- Hans-Joachim Birkner
Infobox Military Person
name=Hans-Joachim Birkner
lived=22 October 1921 –14 December 1944
placeofbirth=Schönwalde ,Germany
placeofdeath=Kraków ,Poland
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
branch=
serviceyears=1940–1944
rank=Leutnant
unit=JG 52
battles=World War II
*Eastern Front
awards=Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
laterwork= Hans-Joachim Birkner was a GermanLuftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of theKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross duringWorld War II . Birkner flew 284 missions, scoring 117 aerial victories. [Weal 2003, p. 80.] Birkner often flew as the wingman ofErich Hartmann . On 14 December 1944 Birkner was killed when his Bf 109 suffered engine failure during take-off. [Weal 2003, p. 81.]Awards
*
Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (24 April 1944)
*German Cross in Gold (20 March 1944)
*Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (27 July 1944)References
*cite web | title=Aces of the Luftwaffe|work=Hans-Joachim Birkner| url=http://www.luftwaffe.cz/birkner.html|accessdate=20 February| accessyear=2008
* 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.
* Weal, John (2003a). "Bf109 Aces of the Russian Front". Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 1-84176-084-6
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