![]() This is exactly as it should have been, since he usually had free-hunt missions, a choice of targets, and the luxury of deciding when, and if, to engage.įinally, Hartmann is well known for striking at very close range. Hartmann always sought quick, surprise attacks and avoided twisting-and-turning engagements that would have made him more vulnerable. It was more of an anti-dogfighting strategy, really. He also had a dogfighting strategy that was a great match for his situation on the Eastern Front. Pilot training is almost always the dominant factor in an air battle. He knew his plane, mission, and tactics extremely well. The Germans couldn’t sustain this through the war, but it was crucial early on. Hartmann was in the early cohort of German pilots who got exhaustive training before they were sent to the Front. What made Hartmann such a great fighter pilot? So in part I saw the project as a chance to go into the history and see what I ought to believe, as opposed to going into the history with an existing belief you’re trying to validate. At the start, I didn’t really have an opinion about him. Schmidt: “I’m drawn to aviation and history naturally, but I really committed to the project when I saw how simplified and celebratory Hartmann’s life has been over the years. Schmidt spoke with Air & Space senior associate editor Diane Tedeschi in August.Īir & Space: Why did you decide to write this book? ![]() ![]() How did Hartmann get so good at dominating the skies over the Eastern Front? What were his beliefs? In Black Tulip, author Erik Schmidt seeks to illuminate the complexities of Hartmann’s personality. While serving in Germany’s Luftwaffe in World War II, Erich Hartmann flew more than 1,400 missions in the Messerschmitt Bf 109, enabling him to score an astonishing 352 kills. ![]()
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