Peter Kalden

Peter Kalden
Born(1923-08-17)17 August 1923
Wittenberge, Germany
Died11 June 1996(1996-06-11) (aged 72)
Friedrichsdorf, Germany
Military career
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Branch
 Luftwaffe
UnitJG 51
Conflicts
World War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Peter Kalden (17 August 1923 – 11 June 1996) was a German World War II fighter ace, attached to Jagdgeschwader 51. Depending on source, he was credited with 69 or 84 aerial victories.

Career

Kalden was born on 17 August 1923 in Wittenberge in the Province of Brandenburg of the Weimar Republic.

On 2 May 1944, Kalden was wounded in combat when he was shot down in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 140356—factory number) near Kurovichi.

On 1 August, Kalden was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). He replaced Oberleutnant Heinz Venth who had been reported as missing in action on 16 July. On 15 August, as part of the group expansion from three Staffeln per Gruppe to four Staffeln per Gruppe, 10. Staffel was re-designated and became the 13. Staffel while 11. Staffel became the 14. Staffel of JG 51. Consequently, Kalden then commanded 13. Staffel.

Kalden was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 6 December 1944. The presentation was 11 days later by Generalmajor Robert Fuchs. On 11 March 1945, Kalden attacked Soviet armor near Neustadt in Westpreußen, present-day Wejherowo. On this mission, he was shot down in his Bf 109 G-14 (Werknummer 511439) by Soviet anti-aircraft artillery resulting in a crash landing near Danzig, present-day Gdańsk, and was taken prisoner of war. Command of 13. Staffel then briefly went to Leutnant Engel before Leutnant Kurt Tanzer was given command on 12 April.

Later life

Kalden died on 11 June 1996 at the age of 72 in Friedrichsdorf, Germany.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Kalden was credited with 69 aerial victories. Spick lists him with 84 aerial victories claimed in 538 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 69 aerial victory claims, plus further fifteen unconfirmed and undated claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 63251". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Balke, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943
1 13 July 1943 13:38 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 63251
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Zalegoshch		 7 3 October 1943 08:48 La-5 northeast of Orlik
2 14 July 1943 15:52 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 54412
30 km (19 mi) northeast of Dudorovskiy		 8 3 October 1943 08:50 La-5 north of Orlik
3 17 July 1943 04:14 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63214
vicinity of Zalegoshch		 9 24 October 1943 11:28 Yak-9 southeast of Petrovo
4 31 July 1943 09:31? LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 54488
20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Bolkhov		 10 30 November 1943 12:04 P-39 6 km (3.7 mi) north of Malaya-Wolaska
5 14 September 1943 14:32 Yak-1 north of Pologi 11 11 December 1943 11:06 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 39511
35 km (22 mi) west of Borovichi
6 20 September 1943 13:30 La-5 northeast of Dnipropetrovsk 12 17 December 1943 11:22 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 29825
– 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Eastern Front — 1 January – 31 July 1944
13 5 January 1944 12:09 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 90732
65 km (40 mi) east of Vinnytsia		 24 2 May 1944 05:49 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 50126
25 km (16 mi) southeast of Brody
14 10 January 1944 11:18 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 80682
25 km (16 mi) southeast of Vinnytsia		 25 2 May 1944 05:50? Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 50131
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Brody
15 10 January 1944 11:22 Yak-1 PQ 25 Ost 80681
25 km (16 mi) southeast of Vinnytsia		 26 7 July 1944 10:07 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 55449
25 km (16 mi) southeast of Yukhnov
16 10 January 1944 11:24 Yak-1 PQ 25 Ost 80683
25 km (16 mi) southeast of Vinnytsia		 27 7 July 1944 14:53 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 55476
30 km (19 mi) south-southeast of Yukhnov
17 11 January 1944 15:03 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 80662
30 km (19 mi) east-northeast of Vinnytsia		 28 16 July 1944 07:53 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 50318
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Zolochiv
18 12 January 1944 09:38 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 90549
40 km (25 mi) south-southeast of Koziatyn		 29 18 July 1944 19:28 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 50383
25 km (16 mi) west of Tarnopol
19 24 January 1944 11:13 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 80431
vicinity of Koziatyn		 30 19 July 1944 13:43 R-5 PQ 25 Ost 40135
25 km (16 mi) northwest of Zolochiv
20 1 February 1944 09:29 Pe-2 PQ 34 Ost 09134 31 20 July 1944 13:03 Pe-2 PQ 25 Ost 40123
20 km (12 mi) northeast of Lviv
21 7 April 1944 17:55 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 50712
25 km (16 mi) south-southeast of Berezhany		 32 21 July 1944 16:31 Boston PQ 25 Ost 30233
20 km (12 mi) southwest of Zolochiv
22 16 April 1944 13:43 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 50389
25 km (16 mi) west of Tarnopol		 33 21 July 1944 16:38 P-39 PQ 25 Ost 40113
15 km (9.3 mi) north of Lviv
23 2 May 1944 05:48 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 50122
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Brody		 34 23 July 1944 10:08 Pe-2 PQ 25 Ost 30225
20 km (12 mi) southwest of Żółkiew
– 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Eastern Front — 1–34 August 1944
35 2 August 1944 08:17 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 25433
25 km (16 mi) east-southeast of Blumenfeld		 37 8 August 1944 12:31 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 36548
20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Nemakščiai
36 4 August 1944 07:54 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 36599
30 km (19 mi) west of Kėdainiai		 38 13 August 1944 19:36 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 24613
45 km (28 mi) northeast of Łomża
– 13. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Eastern Front — 15 August – 31 December 1944
39 16 August 1944 17:23 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 26628
vicinity of Nemakščiai		 53 13 October 1944 13:14 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 13545, Jabłonna
15 km (9.3 mi) north of Warsaw
40 17 August 1944 15:06 Yak-1 PQ 25 Ost 25283
15 km (9.3 mi) east of Blumenfeld		 54 13 October 1944 15:57 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 13518, Radzymin
20 km (12 mi) north of Warsaw
41 17 August 1944 17:23 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 26628
vicinity of Nemakščiai		 55 14 October 1944 11:14 Boston PQ 25 Ost 13722
15 km (9.3 mi) east of Warsaw
42 1 September 1944 10:54? Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 13559
15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Warsaw		 56 14 October 1944 16:07 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 13517
20 km (12 mi) north of Warsaw
43 1 September 1944 10:58 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 13583
15 km (9.3 mi) east-northeast of Warsaw		 57 14 October 1944 16:08 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 03663
15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Warsaw
44 1 September 1944 13:40 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 13528
25 km (16 mi) north-northeast of Warsaw		 58 14 October 1944 16:09 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 03666
15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Warsaw
45 4 September 1944 17:16 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 13221
20 km (12 mi) southeast of Ostrołęka		 59 15 October 1944 09:29 Boston PQ 25 Ost 13517
20 km (12 mi) north of Warsaw
46 1 October 1944 16:11 Pe-2 PQ 25 Ost 13595
25 km (16 mi) north-northeast of Warsaw		 60 15 October 1944 13:52 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 03499
10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Warsaw
47 7 October 1944 12:57 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 13357
25 km (16 mi) east of Nasielsk		 61 19 October 1944 08:42 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 13348
20 km (12 mi) east of Nasielsk
48 7 October 1944 13:02 Boston PQ 25 Ost 13651
25 km (16 mi) east of Nasielsk		 62 19 October 1944 08:44 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 13379
20 km (12 mi) east of Nasielsk
49 7 October 1944 13:12 Boston PQ 25 Ost 13343
20 km (12 mi) east of Nasielsk		 63 19 October 1944 08:45 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 13349
20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Nasielsk
50 10 October 1944 13:13 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 13517
20 km (12 mi) north of Warsaw		 64 21 October 1944 16:11 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 13372
20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Nasielsk
51? 13 October 1944 09:26 P-39 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Modlin 65 24 October 1944 08:54 Boston PQ 25 Ost 03457
30 km (19 mi) east-northeast of Modlin
52 13 October 1944 09:29 Boston PQ 25 Ost 13512
20 km (12 mi) north of Warsaw
– 13. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Eastern Front — 1 January – 11 March 1945
66 19 January 1945
—
 unknown 68 24 January 1945
—
 unknown
67 24 January 1945
—
 unknown 69 24 January 1945
—
 unknown

Awards

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
  2. ↑ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 09:21.
  3. ↑ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 05:46.
  4. ↑ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 10:53.
  5. ↑ This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Balke and Bock.
  6. ↑ According to Scherzer as pilot in the 13./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders".

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Obermaier 1989, p. 142.
  2. ↑ Prien et al. 2022, p. 488.
  3. ↑ Prien et al. 2022, pp. 477, 489.
  4. ↑ Prien et al. 2022, p. 464.
  5. ↑ Weal 2007, p. 77.
  6. 1 2 3 Dixon 2023, p. 186.
  7. ↑ Aders & Held 1993, p. 251.
  8. ↑ Zabecki 2014, p. 1616.
  9. ↑ Spick 1996, p. 235.
  10. ↑ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 605–607.
  11. ↑ Planquadrat.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 606.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Prien et al. 2012, p. 151.
  14. 1 2 3 Prien et al. 2012, p. 155.
  15. 1 2 3 Prien et al. 2012, p. 156.
  16. 1 2 Prien et al. 2012, p. 154.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 Prien et al. 2022, p. 480.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 Prien et al. 2022, p. 482.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Prien et al. 2022, p. 484.
  20. 1 2 3 Prien et al. 2022, p. 481.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Prien et al. 2022, p. 485.
  22. ↑ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 606–607.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Prien et al. 2022, p. 486.
  24. ↑ Prien et al. 2022, p. 487.
  25. 1 2 Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 607.
  26. ↑ Patzwall 2008, p. 113.
  27. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 249.
  28. ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 429.
  29. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 217.

Bibliography

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  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  • Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
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