Herbert Bachnick

Herbert Bachnick (9 February 1920 – 7 August 1944) was a World War II flying ace in the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) credited with 80 aerial victories—that is, 80 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft, all but one over the Eastern Front. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career
Bachnick was born on 9 February 1920 in Mannheim in the Republic of Baden. On 1 October 1938, Bachnik who was a kaufmännischer Angestellter (merchant) in his civil life, joined the military service in Luftwaffe. Following flight training, he was posted to 9. Staffel (9th squadron), also known as the Karaya-Staffel, of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52–52nd Fighter Wing) on 5 December 1942 serving on the Eastern Front. At the time, 9. Staffel was commanded by Hauptmann Ernst Ehrenberg and was subordinated to III. Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 52 headed by Major Hubertus von Bonin.

War against the Soviet Union
In preparation for Operation Citadel and the Battle of Kursk, III. Gruppe moved to the airfield Bessonovka at Ugrim, located south of Kursk, on 3 July. Here, Bachnick claimed his first three aerial victories on 5 July 1943 when he shot down a Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber, an Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft and a Lavochkin La-5 fighter. Following these events, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse) and promoted to Feldwebel (sergeant). On 2 August, III. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Warwarowka, located south of Belgorod, where they stayed for three days. There, Bachnik claimed an Il-2 ground-attack aircraft and a Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighter shot down on 4 August, and another LaGG-3 the following day.

On 14 August, the Gruppe relocated to Pereshchepyne where they stayed for four days. Here, Bachnik claimed another LaGG-3 destroyed on 17 August. Then flying from Mikhaylovka on 19 August, he again claimed a LaGG-3 fighter. On 23 August, III. Gruppe was ordered to an airfield at Makeyevka. Here, Bachnik increased his number of aerial victories claimed to 17 by end-August. On 9 September, III. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Dnipropetrovsk, present-day Dnipro, operating from this airfield until 24 September. Here, Bachnik claimed thirteen aerial victories, taking his total to 30 aerial victories. The Gruppe reached an airfield near Apostolovo on 1 November. With the exception of a brief period from 12 to 20 November when they also used an airfield at Kirovohrad, the Gruppe remained here until 7 January 1944. Here, Bachnik claimed further aerial victories, increasing his total 46 by end of 1943. Bachnick received the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 13 December 1943. On 7 January 1944, Bachnik became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time when he claimed five Il-2 ground-attack aircraft shot down near Nova Praha and Kirovohrad.

On 5 February, Bachnick was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) for 55 aerial victories claimed. The Gruppe moved to an airfield at Proskurov, present-day Khmelnytskyi, on 12 March where they stayed until 23 March. Here, Bachnick became an "ace-in-a-day" again on 13 March, and a third time on 19 March. On 21 March, he was credited with III. Gruppe's 3,500th aerial victory. In April, Unteroffizier Bachnick was transferred to 2. Staffel of Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost as an instructor. He was promoted to Leutnant in May. Bachnick was wounded in combat with United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) bombers and fighters on 7 July force landing his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 27 July for 78 aerial victories.

Bachnick returned to 9. Staffel of JG 52 following three months as an instructor. At the time, III. Gruppe was based at Kraków in Poland and defending against the Soviet Operation Bagration which defeated Army Group Center under command of Generalfeldmarschall Ernst Busch, retaking all of Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic and securing a foothold in Eastern Poland. On 7 August 1944, he engaged a USAAF formation and shot down a North American P-51 Mustang. However, his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 166065—factory number) "Yellow 4" was damaged in the encounter. Bachnick attempted a forced landing near Myslowitz but crashed into a railroad embarkment, killing him.

Aerial victory claims
According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Bachnik was credited with 80 aerial victories. Spick also lists him with 80 aerial victories, including one four-engined bomber, claimed in 373 combat missions. Obermaier lists Bachnick with 80 aerial victories, 79 of which on the Eastern Front, claimed in 373 combat mission. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 78 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 62773". 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 sqmi. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 x in size.

Awards

 * Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Fighter Pilots in Gold (31 July 1943)
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (6 August 1943)
 * 1st Class (7 September 1943)
 * Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 13 December 1943 as Feldwebel and pilot
 * German Cross in Gold on 5 February 1944 as Feldwebel in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 52
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 July 1944 as Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel and pilot in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 52