# Adolf Borchers

Adolf Borchers (10 February 1913 – 9 February 1996) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. He was credited with 132 aerial victories—that is, 132 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—claimed in approximately 800 combat missions.

## Biography

Borchers was born on 10 February 1913 in Wendhausen near Lüneburg. He had two brothers who also received the Knight's Cross. Major Walter Borchers was a night fighter pilot and wing commander. A second brother, SS-Hauptsturmführer Hermann Borchers served in the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen.
He joined the Luftwaffe in 1937 and participated as an Unteroffizier in the Spanish Civil War, flying with 1. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88 (J/88—88th Fighter Group) in the Condor Legion. After the Spanish Civil War he was transferred to 2. Staffel (2nd squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) which later became 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). In this unit he fought in the Invasion of Poland, Battle of France and Battle of Britain, claiming two aerial victories. On 19 May 1940, he claimed his first aerial victory over a Hawker Hurricane in the vicinity of Le Cateau
Following aerial combat on 31 August 1940, Borchers ditched his Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-1 (Werknummer 5808—factory number) in the Thames Estuary but was rescued. That day, I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 77 lost seven Bf 109s in combat over southeastern England, with one pilot killed in action and five taken prisoner of war. On 21 November 1940, I. Gruppe of JG 77 was officially redesignated and became IV. Gruppe of JG 51.

### Eastern Front

During Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, he accumulated further victories and by the end of 1941 his score had increased to 23 aerial victories. After being promoted to an Officers rank, he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 11. Staffel of JG 51 on 20 August 1942, replacing Leutnant Wolfgang Böwing-Treuding who was transferred to 10. Staffel. On 15 October, Borchers was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) for 31 aerial victories. By the end of 1942, his number of aerial victories had increased to 38.
In early January 1943, IV. Gruppe was based at an airfield named Isotscha, a makeshift airfield built on a frozen lake lokated approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) west of Velikiye Luki. In February, the Gruppe converted from the Bf 109 F-2 to the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-4. In that combat area, Army Group Centre had launched Operation Büffel, a series of retreats eliminating the Rzhev salient. For 78 aerial victories, Borchers was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 22 November. He received the award together with fellow JG 51 pilot Joachim Brendel.

### Group commander

On 10 June 1944, I. Gruppe was ordered to an airfield named Peloniczna near Lviv. Seven days later, they were moved to Serpneve. On 11 June, Borchers was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) replacing Hauptmann Johannes Wiese. Wiese had been injured on 22 February. Intermittently, the Gruppe had been led by Oberleutnant Paul-Heinrich Dähne. Command of 11. Staffel of JG 51 was then passed to Oberleutnant Horst Walther. On 22 June, Soviet forces launched Operation Bagration, attacking Army Group Centre in Byelorussia, with the objective of encircling and destroying its main component armies. On 24 June, the Gruppe transferred to Galați and again to Peloniczna. Borchers claimed his 100 aerial victory on 24 July 1944. He was the 86th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. The Gruppe reached Grabowiec in eastern Poland on 27 July and Kraków on 1 August. On 12 August they were again relocated and moved to Mzurowa.
His 118th victory claimed on 2 September 1944, is also noted for claiming JG 52 10,000th aerial victory. On 19 September, Borchers made an emergency landing in his Bf 109 G-6 near Tarnów, in an area approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) east of Kraków. Borchers was given command to III. Gruppe of JG 52 on 1 February 1945. He succeeded Hauptmann Wilhelm Batz who was transferred to take command of II. Gruppe of JG 52. Command of I. Gruppe of JG 52 was passed to Hauptmann Erich Hartmann. Together with his comrades he surrendered to U.S. forces only to be turned over to Soviet forces.

### Later life

After World War II, Borchers was released from Soviet captivity in 1950. He then traveled to Steibis, part of Oberstaufen in Oberallgäu, Bavaria. There, he was reunited with his wife Christl Cranz, a former German alpine ski racer whom he had married in 1943. The marriage produced three children. In 1947, Cranz had founded a Ski school for children, which the two then jointly operated. Borchers died on 9 February 1996 in Oberstaufen.

## Summary of career
### Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Borchers was credited with 132 aerial victories. Spick also lists Borchers with 132 aerial victories, 127 of which on the Eastern Front and five during the Battle of France and Battle of Britain, claimed in over 800 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and also state that Borchers was credited with 132 aerial victories, including two on the Western Front and the others on the Eastern Front.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47764". 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 |
| – 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77 – Battle of France — 10–23 May 1940 ||||||||||
| 1 | 19 May 1940 | 16:15 | Hurricane | Le Cateau | | | | | |
| – 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Battle of Britain and on the English Channel — 25 August 1940 – 7 June 1941 ||||||||||
| 2 | 5 March 1941 | 14:55 | Spitfire | west of Boulogne | | | | | |
| – 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941 ||||||||||
| 3 | 24 June 1941 | 10:28 | DB-3 | | 14 | 27 August 1941 | 08:55 | I-16? | |
| 4 | 24 June 1941 | 10:36 | DB-3 | | 15 | 31 August 1941 | 17:30 | I-18 (MiG-1) | |
| 5 | 30 June 1941 | 10:45 | DB-3 | | 16 | 3 September 1941 | 16:15 | DB-3 | |
| 6 | 30 June 1941 | 13:10 | DB-3 | | 17 | 10 October 1941 | 09:20 | Pe-2 | |
| 7 | 30 June 1941 | 13:50 | SB-2 | | 18 | 12 October 1941 | 12:45 | Douglas DC-3 (PS-84) | |
| 8 | 4 July 1941 | 15:17 | SB-2 | | 19 | 12 October 1941 | 12:46 | Douglas DC-3 (PS-84) | |
| 9 | 5 July 1941 | 06:50 | SB-2 | | 20 | 13 October 1941 | 10:20 | DB-3 | |
| 10 | 14 July 1941 | 16:10 | ZKB-19? | | 21 | 17 October 1941 | 10:45 | Pe-2 | |
| 11 | 27 July 1941 | 15:50 | DB-3 | | 22 | 24 October 1941 | 07:55 | R-3? | |
| 12 | 8 August 1941 | 15:30 | DB-3 | | 23 | 24 October 1941 | 11:05 | SB-2 | |
| 13 | 26 August 1941 | 05:25 | DB-3 | | | | | | |
| – 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 30 April 1942 ||||||||||
| 24 | 2 February 1942 | 10:10 | DB-3 | | 26 | 31 March 1942 | 17:30 | MiG-3 | |
| 25 | 20 March 1942 | 11:10 | I-18 (MiG-1) | | | | | | |
| – 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 1 May – August 1942 ||||||||||
| 27 | 10 July 1942 | 10:05 | LaGG-3 | | 28 | 31 July 1942 | 17:35 | Pe-2 | 10 km (6.2 mi) north-northeast of Rzhev |
| – 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — August 1942 – 3 February 1943 ||||||||||
| 29 | 24 August 1942 | 07:50 | LaGG-3 | PQ 47764 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Zubtsov | 37 | 29 December 1942 | 09:20 | MiG-3 | PQ 07673 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Oryol |
| 30 | 2 September 1942 | 07:05 | Il-2 | northwest of Rzhev | 38 | 29 December 1942 | 09:40 | Il-2 | PQ 07722 |
| 31 | 3 September 1942 | 09:45 | Il-2 | northwest of Rzhev | 39 | 5 January 1943 | 08:40 | Il-2 | PQ 07722 |
| 32 | 4 December 1942 | 13:40 | Il-2 | 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Velikiye Luki | 40 | 6 January 1943 | 10:35 | Pe-2 | PQ 07733 |
| 33 | 4 December 1942 | 13:45 | Il-2 | 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Morosolshiki | 41 | 14 January 1943 | 10:25 | MiG-3 | PQ 07594 vicinity of Glazunovka |
| 34 | 14 December 1942 | 09:03 | Il-2 | 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Velikiye Luki | 42 | 16 January 1943 | 14:45 | Il-2 | PQ 07352 |
| 35 | 16 December 1942 | 11:42 | Il-2 | 40 km (25 mi) northeast of Nevel | 43 | 28 January 1943 | 10:45 | MiG-3 | PQ 07754 vicinity of Velikiye Luki |
| 36 | 16 December 1942 | 11:46 | Il-2 | 40 km (25 mi) northeast of Nevel | | | | | |
| – 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943 ||||||||||
| 44 | 6 May 1943 | 13:10 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 63164 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Oryol | 63 | 13 July 1943 | 13:40 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 35 Ost 63252 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Zalegoshch |
| 45 | 6 May 1943 | 13:20 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 63412 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Zmiyovka | 64 | 13 July 1943 | 14:10 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 35 Ost 63254 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Zalegoshch |
| 46 | 6 May 1943 | 13:40 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 63471 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Maloarkhangelsk | 65 | 5 August 1943 | 17:30 | LaGG-3 | southwest of Karachev |
| 47 | 7 May 1943 | 04:30 | MiG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 63419 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Zmiyovka | 66 | 13 August 1943 | 17:50 | LaGG-3 | southwest of Kharkiv |
| 48 | 7 May 1943 | 04:35 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63244 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Zalegoshch | 67 | 16 August 1943 | 06:05 | La-5 | south of Merafa |
| 49 | 7 May 1943 | 04:39 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 64832 20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Mzensk | 68 | 16 August 1943 | 13:40 | Pe-2 | east of Kasstschaja-Logan |
| 50 | 2 June 1943 | 04:03 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 63843 5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Zolotukhino | 69 | 18 August 1943 | 06:02 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 70793, southeast of Izium |
| 51 | 8 June 1943 | 19:17 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 54832 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Telchje | 70 | 18 August 1943 | 06:10 | La-5 | PQ 34 Ost 79213, north of Slawjansk |
| 52 | 8 June 1943 | 19:22 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 64772 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Telchje | 71 | 22 August 1943 | 17:40 | La-5 | east of Merefa |
| 53 | 14 June 1943 | 03:20 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63264 25 km (16 mi) east-southeast of Zalegoshch | 72 | 2 September 1943 | 15:45 | P-40 | west of Yelnya |
| 54 | 5 July 1943 | 15:35 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63364 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Glazunowka | 73 | 20 September 1943 | 13:35 | Il-2 m.H. | west of Ssinelnikowo |
| 55 | 6 July 1943 | 07:45 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63183 vicinity of Zmiyovka | 74 | 27 September 1943 | 09:58 | Il-2 m.H. | southwest of Molochansk |
| 56 | 7 July 1943 | 03:50 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 63349 10 km (6.2 mi) south-southeast of Trosna | 75 | 27 October 1943 | 07:45 | La-5 | northeast of Kriwoy-Rog |
| 57 | 8 July 1943 | 13:35 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63551 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Maloarkhangelsk | 76 | 28 October 1943 | 07:10 | P-39 | southeast of Nowo-Starodub |
| 58 | 8 July 1943 | 13:40 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63611 5 km (3.1 mi) northeast of Maloarkhangelsk | 77 | 29 October 1943 | 07:02 | P-39 | southwest of Selanoje |
| 59 | 9 July 1943 | 08:43 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63583 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 78 | 22 November 1943 | 09:32 | Il-2 m.H. | 8 km (5.0 mi) northwest of Annowka |
| 60 | 10 July 1943 | 10:35 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63554 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Maloarkhangelsk | 79 | 29 November 1943 | 07:32 | Il-2 | 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Kanzeropol |
| 61 | 11 July 1943 | 12:30 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63381 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 80 | 29 November 1943 | 07:35 | Il-2 | 17 km (11 mi) southwest of Kanzeropol |
| 62 | 13 July 1943 | 07:15 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 64891 25 km (16 mi) east-northeast of Zalegoshch | | | | | |
| – 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — March – May 1944 ||||||||||
| 81 | 7 March 1944 | 10:34 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 05414 25 km (16 mi) north-northeast of Orsha | 85 | 5 May 1944 | 18:40 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 50478 vicinity of Ternopil |
| 82 | 7 March 1944 | 10:36 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 15311 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Krassnyj | 86? | 10 May 1944 | 07:08 | R-5 | PQ 24 Ost 49424 |
| 83 | 17 April 1944 | 09:20 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 51811 20 km (12 mi) south-southwest of Dubno | 87? | 10 May 1944 | 07:09 | R-5 | PQ 24 Ost 49422 |
| 84 | 2 May 1944 | 15:30 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 40662 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Berezhany | 88 | 28 May 1944 | 06:32 | La-5 | PQ 25 Ost 50563 20 km (12 mi) south-southwest of Ternopil |
| – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Eastern Front — July – October 1944 ||||||||||
| 89 | 5 July 1944 | 12:23 | R-5 | PQ 25 Ost 51751 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Brody | 106 | 26 August 1944 | 13:27 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 11335 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Opatów |
| 90 | 7 July 1944 | 13:32 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 42859 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Kovel | 107 | 26 August 1944 | 13:30 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 11441 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Sandomierz |
| ? | 14 July 1944 | 07:54 | Yak-9 | 30 km (19 mi) north of Brody | 108 | 26 August 1944 | 17:48 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 11334 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Opatów |
| 91 | 14 July 1944 | 08:05? | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 51548 30 km (19 mi) north of Brody | 109 | 28 August 1944 | 12:51 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 01296 |
| 92 | 14 July 1944 | 17:51? | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 50318 30 km (19 mi) north of Ternopil | 110 | 31 August 1944 | 14:09 | P-39 | PQ 25 Ost 11147 20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Opatów |
| 93 | 15 July 1944 | 11:25 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 51711 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Brody | 111 | 31 August 1944 | 14:15 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 11313 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Opatów |
| 94 | 18 July 1944 | 19:45 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 50187 25 km (16 mi) east of Zolochiv | 112 | 31 August 1944 | 14:16 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 11172 20 km (12 mi) west of Opatów |
| 95 | 22 July 1944 | 09:32 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 40628 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Berezhany | 113 | 31 August 1944 | 14:18 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 01283 |
| 96 | 22 July 1944 | 09:34 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 40631 vicinity of Berezhany | 114 | 1 September 1944 | 10:07 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 11187 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Opatów |
| 97 | 22 July 1944 | 09:37 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 50379 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Berezhany | 115 | 1 September 1944 | 10:10 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 11149 20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Opatów |
| 98 | 23 July 1944 | 09:58 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 40568 30 km (19 mi) west-southwest of Berezhany | 116 | 2 September 1944 | 10:02 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 11179 20 km (12 mi) west of Opatów |
| 99 | 23 July 1944 | 10:01 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 40652 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Berezhany | 117 | 2 September 1944 | 10:04 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 11187 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Opatów |
| 100 | 24 July 1944 | 18:32 | Pe-2 | PQ 25 Ost 30683 10 km (6.2 mi) west-northwest of Stryi | 118 | 2 September 1944 | 15:56 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 11332 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Opatów |
| 101 | 22 August 1944 | 13:41 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 11336 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Opatów | 119 | 22 September 1944 | 11:33 | Il-2 | |
| 102 | 22 August 1944 | 13:45 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 11414 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Sandomierz | 120 | 23 September 1944 | 13:52 | La-5 | PQ 25 Ost 10633 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Sanok (Poland) |
| 103 | 22 August 1944 | 13:46 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 11273 15 km (9.3 mi) east-southeast of Opatów | 121 | 14 October 1944 | 13:12 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 13156 vicinity of Budsztmihaly |
| 104 | 24 August 1944 | 15:24 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 11442 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Sandomierz | 122 | 15 October 1944 | 13:47 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 13159 25 km (16 mi) east-southeast of Trepca |
| 105 | 25 August 1944 | 17:13 | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 11515 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Mielec | 123 | 26 October 1944 | 11:15? | Il-2 m.H. | PQ 25 Ost 25373 25 km (16 mi) south of Orșova |
| – Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 – Eastern Front — March 1945 ||||||||||
| 126 | 22 March 1945 | — | Pe-2 | PQ 71657 | 127 | 22 March 1945 | — | Pe-2 | PQ 71682 |

### Awards

* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 20 October 1941 as Oberfeldwebel in a Jagdgeschwader
* German Cross in Gold on 15 October 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 11./Jagdgeschwader 51
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 November 1943 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 11./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"