Gerhard Homuth

Infobox Military Person
name=Gerhard Homuth
lived=birth date|1914|9|20|df=y — death date and age|1943|8|2|1914|9|20|df=y


caption=Gerhard Homuth
nickname=
placeofbirth=Kiel
placeofdeath= near Orel
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch= Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe (1935-1943)
serviceyears=1933-1943
rank=Major
commands=I./JG 54
unit=Jagdgeschwader 2
Jagdgeschwader 27
Jagdgeschwader 54
battles=World War II
*Invasion of Poland
*Battle of France
*Battle of Britain
*North African Campaign
*Eastern Front
awards=Knight's Cross
laterwork=

Major Gerhard Homuth (20 September, 1914 – 2 August, 1943) was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. He scored all but two of his 63 victories against the Western Allies whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109, and was one of the top scoring aces in the North African campaign. [Spick, p.240.]

Military career

Homuth initially served in the Kriegsmarine before joining the Luftwaffe in 1935. During 1937-1938, he was a member of the Luftwaffe aerobatic team, and part of 2.(J)/LG 2.

In October 1939, Homuth was appointed Adjutant of I/JG 27, becoming "Staffelkapitän" of 3./JG 27 in February 1940. He gained his first victory on 11 May, shooting down a Bristol Blenheim . By the end of the French campaign Homuth had nine victories, and added a further six victories during the Battle of Britain, becoming one of the more successful 'stars' within Jagdgeschwader 27, which had suffered severe losses for little achievement during the Battle.

In April 1941, I/JG 27 was the first Luftwaffe fighter gruppe to be sent to North Africa. Oberleutnant Homuth was awarded the Ritterkreuz in June for 22 victories. By January 1942, Homuth had 39 victories. His impressive record and leadership talents meant Homuth was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I/JG 27 in June 1942. His 60th claim came on 27 October, when he shot down a Spitfire over Bir Mumim Busak.

Coinciding with the withdrawal of I/JG 27 from North Africa, Homuth fell ill and was taken off operational flying. In February 1943 he was posted to Sofia as an instructor training Bulgarian fighter pilots. Homuth returned to front line duty on in July 1943 as Gruppenkommandeur I/JG 54 based in the Northern sector of the Eastern front and flying the FW 190A. On 2 August 1943, on one of his first combat missions, Homuth was engaged in a dogfight with Russian fighters. He finally managed to shoot down an P-39 Airacobra, however Homuth failed to return from this mission and was posted missing in action. His exact fate remains unknown. Gerhard Homuth was credited with 63 victories in approximately 450 missions, 47 in Africa. He recorded two victories over the Eastern front.

Awards

* Iron Cross
** 2nd Class
** 1st Class
* Knight's Cross
** Knight's Cross (14 June 1941)
* German Cross in Gold (9 April 1942)

References

* Kurowski, Franz. "German Fighter Ace: Hans-Joachim Marseille: Star of Africa". Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military History, 1994. ISBN 0-88740-517-7.
* Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit. "Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II". Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
* Scutts, Jerry. "Bf 109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean". London: Osprey Publishing, 1994. ISBN 1-85532-448-2.
* Spick, Mike. "Luftwaffe Fighter Aces". Ivy Books, 1996. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.
*Weal, John (1998). Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Russian Front. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 1-85532-518-7.
* Weal, John. "Jagdgeschwader 27 'Afrika"'. London: Osprey Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-841765-38-4.