Gerhard Barkhorn, an aviator of legendary repute and historical controversy, served as a pilot for the Luftwaffe during World War II. Despite the contentious nature of his service, he achieved an impressive tally of aerial victories, securing his position as the second-highest-scoring fighter pilot in history, trailing only behind his fellow German counterpart, Erich Hartmann. In the post-war era, Barkhorn embarked on an unexpected path, working alongside his former adversaries.
Gerhard Barkhorn’s early life
Gerhard Barkhorn, born on March 20, 1919 in what was then the Free State of Prussia, embarked on his aviation journey after completing his education. After fulfilling his mandatory Reichsarbeitsdienst, which involved manual labor for Germany, the 18-year-old made the decision to enlist in the Luftwaffe.
Barkhorn’s aviation odyssey commenced as a fahnenjunker at an air school in Dresden, where he commenced flight training. His dedication to learning was unmistakable, often undertaking up to nine flights per day under the guidance of his flight instructor. His training encompassed aircraft such as the Heinkel He 72 Kadett, the Focke-Wulf Fw 44 Stieglitz, the Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann and the Gotha Go 145.
Upon the conclusion of his training in August 1939, Barkhorn had ascended to the rank of leutnant.
Beginning of World War II
Following the German invasion of Poland, Gerhard Barkhorn was sent to train as a fighter pilot. Ironically, he was never a very good shot in training. During his first aerial target training, he made 20/100 hits; the second time, he only made 10/100. In addition to targets, he was also trained in formation flying. By the time he graduated in 1940, he’d already completed 615 flights.
When he entered the war, Barkhorn was sent on flying patrols over Belgium and France, before being moved to fly in the Battle of Britain. For his role in escorting bombers to London, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class, although he had yet to claim any aerial victories.
Only a few days later, he was shot down by Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots over the English Channel, and the Royal Navy tried their best to capture him. The Kriegsmarine rescued Barkhorn from his predicament, and he went back to flying shortly after, although he swore to never again bail out of his aircraft.
Deployed to the Eastern Front
For the first half of 1941, Gerhard Barkhorn flew patrols over various occupied countries, before being sent to the Eastern Front to aid in Operation Barbarossa. While there, he finally saw success in combat. On July 2, 1941, he went on his 120th mission, claiming his first aerial victory against the Soviets while serving with Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52).
From then on, Barkhorn quickly amounted further victories, scoring his 100th kill on December 9, 1942 and his 200th less than a year later. When he reached 250, he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, the second-highest honor that could be awarded at the time.
He never obtained the highest (diamonds added to the medal), despite reaching 301 kills, flying 1,104 missions by the war’s end and becoming an ‘ace-in-a-day’ five times. Some say this was because he didn’t believe in the Führer‘s ideology. Nonetheless, he rose through the ranks, serving as the squadron leader of 4 Staffel, followed by 2 Staffel.
Taken as a prisoner of war (POW)
In January 1945, Gerhard Barkhorn was made the Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 6 (JG 6). Four months later, he joined Jagdverband 44 (JV 44), with whom he was flying when he surrendered to the Allies on May 4, 1945, near Salzburg. He was subsequently taken as a prisoner of war (POW).
A few days later, Barkhorn and five others were taken to England for interrogation, where they stayed until June. They were then shipped to a POW camp in Foucarville, France, and were held there until that September. Barkhorn returned to his family, going on to work various manufacturing jobs for the next 10 years.
Service with the Bundesluftwaffe
In 1955, Gerhard Barkhorn was asked to join the new West German Air Force, the Bundesluftwaffe. He was sworn in as a major on June 19, 1956. Interestingly, his role required he work closely with the air forces he’d fought against during WWII. He was trained on jet aircraft by members of the RAF, and also headed the group of German pilots who were part of the Tripartite Kestrel Evaluation Squadron in the United Kingdom.
While flying a Hawker Siddeley Kestrel on October 13, 1965, Barkhorn crash-landed at RAF West Raynham. He was rescued from the jet and jokingly claimed it as the 302nd Allied aircraft he’d taken out.
Despite his role in the Second World War, he went on to have an impressive career. At the time of his retirement in 1975, he’d reached the rank of generalmajor and was the chief of staff of NATO‘s Second Allied Tactical Air Force.
Gerhard Barkhorn’s later life and death
Despite so many flight hours, it wasn’t an aviation accident that killed Gerhard Barkhorn, but, rather, a car crash. On January 6, 1983, he was driving with his wife and a friend near Cologne when the accident occurred. His partner was killed instantly, while Barkhorn and his friend were severely injured and taken to a local hospital.
Both men died within a week. Supposedly, Barkhorn fell into a coma after finding out his wife had died at the scene. They were buried on January 14, 1983, with Barkhorn receiving a military funeral presided over by many high-ranking Bundesluftwaffe officers.
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Erich Hartmann, the only pilot with more victories, spoke fondly of his former comrade, saying, “He was the fighter commander of whom every fighter pilot dreams – leader, friend, comrade and father – the best I ever met. One of the few commanders whose men thirty, forty, fifty years later, continue to speak of him with respect and affection. Gerd Barkhorn was an unforgettable man.”
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