Hans-Joachim Heyer was born on 20 April 1922 at Rehungen in the Nordhausen region of Thüringen. He began his flying training with the Luftwaffe from 15 November 1939 with Flieger-Ausbildungs-Regiment 11, based at Schonwalde. Heyer progressed through basic flying training with Schule / Flieger -Ausbildungs - Regiment 53 from 9 January 1940 to advanced flying training with Jagdfliegerschule 2, based at Stolp-Reitz, from 21 July. On 6 October, Fähnrich Heyer was posted to Ergänzungsstaffel/JG 54 for operational training. Heyer was posted to JG 54 in the spring of 1941. Leutnant Heyer was assigned to 8./JG 54. He recorded his first victory on 22 June 1941, the opening day of Operation Barbarossa, when he shot down a Russian I-15 biplane fighter. He recorded his 10th victory on 13 November Heyer was shot down by flak near Ramtzmy on 23 April 1942. He crash-landed his Bf 109 F-4/R1 (W.Nr. 13 104) and was injured in the incident. On 29 May, Heyer recorded his 20th victory. In June 1942, Heyer shot down six Russian aircraft at night to raise his victory total to 32. He claimed his 36th victory, and the 3,000th victory for JG 54, on 4 September. Heyer recorded 12 victories in September, his most successful month, including his 40th victory on 28 September and three victories on 30 September  (43-45). On 9 November 1942, Heyer, flying Bf 109 G-2 (W.Nr. 13 809) “Black 6 + ~”, was involved in a collision with his wingman near Gorodok. He was listed as missing. Heyer was posthumously awarded the Ritterkreuz on 25 November.
    Hans-Joachim Heyer was credited with 53 victories in 320 missions. All his victories were recorded over the Eastern front and include six victories recorded at night
 

No	Date	Time	A/c Type	Unit	Location / Comments
1	22.6.1941	20:39	I-15	8./JG 54	-
2	23.6.1941	10:35	I-15	8./JG 54	-
3	6.7.1941	15:43	DB-3	8./JG 54	-
4	14.7.1941	19:38	DB-3	8./JG 54	-
5	8.9.1941	17:40	I-16	8./JG 54	-
6	8.9.1941	18:02	I-16	8./JG 54	-
7	18.10.1941	11:56	I-18	8./JG 54	-
8	6.11.1941	11:56	I-18	8./JG 54	-
9	6.11.1941	10:30	I-153	8./JG 54	-
10	13.11.1941	11:50	I-26	8./JG 54	-
11	8.1.1942	10:12	Pe-2	8./JG 54	-
12	8.1.1942	10:20	I-26	8./JG 54	-
13	16.1.1942	11:58	I-26	8./JG 54	-
14	1.4.1942	18:20	I-18	8./JG 54	-
15	6.4.1942	3:23	MiG-3	8./JG 54	-
16	29.4.1942	16:20	MiG-3	8./JG 54	-
17	12.5.1942	10:57	P-40	8./JG 54	10 541
18	12.5.1942	19:04	P-40	8./JG 54	-
19	12.5.1942	19:17	P-40	8./JG 54	-
20	29.5.1942	11:03	P-40	8./JG 54	20 131
21	8.6.1942	0:35	R-5	8./JG 54	-
22	8.6.1942	0:53	R-5	8./JG 54	-
23	9.6.1942	0:55	R-5	8./JG 54	-
24	10.6.1942	5:04	P-40	8./JG 54	-
25	10.6.1942	23:36	R-84	8./JG 54	-
26	12.6.1942	0:01	R-5	8./JG 54	-
27	12.6.1942	23:45	R-5	8./JG 54	-
28	16.6.1942	0:02	R-5	8./JG 54	-
29	18.6.1942	1:23	R-5	8./JG 54	-
30	23.6.1942	20:25	MiG-3	8./JG 54	-
31	23.6.1942	20:27	MiG-3	8./JG 54	-
32	27.6.1942	12:38	LaGG-3	8./JG 54	-
33	11.7.1942	12:46	LaGG-3	8./JG 54	Polnowo
34	1.9.1942	16:37	P-40	8./JG 54	20 133
35	1.9.1942	16:53	P-40	8./JG 54	10 221
36	4.9.1942	12:43	MiG-3	8./JG 54	00 254 / 3,000th victory for JG 54
37	14.9.1942	14:45	LaGG-3	8./JG 54	20 151
38	16.9.1942	9:50	MiG-3	8./JG 54	10 271
39	22.9.1942	5:43	I-16	8./JG 54	10 241
40	28.9.1942	13:00	LaGG-3	8./JG 54	18 443
41	28.9.1942	13:06	LaGG-3	8./JG 54	18 414
42	29.9.1942	17:53	Il-2	8./JG 54	00 253
43	30.9.1942	7:13	MiG-3	8./JG 54	1 873
44	30.9.1942	11:49	MiG-3	8./JG 54	00 254
45	30.9.1942	15:37	MiG-3	8./JG 54	00 213
46	1.10.1942	11:30	LaGG-3	8./JG 54	00 243
47	9.10.1942	16:03	I-153	8./JG 54	10 153
48	23.10.1942	11:18	Yak-4	8./JG 54	29 853
49	26.10.1942	14:02	Il-2	8./JG 54	28 173
50	26.10.1942	14:03	Il-2	8./JG 54	28 174
51	7.11.1942	8:50	LaGG-3	8./JG 54	38 743
52	7.11.1942	8:27	P-40	8./JG 54	10 231
53	7.11.1942	8:30	P-40	8./JG 54	10 231

Victories : 53
Awards : Ehrenpokal (20 July 1942)
                Deutsches Kreuz in Gold  (4 August 1942)
                Ritterkreuz (25 November 1942)
Units : JG 54