Oberleutnant
Alfred “Fred” Heckmann was born on 25 June 1914 at
Bochum-Langendreer. On 5 February 1940, Heckmann was posted to JG 3. Unteroffizier
Heckmann was assigned to 5./JG 3. He gained his first victory on 6 June
1940, when he shot down a French Morane fighter near Abbeville. He added
two RAF Spitfire fighters during the
Battle of Britain.
Feldwebel Heckmann participated in the invasion of Russia with JG 3 and
gained 24 victories between June and October 1941, including his 10th victory
on 2 July and his 20th on 12 September, before being withdrawn to Germany
for rest and re-equipment in late October. Following re-equipment with
new Bf 109 F-4trop fighters, II./JG 3 and Heckmann were relocated to Sicily
at the beginning of January 1942. Heckmann flew a number of missions over
Malta without adding to his victory total. II./JG 3 were withdrawn from
the Mediterranean theatre in April 1942 in preparation for a return to
the Eastern front. The unit arrived back on the Eastern front in June 1942.
Oberfeldwebel Heckmann added 17 Russian aircraft to his victory total in
July 1942, including four Boston twin-engine bombers shot down on 10 July
to record his 35th through 38th victories. He was awarded the Ritterkreuz
for 50 victories on 19 September 1942. In October 1942, Heckmann was transferred
to 1./JG 26 operating over the Western front. In winter 1943, he transferred
with I./JG 26 back to the Eastern front in an exchange with JG 54 who were
transferring to the west. In the three and and a half months the Gruppe
was based in Russia, it achieved 127 victories. Oberfeldwebel Heckmann
claimed four victories during this period, all Il-2 Stormovik ground-attack
aircraft. On 28 February 1943, Heckmann left 1./JG 26 to take up instructing
duties with Ergänzung-Jagdgruppe Ost. He returned to JG 26 in July being
re-assigned to 1.Staffel. Oberleutnant Heckmann was appointed Staffelkapitän
of 3./JG 26 on 23 January 1944. On 21 September, I./JG 26 encountered a
formation of RAF C-47 Dakota twin-engine transports over s’Hertogenbosch
en route to drop parachutists to reinforce the Allied aerial landings at
Arnhem. Heckmann claimed four of the transports shot down (66- 69). On
1 January 1945, Heckmann led 23 Fw 190 D-9s of 3./JG 26 on Operation Bodenplatte,
the attack on the Allied airfields in Holland and Belgium. On 27 March
1945, Heckmann was appointed Staffelkapitän of 5./JG 26 following the death
of Oberleutnant
Wilhelm Hofmann (44 victories,
RK, killed in action 26 March 1945). Heckmann’s stay with 5./JG 26 was
short however, as he was transferred to JV 44 at München-Reim on 14 April
1945. He never joined the unit getting no further than Lechfeld.
“Fred” Heckmann flew over 600 missions in claiming
71 victories. He recorded 54 victories over the Eastern
front. Of his 17 victories recorded over the Western
front, three were four-engine bombers.
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6.6.1940
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Morane | 5./JG 3 | Abbeville |
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15.8.1940
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Spitfire | 5./JG 3 | - |
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20.9.1940
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Spitfire | 5./JG 3 | - |
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22.6.1941
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I-153 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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23.6.1941
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I-16 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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26.6.1941
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DB-3 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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26.6.1941
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DB-3 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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27.6.1941
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I-15 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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30.6.1941
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I-16 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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2.7.1941
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R-5 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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2.7.1941
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R-5 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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5.7.1941
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SB-2 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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5.7.1941
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DB-3 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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10.7.1941
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Il-2 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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10.7.1941
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Il-2 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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26.7.1941
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SB-3 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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26.7.1941
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SB-3 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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3.9.1941
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I-26 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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12.9.1941
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I-26 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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12.9.1941
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I-26 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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13.9.1941
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Il-2 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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13.9.1941
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Il-2 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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13.9.1941
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R-5 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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24.9.1941
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I-153 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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5.10.1941
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Pe-2 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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17.10.1941
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I-17 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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18.10.1941
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I-61 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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10.6.1942
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Il-2 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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1.7.1942
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Il-2 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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4.7.1942
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MiG-1 | 5./JG 3 | Ustje |
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4.7.1942
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MiG-1 | 5./JG 3 | Malyschowo |
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4.7.1942
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MiG-1 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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9.7.1942
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Yak-1 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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9.7.1942
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Yak-1 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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10.7.1942
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Boston | 5./JG 3 | - |
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10.7.1942
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Boston | 5./JG 3 | - |
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10.7.1942
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Boston | 5./JG 3 | - |
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10.7.1942
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Boston | 5./JG 3 | - |
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13.7.1942
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Yak-1 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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13.7.1942
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Yak-1 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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20.7.1942
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MiG-1 | 5./JG 3 | 08 453 |
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22.7.1942
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LaGG-3 | 5./JG 3 | 29 342 |
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26.7.1942
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Yak-1 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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26.7.1942
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Yak-1 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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26.7.1942
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Yak-1 | 5./JG 3 | - |
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6.8.1942
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LaGG-3 | 5./JG 3 | 30 682 |
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7.8.1942
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Pe-2 | 5./JG 3 | 49 556 |
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16.8.1942
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LaGG-3 | 5./JG 3 | 40 640 |
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18.8.1942
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I-16 | 5./JG 3 | 30 132 |
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18.8.1942
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I-16 | 5./JG 3 | 30 251 |
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23.9.1942
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LaGG-3 | 5./JG 3 | 47 331 |
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4.10.1942
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LaGG-3 | 5./JG 3 | 38 577 |
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4.10.1942
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LaGG-3 | 5./JG 3 | 38 521 |
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16.2.1943
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Il-2 | 1./JG 26 | 18 423 |
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16.2.1943
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Il-2 | 1./JG 26 | 28 142 |
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18.2.1943
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Il-2 | 1./JG 26 | 28 311 |
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18.2.1943
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Il-2 | 1./JG 26 | 28 351 |
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14.10.1943
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B-17 | 1./JG 26 | W Charleville-Mézieres |
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11.1.1944
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B-17 | 1./JG 26 | Nordhorn-Zuider Zee / B-17 of 306 BG, USAAF |
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4.2.1944
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B-17 | 3./JG 26 | 10km ESE Rotterdam / B-17 of 390 BG, USAAF |
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8.2.1944
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P-51 | 3./JG 26 | Chimay-Maubeuge / P-51 of 354 FG, USAAF |
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6.3.1944
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P-47 | 3./JG 26 | E Almelo / P-47D (42-75255) of 356FG flown by 1st Lt M Erickson, baled out, POW |
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15.8.1944
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P-51 | 3./JG 26 | SE Dreux / Mustang of 19 Sqn RAF |
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22.8.1944
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Auster | 3./JG 26 | Mantes-Les Andelys |
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17.9.1944
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Spitfire | 3./JG 26 | Nijmegen |
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21.9.1944
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C-47 | 3./JG 26 | Nijmegen / Dakota of 38 or 46 Gp, RAF |
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21.9.1944
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C-47 | 3./JG 26 | Nijmegen / Dakota of 38 or 46 Gp, RAF |
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21.9.1944
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C-47 | 3./JG 26 | W of Arnhem / Dakota of 38 or 46 Gp, RAF |
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21.9.1944
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C-47 | 3./JG 26 | W of Arnhem / Dakota of 38 or 46 Gp, RAF |
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23.9.1944
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P-51 | 3./JG 26 | Goch / P-51 of 339 FG, USAAF |
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25.2.1945
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P-47 | 3./JG 26 | SE Köln / P-47 of 339 FG, USAAF |
Victories : 71
Awards : Ehrenpokal (11 August 1941)
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (9 April 1942)
Ritterkreuz (19 September 1942)
Units : JG 3, JG 26, JGr Ost, JV 44
