Heinz Lange

Infobox Military Person
name=Heinz Lange


caption=Heinz Lange
born=birth date|1917|10|2|df=y
died=dda|2006|2|26|1917|10|2|df=y
placeofbirth= Cologne, Germany
placeofdeath=
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=Luftwaffe
serviceyears=1937-1945
rank=Major
commands=IV./JG 51, JG 51
unit=JG 21, JG 54, JG 51
battles=World War II
*Polish Campaign
*Battle of France
*Battle of Britain
*Balkans Campaign
*Operation Barbarossa
awards=Deutsches Kreuz
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
laterwork=law

Heinz Lange (October 2, 1917 – February 26, 2006) was a German World War II Luftwaffe 70-victory flying ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He held the position of Geschwaderkommodore of fighter wing Jagdgeschwader 51. He held the rank of Major.

Lange was born in Cologne, Germany. He flew 628 combat missions and was credited with 70 aerial victories, all but one on the Eastern front. Included in his total are 24 Il-2 Sturmoviks and 12 Bombers.

Shortly after World War II the British became interested in the performance and evaluation of the advanced German Fw 190 D-13. While at Flensburg, the British Disarmament Wing wanted to see how this fighter would perform against one of their best, a Hawker Tempest. Squadron Leader Evans approached Major Lange and asked him to fly a mock combat against one of their pilots. Lange accepted, even though he had only ten flights in a D-9.Crandal 2000, p. 17.]

The mock dogfight was conducted at an altitude of 10,000 feet, with only enough fuel for the flight and no ammunition. In the end the machines were evenly matched. Major Lange assessed that the outcome of such a contest greatly depended on the skills of the individual pilot. At the time Major Lange was not aware that he was flying a D-13 but rather a D-9.

After the war Lange attended the University of Kiel and studied law receiving a doctorate in law ("Dr. jur.") degree. In August 1950 he started his career working for the Gerling Insurance Group. He retired in 1982.

Awards

* Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (27 October 1942)
* German Cross in Gold (17 May 1943)
* Iron Cross 2. and 1. class
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (18 November 1944)

References

*cite web |title=Aces of the Luftwaffe|work=Heinz Lange|url=http://www.luftwaffe.cz/lange.html|accessdate=24 September|accessyear=2007
*cite web |title=Lexikon der Wehrmacht|work=Heinz Lange|url=http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/L/LangeH.htm|accessdate=24 September| accessyear=2007
* Crandall, Jerry. "Yellow 10 The story of the ultra-rare Fw 190 D-13". Hamilton, MT: Eagle Edition Ltd., 2000. ISBN 0-9660706-3-1.
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
* 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.