Dortenmann
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Dortenmann
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1980 jours
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31/12/2020 à 19:34:14
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Biographie
Hans Dortenmann (11 December 1921 - 1 April 1973)
III/JG 54 (IV/JG 26) Gruppenkommandeur
Back at Varrelbusch, Oblt. Dortenmann and his 12th Staffel were still scheduled to take off at noon. By interviewing the few returnees and listening to the radio transmissions in the command post, Dortenmann formed a picture of the situation - the entire Münster basin was filled up to an altitude of 5000 meters with dozens of enemy air formations of all types, primarily Spitfires. Dortenmann made his decision. He led his twelve Dora-9s off the ground, formed up east of the field, and headed for the battle zone in a steady climb, finally leveling off at 6000 meters. Dortenmann heard the ground controller's order to drop to 2000 meters and attack Thunderbolts and bombers over Münster, but he stayed where he was. West of Osnabrück, he sighted twenty-two Spitfires 1000 meters below, made a clean bounce, and shot down two fighters. One German pilot was lost, but Oblt. Dortenmann led his remaining eleven planes back to Varrelbusch in formation.
After Dortenmann's return, Obstlt. Priller informed him that the 3rd Jagddivision had ordered him to be court-martialed. Priller advised him to stay calm and keep a low profile, and the next day instructed Dortenmann to take over the administrative command of III/JG 54. Nothing more was heard of a court-martial.
- December 1944
By 1945, none of the JG 26 Staffelkapitäne were professional officers. All had been promoted from the enlisted ranks, and few had had any form of officers' or formation leaders' training. They had not been promoted because of their abilities as leaders, and these abilities varied widely. Several surviving pilots divide the leaders into two categories: the majority, who tried conscientiously to fulfill the role of combat leader that had been thrust upon them, and the rest, who thought only of their own personal survival. There was a third category, containing those men who still hungered after personal glory and decorations. By the end of January, there was apparently only one man associated with the Geschwader who still fit this description, Hans Dortenmann of 12/JG 54. His skills as a formation leader and combat pilot were so great that most of his pilots forgave him for this quirk, even though it put them at great personal risk.
- January 1945
Pas blagusht.
III/JG 54 (IV/JG 26) Gruppenkommandeur
Back at Varrelbusch, Oblt. Dortenmann and his 12th Staffel were still scheduled to take off at noon. By interviewing the few returnees and listening to the radio transmissions in the command post, Dortenmann formed a picture of the situation - the entire Münster basin was filled up to an altitude of 5000 meters with dozens of enemy air formations of all types, primarily Spitfires. Dortenmann made his decision. He led his twelve Dora-9s off the ground, formed up east of the field, and headed for the battle zone in a steady climb, finally leveling off at 6000 meters. Dortenmann heard the ground controller's order to drop to 2000 meters and attack Thunderbolts and bombers over Münster, but he stayed where he was. West of Osnabrück, he sighted twenty-two Spitfires 1000 meters below, made a clean bounce, and shot down two fighters. One German pilot was lost, but Oblt. Dortenmann led his remaining eleven planes back to Varrelbusch in formation.
After Dortenmann's return, Obstlt. Priller informed him that the 3rd Jagddivision had ordered him to be court-martialed. Priller advised him to stay calm and keep a low profile, and the next day instructed Dortenmann to take over the administrative command of III/JG 54. Nothing more was heard of a court-martial.
- December 1944
By 1945, none of the JG 26 Staffelkapitäne were professional officers. All had been promoted from the enlisted ranks, and few had had any form of officers' or formation leaders' training. They had not been promoted because of their abilities as leaders, and these abilities varied widely. Several surviving pilots divide the leaders into two categories: the majority, who tried conscientiously to fulfill the role of combat leader that had been thrust upon them, and the rest, who thought only of their own personal survival. There was a third category, containing those men who still hungered after personal glory and decorations. By the end of January, there was apparently only one man associated with the Geschwader who still fit this description, Hans Dortenmann of 12/JG 54. His skills as a formation leader and combat pilot were so great that most of his pilots forgave him for this quirk, even though it put them at great personal risk.
- January 1945
Pas blagusht.
