Erich Leie

Erich Leie
Helmut Wick (center), Erich Leie (right) on 6 October 1940[1]
Born(1916-09-10)10 September 1916
Kiel, German Empire
Died7 March 1945(1945-03-07) (aged 28)
Bielitz, German-occupied Poland
Cause of deathKilled in action
Buried
Cemetery in Valašské Meziříčí
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service / branch Luftwaffe
Years of service1936–1945
RankMajor (major)
UnitJG 71, JG 2, JG 51, JG 77
CommandsI./JG 2, I./JG 51, JG 77
Battles / wars
See battles

World War II

AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Erich Leie (10 September 1916 – 7 March 1945) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 121 aerial victories claimed in more than 500 combat missions. He claimed 44 on Western Front, 77 on the Eastern Front, including one four-engine bomber.

Born in Kiel, Leie grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. In 1939, he served with Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) before he was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing) in early 1940. Flying with this wing, Leie claimed his first aerial victory on 14 May during the Battle of France and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 1 August 1941. In June 1942, he was given command of I. Gruppe of JG 2. In 1943, he transferred back to JG 51 where he commanded I. Gruppe. This unit fought on the Eastern Front where he claimed his 100th aerial victory on 6 November 1943. In December 1944, he was given command of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing). Leie was killed in action on 7 March 1945. Posthumously, he was promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) and nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

Early life and career

Leie was born on 10 September 1916 in Kiel, at the time in the Province of Schleswig-Holstein, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia.[2] In August 1939, Leie temporarily led the Reservestaffel of Jagdgeschwader 71 (JG 71—71st Fighter Wing) until he was replaced by Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) Horst Tietzen on 29 August.[Note 1] The Reservestaffel was a training squadron equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 D-1, at the time based at Bad Aibling and subordinated to the I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). On 26 August, during the German mobilization phase, the Reservestaffel was ordered to Fürstenfeldbruck where it was tasked with providing fighter protection over Munich.[3]

World War II

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 21 March 1940, Leie was transferred to III. Gruppe (3rd group) of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing), named after World War I fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen.[2] He claimed his first victory on 14 May during the Battle of France when he shot down a Bristol Blenheim bomber 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) east of Sedan.[4] By October 1940, Leie was serving with the Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) of JG 2. On 28 November 1940, Leie was wingman of Major (Major) Helmut Wick, Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 2, on a mission to the Isle of Weight. Leie claimed a Supermarine Spitfire fighter destroyed, his eleventh aerial victory. On that mission, Wick was killed in action when he was shot down, probably by Flight Lieutenant John Dundas of No. 609 Squadron who was also killed that day.[5]

On 23 July 1941, he claimed six Spitfires shot down in one day, an "ace-in-a-day" achievement, taking his total to 21 aerial victories.[6] For this, Leie was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 1 August 1941. He received the award from Feldmarschall (Field Marschal) Hugo Sperrle with fellow JG 2 "Richthofen" pilots Leutnant Egon Mayer and Oberleutnant Rudolf Pflanz on that day. The triple award presentation was recorded by the Deutsche Wochenschau (German Weekly Review), a newsreel series released in the cinemas.[2][7] By the end of 1941, his total stood at 32 aerial victories. His 32nd claim was a Handley Page Halifax heavy bomber shot down on 30 December in the vicinity of Brest.[8] On 26 January 1942, Leie claimed a Spitfire shot down south of Rame Head. The Spitfire was piloted by Kazimierz Kosinski from the No. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron who was killed in action on a shipping reconnaissance mission that day.[9]

Group commander

On 24 June 1942, Leie was officially appointed as Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of JG 2.[10] Leie thus succeeded Hauptmann Ignaz Prestele in this capacity who had been killed in action on 4 May 1942.[11] He saw action in the air battle of the Dieppe Raid on 19 August and claimed a Spitfire shot down 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Dieppe.[12] This was his last claim on the Western Front. He was then shot down and wounded, bailing out of his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-2 (Werknummer 0326—factory number) 12 km (7.5 mi) southwest of Abbeville.[13]

His injuries required hospitalization. Leie returned to his unit on 2 October 1942. During his convalescence, Oberleutnant Christian Eickhoff temporarily led I. Gruppe.[10] On 13 August, Sperrle had approved Leie's preferential promotion to Hauptmann (captain).[2] The Gruppe saw relatively little action in October. In fear of an Allied invasion on the French Mediterranean coast, I. Gruppe was ordered to Marseille-Marignane airfield on 8 November. There, it was tasked with providing fighter protection over the coastal area. Without engaging in aerial combat, the Gruppe stayed in Southern France until the end of 1942.[14]

Eastern Front

In January 1943, Leie transferred as Gruppenkommandeur to I. Gruppe of JG 51, based on the Eastern Front.[15] Command of I. Gruppe of JG 2 was then given to Major Helmut Bolz.[16] Leie had received the transfer-order on 6 January and arrived at his new unit on 17 January which at the time was based at Isotscha [1] near Nevel.[17] That day, Leie's predecessor as Gruppenkommandeur, Oberleutnant Rudolf Busch, was killed in action when he collided in mid-air with Geschwaderkommodore Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) Karl-Gottfried Nordmann.[18] At the time of Leie's arrival on the Eastern Front, Soviet and German forces were engaged in the Battle for Velikiye Luki and in the Battles of Rzhev in the sector of JG 51 area of operation. On 28 January, I. Gruppe was forced to give up its airfield at Isotscha and moved to an airfield west of Oryol.[19] Flying from Oryol, Leie claimed a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 fighter shot down on 2 February, his first aerial victory on the Eastern Front.[20]

Leie led the Gruppe during the offensive operations leading up to Operation Citadel, which initiated the Battle of Kursk. The battle began on 5 July 1943 with I. Gruppe of JG 51 supporting the German 9th Army in its northern attack on the Kursk salient. For the first days of the operation, I. Gruppe primary task was to provide fighter escort for the bombers of Kampfgeschwader 4, Kampfgeschwader 51 and Kampfgeschwader 53, as well as for the Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers of Sturzkampfgeschwader 1.[21] On the first day of the Zitadelle, Leie claimed his 50th aerial victory, an Il-2 shot down in the vicinity of Maloarkhangelsk.[22]

On 6 November 1943 Leie, by now a Major, recorded his 100th victory. He was the 57th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[23] After a lengthy spell of leave, he returned in late March 1944. On 6 July, during Operation Bagration, he was shot down by Soviet fighters. He baled out over Soviet lines but on descending by parachute, was blown back over German lines.[24] By the end of October 1944, Leie's victory total stood at 117.[25]

Wing commander of JG 77 and death

red heart in black square
Herzas (Ace of Hearts) emblem of JG 77

On 29 December 1944, Leie was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing). He replaced Major Siegfried Freytag in this function who had temporarily assumed command after Major Johannes Wiese was wounded in combat on 25 December.[26] Freytag continued to lead JG 77 until Leie's arrival with the Geschwader on 15 January 1945.[27] Command of his former I. Gruppe of JG 51 was passed to Hauptmann Günther Schack.[28] On 12 January, the Red Army had launched the Vistula–Oder Offensive on the Eastern Front. The offensive required the Luftwaffe to relocate its forces, defeated Army Group A, taking much of Poland and striking deep within the pre-war borders of Germany. JG 77 was one of the first Luftwaffe fighter units ordered to relocate to the Eastern Front on 19 January.[29]

As Geschwaderkommodore, Leie was ordered to Berlin on 22 January 1945 and attended the meeting with Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring which was later dubbed the Fighter Pilots' Mutiny. This was an attempt to reinstate Generalleutnant Adolf Galland as General der Jagdflieger who had been dismissed for outspokenness regarding the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (Luftwaffe high command), and had been replaced by Oberst Gordon Gollob. The meeting was held at the Haus der Flieger in Berlin and was attended by a number of high-ranking fighter pilot leaders which included Leie, Günther Lützow, Hannes Trautloft, Hermann Graf, Gerhard Michalski, Helmut Bennemann, Kurt Bühligen and Herbert Ihlefeld, and their antagonist Göring supported by his staff Bernd von Brauchitsch and Karl Koller. The fighter pilots, with Lützow taking the lead as spokesman, criticized Göring and made him personally responsible for the decisions taken which effectively had led to the lost air war over Europe.[30]

On 7 March 1945, Leie claimed his last two aerial victories and was killed in action. At 14:56, he claimed a La-5 shot down. Half an hour later, he claimed a Yakovlev Yak-9 fighter west of Bielitz, present-day Bielsko-Biała, but collided in mid-air with the crashing Yak-9 fighter in his Bf 109 G-14/AS (Werknummer 786329—factory number).[31][32][33] He baled out at an altitude of 60 metres (200 feet), too low for his parachute to fully deploy. Posthumously, he was nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) which was not approved.[34] He was buried at the German war cemetery in Valašské Meziříčí.[35]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Leie was credited with 118 aerial victories.[36] Spick also lists him with 118 aerial victories, 75 on the Eastern Front and 43 on the Western Front, claimed in approximately 500 combat missions.[37] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 121 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim. This figure includes 77 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 44 over the Western Allies, including one four-engine bomber.[38]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 14 West 4911". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[39]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Leie an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
  This and the – (dash) indicates unwitnessed aerial victory claims for which Leie did not receive credit.
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Balke, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[34]
Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940
1 14 May 1940 19:20 Blenheim 12 km (7.5 mi) east of Sedan[4]
– Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[34]
At the Channel and over England — 26 June 1940 – 21 June 1941
2 5 October 1940 15:58 Hurricane south of Bournemouth[40]
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[34]
At the Channel and over England — 26 June 1940 – 21 June 1941
3 29 October 1940 15:29 Hurricane Portsmouth[41] 8 7 November 1940 15:25 Hurricane south of Portsmouth[42]
4 5 November 1940 14:35 Hurricane northeast of the Isle of Portland[42] 9 7 November 1940 15:25 Hurricane south of Portsmouth[42]
5 5 November 1940 14:40 Spitfire northeast of Portland[42] 10 10 November 1940 15:43 Spitfire east of Portland[42]
6 6 November 1940 15:35 Hurricane Southampton[42] 11 28 November 1940 15:17 Spitfire south of the Isle of Wight[42]
7 6 November 1940 15:37 Hurricane Southampton[42]
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[43]
On the Western Front — 22 June – 31 December 1941
12 22 June 1941 16:10 Spitfire Arques[44] 22 10 August 1941 14:25 Hurricane 14 km (8.7 mi) northeast of Calais[6]
13 24 June 1941 20:55 Spitfire east of Calais[44] 23 12 August 1941 12:54 Spitfire northwest of Saint-Omer[6]
14 24 June 1941 20:57 Spitfire north of Calais[44] 24 12 August 1941 13:08 Spitfire 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Dover[6]
—
 25 June 1941 16:30 Spitfire northeast of Boulogne[44] 25 12 August 1941 19:28 Spitfire 12 km (7.5 mi) south of Dungeness[6]
15 6 July 1941 14:35 Spitfire 30 km (19 mi) north of Grand-Fort-Philippe[44] 26 21 August 1941 15:15 Spitfire south of Étaples[6]
16♠ 23 July 1941 13:21 Spitfire 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Calais[6] 27 13 October 1941 14:40 Spitfire 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Boulogne[45]
17♠ 23 July 1941 13:28 Spitfire northwest of Calais[6] 28 13 October 1941 14:43 Spitfire 25 km (16 mi) west of Boulogne[45]
18♠ 23 July 1941 20:35 Spitfire west of Hesdin[6] 29 13 October 1941 15:40 Spitfire 5 km (3.1 mi) west-northwest of Étaples[45]
19♠ 23 July 1941 20:39 Spitfire west of Hesdin[6] 30 8 November 1941 12:30 Spitfire Baie de Somme[45]
20♠ 23 July 1941 20:43 Spitfire southwest of Berck[6] 31 8 December 1941 15:45 Spitfire 35 km (22 mi) west of Boulogne[45]
21♠ 23 July 1941 20:47 Spitfire 20 km (12 mi) west of Berck[6] 32 30 December 1941 15:30 Halifax PQ 14 West 4911[45]
vicinity of Brest
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[46]
On the Western Front — 1 January – May 1942
33 8 January 1942 10:09 Hudson PQ 14 West 6927[47] 37 1 May 1942 19:40 Spitfire[47] northwest of Cap Gris-Nez
34 26 January 1942 13:40 Spitfire PQ 14 West 6042[47]
off Rame Head 		38 19 May 1942 15:23 Spitfire 40 km (25 mi) north of Fécamp[47]
35 2 February 1942 19:05 Beaufort 18 km (11 mi) north-northwest of Brignogan-Plages[47] 39 2 June 1942 17:45 Spitfire 20 km (12 mi) south-southeast of Eastbourne[47]
—
[Note 2] 		25 April 1942 16:45?[Note 3] Spitfire[47] 25 km (16 mi) west of Le Crotoy 40 3 June 1942 16:39 Spitfire 40 km (25 mi) northwest of Le Havre[47]
36 1 May 1942 19:37 Spitfire[47] 15 km (9.3 mi) west-northwest of Wissant 41 5 June 1942 15:35 Spitfire 50 km (31 mi) northwest of Fécamp[47]
– Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[46]
On the Western Front — June – 31 December 1942
42 26 June 1942 17:44 Spitfire 50 km (31 mi) north of Fécamp[48] 43 19 August 1942 11:50 Spitfire 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Dieppe[12]
– Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –[46]
Eastern Front — February 1943
44 2 February 1943 14:05 MiG-3 PQ 7376[20]
– Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –[49]
Eastern Front — 4 February 1943 – 31 December 1943
45 4 February 1943 12:10 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63632, Kosakowa[50]
25 km (16 mi) east-northeast of Maloarkhangelsk 		75 7 September 1943 12:29 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 35893[51]
25 km (16 mi) west-southwest of Kirov
46 5 February 1943 14:25 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 73551, east of Tatrino[50]
25 km (16 mi) west-southwest of Livny 		76 9 September 1943 15:40 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 34235[51]
25 km (16 mi) southeast of Kirov
47 16 March 1943 11:27 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 44593, north of Bryansk[52]
10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Bryansk 		77 10 September 1943 13:53 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 44712[51]
20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Bryansk
48?[Note 5] 4 June 1943 19:35 Pe-2 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Bokowoje[52] 78 10 September 1943 13:56 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 44728[51]
10 km (6.2 mi) west of Bryansk
49 8 June 1943 19:35 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 53423, Kromy[53]
5 km (3.1 mi) west of Kromy 		79 10 September 1943 14:00 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 44766[51]
15 km (9.3 mi) south of Bryansk
50 5 July 1943 18:44 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63534[22]
vicinity of Maloarkhangelsk 		80 11 September 1943 11:10 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 44229[51]
25 km (16 mi) north of Zhizdra
51 11 July 1943 19:00 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 63572[54]
20 km (12 mi) south-southeast of Trosna 		81 11 September 1943 11:32 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 44769[51]
15 km (9.3 mi) south of Bryansk
52 13 July 1943 13:44 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63255[54]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Zalegoshch 		82 15 September 1943 09:34 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 35348[55]
15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Yelnya
53 13 July 1943 13:48 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 64894[54]
25 km (16 mi) east-northeast of Zalegoshch 		83 15 September 1943 13:20 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 35378[55]
10 km (6.2 mi) west of Yelnya
54 13 July 1943 14:05 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63213[54]
vicinity of Zalegoshch 		84 15 September 1943 13:25 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 25465[55]
20 km (12 mi) west of Yelnya
55 13 July 1943 18:32 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 64878[54]
10 km (6.2 mi) north of Zalegoshch 		85 15 September 1943 13:40 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 25466[55]
20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Yelnya
56 29 July 1943 16:28 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 54653, southwest of Bolkhov[56]
25 km (16 mi) east-northeast of Belyov 		86 17 September 1943 11:32 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 35511[55]
15 km (9.3 mi) south-southwest of Yelnya
57 29 July 1943 16:57 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 54648, southwest of Bolkhov[56]
20 km (12 mi) northeast of Znamenskoye 		87 4 October 1943 15:51 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 15318[55]
25 km (16 mi) northwest of Krassnyj
58 29 July 1943 18:55 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 64755[56]
20 km (12 mi) northeast of Orel 		88 5 October 1943 10:46 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 06891[55]
vicinity of Gorki
59 31 July 1943 11:49 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 64548[57]
10 km (6.2 mi) west of Telche 		89 5 October 1943 10:47 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 06868[55]
15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Liozna
60 1 August 1943 10:10 Su-2 (Seversky) PQ 35 Ost 53522[57]
5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Dmitrowsk-Orlowskiy 		90 5 October 1943 10:48 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 06833[55]
20 km (12 mi) north-northeast of Liozna
61 1 August 1943 18:45 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 53446[57]
15 km (9.3 mi) south-southeast of Sockowo 		91 5 October 1943 15:19 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 15378[55]
20 km (12 mi) west of Krassnyj
62 2 August 1943 10:05 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 53528[57]
5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Dmitrowsk-Orlowskiy 		92 6 October 1943 12:08 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 06152[55]
25 km (16 mi) southeast of Nevel
63 4 August 1943 16:59 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 53355[57]
20 km (12 mi) southwest of Sockowo 		93 6 October 1943 15:42 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 06219[55]
64 6 August 1943 16:59 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 54599[57]
10 km (6.2 mi) north of Znamenskoye 		94 15 October 1943 07:53 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 15617[58]
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Krassnyj
65 7 August 1943 08:20?[Note 6] LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 54762[57]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Znamenskoye 		95 20 October 1943 15:20 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 03876[58]
40 km (25 mi) south-southeast of Rechytsa
66 7 August 1943 14:00?[Note 7] Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 54733[59]
vicinity of Znamenskoye 		96 22 October 1943 11:44 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 02246[58]
45 km (28 mi) northwest of Ossijaki
67 7 August 1943 14:05 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 54738[59]
vicinity of Znamenskoye 		97 22 October 1943 11:49 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 02227[58]
40 km (25 mi) northwest of Ossijaki
68 8 August 1943 16:32 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 35423[59]
40 km (25 mi) north-northwest of Spas-Demensk 		98 23 October 1943 15:29 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 05463[58]
30 km (19 mi) east-northeast of Orsha
69 8 August 1943 16:41 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 35491[59]
20 km (12 mi) north-northwest of Spas-Demensk 		99 29 October 1943 12:24 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 05451[58]
15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Orsha
70 8 August 1943 16:45 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 35636[59]
10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Spas-Demensk 		100 6 November 1943 15:00 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 01754[58]
10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Vasilikov
71 8 August 1943 16:46 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 45514[59]
10 km (6.2 mi) north of Spas-Demensk 		101 6 November 1943 15:03 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 01756[58]
10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Vasilikov
72 12 August 1943 12:50 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 51574[59]
vicinity of Kirikowka 		102 6 November 1943 15:05 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 35 Ost 01738[58]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Vasilikov
73 12 August 1943 13:25 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 51387[59]
vicinity of Slawgorod 		103 6 November 1943 15:15 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 01677[58]
20 km (12 mi) south-southeast of Kiev
74 13 August 1943 16:55 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 50289[59]
20 km (12 mi) west of Merefa
– Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –[60]
Eastern Front — 1 January – 31 December 1944
104 29 March 1944 12:37 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost N/04457[61]
25 km (16 mi) southwest of Tschaussy 		111 9 October 1944 13:01?[Note 8] Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost N/26868[62]
20 km (12 mi) southeast of Tauroggen
105 1 April 1944 12:16?[Note 9] Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost N/04593[61]
25 km (16 mi) south-southeast of Stara Bychow 		112 9 October 1944 16:00 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 25 Ost N/26872[62]
25 km (16 mi) east-northeast of Neusiedel
106 8 April 1944 09:30 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost N/42688[61]
10 km (6.2 mi) north of Kovel 		113 13 October 1944 13:36 Pe-2 PQ 25 Ost N/25312[62]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Neusiedel
107 4 September 1944 17:19 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 25 Ost N/14871[63]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Ostroleka 		114 14 October 1944 15:12 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 25 Ost N/16624[62]
15 km (9.3 mi) east of Laschon
108 5 September 1944 16:14 Yak-7 PQ 25 Ost N/13344[63]
20 km (12 mi) east of Nasielsk 		115 14 October 1944 15:13 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 25 Ost N/16655[62]
15 km (9.3 mi) east-southeast of Laschon
109 5 September 1944 16:17 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 25 Ost N/13347[63]
20 km (12 mi) east of Nasielsk 		116 14 October 1944 15:42 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 25 Ost N/16176[62]
15 km (9.3 mi) north of Memel
110 6 September 1944 15:02 Il-2 m.H.[Note 4] PQ 25 Ost N/13348[63]
20 km (12 mi) east of Nasielsk 		117 16 October 1944 13:05 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost N/25621[62]
15 km (9.3 mi) east-southeast of Trakehnen
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 77 –[60]
Defense of the Reich on the Eastern Front — January – May 1945
118 14 February 1945 16:13 Il-2[64] 120 7 March 1945 14:56 La-5[65]
119 20 February 1945 16:29 La-5[64] 121 7 March 1945 15:30 Yak-9[65]

Awards

Notes

  1. ^ For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II.
  2. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman this claim is listed as Leie's 36th aerial victory.[46] However, Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock consider this claim unconfirmed.[47]
  3. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 16:43.[46]
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
  5. ^ This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[46]
  6. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14:00.[46]
  7. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14:06.[46]
  8. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 13:03.[60]
  9. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 12:26.[60]
  10. ^ According to Scherzer as pilot in the Stab/Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen".[69]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Ringlstetter 2005, p. 83.
  2. ^ a b c d MacLean 2007, p. 210.
  3. ^ Prien et al. 2000a, p. 258.
  4. ^ a b Prien et al. 2000b, p. 131.
  5. ^ Weal 2000, pp. 69–70.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Prien et al. 2003, p. 411.
  7. ^ Weal 2000, pp. 78–79.
  8. ^ Weal 2000, p. 81.
  9. ^ Caygill 2008, p. 164.
  10. ^ a b Prien et al. 2004, p. 230.
  11. ^ Weal 2000, p. 88.
  12. ^ a b Prien et al. 2004, p. 236.
  13. ^ Prien et al. 2004, pp. 228, 240.
  14. ^ Prien et al. 2004, pp. 228–229.
  15. ^ Weal 2000, p. 95.
  16. ^ Prien et al. 2010, p. 438.
  17. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 265.
  18. ^ Prien et al. 2006, pp. 246, 263, 265.
  19. ^ Prien et al. 2006, pp. 263–264.
  20. ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 273.
  21. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 456.
  22. ^ a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 493.
  23. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
  24. ^ Bergström 2008, p. 76.
  25. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 156.
  26. ^ Prien 1995, p. 2370.
  27. ^ Prien 1995, pp. 2238, 2264.
  28. ^ Prien et al. 2022, p. 319.
  29. ^ Prien 1995, pp. 2270–2272.
  30. ^ Braatz 2005, p. 348–351.
  31. ^ Prien 1995, pp. 2305–2306.
  32. ^ Weal 2007, pp. 83–84.
  33. ^ Bergström 2008, pp. 109–110.
  34. ^ a b c d Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 734.
  35. ^ MacLean 2007, p. 211.
  36. ^ Zabecki 2019, p. 330.
  37. ^ Spick 1996, p. 231.
  38. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 734–736.
  39. ^ Planquadrat.
  40. ^ Prien et al. 2002, p. 104.
  41. ^ Prien et al. 2002, p. 79.
  42. ^ a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2002, p. 80.
  43. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 734–735.
  44. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2003, p. 410.
  45. ^ a b c d e f Prien et al. 2003, p. 412.
  46. ^ a b c d e f g h Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 735.
  47. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Prien et al. 2004, p. 213.
  48. ^ Prien et al. 2004, p. 235.
  49. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 735–736.
  50. ^ a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 489.
  51. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2012, p. 499.
  52. ^ a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 490.
  53. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 492.
  54. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2012, p. 494.
  55. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Prien et al. 2012, p. 500.
  56. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2012, p. 495.
  57. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2012, p. 496.
  58. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Prien et al. 2012, p. 501.
  59. ^ a b c d e f g h i Prien et al. 2012, p. 497.
  60. ^ a b c d Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 736.
  61. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2022, p. 323.
  62. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2022, p. 326.
  63. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2022, p. 325.
  64. ^ a b Prien 1995, p. 2438.
  65. ^ a b Prien 1995, p. 2439.
  66. ^ Dixon 2023, p. 93.
  67. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 274.
  68. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 288.
  69. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 500.

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Military offices
Preceded by Commander of Jagdgeschwader 77 Herz As
29 December 1944 – 7 March 1945 		Succeeded by