Reinhold Eckardt
Oberleutnant
 
Reinhold Eckardt
 
    Reinhold Eckardt was born on 26 March 1918 at Bamberg. Eckardt was posted to 2./ZG 76, operating Bf 110 Zerstörer twin-engine fighters, at the beginning of 1940. He claimed his first victory, a RAF Hudson twin-engine reconnaisance bomber shot down off the Norwegian coast, on 21 July. Later, Eckhardt participated in the Battle of Britain. On 15 August, he shot down two RAF fighters over England to record his second and third victories. Eckardt transferred to the Nachjagd and, following conversion training, was posted to 6./NJG 1. He gained his first victory on the night of 9/10 January 1941, on his first night interception mission, when he shot down a RAF Whitley twin-engine bomber near Erlekem. In June 1941, Eckardt was appointed Adjutant of II./NJG 1. On the night of 27/28 June, Eckardt shot down four RAF twin-engine bombers (8-11). Oberleutnant Eckardt was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 30 August for 12 victories. By the end of 1941, he had increased his victory total to 15. On 1 December 1941, Eckardt was appointed Staffelkapitän of 4./NJG 1. On 15 March 1942, 4./NJG 1 was redesignated 7./NJG 3. Eckardt again claimed three bombers (20-22), all RAF four-engine types, shot down on the night of 29/30 July 1942. However, his aircraft received hits from return defensive fire during the third engagement northeast of Melsbroek. His Bordfunker safely baled out but Eckardt’s parachute entangled itself on the tail unit of his Bf 110 E-2 (W.Nr. 4494) “D5+AR” and he crashed to his death near Kampenhout in Belgium.
    Reinhold Eckardt was credited with 22 victories. He recorded three of his victories by day. Additionally, Eckardt claimed 17 aircraft destroyed on the ground.
 
No
Date
Time
A/c Type
Unit
Location
Comments
1
21.7.1940
-
 Hudson 2./ZG 76 Off Norwegian coast  
2
15.8.1940
-
 Spitfire 2./ZG 76    
3
15.8.1940
-
 Spitfire 2./ZG 76    
4
9.1.1941
23:18
 Whitley 6./NJG 1 9km ENE Nijmegen  
5
9.5.1941
2:13
 Blenheim 6./NJG 1 25km W St Peter  
6
11.5.1941
2:48
 Whitley 6./NJG 1 4km S Husum Whitley of 115 Sqn, RAF
7
24.6.1941
2:32
 Halifax 6./NJG 1 Immenbeck-Buxterhude  
8
28.6.1941
1:36
 Whitley II./NJG 1 Ahrensburg-Hamburg  
9
28.6.1941
1:42
 Wellington II./NJG 1 Ackermannstr  
10
28.6.1941
1:52
 Whitley II./NJG 1 S Stade  
11
28.6.1941
2:22
 Wellington II./NJG 1 Muhwärderhafen  
12
30.6.1941
2:55
 Hampden II./NJG 1   Hampden (X3133) “VN-“ of 50 Sqn, RAF
13
30.6.1941
2:55
 Hampden II./NJG 1 S Ütersen Hampden (AD985) “ZN-“ of 106 Sqn, RAF
14
16.9.1941
3:3
 Wellington II./NJG 1    
15
16.9.1941
4:0
 Wellington II./NJG 1    
16
28.4.1942
3:0
 Halifax 7./NJG 3 Hamois  
17
7.5.1942
2:53
 Wellington 7./NJG 3 3km W Trehan  
18
2.6.1942
2:09
 Wellington 7./NJG 3 2km W Bitsche  
19
2.6.1942
2:31
 Wellington 7./NJG 3 Mörscheid  
20
30.7.1942
1:15
 Stirling 7./NJG 3 7km WNW Rocroi Stirling (R9161) of 149 Sqn, RAF
21
30.7.1942
2:01
 Halifax 7./NJG 3 S Brabant Halifax (R9442) of 102 Sqn, RAF
22
30.7.1942
3:06
 Halifax 7./NJG 3 Braine-le-Compte Lancaster (R5782) of 50 Sqn, RAF

Victories : 22
Awards : Deutsches Kreuz in Gold  (21 August 1942)
                Ritterkreuz (30 August 1941)
Units : ZG 76, NJG 1, NJG 3

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