Joachim Müncheberg (31 December 1918 – 23 March 1943) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot during World War II and an ace credited with 135 air victories. The majority of his victories were claimed over the Western Front, with 33 claims over the Eastern Front. Of his 102 aerial victories achieved over the Western Allies, 46 were against Supermarine Spitfire fighters.
Born in Friedrichsdorf, Prussia (now in Poland), Müncheberg volunteered for military service in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany in 1936. Initially serving in the Army, he transferred to the Luftwaffe (air force) in 1938. Following flight training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 234 (JG 234—234th Fighter Wing) in October 1938. He was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing) a year later and was appointed adjutant of the III. Gruppe (3rd Group). He fought in the Battle of France and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross following his 20th aerial victory and during the Battle of Britain. Serving as a Staffelkapitän (Squadron Leader) he fought in the aerial battles during the siege of Malta and invasion of Yugoslavia. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Italian Gold Medal of Military Valor after 43 aerial victories.
Müncheberg then briefly served in North Africa in support of the Afrika Korps before transferring to France. He was given command of JG 26's II. Gruppe (2nd Group) in September 1941 and was then posted to Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51 —51st Fighter Wing), on the Eastern Front, in July 1942. Serving as a Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander) in training under JG 51 wing commander Karl-Gottfried Nordmann, he claimed his 100th aerial victory on 5 September 1942 for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords on 9 September 1942, his score then at 103 aerial victories. On 1 October 1942 Müncheberg was given command of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing), operating in the Mediterranean Theatre. He died in a mid-air collision with an enemy aircraft in Meknassy, Tunisia on 23 March 1943.
Childhood, education and early career Joachim "Jochen" Müncheberg was born on 31 December 1918 in Friedrichsdorf near Dramburg in the Province of Pomerania, at the time a province of the Free State of Prussia. Today it is Darskowo in the administrative district of Gmina Złocieniec, within Drawsko County, Poland. He was the second child of Paul Müncheberg, a farmer, and his wife Erika, née Ulrich. His sister Eva-Brigitte was one and a half years older. His father had served as a cavalry officer of the reserves during World War I. The hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic forced his father to sell their farm Friedrichshof in 1923; they resettled in Königsberg, where Müncheberg started his elementary schooling (Grundschule). His father was able to repurchase their old farm in 1927 and the family moved back to Friedrichshof. Müncheberg completed his elementary school in Falkenburg, Pomerania. He walked or rode on a horse-drawn wagon each way to school. In 1928, he transferred to the Realgymnasium (a type of secondary school) in Dramburg and graduated with his Abitur (diploma) in 1936.
Müncheberg, who was talented in sports and athletics, played football for the T.V. Falkenburg youth team in the early 1930s. He attended the Sturmabteilung-sports school in Hammerstein for a few weeks in 1934 and in 1935, spent his summer vacation in Bulgaria where he, among other places, stayed at the Rila Monastery. In early 1936, he attended a National Socialism course in Lauenburg, Pomerania. He completed his compulsory labour service (Reichsarbeitsdienst) in October 1936 with Abteilung (department) 5/50 in Lüttmannshagen, district of Cammin. As an athlete, he especially excelled in the decathlon; almost daily he practised the ten different disciplines. Aged 17, he attended a summer camp held in conjunction with the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.
His interest in flying was kindled by his cousin Hermann Hackbusch, a pilot during World War I, who often took Müncheberg to the Berlin-Staaken airfield for sightseeing flights. Müncheberg volunteered for service in the then newly emerging Luftwaffe and started his recruit training on 4 December 1936 in the Army of the Wehrmacht. Müncheberg spent his 1936/37 winter vacation in Altenberg in the Ore Mountains. He then attended the III. Lehrgang (3rd training course) in the 4. Schülerkompanie (4th student company) at the Luftkriegsschule 1 (1st Air War School) in Dresden as a Fahnenjunker (Officer Applicant) from 1 April to 30 June 1937. A year later, he completed his flight training there and was promoted to Fähnrich (Officer Cadet) on 16 December 1937.Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. The training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations. He transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1938 and attended the Jagdfliegerschule (Fighter Pilot School) in Werneuchen, under the command of Oberst (Colonel) Theodor Osterkamp. He was then posted to I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 234 (JG 234—234th Fighter Wing) stationed at Cologne on 23 September 1938.For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations, see Organisation of the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was promoted to Leutnant (Second Lieutenant) on 8 November 1938.
While stationed in Cologne, Müncheberg trained for the decathlon at the ASV Köln (sports club in Cologne) during his spare time and competed in various national and international track and field events. He even had a training field built on the family estate at Friedrichshof in Pomerania and at the time had strong ambitions to compete in the 1940 Summer Olympics. His commanding officers supported him in this athletic vision and gave him additional time off to practice for the Olympics. Müncheberg owned a dachshund, which his mother had bred, named Seppl. The dog accompanied him from the start of World War II until his death on 23 March 1943.
At the time of Müncheberg's posting to JG 234, the Geschwader was commanded by Oberst Eduard Ritter von Schleich and I. Gruppe was headed by Major Gotthard Handrick. Initially equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 D series, the Gruppe was based in Köln-Ostheim and was renamed on 1 November 1938 to I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 132. In December, the Gruppe was equipped with the Bf 109 E-3. On 1 May 1939, the unit was again re-designated and became I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing), named after Albert Leo Schlageter. Müncheberg was transferred to 11. Staffel of Lehrgeschwader 2 (11./LG 2—11th squadron of the 2nd Demonstration Wing) in mid-1939. This squadron was formed on 1 August 1939 and experimented with night fighting techniques. Only pilots with excellent flying abilities, especially blind flying, were chosen.
World War II World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. 11.(Nacht)/LG 2 was re-designated to 10.(Nachtjagd) Staffel of JG 26 which was led by Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) Johannes Steinhoff. III. Gruppe was formed on 23 September 1939 in Werl and Müncheberg was appointed its adjutant. III. Gruppe relocated to Essen-Mülheim in early November 1939 during the Phoney War period (October 1939 – April 1940). From this airfield, he claimed his first victory on 7 November 1939, a Royal Air Force (RAF) Bristol Blenheim Mk. I bomber L1325 of No. 57 Squadron, piloted by Pilot Officer H.R. Bewlay. This achievement earned him the Iron Cross 2nd Class () on 9 November 1939.
Battle of France The Battle of France, the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, began on 10 May 1940. II. and III. Gruppe flew close air support missions in support of German airborne landings by the Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers) in the Netherlands. Müncheberg filed claim for his second victory on 11 May 1940 when he shot down an Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) Curtiss P-36 Hawk northwest of Antwerp. On 13 May 1940, III. Gruppe was moved to München Gladbach, present-day Mönchengladbach, closer to the border with the Netherlands and Belgium.
On 14 May, JG 26 escorted bombers of III. Gruppe of Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1—1st Demonstration Wing). En route, the bombers were attacked by No. 504 Squadron fighters. Four of them were claimed shot down, one by Müncheberg. The claims are confirmed by British records. Two pilots were wounded but Squadron Leader Parnall was killed. On 15 May Müncheberg claimed a Hurricane over Overijse, near Brussels as the Gruppe supported German forces in the Battle of Belgium. Sergeant Jim Williams, No. 3 Squadron was his opponent. Williams was killed when L1645 crashed near Overijse. After the surrender of the Netherlands on 17 May 1940, III. Gruppe moved to Peer in Belgium and again moved on 19 May, this time to Beauvechain near Brussels.
Operating from Chièvres Air Base from 27 May 1940, Müncheberg claimed his fifth aerial victory over a Supermarine Spitfire on 29 May 1940. This achievement earned him the Iron Cross 1st Class (). At the time, III. Gruppe was providing fighter escort for Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" dive bombers and Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighters operating against the beachhead held by British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in the Battle of Dunkirk. Fighter Command recorded the loss of 10 fighters to Bf 109s on 29 May. On 31 May, Müncheberg claimed an unprecedented four Spitfires over Dunkirk, as the evacuation and the battle of the port reached a climax. The last claim of the day was made against No. 609 Squadron. No. 609 Squadron reported two pilots killed and one wounded, though one of the dead pilots was killed in action with Heinkel He 111 bombers according to British sources.
On 4 June 1940, III. Gruppe relocated to La Capelle near Boulogne. The second and decisive phase, Fall Rot (Case Red), of the Battle of France began on 5 June. Major (Major) Adolf Galland was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the III. Gruppe on 6 June and Müncheberg became his first adjutant. The Gruppe was again relocated on 13 June, this time to Les Thilliers-en-Vexin and on 17 June to Villacoublay near Paris. Müncheberg flew ground support missions against the retreating French forces at the time. France surrendered on 22 June 1940 and III. Gruppe of JG 26 "Schlageter" moved back to München Gladbach in Germany. In total, Müncheberg claimed eight Allied aircraft shot down during the invasion of France, including four on 31 May 1940, bringing his total to nine. The Gruppe then moved to Döberitz on 1 July to provide fighter protection for Berlin. The time was also used to repair and upgrade the Bf 109 E-3s to Bf 109 E-4s.
Battle of Britain