Viktor Bauer (15 September 1915 – 13 December 1969) was a former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. Bauer is credited with 106 aerial victories, achieved in over 400 combat missions, all but four claimed on the Eastern Front.
Early life and career
Bauer was born on 19 September 1915 in Löcknitz, the son of a landowner. He joined the military service on 1 April 1935, initially serving in Infanterie-Regiment 1 (1st Infantry Regiment). He served in the Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service) from 1 January 1936 until 31 March 1936. He transferred to the Luftwaffe of the Nazi Germany on 6 April 1936 as a Fahnenjunker (cadet). Bauer completed his flight training on 1 March 1938. That day, he was also promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) and transferred to Kampfgeschwader 138 (KG 138–138th Bomber Wing). On 1 May 1938, he attended a Jagdfliegerschule (fighter pilot school). On 1 July 1938, Bauer was assigned to the VI. Gruppe (4th group) of Jagdgeschwader 132 "Richthofen" (JG 132–132nd Fighter Wing) as a fighter pilot. On 9 March 1939, he was posted to I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 331 (JG 331–331st Fighter Wing) and to I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77–77th Fighter Wing) on 31 July 1939.
World War II
World War II in Europe had begun on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. On 1 November, he received the Iron Cross 2nd Class (). On 1 March 1940, he was transferred to the 2./Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77–77th Fighter Wing). Bauer claimed his first aerial victory on 15 May 1940 west of Bruges, a Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricane. He shot down another Hurricane near Cambrai on 18 May. Bauer was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) on 1 June 1940 and was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class () on 18 November 1940. He then fought in the Battle of Britain against the RAF, claiming a Supermarine Spitfire shot down on 1 November 1940. Bauer was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class () on 18 November 1940, and then transferred to Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3–3rd Fighter Wing) in December 1940. On 10 June 1941, Bauer was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 9. Staffel (9th squadron) of JG 3, succeeding Oberleutnant Max Jaczak who killed in a flying accident the day before.
Eastern Front
In preparation for the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, he and his JG 3 were transferred to the Eastern Front. In June 1941, he claimed 15 Soviet aircraft shot down, including five SB-2 twin-engine bombers claimed on 26 June alone. He then claimed 17 victories in July, including five Russian DB-3 twin-engine bombers on 12 July.
On 23 July 1941, Bauer claimed two Polikarpov I-153 biplane fighters shot down, taking his to total to 36 aerial victories. That afternoon, his Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2 (Werknummer 8987—factory number) sustained heavy damage in combat with a flight of Ilyushin DB-3 bombers at the Dnieper. Bauer attempted a forced landing at Bila Tserkva, the aircraft somersaulted, resulting in heavy injuries to Bauer. During his convalescence, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () on 30 July 1941 for 34 aerial victories. During his absence, Leutnant Helmut Mertens served as acting Staffelkapitän of 9. Staffel. Bauer returned to his unit in February 1942.
At the time of his return to front line service, III. Gruppe of JG 3 had been redeployed to an area of operations north of Lake Ilmen in support of the airlift resupplying German forces in the Demyansk Pocket. There, on 18 February 1942, Bauer claimed two Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 fighter aircraft, taking his total to 40 aerial victories. In combat with 6 Udarnaya Aviatsionnaya Gruppa (6 UAG—6th Soviet Strike Aviation Group) on 4 April, he claimed his 50th aerial victory, a Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighter. On 19 May, Bauer claimed a 429 Istrebitel'nyy Aviatsionyy Polk (429 IAP—429th Fighter Aviation Regiment) MiG-3. On 22 June 1942, Bauer was awarded the Honorary Cup of the Luftwaffe ().
One year later on 26 July 1942, he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves () for 102 aerial victories. He was the 14th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. Bauer and together with Oberleutnant Erwin Clausen were presented the Oak Leaves by Adolf Hitler at the Führerhauptquartier at Rastenburg.