Major
Heinz Lange was born on 2 October 1917 in Köln. His
father served as a pilot instructor in the Imperial Air Service. Lange
entered the Luftskriegsschule Wildpark-Werder in 1937. After completing
his training he joined 4./JG 234 at Düsseldorf, later serving with II./JG
132 and II./JG 26. On 15 July 1939, Lange was transferred to 1./JG
21 based at Gutenfeld in East Prussia. He flew his first combat missions
during the Polish campaign. Afterwards, I./JG 21 was deployed to the German
Bight. Leutnant Lange claimed his first victory on 30 October 1939 when
he shot down a RAF Blenheim twin-engine bomber near Quakenbück. I./JG 21
participated in the French campaign. On 6 June, I./JG 21 was redesignated
III./JG 54 and Lange was assigned to the Stabsstaffel. In August, Lange
was promoted to Oberleutnant and was transferred to 8./JG 54 on 25 August.
By the end of October he had flown 76 missions during the Battle
of Britain, including 32 over London and 13 in the fighter-bomber role.
During the Balkan campaign, Lange flew six missions and three strafing
attacks while based at Arad, Rumania. During Operation Barbarossa, III./JG
54 flew in support of Army Group North in its drive on Leningrad. Lange
had claimed seven victories before he was named Staffelkapitän of 1./JG
54 on 1 October 1941. On 26 October he claimed the destruction of three
locomotives. By the end of the year he had flown 45 missions over the Leningrad-Schlüsselburg-Wolchow
area. Lange was appointed Staffelkapitän of 3./JG 51 on 6 November 1942.
After his 500th mission in February 1943, Lange was promoted to Hauptmann.
During spring 1943, JG 51 attacked the numerous railway lines located behind
the Russian lines in preparation for Operation Citadel. On 22 August, he
claimed a La-5, a Yak-1 and two Il-2s thus reaching a total of 40 victories.
On 1 January 1944, he claimed his 50th victory. From 7 January 1944, Lange
was appointed acting Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 54. On 9 May 1944, Lange
was named Gruppenkommandeur of IV./JG 51. During July he claimed five more
victories over Galicia. From August, IV./JG 51 was based at Modlin, Poland
primarily in the Stuka escorting role. The unit took part in support of
operations against Russian bridgeheads over the Narew and Vistula rivers,
as well as engaging Mediterranean-based American aircraft conducting fighter
sweeps over the Eastern Front. On 15 October, Lange claimed his 70th victory
for which he was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 18 November. He was promoted
to Major on 1 January 1945. IV./JG 51 participated in the evacuation of
Danzig before receiving orders on 20 March to begin conversion to the Fw
190 A-8 and Fw 190 D-9 at Anklam. On 2 April 1944, Lange was appointed
the sixth, and last, Geschwaderkommodore of JG 51, although it was not
until 12 April that he relinquished command of of IV./JG 51 to Oberleutnant
Günther Josten (178 victories, RK-EL). On 28 April, Stab JG 51 was disbanded
and Lange returned as Gruppenkommandeur of IV./JG 51. In the three weeks
from 15 April until the end of the war, IV./JG 51 claimed 115 victories
for the loss of only five pilots. He flew his last mission on 29 April
over Berlin. After the war, Lange received a doctorate in law from the
University of Kiel and worked for an insurance company. He remains an active
member of JG 51 veterans’ organizations.
Heinz Lange flew 628 missions and claimed 70 victories,
all but one on the Eastern Front. Included in
his total are 24 Il-2 Sturmoviks and 12 Bomber.
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30.9.1939
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Blenhiem | 1./JG 21 | Gross-Bersen/Emsland / Blenheim I (L1415) of 18 Sqn, RAF flown by F/O DF Elliott |
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30.6.1941
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DB-3 | 8./JG 54 | |
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5.7.1941
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DB-3 | 8./JG 54 | |
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5.7.1941
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DB-3 | 8./JG 54 | |
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29.7.1941
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SB-3 | 8./JG 54 | |
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2.8.1941
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I-18 | 8./JG 54 | |
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23.9.1941
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I-18 | 8./JG 54 | |
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7.10.1941
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MBR-2 | 1./JG 54 | |
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3.2.1942
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I-18 | 1./JG 54 | |
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6.2.1942
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R-5 | 1./JG 54 | |
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14.3.1942
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Il-2 | 1./JG 54 | |
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15.5.1942
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Yak-1 | 1./JG 54 | |
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20.9.1942
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E/a | 1./JG 54 | |
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4.12.1942
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Il-2 | 3./JG 51 | |
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4.12.1942
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Il-2 | 3./JG 51 | |
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17.12.1942
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Il-2 | 3./JG 51 | |
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17.12.1942
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Il-2 | 3./JG 51 | |
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7.1.1943
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Il-2 | 3./JG 51 | 7 683 |
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5.7.1943
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Yak-1 | 3./JG 51 | 63 613 |
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22.8.1943
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La-5 | 3./JG 51 | |
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22.8.1943
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Yak-1 | 3./JG 51 | |
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22.8.1943
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Il-2 | 3./JG 51 | |
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22.8.1943
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Il-2 | 3./JG 51 | |
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21.10.1943
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Yak-9 | 3./JG 51 | |
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1.1.1944
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E/a | 3./JG 51 | S Vitebsk: 100m |
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1.1.1944
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E/a | 3./JG 51 | S Vitebsk: 200m |
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1.1.1944
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E/a | 3./JG 51 | S Vitebsk: 200m |
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4.1.1944
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Il-2m3 | Stab I./JG 51 | W Vitebsk: 600m |
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4.1.1944
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Il-2m3 | Stab I./JG 51 | W Vitebsk: 300m |
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4.1.1944
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Il-2m3 | Stab I./JG 51 | W Vitebsk: 200m |
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6.1.1944
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Il-2m3 | Stab I./JG 51 | 5 193 |
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VII.1944
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5 victories | Stab IV./JG 51 | Galicia |
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15.10.1944
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E/a | Stab IV./JG 51 |
Victories : 70
Awards : Ehrenpokal (27 October 1942)
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (17 May 1943)
Ritterkeuz (18 November 1944)
Units : JG 21, JG 54, JG 51
