# Gerhard Loos

Gerhard Loos (21 August 1916 – 6 March 1944) was a German military aviator who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he claimed 92 aerial victories, 14 of which were claimed in Defense of the Reich.
Born in Kommern within the Sudetenland, Loos served in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany. Following flight training, he served as an instructor before being posted to Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) in late 1942, operating on the Eastern Front. He claimed his first aerial victory on 19 February 1943. By late September 1943, his number of aerial victories had increased to 83 and was transferred to the Western Front. Here, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 17 October 1943 and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 February 1944. On 21 February, Loos was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 9. Staffel (9th squadron) of JG 54. He was killed in action on 6 March 1944 in aerial combat with United States Army Air Forces fighters near Oldenburg.

## Career

Loos was born on 21 August 1916 in Kommern, at the time part of Brüx within the Sudetenland, present-day Komořany which is part of Most in the Czech Republic. In early 1939, Loos entered the Luftwaffe and following completion of flight and fighter pilot training, he served as an instructor with a Jagdfliegerschule 5, the fighter pilot school in Wien-Schwechat. In late 1942, Loos was posted to I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) based on the Eastern Front.

### War against the Soviet Union

In early 1943, I. Gruppe of JG 54 was based at Krasnogvardeysk, present-day Gatchina, southwest of Leningrad, and fighting in the Siege of Leningrad in support of Army Group North. In February, the Gruppe converted from the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 to the radial engine powered Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-4 fighter aircraft. Loos claimed his first aerial victory on 19 February while fighting in the Demyansk Offensive. Assigned to 3. Staffel under command of Hauptmann Gerhard Koall, Loss shot down a Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber.
In early July, I. Gruppe of JG 54 was ordered to move to Oryol, in the southern sector of Army Group Centre, where it fought in Operation Citadel which initiated the Battle of Kursk. Subordinated to Luftflotte 6 (Air Fleet 6), the Gruppe began relocating on 2 July and arrived at the airfield named Panikowo, a makeshift airfield created for the attack on the Kursk salient, on 4 July. The next day, the Wehrmacht launched Operation Citadel and I. Gruppe supported the attack of the 9th Army on the northern sector of the salient, escorting bombers of Kampfgeschwader 4, 51 and KG 53 (KG 4, KG 51—4th, 51st Bomber Wing), as well as Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers of Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 (StG 1—1st Dive Bomber Wing) to their target areas. That day, I. Gruppe claimed 59 aerial victories, including five aircraft, three Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighters and two Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft, by Loos in the vicinity of Maloarkhangelsk. This achievement made him an "ace-in-a-day". Two days later, Loos claimed another Il-2 ground-attack aircraft shot down. The Il-2 belonged to 299 ShAD (Shturmovaya Aviatsionnyy Diveeziya—Ground Attack Air Division) piloted by Leytenánt A. S. Baranov.
On 20 July during the Soviet counteroffensive Operation Kutuzov, I. Gruppe relocated to Karachev. On 4 August, supporting German forces fighting at Oryol, the Gruppe claimed 25 aerial victories, including six by Loos, his second "ace-in-a-day" achievement. On 9 August, the Gruppe was ordered to an aifield named Bolschoje Rudka located near Poltava. Here the Gruppe supported German forces fighting against the Soviet Belgorod–Bogodukhov offensive operation. Here on 23 August on the final day of the Belgorod–Kharkov offensive operation, Loos achieved his third "ace-in-a-day" achievement, claiming three Douglas A-20 Havoc bombers, also known as Boston, two Pe-2 bombers and a single Il-2 ground-attack aircraft shot down. On 20 September, Loos was awarded the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe). Eight days later, he was transferred to III. Gruppe of JG 54 which was fighting in Defense of the Reich.

### Defense of the Reich and death

In late September 1943, III. Gruppe of JG 54 was under command of Hauptmann Siegfried Schnell and was based at Schwerin. For his 83 aerial victories claimed, Loos was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 17 October. On 2 December, the Gruppe was moved to Ludwigslust. Loos claimed his first aerial victory in Defense of the Reich on 20 December. That day, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) VIII Bomber Command targeted Bremen in northern Germany. III. Gruppe was scrambled at 11:10 and intercepted the bombers and their fighter escorts at 12:00 in the area of Bremen following their bomb run. In this encounter, Loos claimed a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber shot down.
Loos claimed his second B-17 bomber on 11 January 1944 when pilots of III. Gruppe claimed ten B-17 bombers and two escorting North American P-51 Mustang fighters. On 5 February, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). Loos was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) and appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 9. Staffel of JG 54 on 21 February. He succeeded Oberleutnant Wilhelm Schilling who was transferred. On 6 March, Loos flying Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 411922—factory number) was shot down in aerial combat near Reinsehlen. His victor may have been Lieutenant John Howell of the 357th Fighter Group. Hanging on his parachute, he was drifting into a high voltage power line. Releasing the parachute at 20 meters (66 feet) he fell to his death. Loos was briefly replaced by Leutnant Alfred Kromer, who was killed only two days later. Command of 9. Staffel was then passed to Hauptmann Emil Lang.

## Summary of career
### Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Loos was credited with 92 aerial victories. Spick also lists him with 92 aerial victories, 78 of which on the Eastern Front and 14 on the Western Front, including two four-engined heavy bombers. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 84 aerial victory claims, all but one four-engined heavy bomber on the Eastern Front.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 36 Ost 10473". 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 square miles (930 km$^2$). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.
Chronicle of aerial victories :
| This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Loos 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 ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Balke, Bock, Mathews and Foreman. ||||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — February 1943 ||||||||||
| 1 | 19 February 1943 | 15:23 | Pe-2 | PQ 36 Ost 10473 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Lubań | 2 | 22 February 1943 | 16:04 | LaGG-3 | PQ 36 Ost 00423 Puskin-Mga |
| – 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 4 February – 28 September 1943 ||||||||||
| 3 | 2 March 1943 | 11:32 | I-16 | PQ 26 Ost 90272 20 km (12 mi) south of Lomonosov | 44 | 7 August 1943 | 11:28 | P-40 | PQ 35 Ost 54581 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Karachev |
| 4 | 22 March 1943 | 11:52 | LaGG-3 | PQ 36 Ost 00411 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Pushkin | 45 | 7 August 1943 | 11:39 | P-40 | PQ 35 Ost 54594 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Karachev |
| 5 | 8 April 1943 | 18:06 | La-5 | PQ 36 Ost 00243 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Leningrad | 46 | 8 August 1943 | 18:36 | Pe-2 | PQ 35 Ost 54823 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Bolkhov |
| 6 | 24 May 1943 | 19:35 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 09814 | 47 | 8 August 1943 | 18:47 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 53281 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Oryol |
| 7 | 24 May 1943 | 19:38 | P-40 | PQ 35 Ost 09833 | 48 | 9 August 1943 | 12:05 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 61724 20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Zolochiv |
| 8 | 24 May 1943 | 19:41 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 19741 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Staraya Russa | 49 | 12 August 1943 | 09:17 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 41692 |
| 9 | 24 May 1943 | 19:50 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 19761 15 km (9.3 mi) north-northeast of Staraya Russa | 50 | 12 August 1943 | 17:25 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 41633 |
| 10♠ | 5 July 1943 | 09:55 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 63751 40 km (25 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 51 | 12 August 1943 | 17:28 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 41631 |
| 11♠ | 5 July 1943 | 10:03 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 63863 45 km (28 mi) north-northwest of Kursk | 52 | 12 August 1943 | 17:29 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 41632 |
| 12♠ | 5 July 1943 | 18:32 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 63553 15 km (9.3 mi) west-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 53 | 13 August 1943 | 16:44 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 61713 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Zolochiv |
| 13♠ | 5 July 1943 | 18:43 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 73573 | 54 | 13 August 1943 | 17:00 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 51711 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Zolochiv |
| 14♠ | 5 July 1943 | 18:48 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 63694 30 km (19 mi) east-southeast of Maloarkhangelsk | 55 | 13 August 1943 | 19:02 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 61351 20 km (12 mi) west of Belgorod |
| 15 | 7 July 1943 | 05:15 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 63494 20 km (12 mi) south-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 56 | 15 August 1943 | 11:07 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 51814 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Bogodukhov |
| 16 | 8 July 1943 | 17:38 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63574 35 km (22 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 57 | 16 August 1943 | 11:18 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 51644 south of Grayvoron |
| 17 | 9 July 1943 | 12:09 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 63683 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Maloarkhangelsk | 58 | 18 August 1943 | 07:38 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 60181 Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda |
| 18? | 9 July 1943 | 12:10 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 63649 | 59 | 18 August 1943 | 07:41 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 60131 Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda |
| 19 | 9 July 1943 | 12:16 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63672 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Maloarkhangelsk | 60 | 18 August 1943 | 07:49 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 60163 Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda |
| 20 | 10 July 1943 | 14:31 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 63575 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Oboyan | 61 | 18 August 1943 | 07:51 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 60163 Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda |
| 21 | 12 July 1943 | 17:27 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 64247 25 km (16 mi) west-northwest of Plavsk | 62 | 19 August 1943 | 13:13 | Pe-2 | PQ 35 Ost 51354 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Grayvoron |
| 22 | 12 July 1943 | 17:32 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 64424 40 km (25 mi) east-southeast of Belyov | 63 | 19 August 1943 | 15:33 | P-39 | PQ 35 Ost 51721 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Bogodukhov |
| 23 | 13 July 1943 | 12:24 | Yak-7 | PQ 35 Ost 54499 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Bolkhov | 64 | 19 August 1943 | 15:39 | P-39 | PQ 35 Ost 51811 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Bogodukhov |
| 24 | 13 July 1943 | 12:29 | Yak-7 | PQ 35 Ost 64489 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Bolkhov | 65 | 20 August 1943 | 18:20 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 51792 15 km (9.3 mi) south-southwest of Bogodukhov |
| 25 | 14 July 1943 | 16:37 | MiG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 54442 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Bolkhov | 66 | 20 August 1943 | 18:21 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 51871 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Bogodukhov |
| 26 | 18 July 1943 | 06:54 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 54484 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Bolkhov | 67 | 20 August 1943 | 18:24 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 51844 vicinity of Bogodukhov |
| 27 | 21 July 1943 | 19:52 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 54655 20 km (12 mi) west-southwest of Bolkhov | 68 | 21 August 1943 | 06:58 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 51672 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Bogodukhov |
| 28 | 31 July 1943 | 09:43? | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 54861 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Bolkhov | 69 | 21 August 1943 | 07:02 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 51643 south of Grayvoron |
| 29 | 1 August 1943 | 14:16 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 54652 20 km (12 mi) west-southwest of Bolkhov | 70 | 21 August 1943 | 16:00 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 51544 northeast of Bogodukhov |
| 30 | 2 August 1943 | 17:07 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 54663 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Bolkhov | 71 | 22 August 1943 | 07:35 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 51572 northeast of Bogodukhov |
| 31 | 2 August 1943 | 17:09 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 54543 25 km (16 mi) north-northeast of Karachev | 72 | 22 August 1943 | 10:24 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 51513 area northeast of Bogodukhov |
| 32 | 3 August 1943 | 14:06 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 53121 20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Tschaikowka | 73 | 22 August 1943 | 14:25 | Pe-2 | PQ 35 Ost 60242 Gulf of Finland, north of Kunda |
| 33 | 3 August 1943 | 16:42 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 54724 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Woronowo | 74♠ | 23 August 1943 | 06:20 | Boston | PQ 35 Ost 41654 |
| 34 | 3 August 1943 | 17:14 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 54173 20 km (12 mi) north-northwest of Karachev | 75♠ | 23 August 1943 | 06:25 | Boston | PQ 35 Ost 41663 |
| 35♠ | 4 August 1943 | 11:52 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 54583 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Karachev | 76♠ | 23 August 1943 | 06:28 | Boston | PQ 35 Ost 51514 northeast of Bogodukhov |
| 36♠ | 4 August 1943 | 11:53 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 54723 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Woronowo | 77♠ | 23 August 1943 | 17:02 | Pe-2 | PQ 35 Ost 60762 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Kharkov |
| 37♠ | 4 August 1943 | 12:01 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 54693 15 km (9.3 mi) south-southwest of Bolkhov | 78♠ | 23 August 1943 | 17:04 | Pe-2 | PQ 35 Ost 61813 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Vovchansk |
| 38♠ | 4 August 1943 | 12:06 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 54522 40 km (25 mi) north-northeast of Karachev | 79♠ | 23 August 1943 | 17:06 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 61744 20 km (12 mi) south-southeast of Zolochiv |
| 39♠ | 4 August 1943 | 15:33 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 54573 20 km (12 mi) north-northeast of Karachev | 80 | 21 September 1943 | 13:32 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 12461 |
| 40♠ | 4 August 1943 | 18:20 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 44571 20 km (12 mi) north-northeast of Karachev | 81 | 21 September 1943 | 13:34 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 12463 |
| 41 | 6 August 1943 | 12:20? | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 44663 25 km (16 mi) north-northwest of Karachev | 82 | 22 September 1943 | 14:42 | Il-2? | PQ 35 Ost 12483 |
| 42 | 6 August 1943 | 12:56 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 54591 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Karachev | 83 | 26 September 1943 | 09:59 | P-39 | PQ 35 Ost 15667 30 km (19 mi) west of Schatalowka |
| 43 | 7 August 1943 | 08:53 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 54594 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Karachev | | | | | |
| – 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Defense of the Reich — December 1943 – 6 March 1944 ||||||||||
| 84 | 20 December 1943 | 12:04 | B-17 | PQ 05 Ost S/DS vicinity of Bremen | 85? | 11 January 1944 | 11:30 | B-17 | |

### Awards

* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 20 September 1943 as Leutnant and pilot
* German Cross in Gold on 17 October 1943 as Leutnant in the 1./Jagdgeschwader 54
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 February 1944 as Leutnant and Staffelführer of the 8./Jagdgeschwader 54