Hans Hahn (night fighter pilot)

Hans Hahn (21 February 1919 – 11 October 1941) was a Luftwaffe night fighter 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; his was the first awarded to a night fighter.^[1]

Hans Hahn
Born	21 February 1919 Rheydt, Germany
Died	11 October 1941(1941-10-11) (aged 22) Grantham, England
Buried	Cannock Chase German war cemetery, England
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1940–1941
Rank	Leutnant
Unit	NJG 2
Battles / wars	World War II Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Death

Graves of Hans Hahn (1919–1941) and Helmut Scheidt (1919–1941), Deutsch Soldatenfriedhof Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, England

Hans Hahn was killed near Grantham, England, on 11 October 1941 after his JU 88 collided with a RAF Oxford trainer aircraft he targeted. He is buried at Cannock Chase German war cemetery.^[2]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

During his career he claimed twelve aerial victories, all of them at night.^{[Note 1]}

Most successful Night Fighter pilot until his death. On five occasions, he returned to his base at Gilze-Rijen on one engine. Once he returned with a balloon cable wrapped around his wing in his C-4.^[1]

Chronicle of aerial victories
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Serial No./Squadron No.
– 3. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –
1	24 October 1940	23:02	Wellington	vicinity of Linton-on-Ouse[3]
2	2 January 1941	19:00	Whitley	50 km (31 mi) east of Withernsea[4]
3	13 March 1941	01:15	Hudson	vicinity of Leeming[5]
4	13 March 1941	22:00	Blenheim	vicinity of Waddington[5]
5	8 April 1941	01:43	Hereford	Wellingore[6]
6	9 April 1941	00:40	Wellington	vicinity of Upwood[6]
7	17 April 1941	01:22	Hampden	southeast of Waddington[6]
8	21 April 1941	03:30	Hereford	vicinity of Digby[6]
9	3 May 1941	01:20	Stirling	vicinity of Oakington[7]
10	4 May 1941	03:10	Fulmar	Stoke Holy Cross[7]
11	5 May 1941	01:12	Blenheim	vicinity of Feltwell[7]
13	12/13 October 1941	—	Oxford	vicinity of Grantham[8]	Oxford AB767/No. 12 Flying Training School RAF[9]

Awards

• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 July 1941 as Leutnant and pilot in the I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2^{[10][Note 2]}

Notes

1. For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces
2. According to Scherzer as pilot in the 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2.^[11]