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Hans-Joachim Marseille

Name : Hans-Joachim Marseille Died : 30th September 1942 Air Victories : 158.00 Awards : Knights Cross Oak Leaves to the Knights Cross Swords to the Knights Cross Diamonds to the Knights Cross

Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Marseille was born 13 December 1919. He was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot and flying ace during World War II. He is noted for his aerial battles during the North African Campaign and his bohemian lifestyle. Arguably one of the best fighter pilots of World War II, he was nicknamed the "Star of Africa". Marseille claimed all but seven of his "official" 158 victories against the British Commonwealth's Desert Air Force over North Africa, flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter for his entire combat career. No other pilot claimed as many Western Allied aircraft as Marseille. Marseille, of French Huguenot ancestry, joined the Luftwaffe in 1938. At the age of 20 he graduated from one of the Luftwaffe's fighter pilot schools just in time to participate in the Battle of Britain, without notable success. A charming person, he had such a busy night life that sometimes he was too tired to be allowed to fly the next morning. As a result, he was transferred to another unit, which relocated to North Africa in April 1941. Battle of Britain In his first dogfight over England on 24 August 1940, Marseille was involved in a four-minute battle with a skilled opponent, He defeated his opponent by pulling up into a tight chandelle, to gain an altitude advantage before diving and firing. The British fighter was struck in the engine, pitching over and diving into the English Channel; this was Marseille's first kill. Marseille was then engaged from above by more enemy fighters. By pushing his aircraft into a steep dive then pulling up metres above the water, Marseille escaped from the machine gun fire of his opponents: "skipping away over the waves, I made a clean break. No one followed me and I returned to Leeuwarden." Marseille did not take any pleasure in this kill and found it difficult to accept the realities of aerial combat. In a letter to his mother, dated 24 August, he said the following: “Today I shot down my first opponent. It does not sit well with me. I keep thinking how the mother of this young man must feel when she gets the news of her son's death. And I am to blame for this death. I am sad, instead of being happy about the first victory.� On his second sortie, he scored another victory, and by the fifth day had claimed his fourth kill. While returning from a bomber-escort mission on 23 September 1940, his engine failed after combat damage sustained over Dover; he tried to radio his position but was forced to bail out over the sea. He paddled around in the water for three hours before being rescued by a Heinkel He 59 float plane based at Schellingwoude. Severely worn out and suffering from exposure, he was sent to a field hospital. Marseille claimed his 7th aerial victory on 28 September 1940 but had to crash land near Théville due to engine failure in his Bf 109 E-7. Days later, Marseille was passed over for promotion and was now the sole Fähnrich in the Geschwader. This was a humiliation for him, suspecting that his abilities were being suppressed so the squadron leaders could take all the glory in the air. Another account recalled how Marseille once ignored an order to turn back from a fight when outnumbered by two to one, but seeing an enemy aircraft closing on his wing leader, Marseille broke formation and shot the attacking aircraft down. Expecting nothing but "a well done Jochen" when he landed, he was thoroughly criticised for his actions, receiving three days of confinement for failing to carry out an order. Shortly afterwards, in early October 1940, after having claimed seven aerial victories all them flying with I. /LG 2 Marseille was transferred to 4./Jagdgeschwader 52, flying alongside the likes of Johannes Steinhoff and Gerhard Barkhorn. He wrote off four aircraft as a result of operations during this period. Steinhoff, later recalled: “Marseille was extremely handsome. He was a very gifted pilot, but he was unreliable. He had girl friends everywhere, and they kept him so busy that he was sometimes so worn out that he had to be grounded. His sometime irresponsible way of conducting his duties was the main reason I fired him. But he had irresistible charm.� As punishment for "insubordination"—rumoured to be his penchant for American jazz music, womanising and an overt "playboy" lifestyle—and inability to fly as a wingman, Steinhoff transferred Marseille to Jagdgeschwader 27 on 24 December 1940. When he joined his new unit, it was difficult to foresee his outstanding career. His new Gruppenkommandeur, Eduard Neumann, later recalled: “His hair was too long and he brought with him a list of disciplinary punishments as long as your arm. Of the 7 kills he had claimed fighting along the English Channel, 4 had not been confirmed – a large percentage. On top of it all, he was a Berliner… In trying to create an image, he wasn’t averse from talking about the many girls he had been to bed with, among them a famous actress. He was tempestuous, temperamental and unruly. Thirty years later, he would have been called a playboy.� Nevertheless, Neumann quickly recognised Marseille's potential as a pilot. He stated in an interview: "Marseille could only be one of two, either a disciplinary problem or a great fighter pilot." Jagdgeschwader 27 was soon relocated to North Africa. Under the guidance of his new commander, who recognised the hidden potential in the young officer, Marseille started to improve his abilities as a fighter pilot. He reached the zenith of his fighter pilot career on 1 September 1942, when during the course of three combat sorties he claimed 17 enemy fighters shot down, earning him the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. Only 29 days later, Marseille was killed in a flying accident, when an engine failure forced him to abandon his fighter. After he exited the smoke-filled cockpit, Marseille's chest struck the vertical stabiliser of his aircraft, either killing him instantly, or incapacitating him so that he was unable to open his parachute.

Known Victory Claims :
Date	Rank	Squadron	Claimed	Location	Time	Aircraft Flown	Notes
24/08/1940	Fhr.	LG 2	Spitfire details	Kent	-
02/09/1940	Fhr.	LG 2	Spitfire details	Detling	-
08/09/1940	Fhr.	LG 2	Spitfire details	-	9.4
11/09/1940	Fhr.	LG 2	Spitfire details	Südostengland	17.05
15/09/1940	Fhr.	LG 2	Hurricane * details	Themsemündung	-
18/09/1940	Fhr.	LG 2	Spitfire details	Südostengland	-
27/09/1940	Fhr.	LG 2	Hurricane details	London	-
28/09/1940	Fhr.	LG 2	Spitfire details	Südostengland	-
23/04/1941	Ofhr.	JG 27	Hurricane details	über Tobruk	12.5
28/04/1941	Ofhr.	JG 27	Blenheim details	N. Tobruk	9.25
01/05/1941	Ofhr.	JG 27	Hurricane I details	5km SE Tobruk	9.25
01/05/1941	Ofhr.	JG 27	Hurricane I details	18km S. Tobruk	9.15
17/06/1941	Ofhr.	JG 27	Hurricane details	NE Gambut	17.15
17/06/1941	Ofhr.	JG 27	Hurricane details	15km SE Sidi Omar	18.45
28/08/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane I details	3km NW Sidi Barrani	18
09/09/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane I details	SE Bardia	17.12
09/09/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane I details	SE Bardia	17.18
13/09/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane I details	S. Bardia	17.25
14/09/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane I details	S. El Sofafi	17.46
24/09/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Martin 167 details	Gambut	13.3
24/09/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane I details	Buq Buq	16.45
24/09/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane I details	Buq Buq	16.47
24/09/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane I details	Buq Buq	16.51
24/09/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane I details	Buq Buq	17
12/10/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	Bir Sheferzan	8.12
12/10/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	Bir Sheferzan	8.15
05/12/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane details	-	15.25
06/12/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane details	SSE El Adem	12.1
06/12/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane details	S. El Adem	12.25
07/12/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane details	20km W. Sidi Omar	9.3
08/12/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	20-25km SE El Adem	8.15
10/12/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	SE El Adem	8.5
11/12/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	SE Tmimi	9.3
13/12/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	NE Martuba	16
13/12/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	5km NE Tmimi	16.1
17/12/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	WNW Martuba	11.1
17/12/1941	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	S. Bucht von Gazala	11.28
08/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	ENE Martuba	8.22
08/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	20km N. Martuba	8.25
08/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	NW Bomba-Bucht	14.2
08/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	NE Bomba-Bucht	14.3
12/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	10km NW Tobruk	13.3
12/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	20km NW Tobruk	13.32
12/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	23km NW Tobruk	13.33
12/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	35km WNW Tobruk	13.36
13/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane II details	20km SE Tobruk	9.2
13/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Hurricane II details	23km ESE Tobruk	9.25
15/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	3km WSW Gambut	13
15/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	5km SW Gambut	13.03
21/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	10km W. Fort Acroma	12.1
21/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	20km NE Fort Acroma	12.18
27/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	10km ENE Ain-el-Gazala	12
27/02/1942	Ltn.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	10km ENE Fort Acroma	12.12
25/04/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	2km N. Ain-el-Gazala	10.06
25/04/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	10km N. Ain-el-Gazala	10.08
10/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Hurricane details	25km SE Martuba	9.13
10/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Hurricane details	25km SE Martuba	9.15
13/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	16km SE Ain-el-Gazala	10.1
13/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	14km ESE Gazala-Bucht	10.15
16/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	20km E. Ain-el-Gazala	18.05
16/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	3km E. Fort Acroma	18.15
19/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	8km SW Fort Acroma	7.2
19/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	5km S. Fort Acroma	7.3
23/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	DB-7 details	3km SE Hafen Tobruk	11.05
23/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	DB-7 details	4km SE Hafen Tobruk	11.06
30/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Kittyhawk details	1km NW El Adem	6.05
31/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	5km W. Bir-el-Harmat	7.26
31/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	8km W. Bir-el-Harmat	7.28
31/05/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	10km SW Fort Acroma	7.34
01/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	20km ENE El-Cheimar	19.15
03/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	3km W. Bir Hacheim	12.22
03/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	5km W. Bir Hacheim	12.25
03/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	5km W. Bir Hacheim	12.27
03/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	7km W. Bir Hacheim	12.28
03/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	10km W. Bir Hacheim	12.29
03/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	7km W. Bir Hacheim	12.33
07/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	SW El Adem	16.1
07/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	10km NE El Adem	16.13
10/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	5km NW Mteifel Chebir	7.35
10/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	6km NE Mteifel Chebir	7.41
10/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	6km E. Mteifel Chebir	7.45
10/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	6km ENE Mteifel Chebir	7.5
11/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	SW El Adem	16.25
11/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Hurricane details	18km NW El Adem	16.35
13/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	5km W. El Adem	18.1
13/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	3km NW El Adem	18.11
13/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	2km NNE El Adem	18.14
13/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Hurricane II details	3km ENE El Adem	18.15
15/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	6km NW El Adem	18.01
15/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	4km NNW El Adem	18.02
15/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	8km NE El Adem	18.04
15/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	3km NNE El Adem	18.06
16/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Hurricane details	17km SW El Adem	18.02
16/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	5km E. El Adem	18.1
16/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	5km NNE El Adem	18.11
16/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	10km N. El Adem	18.13
17/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	5km W. Gambut	12.02
17/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	3km W. Gambut	12.04
17/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	4km SW Gambut	12.05
17/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Hurricane II details	6km SW Gambut	12.08
17/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Hurricane II details	2km S. Gambut	12.09
17/06/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Spitfire details	SE Sidi Omar	12.12		V
31/08/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Hurricane details	23km SSE El-Alamein	10.03
31/08/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Hurricane details	26km SSE El-Alamein	10.04
31/08/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Spitfire details	15km E. El-Alamein	18.25		V
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	18km SSE El-Imayid	8.26
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	20km SSE El-Imayid	8.28
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	20km SSE El-Imayid	8.35
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Spitfire details	20km SSE El-Imayid	8.39		V
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	20km S. Alam-el-Halfa	10.55
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	15km SE Alam-el-Halfa	10.56
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	10km SE Alam-el-Halfa	10.58
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	15km SE Alam-el-Halfa	10.59
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	7km ESE Alam-el-Halfa	11.01
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	12km E. Alam-el-Halfa	11.02
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	20km E. Alam-el-Halfa	11.03
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	23km E. Alam-el-Halfa	11.05
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	7km S. El-Imayid	17.47
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	8km S. El-Imayid	17.48
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	6km SE El-Imayid	17.49
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	9km SSE El-Imayid	17.5
01/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	7km SSW El-Imayid	17.53
02/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	25km SE El-Imayid	9.16
02/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	30km SSE El-Imayid	9.18
02/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Spitfire details	10km S. El-Imayid	9.24		V
02/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	20km SE El-Alamein	15.18
02/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	18km SE El-Alamein	15.21
03/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	25km SW El-Hammam	7.2
03/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Spitfire details	27km SW El-Hammam	7.23		V
03/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Spitfire details	30km SW El-Hammam	7.28		V
03/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	über El-Imayid	15.08
03/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Spitfire details	2km SW El-Imayid	15.1		V
03/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	40km SSE El-Alamain	15.42
05/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Spitfire details	13km SE El-Alamein	10.48		V
05/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Spitfire details	SE El-Alamein	10.49		V
05/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Spitfire details	SSE El-Imayid	10.51		V
05/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	SSE El-Imayid	11
06/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	SE El-Alamein	17.03
06/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	SSW El-Alamein	17.14
06/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	SSW El-Alamein	17.16
06/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Spitfire details	SSW El-Alamein	17.2		V
07/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	SE El-Alamein	17.43
07/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	10km SW El-Hammam	17.45
11/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	15km SE El-Alamein	7.4
11/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	5km WSW El-Imayid	7.42
15/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	25km SW El-Alamein	16.51
15/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	28km SW El-Alamein	16.53
15/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	27km SW El-Alamein	16.54
15/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	26km SW El-Alamein	16.57
15/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	20km SW El-Alamein	16.59
15/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	18km SW El-Alamein	17.01
15/09/1942	Oblt.	JG 27	Curtiss P-46 details	19km SW El-Alamein	17.02
26/09/1942	Hptm.	JG 27	Curtiss P-40 details	12km SW El-Alamein	9.1
26/09/1942	Hptm.	JG 27	Spitfire details	14km SW El-Alamein	9.13		V
26/09/1942	Hptm.	JG 27	Spitfire details	15km SW El-Alamein	9.15
26/09/1942	Hptm.	JG 27	Spitfire details	15km SW El-Alamein	9.16
26/09/1942	Hptm.	JG 27	Spitfire details	SW El-Imayid	16.56
26/09/1942	Hptm.	JG 27	Spitfire details	10km SSE El-Imayid	16.59
26/09/1942	Hptm.	JG 27	Spitfire details	10km S. El-Hammam	17.1

Aircraft for : Hans-Joachim Marseille
A list of all aircraft associated with Hans-Joachim Marseille. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
Aircraft	Info
Me109 Click the name above to see prints featuring Me109 aircraft. Manufacturer : Messerschmitt Production Began : 1937 Retired : 1945 Number Built : 33984	Me109 Willy Messerschmitt designed the BF109 during the early 1930s. The Bf109 was one of the first all metal monocoque construction fighters with a closed canopy and retractable undercarriage. The engine of the Me109 was a V12 aero engine which was liquid-cooled. The Bf109 first saw operational service during the Spanish Civil War and flew to the end of World War II, during which time it was the backbone of the Luftwaffe fighter squadrons. During the Battle of Britian the Bf109 was used in the role of an escort fighter, a role for which it was not designed for, and it was also used as a fighter bomber. During the last days of May 1940 Robert Stanford-Tuck, the RAF ace, got the chance to fly an Me109 which they had rebuilt after it had crash landed. Stanford-Tuck found out that the Me109 was a wonderful little plane, it was slightly faster than the Spitfire, but lacked the Spitfire manoeuvrability. By testing the Me109, Tuck could put himself inside the Me109 when fighting them, knowing its weak and strong points. With the introduction of the improved Bf109F in the spring of 1941, the type again proved to be an effective fighter during the invasion of Yugoslavia and during the Battle of Crete and the invasion of Russia and it was used during the Siege of the Mediteranean island of Malta. The Bf109 was the main fighter for the Luftwaffe until 1942 when the Fw190 entered service and shared this position, and was partially replaced in Western Europe, but the Me109 continued to serve on the Eastern Front and during the defence of the Reich against the allied bombers. It was also used to good effect in the Mediterranean and North Africa in support of The Africa Korps. The Me109 was also supplied to several German allies, including Finland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Slovakia. The Bf109 scored more kills than any other fighter of any country during the war and was built in greater numbers with a total of over 31,000 aircraft being built. The Bf109 was flown by the three top German aces of the war war. Erich Hartmann with 352 victories, Gerhard Barkhorn with 301 victories and Gunther Rall with 275 kills. Bf109 pilots were credited with the destruction of 100 or more enemy aircraft. Thirteen Luftwaffe Aces scored more than 200 kills. Altogether this group of pilots were credited with a total of nearly 15,000 kills, of which the Messerschmitt Bf109 was credited with over 10,000 of these victories. The Bf109 was the most produced warplane during World War II, with 30,573 examples built during the war, and the most produced fighter aircraft in history, with a total of 33,984 units produced up to April 1945. Bf109s remained in foreign service for many years after World War II. The Swiss used their Bf109Gs well into the 1950s. The Finnish Air Force did not retire their Bf109Gs until March 1954. Romania used its Bf109s until 1955. The Spanish Hispanos flew even longer. Some were still in service in the late 1960s.