Leopold Steinbatz
Leutnant

Leopold Steinbatz
 

    Leopold “Bazi” Steinbatz was born on 25 October 1918 at Wien in Austria. In 1937, he joined the Austrian army. In 1939 he began his pilot training. In November 1940, Steinbatz was assigned to 9./JG 52. Initially he flew as Rottenflieger to Hermann Graf (212 victories, RK-Br), participating in the invasions of the Balkans and Crete flying, mainly, ground attack missions. He gained his first victory over the Eastern Front on 4 August 1941. On 29 November, he recorded his 25th victory. On 14 February 1942, Feldwebel Steinbatz was awarded the Ritterkreuz after 42 victories. At the end of April he shot down six Russian aircraft to record his 44th through 49 victories. On 5 May 1942 he shot down his 50th  and 51st enemy aircraft. He shot down seven Russian aircraft on 8 May (52-58). He claimed his 75th success on 20 May.  He claimed four victories on consecutive days on 1 and 2 June 1942. As a result Oberfeldwebel Steinbatz was awarded the Eichenlaub (Nr 96) on 2 June. By 11 June 1942, he had 95 victories to his credit. On 15 June 1942, Steinbatz recorded his 99th victory but, during the return from a combat sortie on this day, his Bf 109 F-4 (W.Nr. 133 57) “Yellow 2” was hit by Russian flak and crashed into forest near Voltschansk. Steinbatz was posthumously promoted to the rank of Leutnant and awarded the Schwertern (Nr 14) on 23 June 1942.
    “Bazi”Steinbatz flew about 300 combat missions and shot down 99 enemy aircraft on the Eastern Front.
 
No
Date
Time
A/c Type
Unit
Location
1
4.8.1941
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
25
29.11.1941
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
32
27.12.1941
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
40
8.1.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
41
8.1.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
42
8.1.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
44
IV.42
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
45
IV.42
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
46
IV.42
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
47
IV.42
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
48
2.5.1942
-
 I-16 9./JG 52 Near Kerch
49
2.5.1942
-
 I-16 9./JG 52 Near Kerch
50
5.5.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
51
5.5.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
52
8.5.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
53
8.5.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
54
8.5.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
55
8.5.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
56
8.5.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
57
8.5.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
58
8.5.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
?
9.5.1942
-
 I-61 9./JG 52 Feodosiya area
75
20.5.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
84
1.6.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
85
1.6.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
86
1.6.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
87
1.6.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
88
2.6.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
89
2.6.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
90
2.6.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
91
2.6.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
95
11.6.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
99
15.6.1942
-
 E/a 9./JG 52  
 
Victories : 99
Awards : Ehrenpokal (8 December 1941)
                Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (22 January 1942)
                Ritterkreuz (14 February 1942)
                Eichenlaub (2 June 1942)
                Schwertern (23 June 1942)
Units : JG 52
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