Anton "Toni" Hackl joined the German army in 1932 first serving with an infantry regiment. He transferred to the Luftwaffe and completed pilot training in the autumn of 1936. Uffz. Hackl joined II./JG 333, later to become II./JG 77, on 1 April 1938. In February of 1940, Hackl attended the Kriegsschule at Wildpark-Werder.

On 1 May 1940, Hackl was based in Norway serving with 5./JG 77. He achieved his first victories on 15 June 1940 when he shot down two RAF Hudsons over Stavanger. On 27 June he shot down another Hudson, but was wounded in this battle. He was promoted from Oberfeldwebel to Oberleutnant for bravery in combat.

He recorded four victories during his time in Norway, and on 29 July 1941 was transferred to the Eastern Front, where he increased his score to 27 by the end of year. On 23 January 1942, he became Staffelkapitän of 5./JG 77, and on 25 May after 51 victories he received the Ritterkreuz.

He recorded 11 victories during June. During July 1942, Hackl amassed a total of 37 enemy aircraft shot down during the aerial battles over and around Voronezh. On 3 August 1942, he shot down three VVS aircraft to record his 100th victory, and after his 106th victory on 6 August was awarded the Eichenlaub. He filed his 118th and last Abschuss on the Eastern Front, a LaGG-3, on 19 September 1942.

He was transferred to Tunisia with II./JG 77 where he gained six victories. But after a battle with P-38 Lightnings on 4 February 1943, he was badly wounded and put out of action for several months. Now fully recovered, in September of 1943 he joined the Stab of III./JG 11 on Reichsverteidigung duties.

On 1 October, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 11. Hackl went on to shoot down an astounding 25 four-engine bombers during his time in charge of III./JG 11. In April 1944, he commanded JG 11 for a short time before again being badly wounded in battle with P-47s on 15 April. During his convalescence he was awarded the Schwerter after 162 victories on 13 July.

Shortly thereafter on 21 July he was appointed Kommodore of JG 76, a position he held until 7 October. However, during this period flying both Bf 109s and Fw 190s, including this Fw 190 A-8 (W.Nr.170935), but he would not add to his 165 confirmed victories.

Hackl subsequently became leader of II./JG 26 when Major Georg-Peter Eder was transferred to Kommando Nowotny. By adding another 10 Abschüsse with JG 26, he had by the end of 1944 amassed a total of 172 victories. On 30 January 1945, he was named acting Kommodore of JG 300, and from 20 February, Kommodore of JG 11 following the death of Jürgen Harder.

During the last ten months of the war Hackl was credited with 43 confirmed victories, including 20 achieved in 1945, though his last 24 victories were never officially confirmed. Anton Hackl was a professional officer with the reputation of being an aggressive and intelligent commander, and most importantly perhaps, a lucky pilot.

He survived the war after taking part in around 1000 combat missions and shooting down 192 enemy aircraft. 131 of them were on the Eastern Front, and of his victories in Africa and on the Western Front, some thirty-four were four-engine bombers.

On the debit side he was downed eight times and wounded four times. Note that Hackl's aircraft is a rather plain-looking 190s that is devoid of any special (or colorful) markings beyond those required for a Geschwaderstab commander, and indeed even these are simplified by not being outlined.

This profile was published in my profile book no 12 as profile number 95.