Viktor Petermann

Viktor Petermann (26 May 1916 – 19 May 2001) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Viktor Petermann was captured by American troops in May 1945, he was handed over to Soviet troops and was released in August 1945 due to his health problems. At the end of the war he flew the Me 262 fighter jet. During his career was credited with 64 aerial victories, four of them, after he lost his arm in an airfight, all on the Eastern Front.

Career

Petermann was born on 26 May 1916 in Weipert, at the time part of the district of Kaaden in the Sudetenland, present-day Vejprty in the Czech Republic.

On 6 June 1943, Petermann was wounded in aerial combat with Yakovlev Yak-1 fighters near Petrovskaya located approximately northwest of Slavyansk-on-Kuban. He made an emergency landing of his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-4 (''Werknummer'' 19527—factory number) near Krasny Oktyabr located west of Slavyansk-on-Kuban at 18:00. He returned to his unit on 10 June.

On 1 October 1943, Petermann became a victim of friendly fire when his Bf 109 G-6 (''Werknummer'' 15851) was shot down by German anti-aircraft artillery resulting in an emergency landing at Nove Zaporizhzhya at 12:15. His injuries were severe, requiring the amputation of his left arm and a toe on his left foot.

Squadron leader and end of war

On 7 January 1945, Petermann was appointed ''Staffelkapitän'' (squadron leader) of 10. ''Staffel'' of JG 52. He succeeded ''Leutnant'' Karl Gratz who had temporarily led the ''Staffel'' after its former commander, ''Oberleutnant'' Friedrich Obleser, had been wounded on 30 December 1944. The ''Staffel'' was subordinated to III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 52 at the time headed by ''Hauptmann'' Wilhelm Batz and based at Kraków. When on 13 January Soviet forces launched the East Prussian offensive, III. ''Gruppe'' was moved to an airfield at Weidengut, present-day Wierzbie. Here on 16 January, Petermann claimed Yakovlev Yak-9. On 1 February 1945, Batz was transferred and command of III. ''Gruppe'' went to ''Major'' Adolf Borchers. On 11 February, Petermann claimed another Yak-9 fighter.

Flying to Schweidnitz, present-day Świdnica, on 16 March, Petermann and his wingman ''Unteroffizier'' Schreck interceped a flight of 20 Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers and 15 Bell P-39 Airacobra fighters north of Grottkau, present-day Grodków. Attacking from above, both pilots claimed a P-39 shot down. On 22 March, Petermann claimed his last confirmed aerial victory, a Yak-9 fighter. On 30 March, Petermann was transferred to III. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 7 "Nowotny", the first operational jet fighter unit. Command of 10. ''Staffel'' was again passed to Gratz. Petermann claimed one probable aerial victory flying the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Petermann was credited with 64 aerial victories. Spick also lists him with 64 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions. All of his aerial victories were achieved over the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 64 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 54522". The Luftwaffe grid map () 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 . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.

Awards

* Flugzeugführerabzeichen
* Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
* Iron Cross (1939)
** 2nd Class (31 August 1942)
** 1st Class (16 October 1942)
* Wound Badge (1939)
** in Black (12 June 1943)
** in Silver (22 December 1943)
* German Cross in Gold on 23 July 1943 as ''Feldwebel'' in the 5./''Jagdgeschwader'' 52
* Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 9 August 1943 as ''Feldwebel'' and pilot
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 February 1944 as ''Leutnant'' and pilot in the III./''Jagdgeschwader'' 52

Notes

Works

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References

Citations

Bibliography

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Petermann, Viktor
1916 births
2001 deaths
Luftwaffe pilots
German World War II flying aces
Recipients of the Gold German Cross
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
People from Vejprty
German prisoners of war in World War II held by the Soviet Union
Sudeten German people
German amputees