Hans-Dieter Frank


Hans-Dieter Frank was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a night fighter ace credited with 55 aerial victories claimed in approximately 150 combat missions making him the seventeenth most successful night fighter pilot in the history of aerial warfare. All of his victories were claimed over the Western Front in Defense of the Reich missions against the Royal Air Force's Bomber Command.
Born in Kiel, Frank grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. Following graduation from school, he joined the military service in 1937 and was trained as a pilot. Frank then served with Zerstörergeschwader 1, flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter during the *Invasion of Poland and Battle of France. In mid1941, he transferred to Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 where he became a night fighter pilot and claimed his first aerial victory on the night of 10/11 April 1941. Frank was appointed squadron leader of 2. Staffel of NJG 1 in August 1942. Following his 33rd aerial victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 June 1943. On 1 July 1943, he was appointed group commander of I. Gruppe of NJG 1. Frank and his crew were killed in action in a mid-air collision with another German night fighter on the night of 27/28 September 1943. He was posthumously bestowed with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and promoted to Major.

Early life and career

Frank was born on 8 July 1920 in Kiel, which was then part of the Province of Schleswig-Holstein during the Weimar Republic. He was the son of a sales agent. After graduation from school and receipt of his Abitur, Frank joined the Luftwaffe in 1937 as a Fahnenjunker. Following flight training, he was posted to Zerstörergeschwader 1.

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. Now a Leutnant with I. Gruppe of ZG 1, Frank flew his first combat missions over Poland and during the Battle of France. In mid-1940, he transferred to the night-fighter force.

Night fighter career

Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, Royal Air Force attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign. By mid-1940, Generalmajor Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a Himmelbett would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942. Frank became an ace after downing his 5th victim, Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, Z6505, MH-F, No. 51 Squadron RAF. Sergeant J. C. W. King and his crew were captured.
Frank was decorated with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 June 1943, the nomination had been submitted for 33 aerial victories claimed. The presentation was made by Generalmajor Kammhuber. Frank claimed six victories in the early hours of the 22 June 1943. One of the bombers he shot down was Halifax HR848, which was one of 19 No. 35 Squadron RAF aircraft detailed to attack Krefeld on the night of the 21/22 June. Flight Sergeant R. J. Quigley and two of his crew were captured and the remaining four perished. Another was HR735 operated by No. 158 Squadron RAF. Pilot Officer C. H. Robinson DFC RNZAF and his six crew were killed. A third, BB375, flown by German-Canadian Sergeant C. C. Reichert RCAF, No. 408 Squadron RAF, crashed with all but one crewman killed.
On 24/25 June Sergeant Robert Whitfield's Halifax JD-258, VR-K borrowed from No. 419 Squadron RAF, but operated by a No. 428 Squadron RAF crew, became Frank's 41st aerial victory. All of the crew died. Frank's final victory in June occurred on day twenty-nine when he shot down his 44th victim; Lancaster ED362, HW-E, flown by Pilot Officer J. P. Pascoe RCAF, No. 100 Squadron RAF. Pascoe and all but one of his crew were killed.
Frank and his radio operator Oberfeldwebel Erich Gotter were killed following a mid-air collision with another German night fighter northwest of Celle in the night of 28/29 September 1943. Their He 219 A-0 "G9+CB" had collided with a Bf 110 G-4 of the Geschwaderstab of NJG 1 during the landing approach. Frank had escaped the aircraft using the ejection seat but forgot to release his radio-cable. He landed safely but was strangled by the radio-cable. This collision was likely caused by an attack made on his fighter by RAF night fighter ace Bob Braham. On 2 March 1944, Frank was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, the 417th officer or soldier of the Wehrmacht so honored. Posthumously, he was also promoted to Major.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Frank was credited with 55 nocturnal aerial victories claimed in 328 combat missions. Foreman, Parry and Matthews, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 54 nocturnal victory claims Matthews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, listing Frank with 51 claims.

Awards