Hans-Heinz Augenstein

Hans-Heinz Augenstein
Hans-Heinz Augenstein
Born	11 July 1921 Pforzheim, Germany
Died	7 December 1944 (aged 23) Münster, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Rank	Oberleutnant
Unit	NJG 1
Commands held	7./NJG 1
Battles/wars	World War II Defense of the Reich †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hans-Heinz Augenstein (11 July 1921 – 7 December 1944) was a German Luftwaffe fighter and flying ace during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.^[1] Operating as a night fighter ace, he was credited with 46 victories, of which 45 were four-engine bombers.^{[2][Notes 1]}

Career

Leutnant Augenstein first served with 3./NJG 1 during mid 1942. He claimed his first victory on the night of 31 July-1 August, a Vickers Wellington downed near Ahlhorn. In late 1942, Augenstein transferred to 7 staffel. He claimed four victories on 27–28 May. In March 1944 Augenstein was made Staffelkapitän of 12./NJG 1 and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 June 1944.

During 1944 Augenstein claimed 42 victories. On the night of 7 December 1944, Augenstein’s Bf 110 G-4 was shot down near Münster-Handorf by a Mosquito night fighter of the Fighter Interception Unit, flown by RAF ace F/L ER Hedgecoe DFC. Augenstein and his Bordfunker Gunther Steins were killed but his Bordschütze Uzz. Kurt Schmidt baled out unhurt.^[3]

Hans-Heinz Augenstein was credited with 46 victories, all recorded at night and including 45 four-engine bombers.

Awards

• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (17 January 1944)^[4]
• German Cross in Gold on 16 January 1944 as Leutnant in the 7./NJG 1^[5]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 June 1944 as Oberleutnant and Staffelführer of the 7./NJG 1^[6][7]

Notes

1. For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces

References

Citations

1. Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.
2. Spick, p. 244.
3. 'Mosquito fighter/fighter bomber units of WW2'; Martin Bowman, page 79
4. Obermaier 1989, p. 82.
5. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 19.
6. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 118.
7. Scherzer 2007, p. 196.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. Ivy Books. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.

External links

• "Aces of the Luftwaffe". Hans-Heinz Augenstein. Retrieved 15 February 2008.