately ended in recapture.
After the war, Steinhilper returned to Germany and joined IBM, where he became an early advocate of modern office systems. As a typewriter salesman, he played a key role in promoting the concept of “word processing” (Textverarbeitung), helping to introduce it into wider use in Europe. He later documented his wartime experiences in his memoir Spitfire on My Tail, offering a rare and reflective account of a young Luftwaffe fighter pilot’s perspective.
Ulrich Steinhilper died on 20 October 2009 in Stuttgart at the age of 91.