FREE I FLEW FOR THE FUHRER PDF Heinz Knocke | 188 pages | 15 May 2012 | Pen & Sword Books Ltd | 9781848326484 | English | Barnsley, United Kingdom Editions of I Flew for the Führer by Heinz Knoke He is credited with 33 confirmed aerial victories, all claimed over the Western theatre of operations, and claimed a further 19 unconfirmed kills in over 2, flights. He was born the son of a policeman on 24 March in Hamelin. On 6 Julywhilst watching an air display, Knoke made his first flight, a fifteen-minute joy ride in an old transport aircraft and took the preliminary examination for entry into the Luftwaffe. On 15 NovemberKnoke underwent flight training at No. In early Knoke received his first combat posting, joining Jagdgeschwader 52 JG In FebruaryKnoke participated with 3. On 14 February Knoke was detached to Jagdgruppe Losigkeit Fritz Losigkeitwhere he was charged with the air protection of these ships over the Norway coast. He returned to JG 1 in March. Knoke destroyed his first 'heavy' on his th operation: Maisiea B Liberator of the 44th Bombardment Groupwhich he shot down over Zwischenahn on 26 February - two of the crew survived. The problem of attacking heavily armed bombers effectively occupied the minds of the Luftwaffe in early Oberleutnant Heinz Knoke and his friend, Leutnant Dieter Gerhardt killed in action against Bs on 18 Marchdeveloped the idea of aerial bombing as a means to break up the tight combat boxesthereby compromising the defensively strong USAAF bomber formations. The Luftwaffe soon I Flew for the Fuhrer this practice, however as the carriage of bombs severely affected high altitude performance of the Messerschmitt Bf I Flew for the Fuhrer and also made these aircraft vulnerable to any escorting fighters. In April I. Another B of the 95th Bomb Group was downed on 11 June. Later that month, on the 25thKnoke was I Flew for the Fuhrer in the hand by return fire from a bomber, resulting in the amputation of part of his thumb. On 17 August while intercepting the raid on Regensburg he was again wounded, this time by shrapnel fragments and his aircraft damaged I Flew for the Fuhrer bomber return fire. Knoke belly landed near Bonnhis Bf G-6 was written off. On 27 September Knoke shot down a B, Elusive Elcyof the 94th Bomb group using Werfer-Granate 21 unguided rockets launched from modified mortar tubes. Dugas, who was killed. Knoke was then shot down by other Ps and had to bail out. Knoke was brought down again on 4 October that same year. After shooting down a B of the nd Bombardment Group in a frontal attack, he was hit by the dorsal gunner's fire and Knoke bailed out of his damaged fighter into the bitterly cold North Sea. Covered by aircraft of his unit, Knoke managed to climb into an inflatable raft dropped by a Focke-Wulf Weihe. He was rescued two hours later by a lifeboat. Knoke was again shot down on 4 January I Flew for the Fuhrer On 4 March Knoke was leading II. From 15 to 20 AprilKnoke was attached to the Experimental Station at Lechfeld in Bavaria, where he flew the Messerschmitt Me A jet fighter for the first time. Knoke was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann Captainon 28 Aprilfor "bravery in the I Flew for the Fuhrer of the enemy", and made Gruppenkommandeur of II. At 23 years of age Knoke was, at the time, the youngest Gruppenkommandeur in the Luftwaffe. Knoke was shot down on 29 April in action against the P of Captain James Cannon of the th Fighter Group and was hospitalised until August with severe concussion. Before he bailed out, Knoke managed in turn to shoot down the overshooting 'Jug' piloted by Capt. Cannon, who was taken prisoner. Knoke claimed to have had some friendly interactions with Cannon before both I Flew for the Fuhrer picked up by German forces. Upon returning to base, Knoke develops a heavy fever and what later turns out to be a dangerous brain I Flew for the Fuhrer. Following this he has a complete nervous breakdown, grounding him until the middle of August. Giamalva, who was killed and another the next day. Wood, who was killedwas shot down on the 17th, followed by an unconfirmed B Marauder later the same day. Two Ps were claimed on 18 August. On 25 August another P of the th Fighter Group was claimed, but Knoke was shot down during the engagement. Bailing out behind the fluidly moving front line, Knoke was almost captured by French Maquis forces. Shooting his way clear, Knoke managed to regain the German lines and returned safely to his unit. By the end of August III. Given orders to then transfer III. In Marchwhile still on crutches, Knoke became the officer commanding at Jever air base. He also oversaw the work on defensive fortifications around Wilhelmshaven. Although the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Germany declared this party illegal inKnoke remained in politics as a member of the parish council of the Gemeinde Schortens Gemeindeparlament from April Boesendahl in an English version was I Flew for the Fuhrer published in The book became an aviation classic [ citation needed ]as one of the first quality narratives to appear in the West as told by one of the Luftwaffe I Flew for the Fuhrer. His memoirs clearly show an initial enthusiasm for the war, but become more grim and demoralized beginning in In his last diary entries Knoke shows willingness to enter into an armistice with the Western Allies to continue the war, together, against the USSR. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Heinz Knoke. I Flew for the Fuhrer. Greenhill Books. Retrieved December 25, Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer []. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. Knoke, Heinz Patzwall, Klaus D. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Scherzer, Veit Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. Weal, John Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. Namespaces Article Talk. Views Read Edit View history. Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file. Download as PDF Printable version. Nazi Germany. Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Portals Access related topics. I Flew for the Fuhrer Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Get A Copy. Paperbackpages. Published April 1st by Cassell first published More Details Other Editions Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, I Flew for the Fuhrer sign up. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 4. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. By time you're finished reading this one, you'll swear you've put some seat time in a ME The matter-of-fact, fast-paced perspective could be attributed to author-pilot Heinz Knoke's pre-war literary aspirations - it is a compelling tale. The title does have a bit of that tabloid headline ring to it, however since it was I Flew for the Fuhrer inyou get that right after war perspective. For example, a variety of future Experten all make cameo appearances, Marseille, Rall, Barkhorn, Moritz, long be By time you're finished reading this one, you'll swear you've put some seat time in a ME For example, a variety of future Experten all make cameo appearances, Marseille, Rall, Barkhorn, Moritz, long before they became noted in history books for being aces. Knoke got around; a short tour on the Russian front before stopping off I Flew for the Fuhrer Norway, took a ride on the Tirpitz, a phone call from Goring, then spent most his time facing the USAF over Western Europe. He must have experienced 20 plane crashes, which gave him the clear head for the time when he had to climb back in the flaming cockpit I Flew for the Fuhrer his plummeting plane to free himself. His group had some success dropping bombs from their fighters onto the bombers below, there is a mention of the special fighter group 'Rammjaegers', and he spent a week in the Me jet fighter school. Whatever your nationality you'll be awed at the courage, craziness or futility when he, more than once, leads his small group of 5 MEs up against 50 Thunderbolts and Mustangs. Lieutenant General Quesada is interesting; he praises the book, notes at times there is some influence of leftover Nazi propaganda, and that he does NOT believe any German ace shot down Allied planes. From what I recall and have read, this was the general attitude until well into the s. Of course it's now known a variety of German aces did shoot down even more than Apr 04, Mike rated it liked it Shelves: militarynon-fictioneuropeaviationhistoryww2russia. Knoke gives it to you raw and straightforward. He is unapologetically supportive of the war, especially against the Soviets. Most of his flights are in Western Europe with brief excursions to Norway and Russia. He alone survives from his pilot training class. Shot down many times by fighters and by gunners on Bs and Bs. He has swarms of allied fighters on his tail. A worthwhile book to read. At hours we take off. Specht is ill, and I am temporarily in command of the formation. It is a truly awe-inspiring spectacle which confronts us. There are approximately 1, of the heavy bombers flying eastwards along a wide frontage with a strong tighter escort.