Background
Robert "Bazi" Weiß was born on 21 April 1920 in Baden, Austria.
Robert "Bazi" Weiß was born on 21 April 1920 in Baden, Austria.
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. In the beginning of his military career, he served with a flak regiment before transferring to learn to fly in early 1940.
In early 1941, Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) Weiß was a pilot with 6 Staffel, Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing) flying on the Channel Front.
He claimed a Supermarine Spitfire shot down in September 1941. In September 1942, Weiß was transferred to 1 Staffel, Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing), based on the Eastern Front, flying operations on the Leningrad front.
His victory score grew slowly, and by April 1943, he had claimed 30 victories. Falling ill in May 1943, he was hospitalised until July 1943, when he was made Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) 3.
By October, he had 68 claims and was Staffelkapitän 10.
In May 1944, Weiß was transferred to III., engaged in Defense of the Reich missions against the United States Army Air Forces (United States Army Air Force) bombing offensive, although in June the unit transferred to the Western Front, with Weiß as appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander). Under Hauptmann (Captain) Weiß, III. became the most successful fighter unit on the Western Front, claiming some 100 Allied aircraft shot down for the loss of 50 of its own aircraft in combat. By August, when the unit was withdrawn from operations for re-equipment, Weiß himself was credited with 118 victories.
III. re-equipped with the Fw 190 Doctorate-9, becoming the first operational Gruppe of the Luftwaffe to receive the "Dora-9".
On 28 September, Weiß shot down a Spitfire of 541 Squadron as the first confirmed victory of the Fw 190 Doctorate-9. On 29 December 1944, III. were ordered up against Royal Air Force fighter-bombers in the Osnabrück, Münster and Rheine areas.
Weiß led the Stab, III. and 11. into a large formation of Spitfires from 331 and 501 Squadrons. None of Weiß"s Schwarm returned, with 17 aircraft lost and 13 pilots, including Weiß, killed, while claiming six fighters.
lieutenant is assumed that Weiß was shot down in Fw 190 Doctorate-9 (Werknummer 210 060—factory number) "Black 10" by Flight Sergeant Haanes of Number.
331 Squadron Royal Air Force (Norwegian Squadron) near Lingen. "Bazi" Weiß is officially credited with 121 aerial victories in claimed 471 missions. 26 of his victories were claimed over the Western Front.
Included in his total are 40 Il-2 Sturmoviks, 12 Spitfires and five P-38 Lightnings.
Bibliography.