Peter Kalden

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Peter Kalden
Born(1923-08-17)17 August 1923
Wittenberge
Died11 June 1996(1996-06-11) (aged 72)
Friedrichsdorf
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
UnitJG 51
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Peter Kalden (17 August 1923 – 11 June 1996) was a German World War II fighter ace, attached to Jagdgeschwader 51. Depending on source, he was credited with 69 or 84 aerial victories.

Career

[edit]

Kalden was born on 17 August 1923 in Wittenberge in the Province of Brandenburg of the Weimar Republic.[1]

On 1 August 1944, Kalden was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). He replaced Oberleutnant Heinz Venth who had been reported as missing in action on 16 July.[2] On 15 August, as part of the group expansion from three Staffeln per Gruppe to four Staffeln per Gruppe, 10. Staffel was re-designated and became the 13. Staffel while 11. Staffel became the 14. Staffel of JG 51. Consequently, Kalden then commanded 13. Staffel.[3]

Kalden was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 6 December 1944. The presentation was 11 days later by Generalmajor Robert Fuchs.[4]

Later life

[edit]

Kalden died on 11 June 1996 at the age of 72 in Friedrichsdorf, Germany.[5]

Summary of career

[edit]

Aerial victory claims

[edit]

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Kalden was credited with 69 aerial victories.[6] Spick lists him with 84 aerial victories claimed in 538 combat missions.[7] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 69 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[8]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 63251". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) 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 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[9]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  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
– 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[10]
Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943
1 13 July 1943 13:38 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 63251[11]
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Zalegoshch 		7 3 October 1943 08:48 La-5 northeast of Orlik[12]
2 14 July 1943 15:52 Il-2 m.H.[Note 1] PQ 35 Ost 54412[11]
30 km (19 mi) northeast of Dudorovskiy 		8 3 October 1943 08:50 La-5 north of Orlik[12]
3 17 July 1943 04:14 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63214[11]
vicinity of Zalegoshch 		9 24 October 1943 11:28 Yak-9 southeast of Petrovo[12]
4 31 July 1943 09:31?[Note 2] LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 54488[11]
20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Bolchov 		10 30 November 1943 12:04 P-39 6 km (3.7 mi) north of Malaya-Wolaska[13]
5 14 September 1943 14:32 Yak-1 north of Pologi[14] 11 11 December 1943 11:06 Il-2 m.H.[Note 1] PQ 34 Ost 39511[13]
35 km (22 mi) west of Borovichi
6 20 September 1943 13:30 La-5 northeast of Dnipropetrovsk[14] 12 17 December 1943 11:22 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 29825[13]

Awards

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
  2. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 09:21.[10]
  3. ^ According to Scherzer as pilot in the 13./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders".[17]

References

[edit]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 142.
  2. ^ Prien et al. 2022, pp. 477, 489.
  3. ^ Prien et al. 2022, p. 464.
  4. ^ Weal 2007, p. 77.
  5. ^ a b Dixon 2023, p. 186.
  6. ^ Zabecki 2014, p. 1616.
  7. ^ Spick 1996, p. 235.
  8. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 605–607.
  9. ^ Planquadrat.
  10. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 606.
  11. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2012, p. 151.
  12. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2012, p. 155.
  13. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2012, p. 156.
  14. ^ a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 154.
  15. ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 113.
  16. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 249.
  17. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 429.
  18. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 217.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  • Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (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.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
  • 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.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/II—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/II—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-05-5.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Balke, Ulf; Bock, Winfried (2022). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 15/I—Einsatz im Osten—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 15/I—Action in the East—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-26-0.
  • 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
  • Weal, John (2007). More Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 76. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-177-9.
  • Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-59884-981-3.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Peter_Kalden&oldid=1231236722"