Hans Ekkehard Bob (24 January 1917 – 12 August 2013) was a German fighter pilot, serving with the Luftwaffe. During World War II, Bob flew approximately 700 combat missions, and claimed 60 victories; 37 of which were on the Eastern Front.

Early Luftwaffe
Bob joined the Luftwaffe in 1936, at the rank of a Fahnenjunker (officer candidate), and began his flight training on 1 June 1937.

World War II
On 22 June 1940, I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 21 (JG 21–21st Fighter Wing) was withdrawn from France and moved to München Gladbach, present-day Mönchengladbach. The following day the Gruppe was ordered to Soesterberg in the Netherlands. On 2 July, the unit moved to Bergen op Zoom. Three days later I. Gruppe of JG 21 was renamed and became the III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54–54th Fighter Wing).

On 5 September, Bob was temporarily appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 7. Staffel of JG 54, replacing Oberleutnant Günther Scholz. Scholz was temporarily transferred to the Gruppenstab (headquarters unit) of III. Gruppe of JG 54. There, Scholz succeeded Hauptmann Fritz Ultsch who had been killed in action.

On 29 May 1944, the wing commander Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" (JG 3–3rd Fighter Wing), named after the World War I fighter ace Ernst Udet, Major Friedrich-Karl Müller was killed in action. In consequence, Bob was transferred and temporarily was placed in command of JG 3 until the official successor, Major Heinz Bär, took command on 9 June. Bob was then given command of IV. Gruppe of JG 3, replacing Hauptmann Gustav Frielinghaus in this capacity.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims
According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Bob was credited with 60 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 57 aerial victory claims, plus four further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes 37 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and another 20 on the Western Front, including one heavy bomber.

Awards
 Iron Cross (1939)
 2nd Class (17 September 1939)
 1st Class
 Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (28 September 1940)
 German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 54
 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 7 March 1941 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 54

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

 
 Bob, Hans-Ekkehard (2003). Betrayed Ideals, Memoirs of a Luftwaffe Fighter Ace. Cerberus Publishing Ltd. .
 Bob, Hans-Ekkehard (2011). Jagdgeschwader 54 — Die Piloten mit den grünen Herzen (in German). Aachen, Germany: Helios Verlags- und Buchvertriebsgesellschaft. .
 
Forsyth, Robert (1996). JV 44: The Galland Circus. Classic Publications. .
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ries, Karl and Obermaier, Ernst (1991). Luftwaffe Rudder Markings 1936–1945. Schiffer Publishing. .
 
 
 Trautloft, Hannes and Bob, Hans-Ekkehard (2005). War Diaries of Hannes Trautloft Kommodore of JG54 Grunherz. Cerberus Publishing Ltd. .
 

1917 births
2013 deaths
Luftwaffe pilots
German World War II flying aces
Recipients of the Gold German Cross
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Military personnel from Freiburg im Breisgau
People from the Grand Duchy of Baden
Pilots who performed an aerial ramming