Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4

Profile number 21. Flown by Hauptmann Hans "Assi" Hahn Stab III./JG 2, Caen/France, November 19, 1941.

"Assi" Hahn was the clown who became a pilot. There are many amusing stories - true or not - surrounding this colorful person. Those, who did not know him and saw him acting like a clown, could impossible think of him as one of the most capable pilots in the German Fighter Arm. But Hahn was much up of a double nature. In air combat he became a formidable death-machine, far from any joke.
In his first dogfight, on May 14, 1940, he shot down two British Hurricanes. During the next 15 months he achieved another 40 aerial victories. On September 24, 1940 No. 30 was shot down and the first of July 1941 he was credited with 40 victories. Even if he was far from a "Prussian officer", "Assi" was promoted to be the leader of III./JG 2 and responsible for the air defense of Paris, at a time when the major parts of the Luftwaffe where transferred to the Eastern Front.

© Claes Sundin 2009 text: Christer Bergström 1997

From: Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft in Profile

Published by Schiffer Military History Book 1997 ISBN: 0-7643-0291-4