Helmut Schönfelder

Helmut Schönfelder (30 April 1914 – 23 September 2003) was a 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. Schönfelder was credited with 56 aerial victories.

Helmut Schönfelder
Born	30 April 1914 Nienburg an der Weser
Died	23 September 2003(2003-09-23) (aged 89) Bad Schwalbach
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	?-1945
Rank	Oberfeldwebel
Unit	JG 51
Battles / wars	World War II Eastern Front
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career

Schönfelder was born on 30 April 1914 in Nienburg an der Weser in the Province of Hanover within the German Empire.^[1]

A training mission flown on 6 June 1944, resulted in forced landing at Biała Podlaska of his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A due to engine failure.^[2]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Schönfelder was credited with 56 aerial victories.^[3] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that he claimed 56 aerial victories, all of which on the Eastern Front.^[4]

Chronicle of aerial victories
This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Schönfelder did not receive credit.   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
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[5] Operation Barbarossa — October – 5 December 1941
1	27 October 1941	14:15	DB-3	15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Mtsensk[6]	2	28 November 1941	11:10	I-16	3 km (1.9 mi) southeast of Kashira[7]
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[5] Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 30 April 1942
3	13 January 1942	14:49	I-16	southwest of Yukhnov[8]	6	7 March 1942	08:07	I-61?[Note 1]	30 km (19 mi) northeast of Krassilina[9]
4	13 January 1942	14:52	I-16	45 km (28 mi) southwest of Yukhnov[8]	7	8 March 1942	09:50	Pe-2	1 km (0.62 mi) north of Meshchovsk[9]
5	7 March 1942	08:05	I-61?[Note 1]	30 km (19 mi) northeast of Krassilina[9]
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[5] Eastern Front — 1 May – 7 October 1942
8	1 May 1942	06:35	MiG-3	15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Mtsensk[10]	10	26 September 1942	15:12	LaGG-3	15 km (9.3 mi) north of Rzhev[11]
9	25 August 1942	10:28	LaGG-3	12 km (7.5 mi) west of Belyov[12]
– Stabsstaffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[5] Eastern Front — October – 31 December 1943
11	3 October 1943	16:35	MiG-3	163 km (101 mi) north-northeast of Yelsk[13]	13	28 October 1943	14:56	Boston	22 km (14 mi) west-northwest of Loyew[13]
12	23 October 1943	13:20	LaGG-3	42 km (26 mi) northeast of Orsha[13]
– Stabsstaffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 1 January – 31 December 1944
14	10 January 1944	13:02	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 93536, 13 km (8.1 mi) east of Azarychy[14] 30 km (19 mi) south of Parychy	29	4 August 1944	08:05	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 36614, 27 km (17 mi) east-northeast of Raseiniai[15]
— [Note 2]	10 January 1944	—	Yak-9[16]		30	4 August 1944	11:40	La-5	PQ 25 Ost498, 12 km (7.5 mi) south-southwest of Vilkaviškis[15]
15	23 June 1944	09:40	LaGG-3	PQ 25 Ost 96823, 31 km (19 mi) north-northeast of Orsha[16] 55 km (34 mi) west-northwest of Maklok	31	4 August 1944	12:15	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 25633, 18 km (11 mi) south-southwest of Vilkaviškis[17]
16	23 June 1944	16:58	P-39	PQ 25 Ost 96548, 24 km (15 mi) southeast of Ulla[16]	32	5 August 1944	12:15	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 35318, 5 km (3.1 mi) northeast of Vilkaviškis[17]
17	24 June 1944	09:40?[Note 3]	Yak-7	PQ 35 Ost 05442, 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Orsha[16] 30 km (19 mi) north of Gorki	33	10 September 1944	10:31	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 36159, 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Schaulen[17]
18	24 June 1944	18:15	P-39	PQ 25 Ost 96852, 27 km (17 mi) west of Vitebsk[16] 20 km (12 mi) west of Kamary	34	14 September 1944	14:52	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 29197, 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Varnai[17]
19	26 June 1944	14:45	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 05357, 18 km (11 mi) northwest of Orsha[15]	35	16 September 1944	09:50	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 27543, 16 km (9.9 mi) northwest of Moschaiken[17]
20	8 July 1944	08:40	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 62123, 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Baranowitschi[15] 25 km (16 mi) north of Kursk	36	18 September 1944	17:21	Yak-7	PQ 25 Ost 26118, 12 km (7.5 mi) southwest of Telsche[17]
21	16 July 1944	07:12	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 41369[15]	37	1 October 1944	09:36	Pe-2	PQ 25 Ost 16326, 5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of Vainode[17]
22	20 July 1944	07:40	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 32836, 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of Ljuboml[15]	38	10 October 1944	09:52	P-39	PQ 25 Ost 16328, 9 km (5.6 mi) southeast of Memel[17]
23	22 July 1944	12:32	Pe-2	PQ 25 Ost 32872, 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Chełm[15]	39	10 October 1944	11:24	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 16334, 13 km (8.1 mi) east of Memel[17]
24	22 July 1944	12:45	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 32737, 11 km (6.8 mi) west-northwest of Chełm[15]	40	18 October 1944	16:20	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 25284, 12 km (7.5 mi) east-northeast of Schlossberg[17]
25	22 July 1944	12:48	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 32731, 13 km (8.1 mi) northwest of Chełm[15]	41	26 October 1944	14:37	Pe-2	PQ 25 Ost 25581, 23 km (14 mi) east-northeast of Gołdap[17]
26	26 July 1944	10:58	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 24764, 12 km (7.5 mi) east of Byalistok[15]	42?[Note 4]	27 December 1944	12:54	Yak-9	9 km (5.6 mi) northwest of Dobeln[17]
27	30 July 1944	10:35	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 23734, 5 km (3.1 mi) east of Siedlce[15]	43?[Note 4]	27 December 1944	13:08	Yak-9	8 km (5.0 mi) east of Tukums[17]
28	2 August 1944	11:15	Pe-2	PQ 25 Ost 35371, 13 km (8.1 mi) south of Vilkaviškis[15]

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class^[19]
• Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 19 June 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot^[20]
• German Cross in Gold on 1 January 1945 as Oberfeldwebel in the Stabstaffel/Jagdgeschwader 51^[21]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 31 March 1945 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the Stabstaffel/Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"^[22][23]

Notes

1. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Polikarpov I-16 fighter.^[5]
2. This unconfirmed claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.^[5]
3. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 12:40.^[5]
4. This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.^[18]