Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

August Lambert

August Lambert
August Lambert
Born(1916-02-18)18 February 1916
Kleestadt
Died17 April 1945(1945-04-17) (aged 29)
Kamenz
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service / branchLuftwaffe
Years of service1937–45
RankOberleutnant
UnitSchlG 1, SG 2, SG 77
Battles / warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

August Lambert (18 February 1916 – 17 April 1945) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and ground-attack pilot during World War II. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 116 aerial victories claimed in approximately 350 combat missions for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. All of his aerial victories were claimed on the Eastern Front[1] as a ground attack pilot in a Schlachtgeschwader, not as a fighter pilot in a Jagdgeschwader. He is the highest scoring ground attack pilot.

Career

Lambert was born on 18 February 1916 in Kleestadt in the Grand Duchy of Hesse. After he joined the Luftwaffe, he was trained as a pilot in 1937/38.[Note 1] Lambert then served as a flight instructor in various training units until 1943.[3]

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. In 1943, Lambert was transferred to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Schlachtgeschwader 1 (SG 1—1st Ground Assault Wing).[3] As an Oberfeldwebel, he flew his first combat mission on southern sector of the Eastern Front and claimed his first aerial victory on 23 April 1943 was not confirmed.[4] Lambert flew almost 200 ground support missions in which he and the fellow pilots of II./SG 2 accounted for the destruction of hundreds of ground support vehicles and artillery batteries.

II./SG 1 was renamed Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" (SG 2—2nd Ground Assault Wing) on 18 October 1943.

II. Gruppe of SG 2 was heavily involved in the Crimean campaign during early-mid 1944, and in addition to its usual ground-attack work flew interception sorties, claiming some 247 Soviet aircraft shot down.[5] On 10 April 1944, he claimed four victories, a Yak-9, a P-39 Airacobra and two Il-2 Sturmoviks. On 17 April 1944, Lambert was credited with twelve aerial victories, including five Il-2 Sturmovik.[6] According to Bergström, this number may be exaggerated according to Soviet records. The Ministry of Aviation (RLM—Reichsluftfahrtministerium) only holds records for five of these claims.[7] He claimed nine further victories on 4 May.[8] On 6 May 1944, Lambert again claimed to have become a "double-ace in a day". These 14 aerial victories over an unknown type were not documented by the RLM.[6]

Leutnant Lambert claimed some 70 aerial victories during one three-week period.[9] He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 14 May 1944 and the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 1 October 1944.[4] By May 1944, the depleted II./SG 2 retired to bases in Romania.

Following the Battle of the Crimea resulting in the evacuation of the Crimea by the Germans, Lambert served as an instructor with Schlachtgeschwader 151. In March 1945, he was posted to Schlachtgeschwader 77 (SG 77—77th Ground Assault Wing) where he commanded 8. Staffel as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) and Oberleutnant.[10] In April 1945, Lambert was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 101st Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[11]

On the morning of 17 April 1945, Leutnant Gerhard Bauer, Lambert, and another pilot were taking off from Kamenz for a mission to the front when American P-51Ds of the 55th Fighter Group appeared. Bauer's Fw 190 F-9 "Black 1 +" was quickly shot down north of Kuckau, about eight kilometres east-south-east of Kamenz. August Lambert and another 8./Schlachtgeschwader 77 pilot tried desperately to get away, but could not lose their pursuers. Lambert was shot down and killed in action in his Fw 190 F-8 "Black 9 +" just north of Hoyerswerda, a town some 20 kilometres (12 mi) north-north-east of Kamenz.[12]

Lambert was officially credited with shooting down 116 enemy aircraft, all claimed on the Eastern Front. He also claimed over 100 vehicles destroyed in ground attacks. After his death, Lambert had been nominated for the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross, but this request was not approved.[13]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Lambert was credited with 116 aerial victories.[14] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Lambert was credited with 103 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[15]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Lambert 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 – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Lambert did not receive credit.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– II. Gruppe of Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" –[4]
—
 23 April 1943
—
 unknown
– 6. Staffel of Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" –[4]
13 February 1944 12:25 Yak-9 16 March 1944 15:45 Yak-9
– II. Gruppe of Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" –[15]
19 March 1944 07:38 P-39 ♠ 4 May 1944
—
 unknown
26 March 1944 13:25 P-39 ♠ 4 May 1944
—
 unknown
9 April 1944 07:24 Yak-9 ♠ 4 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 10 April 1944
—
 unknown ♠ 4 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 10 April 1944
—
 unknown ♠ 4 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 10 April 1944
—
 unknown ♠ 4 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 10 April 1944 04:24 Il-2 ♠ 4 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 10 April 1944 10:18 P-39 ♠ 4 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 10 April 1944 12:20 Il-2 ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 10 April 1944 12:25 Yak-9 ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 17 April 1944
—
 unknown ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 17 April 1944
—
 unknown ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 17 April 1944
—
 unknown ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 17 April 1944
—
 unknown ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 17 April 1944
—
 unknown ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 17 April 1944
—
 unknown ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 17 April 1944
—
 unknown ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 17 April 1944 08:00 Il-2 ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 17 April 1944 08:06 Il-2 ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 17 April 1944 09:45 Il-2 ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 17 April 1944 09:46 Il-2 ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 17 April 1944 09:47 Il-2 ♠ 6 May 1944
—
 unknown
♠ 4 May 1944
—
 unknown
– III. Gruppe of Schlachtgeschwader 77 –[6]
102 17 April 1945
—
 P-51 vicinity of Kamenz airfield

Awards

Notes

  1. ^ Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations.[2]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Spick 1996, p. 231.
  2. ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 17.
  3. ^ a b Obermaier 1976, p. 146.
  4. ^ a b c d Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 711.
  5. ^ Weal 2003, p. 90.
  6. ^ a b c Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 712.
  7. ^ Bergström 2008, p. 50.
  8. ^ Bergström 2008, p. 51.
  9. ^ Weal 1998, p. 44.
  10. ^ Obermaier 1976, pp. 146–147.
  11. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
  12. ^ Weal 2003, p. 112.
  13. ^ MacLean 2007, p. 201.
  14. ^ Zabecki 2019, p. 330.
  15. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 711–712.
  16. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 153.
  17. ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 130.
  18. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 266.
  19. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 282.
  20. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 489.

Bibliography

  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish] (2008). Bagration to Berlin – The Final Air Battles in the East: 1944–1945. Ian Allan. ISBN 978-1-903223-91-8.
  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]; Antipov, Vlad; Sundin, Claes (2003). Graf & Grislawski – A Pair of Aces. Hamilton MT: Eagle Editions. ISBN 978-0-9721060-4-7.
  • Brütting, Georg (1992) [1976]. Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939 – 1945 [These were the German Stuka Aces 1939 – 1945] (in German) (7th ed.). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch. ISBN 978-3-87943-433-6.
  • 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.
  • MacLean, French L (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports: For the Knight's Cross Winners. Vol. One. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Band II Stuka- und Schlachtflieger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Volume II Dive Bomber and Attack Aircraft] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-021-3.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Weal, John (1998) [1995]. Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Russian Front. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 6. London, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-518-0.
  • Weal, John (2003). Luftwaffe Schlachtgruppen. Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 13. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-608-9.
  • Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.
  • Zabecki, David T., ed. (2019). The German War Machine in World War II. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-44-086918-1.
Quelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Lambert