Max Bucholz
Oberleutnant
Max Bucholz was born on 3 November 1912 at Zerbst in Anhalt.
At the outbreak of World War 2, Oberfeldwebel Bucholz was serving with
1./JG 3. On 17 May 1940, he claimed four RAF Blenheim twin-engine bombers
and two French Curtiss fighters shot down as his first victories! During
September 1940, Bucholz shot down three RAF fighters in the aerial battles
over Britain. On 15 September, Bucholz was shot down over the Channel.
He had participated as one of nine aircraft tasked with escorting He 111
twin-engine bombers to London. However, RAF Spitfire fighters intercepted
the formation en-route. In the ensuing aerial combat, Bucholz’s Bf 109
E-1 (W.Nr. 1563) was hit in the radiators and forced him to come down in
the Channel. Fortunately, a colleague was able to guide an air-sea rescue
aircraft, which was flying nearby, to the scene to rescue Bucholz. By the
conclusion of the Battle of Britain, Bucholz’s victory
total stood at nine. At the beginning of 1941, Leutnant Bucholz joined
the Stabsstaffel of I./JG 3. He participated in the invasion of Russia
where he quickly gained a further 18 victories, including four enemy aircraft
shot down on 29 June and five on 13 July. On 9 July, Bucholz crash-landed
Bf 109 F-2 (W.Nr. 8962) at Polonnoye on returning from a mission. His aircraft
had received hits, which had damaged the undercarriage locking mechanism,
and the lowered undercarriage had folded up on contact with ground. Fortunately
Bucholz escaped injury. On 15 July 1941, Oberleutnant Bucholz was appointed
Staffelkapitän of 2./JG 3. He replaced Oberleutnant Helmut Meckel (25 victories,
RK, killed in action 8 May 1943) who had been relieved of his command due
to illness. Bucholz was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 12 August for 27 victories
achieved in 160 missions. I./JG 3 was withdrawn to Germany at the beginning
of October 1941 for rest and refit. Having re-equipped with Bf 109 F-4
fighters I./JG 3 was relocated to Holland on defensive duties where, on
6 January 1942, it became II./JG 1. Oberleutnant Bucholz retained command
of 3./JG 3 as 5./JG 1. On 12 February, Bucholz recorded his 28th, and last,
victory when he shot down a RAF Blenheim twin-engine bomber during the
defensive actions surrounding Operation Donnerkeil, the “Channel Dash”
of the German navy’s battlecruisers Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen.
From mid-1942 to the end of the war, Bucholz was to hold staff positions
with I./JG 106 and I./JG 102.
Max Bucholz was credited with 28 victories, although
other sources indicate his score could be as high as 30. He recorded 18
victories over the Eastern Front.
|
No
|
Date
|
Time
|
A/c
Type
|
Unit
|
Location
/ Comments
|
|
1.
|
17.5.1940
|
08:20~
|
Blenheim |
1./JG
3 |
W
St Quentin |
|
2.
|
17.5.1940
|
08:20~
|
Blenheim |
1./JG
3 |
W
St Quentin |
|
3.
|
17.5.1940
|
08:20~
|
Blenheim |
1./JG
3 |
W
St Quentin |
|
4.
|
17.5.1940
|
08:20~
|
Blenheim |
1./JG
3 |
W
St Quentin |
|
5.
|
17.5.1940
|
12:30
|
Hawk
75A |
1./JG
3 |
S
St Quentin |
|
6.
|
17.5.1940
|
19:15
|
Hawk
75A |
1./JG
3 |
N
Cambrai |
|
7.
|
2.9.1940
|
-
|
Hurricane |
1./JG
3 |
Maidstone |
|
8.
|
7.9.1940
|
-
|
Morane |
1./JG
3 |
Rochester |
|
9.
|
7.9.1940
|
-
|
Morane |
1./JG
3 |
Rochester |
|
10.
|
26.6.1941
|
9:45
|
SB-2 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
NW
Brody |
|
11.
|
29.6.1941
|
12:20
|
I-153 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
NNW
Krzemienec |
|
12.
|
29.6.1941
|
12:22
|
I-153 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
W
Krzemienec |
|
13.
|
29.6.1941
|
12:26
|
I-153 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
SW
Krzemienec |
|
14.
|
29.6.1941
|
18:05
|
I-153 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
10km
N Zaslow |
|
15.
|
2.7.1941
|
10:00
|
DJ-6 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
30km
SE Ostrow |
|
16.
|
5.7.1941
|
11:50
|
Pe-2 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
NW
Gudnow |
|
17.
|
6.7.1941
|
15:40
|
Il-4 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
S
Polonnoye |
|
18.
|
10.7.1941
|
15:10
|
I-16 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
10km
S Kurin |
|
19.
|
10.7.1941
|
15:15
|
SB-2 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
4km
S Barbolok |
|
20.
|
11.7.1941
|
13:20
|
Il-4 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
15km
SW Berdichev |
|
21.
|
12.7.1941
|
14:50
|
I-17 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
15km
E Shitomir |
|
22.
|
12.7.1941
|
14:55
|
I-17 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
15km
E Shitomir |
|
23.
|
13.7.1941
|
16:15
|
I-153 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
20km
E Berdichev |
|
24.
|
13.7.1941
|
16:17
|
I-153 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
E
Berdichev |
|
25.
|
13.7.1941
|
16:20
|
I-16 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
S
Oschadowska |
|
26.
|
13.7.1941
|
16:23
|
SB-2 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
N
Pikow |
|
27.
|
13.7.1941
|
16:25
|
SB-2 |
Stab
I./JG 3 |
Pikow |
|
28.
|
12.2.1942
|
16:45
|
Blenheim |
5./JG
1 |
90km
W Texel |
Victories : 28
Awards : Ritterkreuz (12 August 1941)
Units : JG 3, JG 1, JG 106, JG 102
