Gerhard Michalski
Oberstleutnant

Gerhard Michalski

    Gerhard Michalski was born on 25 June 1917 at Augsdorf in the Mansfeld region of Harz. Michalski was posted to JG 53 in 1940. Leutnant Michalski was assigned to the Gruppenstab of 6./JG 53. He gained his first victory on 31 March 1940, when he shot down a French Morane fighter over the French border. Michalski later participated in the Battle of Britain gaining eight victories. On 1 October 1940, he was appointed Adjutant of II./JG 53. Operating over Russia, Michalski was to claim 13 further victories by the end of August 1941 to raise his victory total to 22. On 1 October 1941, Oberleutnant Michalski was appointed Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 53 based at Leeuwarden in Holland. In late November, II./JG 53 relocated to Sicily. Operating over Malta, Michalski was to become the most successful German fighter pilot in this area recording 26 victories. Michalski was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 53 on 1 June 1942. He also recorded his 30th victory the same day. Oberleutnant Michalski was awarded the Ritterkreuz for 41 victories on 4 September. On 15 October, Michalski was shot down in aerial combat with RAF Spitfire fighters off Marsaxxlokk Bay on his 500th combat mission. He baled out of his stricken BF 109 G-2 (W.Nr.10 484), landing in the sea. He was rescued by a Do 24 three-engine flying boat of the German air-sea rescue service. In October 1942, II./JG 53 were relocated to Tunisia. By the beginning of May 1943, Michalski had recorded eight further victories, including his 50th victory, a Spitfire shot down over the harbour of Bone, on 1 January 1943. Following the fall of Tunisia, II./JG 53 relocated to bases in Sicily in May 1943. On 18 June, Michalski was shot down near Donnafucata in Sicily in Bf 109 G-6 (W.Nr. 16 362) in aerial combat with Spitfires. He baled out wounded, landing in the sea, from where he was rescued by the German air-sea rescue service and taken to a hospital in Ragusa.

La Marsa, II./JG 53`s command post, March 1943
From Left: Fw. Otto Russ (27 victories, DK-G, KIA 2.7.1944), Hptm. Gerhard Michalski, Oblt. Fritz Dinger (67 v., RK, KIA 27.7.1943), Lt. Wolfgang Dreifke (3 v.) and Fw. Hans Feyerlein (at least 13 v., EP, KIA 16.3.1944). La Marsa, II./JG 53`s command post, March 1943.

    Michalski returned to JG 53 in late August 1943. On 1 September, Major Michalski temporarily assumed command of JG 53 when Kommodore, Oberst Günther von Maltzahn (68 victories, RK-EL) was forced into hospital with a severe bout of malaria. Von Maltzahn returned to the Geschwader on 28 September and Michalski returned to command II./JG 53. In November 1943, II./JG 53 was relocated yet again. Based in Austria the Gruppe operated on Reichsverteidigung duties. Michalski recorded his 60th victory on 2 November. On 24 April 1944, Michalski was appointed Kommodore of JG z.b.V based at Kassel in Germany. The unit was formed to control III./JG 3, I./JG 5, II./JG 27, III./JG 54 and II./JG 53. On 1 May, he was shot down and wounded in Bf 109 G-6 (W.Nr. 440 232) in aerial combat. Following his recovery, Michalski was transferred to the Verbandsführerschule of the General de Jagdflieger on 20 May 1944. On 21 July, he was transferred to the Stabsstaffel of I./JG 11. Michalski was appointed Kommodore of JG 4 on 18 August 1944. Major Michalski was awarded the Eichenlaub (Nr. 667) on 25 November for 72 victories. He gained his 73rd, and last, victory on 8 March 1945 over the Eastern front. Michalski was involved in a motor vehicle accident on 22 February 1946. He died in hospital at Kaltenkirchen.
    Gerhard Michalski was credited with 73 victories in 652 missions. He recorded 59 victories over the Western front, including 13 four-engine bombers and 29 Spitfire fighters.
 
No
Date
Time
A/c Type
Unit
Location / Comments
1
31.3.1940
16:00
 Morane 6./JG 53 SW Saargemünd / Morane MS 406 of GC III/7, Armée de l’Air
2
4.9.1940
-
 E/a II./JG 53  
3
7.9.1940
-
 E/a II./JG 53  
4
15.9.1940
-
 Hurricane II./JG 53  
5
11.10.1940
8:55
 Spitfire II./JG 53  
6
1.11.1940
15:40
 Spitfire II./JG 53  
7
8.11.1940
-
 Spitfire II./JG 53  
8
30.11.1940
15:26
 Hurricane II./JG 53  
9
25.4.1941
15:47
 Spitfire II./JG 53 5km W Walcheren
10
22.6.1941
-
 SB-2 II./JG 53  
11
1.7.1941
13:52
 I-15 II./JG 53  
12
4.7.1941
16:45
 SB-2 II./JG 53  
13
4.7.1941
16:49
 SB-3 II./JG 53  
14
14.7.1941
19:24
 DB-3 II./JG 53  
15
19.7.1941
17:25
 J-5 II./JG 53  
16
27.8.1941
17:10
 R-5 II./JG 53  
17
29.8.1941
15:57
 I-18 II./JG 53  
18
11.9.1941
9:02
 I-18 II./JG 53  
19
21.9.1941
16:05
 I-18 II./JG 53  
20
23.9.1941
17:05
 I-18 II./JG 53  
21
28.9.1941
8:03
 I-18 II./JG 53  
22
4.10.1941
9:43
 I-18 II./JG 53  
23
20.12.1941
-
 Hurricane 4./JG 53  
24
29.12.1941
16:40
 Hurricane 4./JG 53  
25
3.1.1942
9:18
 Hurricane 4./JG 53 5km E La Valetta
26
20.1.1942
14:18
 Hurricane 4./JG 53  
27
24.1.1942
14:25
 Hurricane 4./JG 53  
28
17.3.1942
8:08
 Spitfire 4./JG 53 Malta
29
2.4.1942
10:42
 Spitfire 4./JG 53  
30
8.5.1942
9:40
 P-40 4./JG 53 Venezia
31
15.5.1942
11:31
 Spitfire 4./JG 53  
32
3.6.1942
11:13
 Spitfire 4./JG 53  
33
8.6.1942
-
 Spitfire 4./JG 53  
34
15.6.1942
10:40
 Beaufighter 4./JG 53 70km SE Pantellaria
35
29.6.1942
8:45
 Spitfire 4./JG 53  
36
2.7.1942
8:07
 Spitfire 4./JG 53 5-8km N Ta Venezia
37
2.7.1942
13:30
 Spitfire 4./JG 53 5-10km S Kalafrana
38
8.7.1942
6:48
 Spitfire 4./JG 53  
39
8.7.1942
11:35
 Spitfire 4./JG 53  
40
30.7.1942
8:25
 Spitfire 4./JG 53  
41
31.7.1942
14:58
 Spitfire 4./JG 53 Malta / Spitfire (EP343) of 185 Sqn, RAF flown by Sgt C Weaver, crash-landed
42
31.7.1942
15:00
 Spitfire 4./JG 53  
43
2.8.1942
16:23
 Spitfire 4./JG 53  
44
10.8.1942
12:21
 Spitfire 4./JG 53  
45
12.8.1942
-
 Spitfire 4./JG 53  
46
14.8.1942
18:48
 Spitfire 4./JG 53  
47
13.10.1942
14:16
 Spitfire II./JG 53 18-20km N La Valetta / Spitfire (EN978) “O” of 1435 Sqn, RAF flown by Sgt WB Knox-Williams
48
14.10.1942
8:20
 Spitfire II./JG 53  
49
27.11.1942
14:56
 Spitfire II./JG 53 10-15km S Medjez-el-Bab
50
1.1.1943
-
 Spitfire II./JG 53 Bone
51
25.2.1943
12:16
 P-38 II./JG 53 15km W Tebourba
-
2.3.1943
11:50
 B-17 HSS II./JG 53 5km SE Beja / not confirmed?
-
22.3.1943
14:10
 P-38 II./JG 53 9848/03 Ost / not confirmed?
52
18.4.1943
19:05
 P-40 II./JG 53 4km SE Gulf of Tunis
53
19.4.1943
15:56
 Spitfire II./JG 53 15km SW Zembra
54
19.4.1943
16:08
 Spitfire II./JG 53 10km SE Femiciana
55
2.5.1943
14:54
 P-40 II./JG 53  
56
8.6.1943
8:52
 Spitfire II./JG 53 40km SSW Pozzallo
57
9.6.1943
14:00
 P-38 II./JG 53 15km S Pantalleria
58
13.6.1943
14:00
 Spitfire II./JG 53 Syracuse / Spitfire (JK533) “JE” of Krendi Wing, RAF flown by W/C J Ellis (14/1/2 victories), baled out, POW
59
8.9.1943
17:00
 P-38 II./JG 53 SW Capri
60
2.11.1943
12:48
 B-17 II./JG 53 Kaisdorf
61
7.1.1944
11:28
 P-38 II./JG 53 15 km. S. Kalsdorf
62
24.2.1944
12:56
 B-17 II./JG 53 Friedburg area
63
25.2.1944
11:56
 B-24 II./JG 53 Radlersberg/Fridau
64
23.3.1944
10:28
 B-17 II./JG 53 20km NE Braunschweig
65
8.4.1944
14:00~
 B-24 II./JG 53  
66
11.4.1944
12:00~
 B-24 II./JG 53  
67
13.4.1944
13:54
 B-17 II./JG 53 Königsdorf
68
19.4.1944
10:25
 B-17 II./JG 53 S Munden E Kassel
69
29.4.1944
11:03
 B-17 3./JGr z.b.v. E Braunschweig
70
21.9.1944
15:25
 Lancaster Stab/JG 4 NW Nijmegen
71
27.9.1944
18:15
 Typhoon Stab/JG 4 SW Goch
72
2.11.1944
11:56
 B-17 Stab/JG 4 IE-ID
?
2.11.1944
12:55
 B-17 Stab/JG 4 IE-ID
73
8.3.1945
-
 E/a Stab/JG 4 Eastern front

Victories : 73
Awards : Ritterkreuz (4 September 1942)
                Eichenlaub (25 November 1944)
Units : JG 53, JG z.b.v., JG 4, JG 11

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