Books on Heinz Knoke

[Richard T Eger]

From www.addall.com (http://www.addall.com):

"I Flew for the Fuhrer
Author: Heinz Knoke
Binding: Hardcover, 208 pages
Publisher: Greenhill Books/Lionel Leventhal, Limited
Published Date: 04/01/1997
List: USD $17.95
ISBN: 1853672637"

"Publisher's Note:
-- Story of a German WWII fighter ace -- Firsthand account of action in the air -- Combat adventure and everyday life in the Luftwaffe Heinz Knoke was one of the outstanding German fighter pilots of World War II and this vivid firsthand record of his experiences has become a classic among aviation memoirs, a best-selling counterbalance to the numerous accounts written by Allied pilots. Knoke joined the Luftwaffe on the outbreak of war and eventually became commanding officer of a fighter wing. An outstandingly brave and skillful fighter, he logged more than 2,000 flights and shot down 52 enemy aircraft. He had flown more than 400 operational missions before being crippled by wounds in an astonishing 'last stand' toward the end of the war. In a postscript for this edition, Heinz Knoke writes of the struggle to survive after the war in Germany and his building of a new life. Now that the Berlin Wall has been torn down, his memoirs are set in a new perspective and prove both a valuable contribution to aviation literature and a moving human story."


Regards,
Richard

[This message has been edited by Richard T Eger (edited 05 April 2002).]

[Richard T Eger]

For more information on Heinz Knoke and his book, go to the "Useful Websites" forums and look for the topic "Homage to Lilo, Heinz Knoke's website, by Franck Ruffino".

Regards,
Richard

[Richard T Eger]

From within a thread on 12 O'Clock High!:

Dick Powers
Dickfeld
Sat Mar 23 00:16:27 2002
63.150.97.2

I bought "Footsteps of the Hunter", read it and was disappointed.

As a narrrative, the text is confusing; few units are mentioned by name, fewer dates are given.

What I remember most is that he lived with an English woman in Africa and he was assigned to set up a brothel for his unit.

There is little about tactics, combat flying or aircraft. There is a lot of "I saw nothing, I know nothing.."

It would have beeen interesting to read his take on the "Aeropag" meeting that fostered the fighter pilot's "mutiny". However, it's not mentioned and I believe that he was there.

This is definatley NOT up to the standard of Hermann's "Eagle's Wings", Knoke's "I Flew for the Fuhrer", or Steinhoff's memoirs.

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Kenneth Miner
Heinz Knoke
Fri Jul 5 19:51:53 2002
207.64.79.106

I just finished reading Heinz Knoke's book "I Flew for the Führer".

I thought it was a well written account of his experiences.

The most interesting aspect of the book to me is that it
provides a unique insight into the everyday life of a German fighter pilot.

The political and philosophical entries were interesting as well.

Any opinions of his book?

Kenneth Miner

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Armand
Knoke's book
Sat Jul 6 15:02:48 2002
64.214.177.54

My son once did a book report for his schoolwork on this book. He got a very good grade out of it. He was in The Middle School at the time. Personnally I was transfixed reading the book and could not put it down until finished. All pilots of combat aircraft have some story to tell and I felt Knoke did a very good job telling his.
Armand

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Orla Kragh Jensen
Knoke's book
Sat Jul 6 21:20:50 2002
195.41.66.1

Hi Kenneth.

I read the book some 5 years back, and my first impression was that Knoke was a very cool pilot. An outstanding fighter pilot who several times kept his plane in the battle even if his plane already had caught fire.

I might find the book and read it again soon.

Regards

Orla.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Ike
One of late WF best experten
Sun Jul 7 01:09:09 2002
155.69.5.223

The book gives a good insight of LW ops against the 8th AF. Knoke is one of the few experten acheiving 20+ vics in WF from 1944 onwards.
refer to http://www.chez.com/franckruffino/Menu_Lilo.htm for further info..
For pure dogfight. Please read "The war diary of Helmut Lipfert". This guy is a cool headed dogfighter in the EF.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Kenneth Miner
Helmut Lipfert
Tue Jul 9 00:58:29 2002
207.64.79.109

Thanks for your opinions and the "The War Diary of Helmut Lipfert" recommendation.

I hope to read this book in the near future, and look forward to more opinions on this one as well.

Kenneth Miner

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

J. Guimar
Heinz Knoke
Sun Jul 7 18:12:30 2002
213.30.42.242

You must visit web site dedicated to him.
www.chez.com/frankruffino/Ses_victoires.htm (http://www.chez.com/frankruffino/Ses_victoires.htm)
There is some doubts about some of the vics. Anyhow, to down several viermot with 1 cannon and 2 machine guns is a hell of a job...

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Kenneth Miner
the web site
Tue Jul 9 00:53:06 2002
207.64.79.109

I have seen Franck Ruffino's web site dedicated to Heinz Knoke several times, and it was this web-site that motivated me to read his book.

I particularly like how Ruffino compares Knoke's claims against archival research in an effort to confirm Knoke's victories.

It appears as though many of his victories compare favourably with the losses reported during offensive operations.

It is no wonder that Knoke was injured several times attacking the Viermots, considering how closely he converged during stern attacks, closing within 30 to 60 meters, accoridng to one of the entries in his diary.

Kenneth Miner

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Kenneth Lee
Heinz Knoke autobiography
Sat Jul 13 05:21:29 2002
12.231.241.185

I was perusing the Heinz Knoke website ( http://www.chez.com/franckruffino/My-Site/Lilo.htm ) tonight and I read an excerpt that I assume is from his "I Flew for the Fuehrer", regarding a dogfight with P-51's in 1944 during which he and his wingman Ickes are both shot down. In this excerpt, he describes Ickes's demise, shot while hanging in his parachute. In my Bantam book version (1977), he does not mention that Ickes was shot in his 'chute, only that he saw Ickes's 'chute open above him. Has there been a more complete version of Knoke's autobiography published, or did the Bantam version simply abridge the original? Thanks for your help.

Kenneth

[This message has been edited by Richard T Eger (edited 25 August 2002).]

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Kenneth Miner
Heinz Knoke
Sat Jul 13 22:46:56 2002
207.64.79.106

I just recently read Knoke's biography "I Flew for the Führer", published by the Time-Life Wings of War series in 1990.

The day in question you are refering to is the entry made for 28 August 1944, in which Knoke leads a Schwarm in an effort to provide fighter protection for German forces crossing the Seine River.

My edition states, " A few moments later my parachute mushrooms overhead. Six to 800 feet away and a little higher up there is another open parachute. Ickes."

The entry in my edition makes no mention of Ickes being shot in his parachute.

Furthermore, I noticed in the Heinz Knoke website that this action is listed as 25 August 1944, and contains text (Detail 3) not mentioned in my edition.

Perhaps someone with the original German version, "Die grosse Jagd" can provide us with an acceptable answer.

Kenneth Miner

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Kenneth Lee
Knocke
Sun Jul 14 17:29:18 2002
12.231.241.185

Kenneth-

Thanks for your response and support of my recollection. From the later responses, it seems there are editions more accurate than others and I will try to find another one.

Kenneth

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Franck Ruffino
Real date
Fri Aug 2 01:23:01 2002
80.13.158.33

Real date is 25 August 1944.
Knoke probably encounter P-51s from the crack 355th Fighter Squadron/354th Fighter Group USAAF. From the Fighter claim list (Tony Wood), the times and positions, it is obvious that 355th F.S. after dealing with III./JG.1 run
into Fw.190s of II./JG.26 that lost 4 pilots against claims for four P-51s shot down. 355th F.S. in fact lost four Mustangs. (Caldwell, The JG.26 diary, vol. II, p.334-335).

http://www.chez.com/franckruffino/My-Site/Victory_32.htm
I'll soon update my page with news from this fight over France.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

F.M.Lentini
H.Knocke
Sun Jul 14 17:15:10 2002
217.201.1.36

In my edition "I flew for the furher" Greenhill Books, 1991 London, page 170 :
" A Thunderbolt comes diving towards me. It opens fire! For age-long seconds my hesrt stops beating.I throw up my hands and cover my face....Missed! Rounds it comes again, this times firing at Ickes. I can only watch, while the body of my camerade suddendly slumps lifeless. Poor Ickes!"

Francesco Lentini

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Kenneth Lee
Re. H. Knocke
Sun Jul 14 17:22:10 2002
12.231.241.185

Francesco-

Thanks much for the excerpt--this is helpful. It seems some editions of Knocke's autobiography were incomplete in their transcriptions. I will start searching out another copy of "I Flew for the Fuehrer".

Kenneth

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Christer Bergström
In German 1967 edition
Sun Jul 14 22:56:26 2002
62.20.145.159

And in the German 1967 edition:

"Eine Thunderbolt stösst auf mich herab.
Sie schiesst!
MeinsHerz setzt für Sekunden aus, ich hebe die Hände vors Gesicht- - -
Noch einmal fliegt sie an und schiesst auf Ickes. Leblos sackt der Körper des Kameraden in sich zusammen!
'Du Schwein!!' Ich brülle es, verzweifelt, entsetzt, empört. Meine Stimme überschlägt sich schrill. Das Blut schiesst mir in die Schläfen.
Das hat mit Fairness nichts mehr zu tun!
Armer Ickes!"
(p. 197)

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Kenneth Miner
Thanks for your help Christer
Mon Jul 15 23:45:06 2002
207.64.79.90

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

George Harper
Heinz Knoke autobiography
Sun Jul 14 04:41:28 2002
63.60.5.145

I have a 1953 edition published by Evans Brothers of London and it includes, in the entry for 28th Aug '44, a Thunderbolt first firing at Knoke in his shute and missing and then shooting Ickes in his shute.

Regards,

George Harper.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Kenneth Lee
Knocke autobiography
Sun Jul 14 17:24:53 2002
12.231.241.185

George-

Thanks much for the information. This is helpful and I will search out another edition of the book. As I mentioned below, it appears some editions of the autobiography contained incomplete transcriptions. My Bantam edition has the exact same passage as the one quoted by Kenneth Miner.

Kenneth

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Franck Ruffino
Fight over France 25/08/1944
Fri Aug 2 01:14:40 2002
80.13.158.33

I'm working just on this special fight who take place over french towns of Chauny and Nesle (Somme).
I will found Ickles's grave and try to identify the french victim, shot by Heinz Knoke near Nesle when he manage to escape.
I've been going in French Geographic Institute to look at old aerial pictures of this area. As I was wondering railways have been modified or sometimes converted in canal!
That's why I was unable to locate a place who sit well with Knoke's testimonies.
I'll publish (soon ?) some news on my site.
Be patient. Such searches are very long...
Amities from France,
Franck.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Uwe 'SplashU' Laubstein
Heinz Knoke
Sun Jul 14 14:27:43 2002
217.229.240.207

I have the original German edition (title: Die Grosse Jagd) from 1952. At page 162 of this book Knoke wrote that he saw Ickes parachute about 200 to 300 meters above him after bailing out. A P-47 Thunderbolt was approaching and fired at Knoke while going down with his parachute, but missed him. Then the P-47 came back and killed Ickes by gun fire.

I hope this is the answer to your question. If not, feel free to mail me.

Kind regards from Germany

Uwe Laubstein
Colonel of the Luftwaffe

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Kenneth Lee
Heinz Knocke
Sun Jul 14 17:27:43 2002
12.231.241.185

Uwe-

Thanks for the response and information. As I mentioned below, I think some editions of Knocke's book contained incomplete transcriptions and, from the responses below, there are English language editions that are more complete than others and I will seek one out. Thanks again.

Kenneth
Portland, Oregon, USA

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Franck Ruffino
Incomplete transcriptions
Fri Aug 2 01:02:14 2002
80.13.158.33

Hi Kenneth,

Yes you're right.
There's some mistakes and incomplete transcriptions in the different national editions...
I've noticed some in french and english edition.
The German original edition is the reference.
But Knoke did some mistakes of his own :-)
Concerning US pilot on 29/04/1944 I'm still searching.
If the date is the good one it was a P-51 as no P-47 was lost in this area.
But I'm looking for 29/03/1944 because there's a very big gap between the last two fights of Knoke over Germany. That's strange.
Knoke's family received some years ago a mail from an US searcher telling that he knew who was this pilot. They will try to find it. (the mail)
So I'm waiting.
Amitiés from France,
Franck.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

kb
Knoke book, different question
Sun Jul 14 17:55:22 2002
207.69.51.78

In his book on April 29, 1944 Knoke downs a USAAF P47 in his severely damaged aircraft and subsequently encounters his downed foe who shares a cigarette with him. According to his account the USAAF pilot was a captain and was due to rotate back to the US.

Any idea who the USAAF pilot might have been? Is the story apocryphal?