Barkhorn, Gerhard “Gerd”, born on 20-03-1919 in Königsberg.
Königsberg was at the end of the war a famous fortress defended by General der Infanterie, Otto Lasch.
Gerhard was one of four children of Stadtbauoberinspektor (urban design inspector) Wilhelm Barkhorn and his wife Therese. Barkhorn had two brothers, Helmut and Dieter, and a sister Meta. Following four years of Volksschule (primary school), Barkhorn attended the Wilhelms-Gymnasium, a secondary school, where he graduated with his Abitur (diploma). After his compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service) Barkhorn joined the military service in the Nazi German Luftwaffe in November 1937 as a Fahnenjunker (Cadet).



Barkhorn became the second most successful fighter ace of all time after fellow Luftwaffe pilot Erich “Bubi” Hartmann
. Another famous ace was Hans-Ulrich Rüdel
.
Barkhorn joined Goering’s
(see did you know) Luftwaffe in 1937 and completed his training in 1939. He was commissioned as a Leutnant. In 1940, he was assigned to a Staffel in Jagdgeschwader 2 Richthofen
which was the unit with old traditions from World War I. Barkhorn flew his first combat missions in May 1940, during the Battle of France and then the Battle of Britain (see Bomber Arthur Harris)
without scoring a skill.












His first victory came on 02-07-1941 over the Eastern Front. On his best single mission Barkhorn scored four victories, on his best day seven. He claimed with his Messerschmitt
301 victories in but his success did not come without cost. He was shot down many times, some source say 7, some 9, he bailed out once, and was wounded twice. He with flyer ace, Hans Joachim “Jochen” Marseille
would be the most successful Air Fighters. On 31-05-1944, Barkhorn was flying his sixth mission of the day in Bf 109 G-6, ‘Black 5,
when he was bounced by a Russian Air Cobra and shot down. He received severe wounds to his right arm and leg which put him out of action for four months. He returned to combat duty at the end of October. 
On 16-01-1945, Major Barkhorn was transferred to take command of 6th Fighter Squadron “Horst Wessel”
serving for flying duties in defence of the Reich, based at Posen. He was still suffering the effects of his wounds and eventually relinquished command for another spell in hospital. On recovery he joined the 44th Fighting Squadron, JV 44, nicknamed “The Galland Zirkus”
commanded by General der Flieger, Adolf “Dolfo” Galland.



















Death and burial ground of Barkhorn, Gerhard “Gerd”.
He retired in 1976 and lived in the small town Tegernsee.
He died ironical when involved in a tragical car accident in Frechen, near Cologne, during a winter storm on an autobahn, with his wife Christl, age 62, died instantly and Gerhard, without regaining consciousness, died two days later on 08-01-1983, at the age of 63 in hospital.
The name of his wife Christl was painted on his aircraft during the complete war period.












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Barkhorn here with ace Dietrich Hrabak left.
Andrew 'Handy Ándy' Robson
This is obviously the history of a very brave man that fought with good intentions for not only his country, that he must have loved, but also for his own survival. I expect that he was as amazed as I am that he became the number 2 pilot fighter ace in all history. In my opinion he is number 1. The smile is better than any of Tom Cruises’s efforts in “Top Gun”. Rest in peace Herr Barkhorn. You were truly a hero of WW2