Werner Baake

°01-Nov-18 – †15-Jul-64

1941 : assigned to Blindflugschule 2 (Blind Flying School) as 'Offizier zu besonderer Verwendung des Reichsministers der Luftfahrt und Oberbefehlshabers der Luftwaffe'  (Offz.z.b.V d. R.d.L. u. Ob.d.L.) (Officer on special assignment to the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe).

14-Aug-42 :  transfer to Nachtjagdschule 1 (Night Fighter School) as an assistant instructor.

 

21-Nov-42 :  transfer to I.Gruppe/Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (I./NJG 1) (I.Squadron / Night Fighter Squadron 1)

01-Dec-42 :  transfer to 3.Staffel/Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (3./NJG 1) as a pilot.  (3.Flight / Night Fighter Squadron 1)

07-Jan-43  transfer to 1.Staffel/Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (1./NJG 1).

01-Mar-43 : promotion to Oberleutnant (Lieutenant).

11-Jun-43 : Oberleutnant, 1./NJG 1.

01-Sep-43 : Oberleutnant,  transfer to 3./NJG 1 as a pilot.

05/06-Sep-43 : Oberleutnant, 3./NJG 1.

07-Sep-43 : transfer to 3./NJG 1.

06-Sep-43 : awarded the Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe.

03-Nov-43 : Oberleutnant, 3./NJG 1.

20/21-Dec-43 : Oberleutnant, 3./NJG 1.

16-Jan-44 : awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold.

25-Jan-44 : Oberleutnant, appointed Staffelkapitän (Flightcommander) 2.Staffel/Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (2./NJG 1).

27/28-Jan-44 : Wounded in Action : Messerschmitt Bf.110G-4 (G9+ML) collided with the cebris of a shot down Lancaster.    While Baake parachuted to safety, his radio operator Unteroffizier Heinz Waldbauer was killed.

11/12-Apr-44 : Oberleutnant, 2./NJG 1.

23-Jun-44 :

27-Jul-44 : awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, Staffelkapitän 3./NJG 1.

01-Sep-44 : promotion to Hauptman (Captain).

01-Sep-44 :

09-Oct-44 : forced to make a belly landing in his Heinkel He.219A-0 because the landing gear failed to lower, damaging the aircraft.

21-Oct-44 : appointed provisional Kommandeur I./NJG 1 (Commander).

25-Oct-44 : appointed permanent? Kommandeur I./NJG 1.

04-Nov-44 : Hauptman, Stab (Staff) I./NJG 1. 24/25.

04-Nov-44 :

5-Jan-45 :

Feb-45 : Hauptman, Stab I./NJG 1.

07-Mar-45 :

08-Mar-45 : Hauptman, Stab I./NJG 1.

18/19-Mar-45 : shot down by a night fighter 35 km N of Giessen (NL), crew bailed out unhurt from their Heinkel He.219A-2.

3/4 April 1945 : I./NJG 1 flew their last night fighter operation.

 

†15-Jul-64 in a plane crash near Heilsbronn as a Flugkapitän of Lufthansa Boeing B-720-030B "D-ABOP" during a training flight after he performed an unauthorised aerobatic manoeuvre.  Following a successful barrel roll, the crew attempted a second.   During this the aircraft broke apart due to structural overloading and all three members of the crew were killed.

 

 

Awards :

Flugzeugführerabzeichen

Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz

Frontflugspange für Nahnachtjäger in Gold

Eisernes Kreuz (1939) II. Klasse

Eisernes Kreuz (1939) I. Klasse

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

 

Aerial victories :

Credited with 43 aerial victories in 159 combat missions.

                                   
Blindflugschule 2 Nachtjagdschule 1 Nachtjagdgeschwader 1

 
No Unit Date Aircraft

Type

 Air Force

 
1. 1./NJG1 12.06.1943 Vickers Wellington Bomber
2. 1./NJG1 12.06.1943 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
3. 1./NJG1 17.06.1943 Avro Lancaster Bomber
4. 1./NJG1 22.06.1943 Vickers Wellington Bomber
5. 1./NJG1 22.06.1943 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
6. 1./NJG1 23.06.1943 Avro Lancaster Bomber
7. 1./NJG1 23.06.1943 Avro Lancaster Bomber
8. 1./NJG1 23.06.1943 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
9. 1./NJG1 25.06.1943 Vickers Wellington Bomber
10. 1./NJG1 14.07.1943 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
11. 1./NJG1 24.08.1943 Avro Lancaster Bomber
12. 1./NJG1 28.08.1943 Short Stirling Bomber
13. 1./NJG1 28.08.1943 Short Stirling Bomber
14. 3./NJG1 31.08.1943 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
15. 3./NJG1 31.08.1943 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
16. 3./NJG1 01.09.1943 Avro Lancaster Bomber
17. 3./NJG1 06.09.1943 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
18. 3./NJG1 06.09.1943 Avro Lancaster Bomber
19. 3./NJG1 27.09.1943 Avro Lancaster Bomber
20. 3./NJG1 03.11.1943 Avro Lancaster Bomber
21. 3./NJG1 03.11.1943 Avro Lancaster Bomber
22. 3./NJG1 20.12.1943 Avro Lancaster Bomber
23. 3./NJG1 20.12.1943 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
24. 2./NJG1 27.01.1944 Avro Lancaster Bomber
25. 2./NJG1 11.04.1944 Avro Lancaster Bomber
26. 2./NJG1 25.04.1944 Avro Lancaster Bomber
27. 2./NJG1 25.04.1944 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
28. 2./NJG1 04.05.1944 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress  Bomber
29. 2./NJG1 06.05.1944 De Havilland Mosquito Pathfinder
30. 2./NJG1 07.05.1944 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber
31. 2./NJG1 12.05.1944 Avro Lancaster Bomber
32. 2./NJG1 23.05.1944 Avro Lancaster Bomber
33. 2./NJG1 17.06.1944 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
34. 2./NJG1 22.06.1944 Avro Lancaster Bomber
35. 2./NJG1 22.06.1944 Avro Lancaster Bomber
36. I./NJG1 04.11.1944 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
37. I./NJG1 06.11.1944 Avro Lancaster Bomber
38. I./NJG1 24.12.1944 Avro Lancaster Bomber
39. I./NJG1 05.01.1945 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
40. I./NJG1 05.01.1945 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
41. I./NJG1 05.01.1945 Handley Page Halifax Bomber
42. I./NJG1 03.02.1945 Avro Lancaster Bomber
43. I./NJG1 07.03.1945 Avro Lancaster Bomber

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