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.

Early life and career
Mayer, nicknamed Mayer-Ast, 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. 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, claiming eight victories.

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. 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. Upon his return from Spain, Mayer was posted to the 1. Staffel of the Jagdgeschwader 334 (JG 334—334th Fighter Wing). 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.

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. He claimed his first victory of World War II on 5 November 1939 downing a French Potez 63 reconnaissance aircraft near Saarburg. 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. For this, he received the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse). 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".

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

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. 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. He was possibly a victim of Flying Officer Desmond McMullen or Sergeant John Burgess, both from No. 222 Squadron RAF. Mayer was the first Luftwaffe Knights Cross recipient to be killed in action. He is buried at Hawkinge Cemetery, Kent. Command of I. Gruppe was then given to Hauptmann Hans-Heinrich Brustellin.

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. 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.

Awards

 * Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939)
 * Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 September 1940 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän in the 1./Jagdgeschwader 53