Josef Kraft


Josef Kraft was a German military aviator in the Luftwaffe during World War II and an officer in the postwar German Air Force. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 56 aerial victories claimed in 129 combat missions, making him the thirteenth, a shared distinction, most successful night fighter pilot in the history of aerial warfare. All of his victories were claimed in Defense of the Reich missions, the majority against the Royal Air Force's Bomber Command and United States Army Air Forces on the Western Front and four against the Soviet Air Forces on the Eastern Front.
Born in Vienna, Kraft grew up in the First Austrian Republic, the Federal State of Austria and Nazi Germany. Following graduation from school, he joined the military service in 1940, initially serving with an anti-aircraft artillery he was later trained as a pilot. In 1942, he was posted to Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 and to Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 in 1943. Kraft claimed his first aerial victory on the night of 27/28 August 1943. In May 1944, his Gruppe was subordinated to Nachtjagdgeschwader 6 based in Hungary. Following his 44th aerial victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 September 1944, shortly after, he was appointed squadron leader of 7. Staffel of NJG 6. Kraft claimed his last aerial victories on 22/23 March 1945 and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves 17 April.
Following the rearmament of the Federal Republic of Germany, Kraft joined the German Air Force in July 1956. He died on 16 October 1994 in Fürstenfeldbruck.

Early life and career

Kraft, the son of a tram driver, was born on 8 February 1921 in Vienna, the capital of First Austrian Republic. He joined the military service of the Wehrmacht on 11 April 1940, initially serving with Flak-Regiment 42 of the Luftwaffe. Kraft volunteered for flight service and was promoted to Oberfähnrich on 1 July 1941. Following night fighter flight training, he was promoted to Leutnant on 1 November 1941 and continued to serve with a Luftwaffe training unit 16 August 1942.

World War II

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, Royal Air Force attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign. By mid-1940, Generalmajor Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a Himmelbett would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942.

Night fighter career

In October 1942, Kraft was posted to II. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 4. In January 1943, he was again transferred then serving with II. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5. Kraft claimed his first air victory on 27/28 August 1943, an Avro Lancaster bomber shot down west of Nuremberg For this, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 1 September and the Iron Cross 1st Class on 15 November.
Kraft was promoted to Oberleutnant on 1 February 1944 and received the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 31 March. In May, II. Gruppe was subordinated to Nachtjagdgeschwader 6 and moved Hungary on the southern sector of the Eastern Front. He was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 23 July 1944. By September 1944, his number of aerial victories had increased to 44 for which he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 September.
In February and March 1945, he claimed his last aerial victories, increasing his total to 56. For which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 17 April, the 838th officer or soldier of the Wehrmacht so honored. At the end of war he was taken prisoner of war by British forces and was released in August 1945.

Later life

Following the Wiederbewaffnung of the Federal Republic of Germany, Kraft joined the German Air Force in 1956. From 1 October 1 to 31 March 1980, he commanded the :de:Luftwaffeninstandhaltungsregiment 2|Luftwaffenversorgungsregiment 2 and retired holding the rank of Oberst. Kraft died on 16 October 1994 in Fürstenfeldbruck.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Kraft was credited with 56 nocturnal aerial victories, four of which on the Eastern Front, claimed in 129 combat missions. Foreman, Parry and Matthews, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 56 nocturnal victory claims Matthews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, listing Kraft with 51 claims, plus five further unconfirmed claims.

Awards

Citations