Hannes Trautloft | |
|---|---|
 Trautloft in the Bundesluftwaffe | |
| Born | 3 March 1912 Großobringen |
| Died | 12 January 1995 (aged 82) Bad Wiessee |
| Buried | Waldfriedhof Solln |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany |
| Service |  Luftwaffe German Air Force |
| Years of service | 1931–1945 1957–1970 |
| Rank | Oberst (colonel) Generalleutnant (lieutenant general) |
| Unit | III./JG 134
JG 77, JG 51, JG 54 |
| Commands | III./JG 51, JG 54 Grünherz
Air Force Group South |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Great Cross of Merit with Star |
Otto Hans "Hannes" Trautloft (3 March 1912 – 12 January 1995) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during the Spanish Civil War and World War II, and general in the postwar German Air Force. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 58 enemy aircraft shot down, including 5 in Spain, 8 on the Western Front and 45 on the Eastern Front of World War II.
Born in Großobringen, Trautloft volunteered for military service in the Reichsheer of the Weimar Republic in 1931. In parallel, he was accepted for flight training with the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule, a covert military-training organization, and at the Lipetsk fighter-pilot school. Following flight training, he served with Jagdgeschwader 134 "Horst Wessel" (JG 134—134th Fighter Wing) and was one of the first German volunteers to fight in the Spanish Civil War. From August to December 1936, he claimed five aerial victories. For his service in Spain he was awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords.
Following his service in Spain, Trautloft held various command positions, and at the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939, he was the Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 2. Staffel (2nd squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing). He claimed his first aerial victory during the Invasion of Poland and was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 20 which later became III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). In August 1940, during the Battle of Britain, Trautloft was given command of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing). He led JG 54 in Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. There, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 July 1941. Trautloft continued to lead JG 54 on the Eastern Front until July 1943 when he was called to the staff of the General der Jagdflieger (General of Fighters), assisting in the readiness, training and tactics of the Luftwaffe fighter force.
After the war, Trautloft joined the new German Air Force of West Germany in 1957. Serving as deputy Inspector of the Air Force and commander of Luftwaffengruppe Süd (Air Force Group South), Trautloft retired in 1970 holding the rank of Generalleutnant (lieutenant general). He died on 12 January 1995 in Bad Wiessee.