# Heinrich Sturm

Heinrich Sturm (12 June 1920 – 22 December 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 158 enemy aircraft shot down in an unknown number of combat missions. All of his aerial victories were claimed over the Eastern Front. He was "ace-in-a-day" four times, shooting down five or more aircraft on a single day.
Born in Dieburg, Sturm joined the military service in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany and was trained as a fighter pilot. He was then posted to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in the summer 1941. JG 52 was based on the central sector of the Eastern Front, where he claimed his first aerial victory on 16 October 1941. In September 1943, he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 4. Staffel (4th squadron) of JG 52. Sturm was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944 and severely wounded by bomb shrapnel on 16 April. Following his convalescence, he returned to JG 52, taking command of 5. Staffel. Sturm was killed in a takeoff accident on 22 December 1944 in Csór, Hungary.

## Career

Sturm was born on 12 June 1920 in Dieburg in the Province of Hesse-Nassau as part of the Weimar Republic. Following fighter pilot training, he was posted to 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd fighter wing) with the rank of Feldwebel (Sergeant) in the summer of 1941. At the time, JG 52 was based on the Eastern Front, supporting Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. His commanding officer in 6. Staffel was Oberleutnant Rudolf Resch, a squadron subordinated to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 52 headed by Hauptmann Erich Woitke.
On 2 October, German forces launched Operation Typhoon, the failed strategic offensive to capture Moscow. In support of this offensive, the Gruppe had moved to an airfield west of Kalinin, present-day Tver, on 16 October. Two days later, Sturm claimed his first three aerial victory when he shot down a Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber. Sturm then returned to Germany, where he served as an instructor at a fighter pilot school and attended the Kriegsschule.

### Eastern Front

Following his return to the Eastern Front, he was assigned to the Gruppenstab (headquarters unit) II. Gruppe of JG 52. On 1 January 1943, he was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant). Sturm claimed his first aerial victory with the Gruppenstab, and tenth in total, on 13 February when he shot down a Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighter south of Novorossiysk. At the time, II. Gruppe was based at Slavyansk-na-Kubani and fighting over the Kuban bridgehead following the German defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad. The commanding officer of II. Gruppe was Hauptmann Johannes Steinhoff. On 13 March, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Anapa where it remained until 5 July. On 24 March, Steinhoff left the Gruppe and was replaced by Hauptmann Helmut Kühle.
Sturm claimed three LaGG-3 fighters shot down on 15 April near Abinskaya, taking his total to 22 aerial victories. Five days later he became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time, bringing his total to 30. That day, he shot down a Lavochkin La-5 fighter on mission before noon, and three Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack aircraft and a further La-5 fighter near Gelendzhik in the afternoon. He reached his 40th aerial victory on 6 June when he shot down two La-5 fighters. On 23 July, Sturm was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold).

### Squadron leader and death

On 1 August 1943, Sturm was appointed acting Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 4. Staffel (4th squadron) of JG 52. He replaced Leutnant Helmut Lipfert in this capacity who was transferred to the 6. Staffel (4th squadron) of JG 52. Sturm later officially became the Staffelkapitän of 4. Staffel on 1 September, succeeding Hauptmann Gerhard Barkhorn who was given command of II. Gruppe. That day, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Karlivka where they fought in the aftermath of the Belgorod–Kharkov offensive operation, also referred to as the fourth Battle of Kharkov. Here, Sturm claimed his first aerial victory as Staffelkapitän when he shot down a La-5 fighter. In November, the Red Army launched the Kerch–Eltigen operation leading to the Crimean offensive in early 1944. On 2 November, II. Gruppe was moved to Baherove where elements of the Gruppe remained until 19 March 1944. On 5 November, Sturm again became an "ace-in-a-day" when he shot down an Il-2 ground attack aircraft and five Yakovlev Yak-1 fighters over the Soviet bridge heads. The following day, he claimed six further victories, five Yak-1 fighters and a Bell P-39 Airacobra, making him yet again an "ace-in-a-day".
On 13 December, Sturm claimed his last aerial victory of 1943 when he shot down a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter east of Eltingen, present-day part of Kerch. On 28 February 1944, 4. and 5. Staffel was ordered to Grammatikowo located near Sovietskyi. Sturm was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 26 March 1944. On 8 April, Sturm claimed eight aerial victories, including 100th in total, his last "ace-in-a-day" achievement. He was the 66th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. A few weeks later on 16 April, he was wounded badly by bomb debris in an attack on the airfield at Chersonesus at Sevastopol on the Crimea. In consequence, command of 4. Staffel was passed on to Leutnant Hans Waldmann.
In August 1944, he returned to JG 52 and took over command of 5. Staffel (5th squadron) on 1 September. He replaced Otto Fönnekold, who was killed in action on 31 August. On 22 December 1944, he claimed his last two aerial victories. Taking off for another sortie from Csór that day, one of his Bf 109 G-6/U4 (Werknummer 442036—factory number) aircraft's landing gear struts hit a truck, killing him in the accident. The following day, command of 5. Staffel was given to Leutnant Peter Düttmann.

## Summary of career
### Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Sturm was credited with 158 aerial victories. Spick lists Sturm with 157 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions, all of them on the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that he is attributed with 158 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front. The archives revealed records for 123 of these claims. However, there are 52 additional claims attributed to II. Gruppe of JG 52 in the timeframe November to December 1944 that have no names associated to them. The authors assume that many of these claims belong to Sturm. According to Prien, Stemmer, Balke, and Bock, it is currently impossible to verify the exact number of aerial victories claimed by Sturm. According to the authors, the number could be closer to 124. The authors Daniel and Gabor Horvath compared Soviet enemy loss reports to Sturm's claims over Hungary. In the timeframe 18 October to 22 December 1944, Sturm claimed 13 aerial victories, while the authors found eight matching Soviet losses, a corroboration of 62%.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 19424". 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 Sturm 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 Barbas, Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman. ||||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Operation Barbarossa — June – December 1941 ||||||||||
| 1 | 18 October 1941 | 13:27 | Pe-2 | | | | | | |
| – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Eastern Front — 7 May 1942 – 3 February 1943 ||||||||||
| 2 | 28 May 1942 | 18:35 | Il-2 | | 6 | 8 December 1942 | 08:21 | Boston | PQ 19424 |
| 3 | 30 June 1942 | 09:22 | LaGG-3 | | 7 | 8 December 1942 | 17:15? | Il-2 | PQ 29652 |
| 4 | 28 August 1942 | I-180 (Yak-7) | 11:12 | PQ 49172 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Pitomnik | 8 | 17 December 1942 | 07:47 | LaGG-3 | PQ 49772 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Aksal |
| 5 | 30 October 1942 | 09:23 | Yak-1 | PQ 95823 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Lazarevskoye | 9 | 17 December 1942 | 13:20? | Il-2 | PQ 3976 |
| – Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Eastern Front — 4 February – 1 August 1943 ||||||||||
| 10 | 13 February 1943 | 15:17 | LaGG-3 | 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Novorossiysk | 26♠ | 20 April 1943 | 11:10 | La-5 | PQ 34 Ost 75461, 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Datscho southwest of Kabardinka |
| 11 | 23 February 1943 | 06:38 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 75211 southeast of Gostagajewskaja | 27♠ | 20 April 1943 | 16:10 | LaGG-3? | PQ 34 Ost 75462 Black Sea, 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Gelendzhik |
| 12 | 23 February 1943 | 06:42 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 7525 | 28♠ | 20 April 1943 | 16:13 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 75464, 6 km (3.7 mi) west of Gelendzhik Black Sea, 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Kabardinka |
| 13 | 5 March 1943 | 09:17 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 8656, Flamanskaja | 29♠ | 20 April 1943 | 16:14 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 85371 vicinity of Gelendzhik |
| 14 | 5 March 1943 | 09:21 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 8662 | 30♠ | 20 April 1943 | 16:19? | La-5 | PQ 34 Ost 75462, over of Kabardinka |
| 15 | 10 March 1943 | 14:10 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 8515 20 km (12 mi) north of Novocherkassk | 31 | 21 April 1943 | 11:02 | MiG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 75462 |
| 16 | 10 March 1943 | 14:15 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 8516 20 km (12 mi) north of Novocherkassk | 32 | 21 April 1943 | 11:20 | MiG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 75464 Black Sea, 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Kabardinka |
| 17 | 12 March 1943 | 11:25 | U-2 | PQ 34 Ost 85234 vicinity of Cholmskaja | 33 | 23 April 1943 | 07:20 | Pe-2 | PQ 34 Ost 85561 Black Sea, south of Gelendzhik |
| 18 | 22 March 1943 | 13:45 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 86393 south of Nowo-Nikplajewskaja | 34 | 9 May 1943 | 16:28 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 75264, 6 km (3.7 mi) south of Krymskaja east of Nowo-Bakanskoja |
| 19 | 22 March 1943 | 13:55 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 86454 south of Dneprowskaja | 35 | 30 May 1943 | 07:46 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 75352 Black Sea, south of Anapa |
| 20 | 15 April 1943 | 12:05 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 85142, 3 km (1.9 mi) northwest of Abinskaya southeast of Krymsk | 36 | 31 May 1943 | 17:39 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 76894, east of Kijewskoje |
| 21 | 15 April 1943 | 15:17 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 85181 northeast of Usun | 37 | 3 June 1943 | 17:47 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 76893, 8 km (5.0 mi) southeast of Kijewskoje south of Bakanskij |
| 22 | 15 April 1943 | 15:20? | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 85184 southeast of Tscherkassowski | 38 | 3 June 1943 | 18:09? | La-5 | PQ 34 Ost 76773, southwestern edge of Kijewskoje northeast of Krymsk |
| 23 | 16 April 1943 | 16:13 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 85273 vicinity of Dneprowskaja | 39 | 3 June 1943 | 18:11 | La-5 | PQ 34 Ost 75232, 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of Kijewskoje north of Krymsk |
| 24 | 17 April 1943 | 11:05 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 86452 8 km (5.0 mi) south of Novorossiysk | 40 | 6 June 1943 | 07:36 | La-5 | PQ 34 Ost 76894, east of Kijewskoje |
| 25 | 17 April 1943 | 11:10 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 85371, 3 km (1.9 mi) southwest of Gelendzhik | 41 | 6 June 1943 | 07:37 | Il-2 m.H. ? | PQ 34 Ost 76894, east of Kijewskoje |
| – 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Eastern Front — September – 31 December 1943 ||||||||||
| 42? | 1 September 1943 | 13:32 | Yak-1 | PQ 35 Ost 41812 25 km (16 mi) north of Busk | 63♠ | 5 November 1943 | 07:22 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 66731, south of Eltigen |
| 43 | 1 September 1943 | 16:36 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 60322 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Merefa | 64♠ | 5 November 1943 | 07:30 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 66732 vicinity of Tobetschik |
| 44 | 5 September 1943 | 08:01 | Yak-1 | PQ 35 Ost 51874 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Bohodukhiv | 65♠ | 5 November 1943 | 11:47 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 66671, east of Kerch |
| 45 | 5 September 1943 | 08:02 | Yak-1 | PQ 35 Ost 51873 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Bohodukhiv | 66♠ | 5 November 1943 | 12:07 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 66672 east of Kerch |
| 46 | 6 September 1943 | 06:20 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 41483 30 km (19 mi) south-westsouth of Lebedin | 67♠ | 5 November 1943 | 15:00 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 66641, northwest of Bakssy east of Bulganak |
| 47 | 6 September 1943 | 15:20 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 60184 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Merefa | 68♠ | 6 November 1943 | 07:35 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 66564 vicinity of Kerch |
| 48 | 7 September 1943 | 05:45 | Yak-1 | PQ 35 Ost 60334 25 km (16 mi) east of Taranovka | 69♠ | 6 November 1943 | 07:45 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 66732, east of Eltigen vicinity of Tobetschik |
| 49 | 2 October 1943 | 17:07 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 58683 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Bolschoj Tokmak | 70♠ | 6 November 1943 | 11:05 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 66841 Kerch Strait, southwest of Tamanj |
| 50 | 13 October 1943 | 15:41 | Yak-1 | PQ 35 Ost 10154 20 km (12 mi) south of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi | 71♠ | 6 November 1943 | 11:45 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 66813 Kerch Strait, vicinity of Kap Tusla |
| 51 | 13 October 1943 | 15:42 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 10161 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi | 72♠ | 6 November 1943 | 11:47 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 66813 Kerch Strait, vicinity of Kap Tusla |
| 52 | 13 October 1943 | 15:45 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 10133 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi | 73♠ | 6 November 1943 | 15:10 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 6653 |
| 53 | 15 October 1943 | 05:49 | Yak-1 | PQ 35 Ost 10131, 2 km (1.2 mi) south of Traktomirow 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi | 74 | 30 November 1943 | 12:03 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 66732, east of Eltigen vicinity of Tobetschik |
| 54 | 15 October 1943 | 15:17 | Yak-1 | PQ 35 Ost 10124 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi | 75 | 30 November 1943 | 12:07 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 66592 south of Kerch |
| 55 | 22 October 1943 | 15:09 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 39321 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Alexandrija | 76 | 2 December 1943 | 07:19 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 6673, 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Eltigen |
| 56 | 22 October 1943 | 15:14 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 39324 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Alexandrija | 77 | 2 December 1943 | 07:25 | Il-2 | 1 km (0.62 mi) southeast of Tobetschik |
| 57 | 26 October 1943 | 07:35 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 57142 20 km (12 mi) west of Melitopol | 78 | 2 December 1943 | 07:29 | Il-2 | 3 km (1.9 mi) southeast of Ortmaeti |
| 58 | 29 October 1943 | 11:07 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 47182 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Ivanovka | 79 | 5 December 1943 | 07:43 | Yak-9 | south of Kossa Tusla |
| 59 | 2 November 1943 | 13:30 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 66813 Kerch Strait, vicinity of Kap Tusla | 80 | 9 December 1943 | 11:15 | Il-2 | southeast of Kossa Tusla |
| 60 | 4 November 1943 | 09:07 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 66641, northwest of Bakssy east of Bulganak | 81 | 11 December 1943 | 11:40 | P-39 | east of Kamysch-Burun |
| 61 | 4 November 1943 | 14:17 | Yak-1 | PQ 34 Ost 6653 | 82 | 13 December 1943 | 09:46 | P-40 | east of Eltigen |
| 62♠ | 5 November 1943 | 07:15 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 66813 Kerch Strait, vicinity of Kap Tusla | | | | | |
| – 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Eastern Front — 1 January – April 1944 ||||||||||
| 83 | 12 January 1944 | 06:55 | Boston | Adshim-Uschkai vicinity of Kap Tarchan | 95 | 7 April 1944 | 17:12? | Yak-1 | PQ 55242 |
| 84 | 12 January 1944 | 06:57 | P-39 | PQ 66533 vicinity of Bagerowo | 96♠ | 8 April 1944 | 11:25 | Il-2 | PQ 37891 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Perekop |
| 85 | 12 January 1944 | 08:40 | P-39 | PQ 6563 vicinity of Grammatikowo | 97♠ | 8 April 1944 | 11:27 | Yak-1 | vicinity of An-Najman |
| 86 | 12 January 1944 | 11:30 | P-39 | PQ 66561 vicinity of Malyj | 98♠ | 8 April 1944 | 13:35 | Yak-1 | PQ 37814 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Perekop |
| 87 | 7 February 1944 | 06:18 | Yak-1 | Cape Khroni | 99♠ | 8 April 1944 | 13:40 | Il-2 | vicinity of An-Najman |
| 88? | 8 February 1944 | 10:08 | Yak-9 | east of Bulganek | 100♠ | 8 April 1944 | 15:45 | Yak-7 | PQ 37894 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Perekop |
| 89 | 10 February 1944 | 15:12? | Yak-9 | vicinity of Bulganek east of Bulganek | 101♠ | 8 April 1944 | 17:31 | P-39 | PQ 46114 east of Tomoschewka |
| 90 | 15 February 1944 | 06:08 | P-39 | PQ 66671 east of Kerch | 102♠ | 8 April 1944 | 17:44 | Yak-1 | vicinity of An-Najman |
| 91 | 14 March 1944 | 15:35 | Yak-7 | PQ 47751 30 km (19 mi) south of Dornburg | 103♠ | 8 April 1944 | 17:47 | Yak-1 | PQ 36232 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Perekop |
| 92 | 26 March 1944 | 16:00? | Yak-1 | PQ 47843 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Genitschek | 104 | 10 April 1944 | 08:16 | Yak-7 | Tomaschewka |
| 93 | 6 April 1944 | 13:39 | Yak-1 | PQ 47771 south of Gromovka | 105 | 13 April 1944 | 08:22 | Yak-7 | vicinity of Sevastopol 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Sevastopol |
| 94 | 7 April 1944 | 17:10? | Il-2 | PQ 55132 vicinity of Feodosia | 106 | 13 April 1944 | 13:30 | Yak-7 | vicinity of An-Najman |
| – Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Eastern Front — September 1944 ||||||||||
| 107 | 24 September 1944 | 09:22 | Ju 87 | PQ 37445 10 km (6.2 mi) west-northwest of Turda | 109 | 24 September 1944 | 11:45 | La-5 | PQ 37318 40 km (25 mi) east-southeast of Klausenburg |
| 108 | 24 September 1944 | 11:40 | Il-2 | PQ 37453 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Turda | 110 | 25 September 1944 | 13:37 | Hs 129 | PQ 37487 vicinity of Turda |
| – 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Eastern Front — October – December 1944 ||||||||||
| 111 | 18 October 1944 | 15:29 | Yak-7 | PQ 18617 north of Miki Peres | 118 | 31 October 1944 | 15:28 | Il-2 | PQ 97243 west of Kecskemét |
| 112 | 20 October 1944 | 07:59 | La-5 | PQ 08841 30 km (19 mi) east of Szolnok | 119 | 2 November 1944 | 11:35 | Yak-9 | PQ 98811 30 km (19 mi) north-northwest of Nagykőrös |
| 113 | 29 October 1944 | 14:35 | La-5 | PQ 08735 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Szolnok | 120 | 23 November 1944 | 11:21 | Il-2 | PQ 98454 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Gyöngyös |
| 114 | 29 October 1944 | 14:36 | Il-2 | PQ 08754 vicinity of Szolnok | 121 | 23 November 1944 | 11:22 | Il-2 | PQ 98455 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Gyöngyös |
| 115 | 31 October 1944 | 15:18 | La-5 | PQ 97222 north of Kecskemét | 122 | 22 December 1944 | — | unknown | vicinity of Csór |
| 116 | 31 October 1944 | 15:23 | Il-2 | PQ 97256 vicinity of Kecskemét | 123 | 22 December 1944 | — | unknown | vicinity of Csór |
| 117 | 31 October 1944 | 15:26 | La-5 | PQ 97224 north of Kecskemét | | | | | |

### Awards

* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 26 July 1943 as Leutnant and pilot
* German Cross in Gold on 23 July 1943 as Leutnant in the Stab/Jagdgeschwader 52
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944 as Leutnant (war officer) and Staffelführer of the 4./Jagdgeschwader 52