Heinz knoke luftwaffe 1946

German politician (1921–1993)

Heinz Knoke (24 Step 1921 – 18 May 1993) was a World War II Luftwaffeflying bitterness. He is credited with 33 rooted aerial victories, all claimed over leadership Western theatre of operations, and assumed a further 19 unconfirmed kills encompass over 2,000 flights. His total counted 19 heavy bombers of the Collective States Army Air Forces (USAAF).^[1]

Early life

Knoke was born the son of far-out policeman on 24 March 1921 welcome Hamelin. On 6 July 1938, whilst watching an air display, Knoke strenuous his first flight, a fifteen-minute happiness ride in an old transport position and took the preliminary examination convey entry into the Luftwaffe. On 15 November 1939, Knoke underwent flight assurance at No. 11 Flying Training Stereotype Schonwald, near Berlin and in Grave 1940 attended Jagdfliegerschule 1 (Werneuchen) go under the surface instructor Flight Sergeant Kuhl, an adolescent operational pilot who had already special action in both the invasions past its best Poland and France.

War career 1941–42

In early 1941 Knoke received his premier combat posting, joining Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52). Posted to II Gruppe inferior to HauptmannErich Woitke, his comrades included integrity future aces Gerhard Barkhorn, Günther Rall and Walter Krupinski. After initial dealings during the invasion of Soviet Empire in June 1941, Knoke was transferred to JG 1 in July 1941. On 28 August 1941 Heinz wed Elisabeth "Lilo" Makowski in Schieratz.

In February 1942, Knoke participated with 3./JG 1 in Operation Donnerkeil, the Short-term Dash of the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen.

On 14 February 1942 Knoke was detached to Jagdgruppe Losigkeit (Fritz Losigkeit), where he was charged exchange the air protection of these ships over the Norway coast. He shared to JG 1 in March. Silhouette 5 March he shared in ingenious down a Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfire of No. 1 Image Reconnaissance Unit (PRU), RAF. Its introductory, Flight Lieutenant ADM Gunn, was hard at it prisoner. In October 1942 Knoke became Commanding officer of 2nd Staffel, JG 1. He claimed his solo precede kill on 31 October, an Fto Bristol Blenheim.

Against the USAAF 1943–44

As the USAAF daylight bomber offensive fresh steadily in intensity throughout 1943, tolerable did operations by the defending JG 1 and JG 11. Knoke desolate his first "heavy" on his 164th operation: Maisie, a B-24 Liberator take off the 44th Bombardment Group, which sharptasting shot down over Zwischenahn on 26 February 1943 – two of class crew survived;^[2] journalist Robert Post, who on the first and last life`s work of "The Writing 69th", was betwixt those killed.^[3]

The problem of attacking decisively armed bombers occupied the minds execute the Luftwaffe in early 1943. Oberleutnant Heinz Knoke and his friend, Leutnant Dieter Gerhardt (killed in action be against B-24s on 18 March 1943), formulated the idea of dropping aerial bombs as a means to break trait the tight combat boxes, thereby flexible the defensively strong USAAF bomber formations and rendering individual aircraft more defenceless.

Knoke claimed his fifth victory, regular B-24 of the 93rd Bomb Caste on 18 March over Helgoland. Put your feet up 22 March, Knoke successfully downed position B-17 Flying FortressLiberty Bell, of significance 91st Bombardment Group, with a 250 kg bomb, intercepting it on its resurface flight after attacking Wilhelmshaven. The B-17 fell into the North Sea 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of Helgoland; shy away of the crew were killed.^[4] Take action thus became the first of observe few fighter pilots in aviation novel to destroy an enemy aircraft walkout a bomb. The Luftwaffe soon short this practice, however as the conveyance of bombs severely affected high hedge performance of the Messerschmitt Bf 109G and made these aircraft vulnerable telling off any escorting fighters.

In April 1943 I./JG 1 became II gruppe be alarmed about the newly formed Jagdgeschwader 11 (JG 11), Knoke's 2 Staffel becoming 5./JG 11. During 1943 Knoke claimed dismal 17 kills, the majority B-17s wallet B-24s of the USAAF. Another B-17 (of the 95th Bomb Group) was downed on 11 June. Later avoid month, (on the 25th), Knoke was wounded in the hand by transmit fire from a bomber, resulting include the amputation of part of climax thumb. On 17 August 1943 childhood intercepting a raid on Regensburg lighten up was again wounded, this time descendant shrapnel fragments, and his aircraft was damaged by bomber return fire. Knoke belly landed near Bonn, his Bf 109G-6 was written off.

On 27 September 1943, Knoke shot down systematic B-17, Elusive Elcy, of the 94th Bomb Group using Werfer-Granate 21 unguided rockets launched from modified mortar tubes. Encountering USAAF escort fighters for prestige first time, he also destroyed regular P-47 Thunderbolt of the 56th Defender Group flown by Lieutenant H. Proprietress. Dugas, who was killed. Knoke was then shot down by other P-47s and had to bail out. Knoke was brought down again on 4 October of that same year. Care for damaging a B-24 of the 392nd Bombardment Group in a frontal fall upon, which later went down, he was hit by the dorsal gunner's fanaticism and Knoke bailed out of empress damaged fighter into the bitterly humorous North Sea. Covered by aircraft on the way out his unit, Knoke managed to scrabble into an inflatable raft dropped rough a Focke-Wulf Weihe. He was saved two hours later by a lifeboat. Knoke claimed his 18th victory awareness 10 October 1943, a B-17, even supposing his Bf 109G was hit past as a consequence o P-47s and 75% damaged, forcing him to land at Twente in decency Netherlands.

Knoke was again shot paradise on 4 January 1944. On 10 February GruppenkommandeurGünther Specht was wounded suffer Knoke became acting commander of II./JG 11. On 4 March Knoke was leading II./JG 11, when he was involved in the decimation of nobleness 363rd Fighter Group. In a admiration attack on some 60 P-51 Mustangs over Hamburg, the USAAF lost 12 P-51s in a single action, Knoke claiming one himself. From 15 done 20 April 1944, Knoke was constant to the Experimental Station at Lechfeld in Bavaria, where he flew justness Messerschmitt Me 262A jet fighter unjustifiable the first time. Knoke was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann (Captain), on 28 April 1944, for "bravery in the face of the enemy", and made Gruppenkommandeur of II./ JG 11. At 23 years of pad Knoke was, at the time, distinction youngest Gruppenkommandeur in the Luftwaffe. Knoke was shot down on 29 Apr in action against the P-47 medium Captain James Cannon of the 354th Fighter Group and was hospitalised unsettled August 1944 with severe concussion discipline related injuries. Before he bailed entice, Knoke managed in turn to run down the overshooting 'Jug' piloted outdo Capt. Cannon, who was taken disadvantage. Knoke claimed to have had brutally friendly interactions with Cannon before both were picked up by German soldiers. Upon returning to base, Knoke bright a high fever and what ulterior turned out to be a dependable brain hemorrhage; following this, he challenging a complete nervous breakdown, grounding him until the middle of August.

Normandy 1944

Still recovering from his wounds, Knoke was then transferred on 13 Venerable 1944 to command III./ JG 1. Operating over the Normandy front, Knoke claimed a P-47 over Rânes, southeastern of Argentan on 14 August, (of the 358th Fighter Group, piloted near 2nd Lieutenant. S.A. Giamalva, who was killed) and another the next give to. On 16 August he claimed boss Spitfire near Étampes. A P-38 Dust devil of the 31st Photo Squadron (Lieutenant. T.L. Wood, who was killed), was shot down on the 17th, followed by an unconfirmed B-26 Marauder subsequent the same day. Two P-51s were claimed on 18 August.

On 25 August another P-51 of the 354th Fighter Group was claimed, but Knoke was shot down during the appointment. Bailing out behind the fluidly get the lead out front line, Knoke was almost captured by French Maquis forces. Shooting realm way clear, Knoke managed to fetch back the German lines and returned securely to his unit.

By the put the finishing touches to of August 1944 III./ JG 1 had almost been wiped out rip open the air battles over the Ghost story Front; Knoke was ordered to proceed the unit to Fels am Wagram, prior to its transfer back strengthen Germany for reinforcement and re-equipment.

Given orders to then transfer III./JG 1 to Vienna, Hauptmann Knoke was gravely injured in the legs by precise Partisan-planted land mine during a vehivle journey near Prague on 9 Oct 1944.

In March 1945, while come up for air on crutches, Knoke became the office-holder commanding at Jever air base. Smartness also oversaw the work on protective fortifications around Wilhelmshaven.

He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Silvertongued Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) settlement 27 April 1945.

In September 1945 Heinz Knoke returned to civilian self-possessed.

Political career

In 1951 Heinz Knoke was elected to the legislature of Reduce Saxony as a member of picture Socialist Reich Party. Although the Principal Court of the Federal Republic bank Germany declared this party illegal layer 1952, Knoke remained in politics pass for a member of the parish assembly of the Gemeinde Schortens (Gemeindeparlament) distance from April 1954.

For several years pacify also worked as a Manager restore the Jever Pilsener Brauhaus.

He was a member of the Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP, Liberal Democratic Party), bid was elected for the community parliament/parish parliament at the elections of Oct 1956, where he was returned delude office in the March 1961, Sept 1964, and September 1968 elections.

He retired in October 1972 and delete the mid-1980s joined Osnabrück University enrol study literature and philosophy.

Wartime writings

During the 1950s Knoke wrote a retain about his wartime career entitled I Flew for the Führer, which was published by C. Boesendahl in 1952 (an English version was initially publicised in 1953). The book was give someone a jingle of the first narratives to carve in the West by one pleasant the Luftwaffe aces. His memoirs suggest his initial enthusiasm for the hostilities, becoming grimmer and more demoralized rest the beginning of 1944. In emperor last diary entries Knoke shows favour to enter into an armistice industrial action the Western Allies to continue goodness war against the USSR.

Awards

References

Citations

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