Gunther Hannak

[Luftm40]

Hello, I'm seeking photos of Luftwaffe RKT Gunther Hannak. This is one of the only images I have found..

[Larry deZeng]

I don't collect photos, but here is the info on him for anyone who might be curious:

HANNAK, Günther. (DOB: 12.12.21 in Breslau). (R, DKG). 02.41 Ofhr., assigned to I.(Jagd-)/LG 2 on completion of training. c.04.42 Lt., in 1./JG 77, appt Staka Ölschutzstaffel/JG 77 (to 07.08.42). 25.05.42 Lt., Staka 1./JG 4 (to 19.10.42). 27.05.42 Lt., awarded DKG, 1./JG 77. 01.07.42 Lt., awarded Ritterkreuz, I./JG 77. 09.42 appt acting Kdr.I./JG 4. 17.03.43 Lt., appt acting Kdr. III./JG 27 (to 29.03.43). 01.04.43 in JG 27, promo to Oblt. 05.05.43 Staka 7./JG 27 PoW – forced to ditch off Malta due to engine problems during a reconnaissance flight, rescued and captured. 01.12.43 promo to Hptm. Credited with c.300 combat missions and 47 air victories. †25.08.95.

--Larry

P.S. there are a number of photos of him in the multi-volume Jochen Prien histories of JG 77 and JG 27, but these will cost you a small fortune because only around 1,500 of each volume were printed. Enter Prien's name in any of the on-line used book web sites and you might find a few of them.

[Luftm40]

Thanks Larry...I have never explored those books. Oh, here is another pic of him that I have..forgot about this one

[Larry deZeng]

I'll bet that's his younger brother in the HJ uniform at the right in the photo. Strong similarities in the shape of the head, nose and mouth.

--Larry

[Luftm40]

Larry, yes you are correct...and those are his parents in the background

[Tony R]

Oberleutnant Günther Hannak was taken prisoner after he forced-landed his Bf 109 at Luqa, Malta, on 5 May 1943. I have a photograph showing the recovery of his fighter but am unable to post attachments.

[Larry deZeng]

Oberleutnant Günther Hannak was taken prisoner after he forced-landed his Bf 109 at Luqa, Malta, on 5 May 1943. I have a photograph showing the recovery of his fighter but am unable to post attachments.

That's interesting, Tony, but it conflicts with the German loss and casualty reports. Could you source that for us? Also, take a look at Post #2, above, if you would, please. The issue at hand is whether he force landed at Luqa or ditched in the Med just off the coast.

--Larry

[Tony R]

I researched the incident some time ago Larry. According to the Luftwaffe loss register (Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bein den Verbänden) Oberleutnant Günther Hannak’s Bf 109 G6 (18046/GP+IZ) was written off during a mission to Malta apparently after developing engine trouble (Vermutlich Motorstörung). The date is erroneously recorded as 4 May 1943. British Army War Diaries confirm that on 5 May 1943 a Bf 109 crash-landed at Luqa aerodrome; one report states that the pilot was taken prisoner. No other German aircraft was lost over the island at this time. The aforementioned photograph is of a Bf 109 which evidently made a wheels-up landing; +IZ is clearly visible on the fuselage.

[Larry deZeng]

I researched the incident some time ago Larry. According to the Luftwaffe loss register (Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bein den Verbänden) Oberleutnant Günther Hannak’s Bf 109 G6 (18046/GP+IZ) was written off during a mission to Malta apparently after developing engine trouble (Vermutlich Motorstörung). The date is erroneously recorded as 4 May 1943. British Army War Diaries confirm that on 5 May 1943 a Bf 109 crash-landed at Luqa aerodrome; one report states that the pilot was taken prisoner. No other German aircraft was lost over the island at this time. The aforementioned photograph is of a Bf 109 which evidently made a wheels-up landing; +IZ is clearly visible on the fuselage.

Thanks for the reply, Tony. Curiouser and curiouser, said Alice. The Ritterkreuz book by Ernst Obermaier says, "5.5.1943 bei einem Aufklärungsflug wegen Motorschaden bei Malta notgewassert und gefangen." This is supposedly according to the records of the German Fighter Pilots' Association based on eyewitness reports from his comrades and from his Namentliche Verlustmeldung. I do not have Jochen Prien's JG 27 history covering III. Gruppe, but I know someone who does. I will drop him an e-mail and see if he can clear this up. Interesting!

--Larry

[Larry deZeng]

Well, Tony, thanks to my co-author, Doug, in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, we have an answer and it appears that you are correct:

The caption to the photo on the referenced page 227 reads:

“Britishe Techniker bei der Bergung der Messerschmitt von Oblt. Günther Hannak, dem Kapitän der 7./JG 27, der nach einer Motorstörung mit stehendem Motor am 5. Mai 1943 auf Malta notlanden musste und anschliessend unverletzt in Gefangenschaft geriet. Die maschine, eine Bf 109 G-6 trop mit der WNr. 18 046, trägt den üblichen Grauanstrich mit grossen Schecken auf den Rumpfseiten; hinter dem Balkenkreuz sind noch die beiden letzten Buchstaben des Stammkennzeichens – GP + IZ – zu sehen, während eine Kennzifer offensichtlich noch nicht aufgetragen wurde. “

[Source: Prien, Jochen, Peter Rodeike and Gerhard Stemmer. Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei Stab und III./Jagdgeschwader 27 1939-1945. Eutin, c. 1998. Pages 227 and 326].

This was the only loss over, on or around Malta during this time frame, as you pointed out. I think this is an excellent example of how the first take on some event that occurred during the war is often incorrect. It took the Godfather of the Bf 109, Dr. Jochen Prien in Hamburg, to ferret out the facts and correct a 50-year-old myth.

Now here's the interesting part. I think there is even more behind this seemingly harmless emergency landing at Luqa. I think it may have been a defection and the story about ditching off the coast made up to protect Hannak's family. My reasons are circumstantial, but to the experienced eye they fit a certain pattern.

I thank you for bringing this up so we could correct the historical record, and a big "thanks" again to Doug S. for his excellent research and prompt reply.

--Larry

[Luftm40]

Well, Tony, thanks to my co-author, Doug, in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, we have an answer and it appears that you are correct:

The caption to the photo on the referenced page 227 reads:

“Britishe Techniker bei der Bergung der Messerschmitt von Oblt. Günther Hannak, dem Kapitän der 7./JG 27, der nach einer Motorstörung mit stehendem Motor am 5. Mai 1943 auf Malta notlanden musste und anschliessend unverletzt in Gefangenschaft geriet. Die maschine, eine Bf 109 G-6 trop mit der WNr. 18 046, trägt den üblichen Grauanstrich mit grossen Schecken auf den Rumpfseiten; hinter dem Balkenkreuz sind noch die beiden letzten Buchstaben des Stammkennzeichens – GP + IZ – zu sehen, während eine Kennzifer offensichtlich noch nicht aufgetragen wurde. “

[Source: Prien, Jochen, Peter Rodeike and Gerhard Stemmer. Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei Stab und III./Jagdgeschwader 27 1939-1945. Eutin, c. 1998. Pages 227 and 326].

This was the only loss over, on or around Malta during this time frame, as you pointed out. I think this is an excellent example of how the first take on some event that occurred during the war is often incorrect. It took the Godfather of the Bf 109, Dr. Jochen Prien in Hamburg, to ferret out the facts and correct a 50-year-old myth.

Now here's the interesting part. I think there is even more behind this seemingly harmless emergency landing at Luqa. I think it may have been a defection and the story about ditching off the coast made up to protect Hannak's family. My reasons are circumstantial, but to the experienced eye they fit a certain pattern.

I thank you for bringing this up so we could correct the historical record, and a big "thanks" again to Doug S. for his excellent research and prompt reply.

--Larry

Now THAT (defection) would be an interesting theory to prove/disprove!!!

[Larry deZeng]

Now THAT (defection) would be an interesting theory to prove/disprove!!!

And exceedingly difficult, too, if not impossible, because so few (if any) of the principals are still living!! There are very few wartime cases of Luftwaffe aircraft landing on known Allied airfields in broad daylight. Those that did were either lost or surrendering. I think we can exclude "lost" in this case because Malta is a small island that was very well known to Luftwaffe pilots. Every Luftwaffe pilot over the island who had cause to believe he could not make it back to Sicily was instructed to ditch off the coast so he could be picked up the 6. Seenotstaffel that operated in the 58 mile wide Malta Channel. That way, the Luftwaffe would at least have a chance to recover an experienced pilot. Unless Hannak was flying at very low altitude, which would have been unusual because most recce missions over Malta were flown at high altitude, then he would have had time to coast out to sea and ditch. He may have been suffering from Kriegsmüdigkeit and seized the opportunity.

--Larry

[Luftm40]

Resurrecting this very old post to add a few new pics. I was always intrigued by the notion that Hannak might have defected/surrendered, and found that hard to believe. These are contemporary photos taken of Hannak's BF-109 after it crash landed on Malta. Several things point to a catastrophic engine failure of some kind.....the large amount of oil present on the nose and wind screen, and the lack of damage to the prop, which indicates a"dead stick" landing. Thought people might like to see them...

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi,

British reports on this incident say nothing about defection, and one of them states: "After having flown over Malta from North-West to South-East at about 22,000 feet, this aircraft was forced down by engine failure, possibly due to A.A. fire." Hannak told his interrogator that the the cause was engine failure, not anti-aircraft fire.

Notes from the initial interrogation confirm that it was not a defection: "P/W is a good type of young G.A.F. officer, experienced and secure. As a friend of von WERRA's he has been well drilled in security." It goes on to confirm that he was still very convinced of German victory: "... he believes firmly that Russia will be defeated this year ... The German collapse in Tunis he dismissed as being of no importance - 'anyone can win at desert warfare!'"

So that confirms that he definitely did not defect.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

[typhoon boy]

Engine oil

Hi,
looking at the picture of the Bf109 it is interesting to see the engine oil looks like it is dripping down the fuselage and not streaked backwards as would happen if the oil leak occured in flight. I have seen many oil leaks from piston engined aircraft and that looks rather odd.