Hauptmann
Heinrich “Gaudi” Krafft was born on 13 August 1914
at Bilin in Böhmen. He joined the army and served with Infanterieregiment
9 before transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1936. In 1939, Krafft was serving
with JG 51. Oberleutnant Krafft was assigned to 3./JG 51. He claimed his
first victories during the French campaign, when
he shot down two RAF Hurricane fighters near Rotterdam on 11 May 1940.
He was wounded in aerial combat during May, which resulted in his being
out of action for a considerable period. Krafft had four victories to his
credit at the time. Krafft was appointed Staffelkapitän of 3./JG 51 on
11 November 1940 and led the unit for the invasion of Russia. On the first
day of the campaign, 22 June 1941, Krafft shot down four Russian aircraft
to record his fifth through ninth victories. He recorded his 10th victory
on 29 June when he shot down a Russian I-16 fighter. On 31 August he claimed
three DB-3 twin-engined bombers (16-18). His 20th victory was achieved
on 4 October when he claimed another I-16 shot down. On 6 December, Krafft
shot down three enemy aircraft to record his 29th through 31st victories.
By the end of 1941, he had increased his victory total to 34. On 17 February
1942, Krafft shot down a Russian I-61 fighter to record his 40th victory.
Oberleutnant Krafft was awarded the Deutsches Kreuz on 25 January 1942
and the Ritterkreuz on 18 March 1942 for 48 victories recorded in over
300 missions. On 1 June 1942, Hauptmann Krafft was appointed Gruppenkommandeur
of I./JG 51 after Hauptmann Josef Fözö (27 victories,
RK) was injured in a landing accident the previous day. In August 1942,
I./JG 51 transferred to Jesau for conversion to the Fw 190 A-2 and A-3,
returning to action on 6 September as the first unit to introduce the new
fighter on the Eastern Front. Shortly afterwards, I./JG 51 was transferred
to the Leningrad sector as the Russians attempted to lift the siege of
the city. Krafft claimed his 60th victory on 30 September. Krafft was shot
down by Russian Flak in Fw 190 A-3 “Black <<” (W.Nr. 130 539) south
of Belyi on 14 December 1942. He survived the crash-landing but was beaten
to death by Russian soldiers.
Heinrich “Gaudi” Krafft flew a total of 350 missions
and claimed 78 victories, all but four on the Eastern
Front, including at least nine Il-2 Sturmoviks.
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11.5.1940
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Hurricane | 3./JG 51 | Rotterdam |
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11.5.1940
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Hurricane | 3./JG 51 | Rotterdam |
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21.5.1940
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Morane 406 | 3./JG 51 | Abbeville |
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22.5.1940
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Hawk-75A | 3./JG 51 | Abbeville |
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22.6.1941
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I-15 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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22.6.1941
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DB-3 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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22.6.1941
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DB-3 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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22.6.1941
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DB-3 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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25.6.1941
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SB-3 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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29.6.1941
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I-16 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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30.6.1941
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SB-3 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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30.6.1941
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DB-3 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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13.7.1941
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SB-3 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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24.7.1941
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Seversky | 3./JG 51 | - |
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26.8.1941
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V-11 | 3./JG 51 | Il-2 |
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31.8.1941
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DB-3 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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31.8.1941
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DB-3 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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31.8.1941
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DB-3 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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8.9.1941
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Pe-2 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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4.10.1941
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I-16 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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8.10.1941
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DB-3 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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10.10.1941
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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11.10.1941
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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22.10.1941
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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24.10.1941
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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25.10.1941
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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1.12.1941
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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5.12.1941
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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6.12.1941
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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6.12.1941
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Schlachtflugzeug | 3./JG 51 | - |
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6.12.1941
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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12.12.1941
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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18.12.1941
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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18.12.1941
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Schlachtflugzeug | 3./JG 51 | - |
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25.1.1942
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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26.1.1942
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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10.2.1942
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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10.2.1942
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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16.2.1942
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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17.2.1942
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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18.2.1942
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I-61 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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20.2.1942
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U-2 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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30.4.1942
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Il-2 | 3./JG 51 | - |
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7.8.1942
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Il-2 | Stab I./JG 51 | 46 293: at 600m |
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30.9.1942
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E/a | Stab I./JG 51 | - |
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23.10.1942
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LaGG-3 | Stab I./JG 51 | E Lagodanaya Divina: no height |
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11.11.1942
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LaGG-3 | Stab I./JG 51 | 27 814 at 1.500-2.000m |
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26.11.1942
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E/a | Stab I./JG 51 | - |
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26.11.1942
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Il-2 | Stab I./JG 51 | 26 422: tiefflug |
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26.11.1942
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Il-2 | Stab I./JG 51 | 26 284: tiefflug |
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26.11.1942
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Il-2 | Stab I./JG 51 | 26 284: tiefflug |
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30.11.1942
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Il-2 | Stab I./JG 51 | 46 131: no height |
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4.12.1942
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E/a | Stab I./JG 51 | - |
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4.12.1942
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E/a | Stab I./JG 51 | - |
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4.12.1942
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E/a | Stab I./JG 51 | - |
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4.12.1942
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Il-2 | Stab I./JG 51 | Solamino: 200m |
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4.12.1942
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Il-2 | Stab I./JG 51 | Barnicki: 300m |
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8.12.1942
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La-5 | Stab I./JG 51 | 26 281 at 2.000m |
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10.12.1942
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LaGG-3 | Stab I./JG 51 | 2.000m |
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10.12.1942
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Pe-2 | Stab I./JG 51 | - |
Victories : 78
Awards : Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (25 January 1942)
Ritterkreuz (18 March 1942)
Units : JG 51
