How old was Gerhard Barkhorn when he crashed?

Over the English Channel in late October 1940, it was bloody dangerous. 22-year-old Leutnant Gerhard Barkhorn had crashed his Messerschmitt Me-109E in France the month before, but survived. As he came up sputtering cold seawater on this hazy, cloudy Tuesday, his chances of survival seemed less promising.

What did Gerhard Barkhorn do in the RAF?

Near Maidstone and Chatham, the flight encountered Royal Air Force (RAF) fighters. He flew many fighter escort missions to England, on 29 September he participated on a mission providing protection for bombers from II. Gruppe of Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2—2nd Demonstration Wing) targeting London.

How many brothers and sisters did Gerhard Barkhorn have?

Today it is Kaliningrad in Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea. He was one of four children of Stadtbauoberinspektor ( urban design inspector) Wilhelm and his wife Therese. Barkhorn had two brothers, Helmut and Dieter, and a sister Meta.

When did Gerhard Barkhorn get the Iron Cross?

Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 52 in September 1943. Barkhorn was awarded the second highest decoration in the Wehrmacht when he received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords for 250 aerial victories. Barkhorn flew 1,104 combat sorties and was credited with 301 victories on the Eastern Front piloting the Messerschmitt Bf 109.

When did Gerhard Barkhorn get the Ritterkreuz?

Oberleutnant Barkhorn was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 23 August 1942 for 64 victories. After a two-month break away from the front he returned in early October. He recorded 14 victories in October, seven in November and 17 in December, including his 100th victory on 19 December.

What did Gerhard Barkhorn do in World War 2?

On 21 April 1945, on the last of only two operational missions flying the Me 262, Barkhorn’s starboard engine failed. He was obliged to break off an attack on an American bomber formation and return to his base at Riem. He was chased by the USAAF P-51 fighter escort so set about landing his crippled machine in a clearing in some woods.

Barkhorn had two brothers, Helmut and Dieter, and a sister Meta. The four children were all members of the Bündische Jugend, a German youth movement. From 1925 to 1929, Barkhorn attended the Volksschule (primary school) in Königsberg and then the Wilhelms-Gymnasium, a secondary school, where he graduated with his Abitur (diploma) in early 1937.