Heinz Sachsenberg

German World War II flying ace

Heinz Wimmersal Sachsenberg (12 July 1922 – 17 June 1951) was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe. He was also 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. Sachsenberg claimed 104 aerial victories.

Sachsenberg was born on 12 July 1922 in Dessau. "Heino", also called "Wimmersaal" by his comrades, was the nephew of Gotthard Sachsenberg, a World War I fighter pilot and recipient of the Pour le Mérite. He had a brother also named Gotthard, who also served in the Luftwaffe, and was killed in action on 8 March 1944 during a night fighter mission.

After flight training he was assigned, as a Feldwebel, to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in the fall of 1942. He was sent to the Eastern Front in late 1942 and was assigned to 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of JG 52. At the time, 6. Staffel was commanded by Oberleutnant Rudolf Resch and was subordinated to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 52 und the leadership of Hauptmann Johannes Steinhoff. On 21 April 1943, Sachsenberg claimed his first aerial victory, shooting down an Ilyushin Il 2 ground attack aircraft southwest of Novorossiysk. On 5 May, Sachsenberg was shot down in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G 4, (Werknummer 14956—factory number) by a Supermarine Spitfire in combat northeast of Anapa. By the end of July 1943, he had shot down 22 enemy airplanes in heavy air combat over the Kuban bridgehead. His unit was then transferred to cover the retreat from the southern Kursk salient where he scored a further 16 victories. After a spell of leave from September to November due to overstress (when he was also awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) and Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe), he returned to the Crimea and the intense air battles over the Kerch Straits. After 76 victories, and on leave, Sachsenberg was recommended for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) in March 1944. Upon returning to the Crimea at the beginning of May, he shot down 25 aircraft in just a month including six aircraft on 7 May, making him an "ace in a day" for the first time. On 31 May, over Iași, in the battles for Romania, he claimed four victories (89 92v.) and five more were claimed on 8 June 1944, bringing his total to 101 air victories. He was the 76th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. Fahnenjunker Feldwebel Sachsenberg was awarded the Knight's Cross on 9 June 1944. Returning from leave, his unit was then transferred to cover the Ploiești oilfields in Romania. On 23 August 1944, he was seriously wounded during an air battle with United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) North American P 51 Mustang fighters, resulting in a forced landing of his Bf 109 G 6, (Werknummer 166233) "Yellow 1". Promoted to Leutnant, he claimed his final victories over Hungary, including a USAAF P 51 and a Soviet Bell P 39 Airacobra.

In 1945, he transferred briefly to jet fighters in Jagdgeschwader 7 (JG 7—7th Fighter Wing) as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 9. Staffel of JG 7, but in April 1945 he joined Jagdverband 44 (JV 44—44th Fighter Detachment) based at Munich Riem. His task was to provide top cover for the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters during takeoff and landing. Sachsenberg was assigned as Staffelkapitän of the Platzschutzstaffel or airfield protection squadron, flying the Focke Wulf Fw 190 D 9 fighter. As squadron commander, his particular aircraft was known as "Red 1". The inscription on his Fw 190 D 9 was "Verkaaft's mei Gwand I foahr in Himmel!" meaning "Sell my clothes I'm going to heaven" in a Bavarian dialect. The Me 262 jet was vulnerable to strafing attacks during takeoff and landing. Generalleutnant Adolf Galland, the commanding officer of JV 44, ordered the formation of the Platzschutzstaffel. Already in 1944, III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing), flying the Fw 190 D, had provided fighter protection to Kommando Nowotny, the first experimental Me 262 jet fighter unit. The aircraft in the protection squadron were painted red on their underbelly with prominent white stripes to help in their identification by ground crews. The legend of the Papagei Staffel (parrot squadron) was born (the name was given after the war and is truly misleading as it was not used by the squadron itself). The decision to paint the aircraft in this manner was made by the pilots themselves, perhaps as result of the failed Operation Bodenplatte, where a number of German aircraft were lost to friendly fire. The protection squadron was tasked with flying Start und Landeschutz (Takeoff and landing cover). During takeoff and landing, the jets were very vulnerable to attacks by strafing Allied ground attack airplanes, because their engines were not very responsive at those times and the jets could not accelerate and decelerate quickly. Thus to give additional protection besides the light and medium AA guns around the airfields, parts of JG 52 and JG 54 were delegated to fly protective missions to cover the takeoff and landing phase of the 'Stormbirds'. JV 44 was a special case in that they had their own protection squadron.

He died on 17 June 1951 in Lich, following complications from wounds he received on 23 October 1944.

"I don't trust anything without a Propeller at least." Sachsenberg in reply to being asked why he didn't fly jet aircraft.

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Sachsenberg was credited with 104 aerial victories. Obermaier also lists Sachsenberg with 104 aerial victories, claimed in 520 combat missions, one on the Western Front and 103 on the Eastern Front. He was also credited with the destruction of one fast attack craft. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 104 aerial victory claims, 103 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and one on the Western Front. Victory claims were logged to a map reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 34 Ost 7545". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) 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 360 square miles (932 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size. Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front – 4 February – 31 December 1943 1 21 April 1943 11:10 Il 2 m. H. PQ 34 Ost 7545, southwest of Novorossiysk 27 6 August 1943 10:50 Yak 1 PQ 35 Ost 61394, southeast of Belgorod 2 8 May 1943 07:18 P 39 PQ 34 Ost 85142, west of Abinskaya 28 6 August 1943 10:54 Il 2 m. H. PQ 35 Ost 61363, south of Petylowka 3 15 May 1943 09:50 P 40 PQ 34 Ost 85141, south of Krymskaya 29 7 August 1943 18:30 La 5 PQ 35 Ost 60832, northeast of Petrowkskaja 4 24 May 1943 10:04 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 75462, east of Kabardinka 30 8 August 1943 18:22 Boston southwest of Krassnopawlowka 5 26 May 1943 15:55 Il 2 m. H. PQ 34 Ost 76852, northwest of Varenikovskaya 31 10 August 1943 13:34 La 5 PQ 35 Ost 71771, northwest of Sserdonka 6 27 May 1943 11:50 Il 2 m. H. PQ 34 Ost 65241, south of Scheljesny Rog 32 12 August 1943 05:35 Yak 1 PQ 35 Ost 41684, southwest of Achtyrka 7 29 May 1943 18:18 Il 2 m. H. PQ 34 Ost 75231, northwest of Krymskaya 33 12 August 1943 10:50 Yak 1 PQ 35 Ost 51513, northeast of Achtyrka 8 29 May 1943 18:20? Il 2 m. H. PQ 34 Ost 76892, northeast of Kijewskoje northeast of Krymsk 34 12 August 1943 10:53 Yak 1 PQ 35 Ost 51373, north of Dernowoje 9 5 June 1943 11:32 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 85114, north of Abinskaja — 12 August 1943 — Yak 1 10 5 June 1943 11:34 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 85112, east of Krymskaya 35 17 August 1943 06:56 Il 2 m. H. PQ 35 Ost 41464, south southwest of Boromlja 11 6 June 1943 07:35 La 5 PQ 34 Ost 76894, east of Kijewskoje 36 17 August 1943 09:40 Il 2 m. H. PQ 35 Ost 51371, east northeast of Boromlja 12 6 June 1943 07:36 La 5 PQ 34 Ost 76894, east of Kijewskoje 37 19 August 1943 16:05 Yak 1 PQ 35 Ost 51593, west of Sewyschtschij 13 8 June 1943 09:27 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 76862, northwest of Imeni Dimitrowa 38 21 August 1943 18:18 La 5 PQ 35 Ost 51593, north of Bohodukhiv 14 11 June 1943 10:19 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 76684, east of Sswisteljnikow 39 19 November 1943 14:29 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 6664, north of Bakssy 15 13 June 1943 10:37 La 5 PQ 34 Ost 85144, southwest of Abinskaja 40 20 November 1943 10:17 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 66677, southwest of Cape Khroni 16 20 July 1943 15:05 P 39 PQ 34 Ost 75452, south of Novorossijsk 41 21 November 1943 09:48 P 39 PQ 34 Ost 66611, northeast of Bulganak — 20 July 1943 — P 39 42 25 November 1943 08:59 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 66643, northeastern edge of Kolonka 17 22 July 1943 08:15 P 39 PQ 34 Ost 76892, northeast of Kijewskoje 43 26 November 1943 13:59 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 66563, southwest of Kerch 18 26 July 1943 06:10 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 75363, southwest of NoworossijskBlack Sea, southeast of Anapa 44 28 November 1943 07:10 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 6685, southeast of Cape Tusla 19 26 July 1943 06:20 Il 2 m. H. PQ 34 Ost 65293, southwest of Anapa 45 4 December 1943 11:56 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 66673, west of Kossa Tusla 20 26 July 1943 10:25 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 76882, southeast of Kesslerowa 46 5 December 1943 07:15 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 66813, west of Taman west of Kossa Tusla 21 26 July 1943 18:20 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 75262, south of Krymskaya 47 5 December 1943 12:30 P 39 PQ 34 Ost 66841, south of Kossa Tusla 22 30 July 1943 06:25 Yak 1 PQ 34 Ost 75234, west of Krymskaya 48 6 December 1943 10:35 MiG 3 PQ 34 Ost 66842, southwest of Taman 23 4 August 1943 11:12 Yak 1 PQ 35 Ost 61383, southeast of Orlovka 49 7 December 1943 14:50 P 39 PQ 34 Ost 66811, west of Taman 24 4 August 1943 13:40 La 5 PQ 35 Ost 61363, southeast of Tomarovka 50 7 December 1943 14:55 P 39 PQ 34 Ost 66812, northwest of Taman 25 4 August 1943 13:47? La 5 PQ 35 Ost 61271, northwest of Gostschtschewo 51 31 December 1943 14:18 Il 2 m. H. PQ 34 Ost 66522, northwest of Kesyvicinity of Felsen Nowyj Sswet 26 4 August 1943 16:00 R 5 PQ 35 Ost 51292, southeast of Rahinoje 52 31 December 1943 15:20 P 39 PQ 34 Ost 66521, northeast of Tschokrak – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front – 1 January 1944 – 16 March 1945 53 3 January 1944 11:15 Yak 7 east of Kolonka east of Kolonka 79♠ 7 May 1944 14:25 Il 2 PQ 35612Black Sea, south of Sevastopol 54 17 January 1944 09:04 P 39 southeast of Kerch north northwest of Baksy 80♠ 7 May 1944 14:40 Yak 7 PQ 35453 east of Sevastopol 55 17 January 1944 11:37 P 39 north northwest of Baksy southeast of Kerch 81♠ 7 May 1944 18:05 P 39 PQ 35612Black Sea, south of Sevastopol 56 17 January 1944 14:40 Yak 7 Adshim Uschkaj north of Adshim Uschkaj 82♠ 7 May 1944 18:25 Yak 7 PQ 35443vicinity of Sevastopol 57 18 January 1944 09:32 Yak 7 north of Baksy north of Baksy 83 8 May 1944 15:40 Yak 7 vicinity of Balaklava south of Sevastopol 58 22 January 1944 13:28 P 39 southwest of Bagerowo southwest of Bagerowo 84 9 May 1944 11:35 Il 2 vicinity of BalaklavaBlack Sea, south of Sevastopol 59 22 January 1944 13:40 Yak 7 Cape Tarchan northwest of Cape Tarchan 85 9 May 1944 11:38 Yak 7 icinity of Balaklava south of Sevastopol 60 23 January 1944 07:25 P 39 Cape Khroni west of Cape Khroni 86 9 May 1944 11:43 Yak 7 icinity of Balaklava south of Sevastopol 61 24 January 1944 07:10 Yak 1 east of Kolonka east of Kolonka 87 30 May 1944 11:42 P 39 vicinity of Huși north of Iași 62 24 January 1944 12:48 Yak 1 Kamysch Burun east of Kamysch Burun 88 30 May 1944 17:24 P 39 vicinity of Sulani 63 7 February 1944 11:05 Yak 7 Adshim Uschkaj southwest of Adshim Uschkaj 89 31 May 1944 08:45 P 39 vicinity of Iași south of Iași 64 7 February 1944 13:43 Yak 9 north of Cape Tarchan north of Cape Tarchan 90 31 May 1944 12:19 P 39 PQ 78645 south of Tudora 65 12 February 1944 08:36 Yak 9 east northeast of Bulganak east northeast of Bulganak 91 31 May 1944 16:40 Yak 1 PQ 78643 south of Tudora 66 15 February 1944 08:37 P 39 southeast of Bulganak southeast of Bulganak 92 31 May 1944 16:44 P 39 vicinity of Huși south of Tudora 67 11 March 1944 11:50 Yak 7 Alexandrovka north northwest of Alexandrovka 93 2 June 1944 08:55 Pe 2 PQ 78683 northeast of Iași 68 11 March 1944 15:00 Yak 7 west of Tschigary west of Tschigary 94 2 June 1944 14:47 Yak 7 PQ 78533 west of Tudora 69 13 March 1944 08:37 Yak 7 east of Feodosia east of Feodosia 95 2 June 1944 16:05 P 39 PQ 78564 southwest of Tudora 70 13 March 1944 08:42 Il 2 m. H. PQ 56873 east of Feodosia 96 6 June 1944 09:04 Pe 2 PQ 48652 north northeast of Bistritz 71 16 March 1944 14:15 Yak 9 south of Tschigary south of Tschigary 97♠ 8 June 1944 10:30 La 5 PQ 78551 west southwest of Tudora 72 17 March 1944 10:05 Yak 7 east of Karankut east of Karankut 98♠ 8 June 1944 10:36 La 5 PQ 78552 west southwest of Tudora 73 17 March 1944 13:38 Yak 7 southwest of Tschigary southwest of Tschigary 99♠ 8 June 1944 13:13 P 39 PQ 78562 southwest of Tudora 74 18 March 1944 16:50 Yak 7 Fedorowka 100♠ 8 June 1944 13:14 P 39 PQ 78641 south of Tudora 75 22 March 1944 10:40 LaGG 3 vicinity of Cape Tarchan 101♠ 8 June 1944 19:22 Il 2 PQ 78592 northwest of Iași 76 22 March 1944 10:45 LaGG 3? Cape Tarchaneast of Bulganak 102 22 August 1944 13:25 Boston PQ 97573 east of Serpnewoje (Leipzig) 77♠ 7 May 1944 08:34 Yak 1 vicinity of BalaklavaBlack Sea, south of Sevastopol 103 3 March 1945 — P 51 Hungary 78♠ 7 May 1944 10:35 Yak 7 vicinity of Balaklava south of Sevastopol 104 16 April 1945 — P 39 Hungary