# Peter Kalden

Peter Kalden (17 August 1923 – 11 June 1996) was a German World War II fighter ace, attached to Jagdgeschwader 51. Depending on source, he was credited with 69 or 84 aerial victories.

## Career

Kalden was born on 17 August 1923 in Wittenberge in the Province of Brandenburg of the Weimar Republic.
On 2 May 1944, Kalden was wounded in combat when he was shot down in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 140356—factory number) near Kurovichi.
On 1 August, Kalden was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). He replaced Oberleutnant Heinz Venth who had been reported as missing in action on 16 July. On 15 August, as part of the group expansion from three Staffeln per Gruppe to four Staffeln per Gruppe, 10. Staffel was re-designated and became the 13. Staffel while 11. Staffel became the 14. Staffel of JG 51. Consequently, Kalden then commanded 13. Staffel.
Kalden was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 6 December 1944. The presentation was 11 days later by Generalmajor Robert Fuchs. On 11 March 1945, Kalden attacked Soviet armor near Neustadt in Westpreußen, present-day Wejherowo. On this mission, he was shot down in his Bf 109 G-14 (Werknummer 511439) by Soviet anti-aircraft artillery resulting in a crash landing near Danzig, present-day Gdańsk, and was taken prisoner of war. Command of 13. Staffel then briefly went to Leutnant Engel before Leutnant Kurt Tanzer was given command on 12 April.

## Later life

Kalden died on 11 June 1996 at the age of 72 in Friedrichsdorf, Germany.

## Summary of career
### Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Kalden was credited with 69 aerial victories. Spick lists him with 84 aerial victories claimed in 538 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 69 aerial victory claims, plus further fifteen unconfirmed and undated claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 63251". 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 ? (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 |
| – 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943 ||||||||||
| 1 | 13 July 1943 | 13:38 | Yak-1 | PQ 35 Ost 63251 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Zalegoshch | 7 | 3 October 1943 | 08:48 | La-5 | northeast of Orlik |
| 2 | 14 July 1943 | 15:52 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 35 Ost 54412 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Dudorovskiy | 8 | 3 October 1943 | 08:50 | La-5 | north of Orlik |
| 3 | 17 July 1943 | 04:14 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 63214 vicinity of Zalegoshch | 9 | 24 October 1943 | 11:28 | Yak-9 | southeast of Petrovo |
| 4 | 31 July 1943 | 09:31? | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 54488 20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Bolchov | 10 | 30 November 1943 | 12:04 | P-39 | 6 km (3.7 mi) north of Malaya-Wolaska |
| 5 | 14 September 1943 | 14:32 | Yak-1 | north of Pologi | 11 | 11 December 1943 | 11:06 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 34 Ost 39511 35 km (22 mi) west of Borovichi |
| 6 | 20 September 1943 | 13:30 | La-5 | northeast of Dnipropetrovsk | 12 | 17 December 1943 | 11:22 | P-39 | PQ 34 Ost 29825 |
| – 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 1 January – 31 July 1944 ||||||||||
| 13 | 5 January 1944 | 12:09 | La-5 | PQ 25 Ost 90732 65 km (40 mi) east of Vinnytsia | 24 | 2 May 1944 | 05:49 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 50126 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Brody |
| 14 | 10 January 1944 | 11:18 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 80682 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Vinnytsia | 25 | 2 May 1944 | 05:50? | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 50131 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Brody |
| 15 | 10 January 1944 | 11:22 | Yak-1 | PQ 25 Ost 80681 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Vinnytsia | 26 | 7 July 1944 | 10:07 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 55449 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Yukhnov |
| 16 | 10 January 1944 | 11:24 | Yak-1 | PQ 25 Ost 80683 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Vinnytsia | 27 | 7 July 1944 | 14:53 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 55476 30 km (19 mi) south-southeast of Yukhnov |
| 17 | 11 January 1944 | 15:03 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 80662 30 km (19 mi) east-northeast of Vinnytsia | 28 | 16 July 1944 | 07:53 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 50318 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Zolochiv |
| 18 | 12 January 1944 | 09:38 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 90549 40 km (25 mi) south-southeast of Koziatyn | 29 | 18 July 1944 | 19:28 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 50383 25 km (16 mi) west of Tarnopol |
| 19 | 24 January 1944 | 11:13 | La-5 | PQ 25 Ost 80431 vicinity of Koziatyn | 30 | 19 July 1944 | 13:43 | R-5 | PQ 25 Ost 40135 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Zolochiv |
| 20 | 1 February 1944 | 09:29 | Pe-2 | PQ 34 Ost 09134 | 31 | 20 July 1944 | 13:03 | Pe-2 | PQ 25 Ost 40123 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Lviv |
| 21 | 7 April 1944 | 17:55 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 50712 25 km (16 mi) south-southeast of Berezhany | 32 | 21 July 1944 | 16:31 | Boston | PQ 25 Ost 30233 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Zolochiv |
| 22 | 16 April 1944 | 13:43 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 50389 25 km (16 mi) west of Tarnopol | 33 | 21 July 1944 | 16:38 | P-39 | PQ 25 Ost 40113 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Lviv |
| 23 | 2 May 1944 | 05:48 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 50122 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Brody | 34 | 23 July 1944 | 10:08 | Pe-2 | PQ 25 Ost 30225 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Żółkiew |
| – 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 1–34 August 1944 ||||||||||
| 35 | 2 August 1944 | 08:17 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 25433 25 km (16 mi) east-southeast of Blumenfeld | 37 | 8 August 1944 | 12:31 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 36548 20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Nemakščiai |
| 36 | 4 August 1944 | 07:54 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 36599 30 km (19 mi) west of Kėdainiai | 38 | 13 August 1944 | 19:36 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 24613 45 km (28 mi) northeast of Łomża |
| – 13. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 15 August – 31 December 1944 ||||||||||
| 39 | 16 August 1944 | 17:23 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 26628 vicinity of Nemakščiai | 53 | 13 October 1944 | 13:14 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 13545, Jabłonna 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Warsaw |
| 40 | 17 August 1944 | 15:06 | Yak-1 | PQ 25 Ost 25283 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Blumenfeld | 54 | 13 October 1944 | 15:57 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 13518, Radzymin 20 km (12 mi) north of Warsaw |
| 41 | 17 August 1944 | 17:23 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 26628 vicinity of Nemakščiai | 55 | 14 October 1944 | 11:14 | Boston | PQ 25 Ost 13722 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Warsaw |
| 42 | 1 September 1944 | 10:54? | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 13559 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Warsaw | 56 | 14 October 1944 | 16:07 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 13517 20 km (12 mi) north of Warsaw |
| 43 | 1 September 1944 | 10:58 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 13583 15 km (9.3 mi) east-northeast of Warsaw | 57 | 14 October 1944 | 16:08 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 03663 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Warsaw |
| 44 | 1 September 1944 | 13:40 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 13528 25 km (16 mi) north-northeast of Warsaw | 58 | 14 October 1944 | 16:09 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 03666 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Warsaw |
| 45 | 4 September 1944 | 17:16 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 13221 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Ostrołęka | 59 | 15 October 1944 | 09:29 | Boston | PQ 25 Ost 13517 20 km (12 mi) north of Warsaw |
| 46 | 1 October 1944 | 16:11 | Pe-2 | PQ 25 Ost 13595 25 km (16 mi) north-northeast of Warsaw | 60 | 15 October 1944 | 13:52 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 03499 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Warsaw |
| 47 | 7 October 1944 | 12:57 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 13357 25 km (16 mi) east of Nasielsk | 61 | 19 October 1944 | 08:42 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 13348 20 km (12 mi) east of Nasielsk |
| 48 | 7 October 1944 | 13:02 | Boston | PQ 25 Ost 13651 25 km (16 mi) east of Nasielsk | 62 | 19 October 1944 | 08:44 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 13379 20 km (12 mi) east of Nasielsk |
| 49 | 7 October 1944 | 13:12 | Boston | PQ 25 Ost 13343 20 km (12 mi) east of Nasielsk | 63 | 19 October 1944 | 08:45 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 13349 20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Nasielsk |
| 50 | 10 October 1944 | 13:13 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 13517 20 km (12 mi) north of Warsaw | 64 | 21 October 1944 | 16:11 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 13372 20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Nasielsk |
| 51? | 13 October 1944 | 09:26 | P-39 | 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Modlin | 65 | 24 October 1944 | 08:54 | Boston | PQ 25 Ost 03457 30 km (19 mi) east-northeast of Modlin |
| 52 | 13 October 1944 | 09:29 | Boston | PQ 25 Ost 13512 20 km (12 mi) north of Warsaw | | | | | |
| – 13. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 1 January – 11 March 1945 ||||||||||
| 66 | 19 January 1945 | — | unknown | | 68 | 24 January 1945 | — | unknown | |
| 67 | 24 January 1945 | — | unknown | | 69 | 24 January 1945 | — | unknown | |

### Awards

* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 8 May 1944 as Leutnant and pilot
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 December 1944 as Leutnant and Staffelführer of the 13./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"
* German Cross in Gold on 1 January 1945 as Leutnant in the 10./Jagdgeschwader 51