Viktor Bauer

Viktor Bauer (15 September 1915 – 13 December 1969) was a former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. Bauer is credited with 106 aerial victories, achieved in over 400 combat missions, all but four claimed on the Eastern Front. He was "ace-in-a-day" four times, shooting down five or more aircraft on a single day.

Early life and career
Bauer was born on 19 September 1915 in Löcknitz, the son of a landowner. He joined the military service on 1 April 1935, initially serving in Infanterie-Regiment 1 (1st Infantry Regiment). He served in the Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service) from 1 January 1936 until 31 March 1936. He transferred to the Luftwaffe of the Nazi Germany on 6 April 1936 as a Fahnenjunker (cadet). Bauer completed his flight training on 1 March 1938. That day, he was also promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) and transferred to Kampfgeschwader 138 (KG 138–138th Bomber Wing). On 1 May 1938, he attended a Jagdfliegerschule (fighter pilot school). On 1 July 1938, Bauer was assigned to the VI. Gruppe (4th group) of Jagdgeschwader 132 "Richthofen" (JG 132–132nd Fighter Wing) as a fighter pilot. On 9 March 1939, he was posted to I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 331 (JG 331–331st Fighter Wing) and to I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77–77th Fighter Wing) on 31 July 1939.

World War II
World War II in Europe had begun on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. On 1 November, he received the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse). On 1 March 1940, he was transferred to the 2. Staffel of JG 77. Bauer claimed his first aerial victory on 15 May 1940 west of Bruges, a Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricane. He shot down another Hurricane near Cambrai on 18 May. Bauer was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) on 1 June 1940 and was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse) on 18 November 1940. He then fought in the Battle of Britain against the RAF, claiming a Supermarine Spitfire shot down on 1 November 1940. Bauer was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse) on 18 November 1940, and then transferred to Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3–3rd Fighter Wing) in November 1940.

On 15 February 1941, III. Gruppe was withdrawn from the English Channel and relocated to Gütersloh Airfield for a period of rest and replenishment. Bauer and other pilots of III. Gruppe spent a couple of days of R&R skiing in the Kleinwalsertal before returning for active service on 17 March. On 17 April, the Gruppe received the then new Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2, training on this type until they relocated to Lillers, France on 3 May. On 10 June 1941, Bauer was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 9. Staffel (9th squadron) of JG 3, succeeding Oberleutnant Max Jaczak who killed in a flying accident the day before.

Eastern Front
The Wehrmacht launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, on 22 June 1941. III. Gruppe supported Army Group South in its strategic goal towards the heavily populated and agricultural heartland of Ukraine, taking Kiev before continuing eastward over the steppes of southern USSR to the Volga with the aim of controlling the oil-rich Caucasus. In June 1941, Bauer claimed 15 Soviet aircraft shot down, including five SB-2 twin-engine bombers claimed on 26 June alone. He then claimed 17 victories in July, including five Russian DB-3 twin-engine bombers on 12 July.

On 23 July 1941, Bauer claimed two Polikarpov I-153 biplane fighters shot down, taking his to total to 36 aerial victories. That afternoon, his Bf 109 F-2 (Werknummer 8987—factory number) sustained heavy damage in combat with a flight of Ilyushin DB-3 bombers at the Dnieper. Bauer attempted a forced landing at Bila Tserkva, the aircraft somersaulted, resulting in heavy injuries to Bauer. During his convalescence, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes) on 30 July 1941 for 34 aerial victories. During his absence, Leutnant Helmut Mertens served as acting Staffelkapitän of 9. Staffel. Bauer returned to his unit in February 1942.

At the time of his return to front line service, III. Gruppe of JG 3 had been redeployed to an area of operations north of Lake Ilmen in support of the airlift resupplying German forces in the Demyansk Pocket. There, on 18 February 1942, Bauer claimed two Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 fighter aircraft, taking his total to 40 aerial victories. In combat with 6 Udarnaya Aviatsionnaya Gruppa (6 UAG—6th Soviet Strike Aviation Group) on 4 April, he claimed his 50th aerial victory, a Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighter. On 19 May, Bauer claimed a 429 Istrebitel'nyy Aviatsionyy Polk (429 IAP—429th Fighter Aviation Regiment) MiG-3. On 22 June 1942, Bauer was awarded the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe).

On 5 July 1942 during the Battle of Voronezh, Bauer claimed four aerial victories, increasing his total to 74. On 26 July, he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) for 102 aerial victories. He was the 14th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. Bauer and together with Oberleutnant Erwin Clausen were presented the Oak Leaves by Adolf Hitler at the Führerhauptquartier at Rastenburg.

On 9 August, he claimed his 106th victory. On 10 August 1942, Bauer force landed his Bf 109 F-4 (Werknummer 13241—factory number) at Nowy-Kalach. His aircraft had been damaged by enemy return fire and Bauer was again wounded, forcing him to surrender command of 9. Staffel to Leutnant Rolf Diergardt. On 1 September 1942, he was promoted to Hauptmann (captain).

Training commands
On recovery, Bauer was put in command of Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost (Supplementary Fighter Group, East) in southern France on 9 August 1943. In this command position, he was promoted to Major (major) on 1 May 1944. Promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) and later to Oberst (colonel), Bauer was appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of Ergänzungs-Jagdgeschwader 1 (EJG 1–1st Supplementary Fighter Wing) until the end of hostilities in May 1945. He was taken prisoner of war and released in July 1945.

Later life
Bauer died on 13 December 1969 in Bad Homburg.

Aerial victory claims
According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Bauer was credited with 106 aerial victories. Spick also lists Bauer with 106 aerial victories with one unconfirmed victory in over 400 combat missions, all but four claimed on the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 104 aerial victory claims, plus four further unconfirmed claim. This number omits claim number 26 which is numerically missing in their analysis.

Awards

 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (1 November 1939)
 * 1st Class (18 November 1940)
 * Honorary Cup of the Luftwaffe on 22 June 1942 as Oberleutnant and pilot
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
 * Knight's Cross on 30 July 1941 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 3
 * 107th Oak Leaves on 26 July 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"