# 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.

## Summary of career
### 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 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 Bachnik 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 – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Bachnik did not receive credit.  This and the ? (exclamation mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Balke, Bock, Mathews, and Foreman. ||||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943 ||||||||||
| 1 | 5 July 1943 | 12:51 | Pe-2 | PQ 35 Ost 62773 vicinity of 20 km (12 mi) south-southwest of Oboyan | 24 | 18 September 1943 | 15:29 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 68572 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Pavlohrad |
| 2 | 5 July 1943 | 16:42 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 35 Ost 61631 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Vovchansk | 25 | 19 September 1943 | 10:15 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 59634 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Pavlohrad |
| 3 | 5 July 1943 | 18:58 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 61661, 5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of Vovchansk 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Vovchansk | 26 | 19 September 1943 | 15:28 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 59612 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Pavlohrad |
| 4 | 4 August 1943 | 09:46 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 35 Ost 61161 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Prokhorovka | 27 | 20 September 1943 | 13:35 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 59471 20 km (12 mi) west of Pavlohrad |
| 5 | 4 August 1943 | 13:49 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 61354 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Tomarovka | 28 | 20 September 1943 | 15:40 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 58824 vicinity of Bolschoj Tomak |
| 6 | 5 August 1943 | 08:35 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 61194 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Krasny Liman | 29 | 23 September 1943 | 14:10 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 58194 20 km (12 mi) east of Zaporizhzhia |
| 7 | 17 August 1943 | 05:20 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 70733 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Izium | 30 | 23 September 1943 | 14:15 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 58192 15 km (9.3 mi) east-southeast of Zaporizhzhia |
| 8 | 19 August 1943 | 13:38 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 88283, southwest of Kuibyschewo 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Jalisawehino | 31 | 27 November 1943 | 09:07 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 49791 55 km (34 mi) north of Nikopol |
| 9 | 20 August 1943 | 06:13 | Il-2 | PQ 34 Ost 88252, Marinowka 25 km (16 mi) east-northeast of Kuteinikovo | 32 | 27 November 1943 | 14:23 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 48761, Pawlowka 40 km (25 mi) west-southwest of Bilozirka |
| 10 | 20 August 1943 | 10:18 | Il-2 | PQ 34 Ost 88263 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Marinowka | 33 | 27 November 1943 | 14:26 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 48732 35 km (22 mi) south of Nikopol |
| 11 | 21 August 1943 | 07:18 | Il-2 | PQ 34 Ost 88282, west of Kuibyschewo 5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Jalisawehino | 34 | 27 November 1943 | 14:36 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 48723 40 km (25 mi) south-southwest of Nikopol |
| 12 | 21 August 1943 | 07:24 | Il-2 | PQ 34 Ost 88291, west of Kuibyschewo 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Jalisawehino | 35 | 28 November 1943 | 12:05 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 49841 40 km (25 mi) south-southwest of Werchnedjeprowak |
| 13 | 21 August 1943 | 11:50 | Il-2 | PQ 34 Ost 88432 3 km (1.9 mi) southeast of Marienkeim | 36 | 28 November 1943 | 13:45 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 48481 25 km (16 mi) east of Nikopol |
| 14 | 22 August 1943 | 16:21 | Il-2 | PQ 34 Ost 88284 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Jalisawehino | 37 | 28 November 1943 | 13:49 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 48671 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Nikopol |
| 15 | 22 August 1943 | 16:25 | Il-2 | PQ 34 Ost 88431 vicinity of Marienkeim | 38 | 28 November 1943 | 13:53 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 48622 25 km (16 mi) east-southeast of Nikopol |
| 16 | 24 August 1943 | 17:55 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 88332 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Kuteinikovo | 39 | 7 December 1943 | 14:10 | LaGG-3 | north of Golovkovka |
| 17 | 24 August 1943 | 17:59 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 88414 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Jalisawehino | 40 | 13 December 1943 | 12:28 | Il-2 m.H. | northwest of Varvarovka |
| 18 | 11 September 1943 | 11:04 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 60691 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Grishino | 41 | 17 December 1943 | 14:16 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 29651 20 km (12 mi) south of Nova Praha |
| 19 | 14 September 1943 | 10:25? | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 69652 20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Grishino | 42 | 17 December 1943 | 14:19 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 29691 30 km (19 mi) south-southeast of Nova Praha |
| 20 | 14 September 1943 | 17:05 | Yak-9? | PQ 34 Ost 69494 vicinity of Pavlohrad | 43 | 19 December 1943 | 12:09 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 48691 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Beloserka |
| 21 | 15 September 1943 | 11:58 | La-5 | PQ 34 Ost 68624 35 km (22 mi) east-southeast of Polohy | 44 | 19 December 1943 | 12:16 | Il-2 | PQ 34 Ost 48663 20 km (12 mi) north of Beloserka |
| 22 | 18 September 1943 | 15:20 | LaGG-3 | PQ 34 Ost 68814 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Pavlohrad | 45 | 20 December 1943 | 08:56 | Il-2 | south of Bolshaya Belozerka |
| 23 | 18 September 1943 | 15:24 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 59682 25 km (16 mi) south-southwest of Pavlohrad | 46 | 25 December 1943 | 11:12 | Il-2 m.H. | north of Kamenka |
| – 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Eastern Front — 1 January – 7 August 1944 ||||||||||
| 47♠ | 7 January 1944 | 11:22 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 29823 40 km (25 mi) south of Nova Praha | 64♠ | 13 March 1944 | 16:19 | Il-2 m.H.? | PQ 25 Ost 60663 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Balakliia |
| 48♠ | 7 January 1944 | 11:25 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 29822 40 km (25 mi) south of Nova Praha | 65♠ | 13 March 1944 | 16:26 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 60063 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Balakliia |
| 49♠ | 7 January 1944 | 11:28 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 29684 25 km (16 mi) south of Nova Praha | 66♠ | 13 March 1944 | 16:29 | LaGG | PQ 25 Ost 60481 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Andreyevka |
| 50♠ | 7 January 1944 | 11:45 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 19623 PQ 19632 25 km (16 mi) west-southwest of Kirovohrad | 67 | 14 March 1944 | 06:14 | LaGG | PQ 25 Ost 70543 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Balakliia |
| 51♠ | 7 January 1944 | 11:49 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 29373 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Kirovohrad | 68 | 14 March 1944 | 16:29? | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 70512 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Balakliia |
| 52 | 8 January 1944 | 14:05 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 29392 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Kirovohrad | 69 | 15 March 1944 | 06:48? | LaGG | PQ 25 Ost 70511 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Balakliia |
| 53 | 9 January 1944 | 14:05 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 29511 vicinity of Kirovohrad | 70 | 17 March 1944 | 10:20 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 60621 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Andreyevka |
| 54 | 23 January 1944 | 13:27 | LaGG | PQ 34 Ost 19292 25 km (16 mi) south-southwest of Alekandrovka | 71♠ | 19 March 1944 | 07:06 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 70523, east of Parchamowszy 20 km (12 mi) east of Balakliia |
| 55 | 30 January 1944 | 14:27 | LaGG | PQ 34 Ost 19253 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Signajewka | 72♠ | 19 March 1944 | 07:08 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 70611 35 km (22 mi) north-northeast of Izium |
| 56 | 26 February 1944 | 14:36 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 29562 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Kirovohrad | 73♠ | 19 March 1944 | 07:11 | LaGG | PQ 25 Ost 70642 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Izium |
| 57 | 7 March 1944 | 10:20 | Pe-2 | PQ 25 Ost 70321 vicinity of Shevchenkovo | 74♠ | 19 March 1944 | 07:35 | LaGG | PQ 25 Ost 70372 vicinity of Shevchenkovo |
| 58 | 12 March 1944 | 11:58 | LaGG? | PQ 25 Ost 70512 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Balakliia | 75♠ | 19 March 1944 | 16:33 | LaGG | PQ 25 Ost 60623 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Andreyevka |
| 59 | 12 March 1944 | 12:01 | LaGG? | PQ 25 Ost 70374 vicinity of Shevchenkovo | 76 | 21 March 1944 | 13:22 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 60624 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Andreyevka |
| 60 | 12 March 1944 | 15:46 | LaGG? | PQ 25 Ost 70562 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Izium | 77 | 21 March 1944 | 13:24 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 60491 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Balakliia |
| 61 | 12 March 1944 | 16:06 | LaGG | PQ 25 Ost 70612 35 km (22 mi) north-northeast of Izium | 78 | 21 March 1944 | 16:16 | Pe-2 | PQ 25 Ost 70521 20 km (12 mi) east of Balakliia |
| 62♠ | 13 March 1944 | 16:05 | LaGG | PQ 25 Ost 70522 20 km (12 mi) east of Balakliia | — | 7 August 1944 | — | P-51 | vicinity of Mysłowice |
| 63♠ | 13 March 1944 | 16:15? | LaGG | PQ 25 Ost 60631, south of Kalinowka PQ 60644 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Andreyevka | | | | | |

### 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