august march military aviator world war fighter ace credited enemy aircraft shot combat missions victories claimed western included engine bombers mayer fighter pilot score victories entirely western born mayer pilot youth volunteered military service luftwaffe following flight training posted 2nd fighter wing fought claimed aerial victory campaign june mayer appointed squadron leader 7th squadron june months later following 21st aerial victory received knight august claimed victories awarded gold july november mayer appointed group commander iii 3rd group mayer claimed victories engine bombers shot flying fortresses november fellow fighter ace mayer developed head attack effective tactic allied daylight heavy combat box bomber formations received knight oak leaves april victories july replaced wing commander claimed victory december february pilot channel reach victories mayer killed action march leading attack bomber formation shot escort fighters near france posthumously awarded knight oak leaves swords day early life career mayer son farmer born august time grand mayer grew parents farm named spent spare time airfield near went school secondary school built mid level achieve university entry qualification today named location world war battle following graduation mayer volunteered military service luftwaffe november military training began 2nd southwestern outskirts berlin trained fighter pilot promoted second lieutenant august world war world war europe began friday september german forces invaded poland mayer received 2nd class october transferred 2nd fighter wing named world war fighter ace december entire combat career exception brief posting fighter pilot school mayer serve claimed aerial victory june shooting air mayer flew english channel claimed victories campaign royal_air_force raf shot forced land swim channel hour rescued end mayer victories credit withdrawn combat heavy losses sustained following short tour fighter pilot instructor fighter pilot school mayer sent channel june lieutenant mayer appointed squadron leader 7th squadron based saint claimed 19th 20th victory july awarded knight des august 21st aerial victory received award fellow pilots day triple award presentation recorded series released cinemas score increased aerial victories end mayer received gold gold july august 25th birthday mayer shot 49th 50th victory group commander mayer promoted captain appointed group commander iii november november mayer claimed victories engined bombers shot flying fortresses mayer developed head attack effective tactic allied daylight heavy combat box bomber formations concept based chain aircraft flying formation attacking ahead left range attackers opened fire burst aiming enemy aircraft following attack pilots pull sharply left right gave attacking fighters best chance avoiding firepower bombers guns february mayer shot claiming 60th 62nd victories following 63rd victory awarded knight oak leaves des mit april officer soldier honored presentation adolf_hitler office berlin mayer promoted major major june june mayer encountered future ace johnson badly shot routine mission johnson home canopy open hydraulic fluid oil covering mayer pulled alongside mayer looked wounded come johnson clock coup gun pass failed knock heavy american fighter sky mayer runs johnson success running ammunition mayer pulled alongside johnson headed home johnson landed plane counted holes moving airplane saw cannon shell exploded impossible open canopy june flight led mayer encountered unit course engagement claimed shot damage shot june wing commander death mayer appointed wing commander july succeeding colonel command iii passed claimed shot minutes september targeting day lost aircraft december mayer shot claimed aerial victories increased december mayer credited victories january shot vicinity february claimed 100th victory fighter pilot channel achieve mark mayer final score stood shot killed action near march flying factory number mayer led headquarters unit elements iii total attack area failed detect fighter escort feet meters aircraft seen taking hits range yards meters nose cockpit violent snap roll went vertical dive crashing miles kilometers posthumously decorated knight mit und day recent research historian suggests mayer shot lieutenant fighter wing claim based gun camera footage mayer forced bail action mayer buried cemetery roger france interred german war cemetery awards luftwaffe fighter pilots gold pennant combined pilots observation badge iron cross 2nd class october 1st class gold july knight oak leaves swords knight cross august reserves pilot oak leaves april iii 51st swords march
Egon Mayer