Heinrich Leschert was born on 22 May 1914 at Karben. He joined the Luftwaffe on 10 January 1936. Leschert began flying training with Flieger-Ausbildungs Regiment 62, based at Quedlingburg, on 14 November 1938. On 1 April 1939, he was promoted to the rank of Unteroffizier. Leschert was awarded his wings on 21 September. He underwent further fighter pilot training with the Jagdfliegerschule at Werneuchen between 15 November 1939 and 1 February 1940. Leschert was transferred to Merseburg to await a posting to active service. On 27 February 1940, Leschert was posted to JG 53. Unteroffizier Leschert was assigned to 3./JG 53. He recorded his first victory on 14 May, when he shot down a RAF Wellington twin-engine bomber over the Sedan area. During the Battle of Britain, Leschert was wounded in the foot on 2 September 1940 in aerial combat with RAF fighters while escorting German bombers over southeast England. Despite his wounds, Leschert was able to fly his damaged Bf 109 E-4 (W.Nr. 3494) back to France where he made an emergency landing at Boulogne. He was hospitalised but returned to front line duty on 29 September. Leschert was promoted to the rank of Feldwebel on 1 November 1941. He was once again hospitalised on 24 March with a “slight” injury that kept him there until his release on 4 April. Operating over Russia, Leschert was to record the majority of his success. He shot down two Russian SB-2 twin-engine bombers on 8 July 1942, to record his second and third victories. Leschert added a further three victories to raise his victory total to six before 3./JG 53 were withdrawn back to Germany for re-equipment in August. Leschert accompanied 3./JG 53 to the Mediterranean theatre in December 1941. He recorded one victory in this theatre on 5 March, when he shot down a RAF Hurricane fighter for his seventh victory. On 1 April 1942, Leschert was promoted to the rank of Oberfeldwebel. In May 1942, 3./JG 53 was once again serving on the Eastern front. Leschert recorded eight victories in July including doubles on 6 July (12-13) and 29 July (16-17). He recorded his 20th victory on 5 August when he shot down a Russian Il-2 Sturmovik ground attack aircraft. On 10 August 1942, Leschert engaged in aerial combat in the Stalingrad area. He collided with pieces of a Russian MiG-3 fighter he was attacking and crashed to his death in Bf 109 G-2 (W.Nr. 13 430) “Yellow 1”. He was posthumously awarded the Ehrenpokal on 26 October.
    Heinrich Leschert was credited with 23 victories. He recorded two victories over the Western front. Of his 21 victories recorded over the Eastern front, at least seven were Il-2 Sturmoviks.
 

No	Date	Time	A/c Type	Unit	Location / Comments
1	14.5.1940	19:33	Wellington	3./JG 53	Sedan
2	8.7.1941	17:32	SB-2	3./JG 53	-
3	8.7.1941	17:39	SB-2	3./JG 53	-
4	18.7.1941	12:03	DB-3	3./JG 53	-
5	27.7.1941	13:10	I-16	3./JG 53	-
6	3.8.1941	15:45	Il-2	3./JG 53	-
7	5.3.1942	12:10	Hurricane	3./JG 53	N Grand Harbour / Hurricane of 242 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O MWT Kidson, killed
8	23.6.1942	15:35	DB-3	3./JG 53	-
9	26.6.1942	7:10	Pe-2	3./JG 53	-
10	4.7.1942	12:25	Il-2	3./JG 53	10-15km SE Selmjansk
11	5.7.1942	17:50	Pe-2	3./JG 53	25km E Voronezh
12	6.7.1942	17:26	LaGG-3	3./JG 53	-
13	6.7.1942	17:30	LaGG-3	3./JG 53	-
14	11.7.1942	3:15	Boston	3./JG 53	-
15	26.7.1942	12:42	Pe-2	3./JG 53	-
16	29.7.1942	15:50	Il-2	3./JG 53	18 770
17	29.7.1942	15:53	Il-2	3./JG 53	18 780
18	4.8.1942	15:45	Il-2	3./JG 53	48 141
19	5.8.1942	4:50	MiG-3	3./JG 53	49 550
20	5.8.1942	9:30	Il-2	3./JG 53	49 710
21	6.8.1942	16:41	Il-2	3./JG 53	49 560
22	7.8.1942	14:25	MiG-3	3./JG 53	45 570
23	10.8.1942	17:25	MiG-3	3./JG 53	39 670

Victories : 23
Awards : Ehrenpokal (26 October 1942)
Units : JG 53