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Walter Borchers (22 January 1916 – 6 March 1945) was a ''Luftwaffe'' night fighter flying ace of World War II. Borchers was credited with 59 aerial victories, including 43 nocturnal victories, 10 as a destroyer pilot and 6 four-engined bombers at day time, claimed in roughly 300 combat missions.〔Obermaier 1989, p. 92.〕〔For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see ''List of German World War II night fighter aces''〕 A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.〔Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.〕 Prior to his death he held the service position ''Geschwaderkommodore'' (wing commander) of the night fighter wing Nachtjagdgeschwader 5. ==Biography== Walter Borchers was born on 22 January 1916 in Ofen in Ammerland, Duchy of Oldenburg as the third of three brothers. All of whom would be awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross during the course of World War II. His brother, Major Adolf Borchers received the Knight's Cross on 22 November 1944 as ''Staffelkapitän'' of 11./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders". A second brother, SS-Hauptsturmführer Hermann Borchers received the Knight's Cross on 16 October 1944 as commander of the I. Battalion of the SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 19.〔Fellgiebel 2000, p. 140.〕 Borchers was a member of the 5th ''Staffel'' (squadron) of Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76) at the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939.〔For an explanation of the meaning of ''Luftwaffe'' unit designation see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II.〕 He became the ''Staffelkapitän'' of 5./ZG 76 in the fall of 1940. He claimed 10 aerial victories during the Battle of France and Battle of Britain.〔 His Staffel was transformed to the 8./Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (NJG 3) in the fall of 1941, flying night fighter missions in Defence of the Reich. Borchers claimed his first nocturnal aerial victory on the night of 3 March 1943. He claimed his 12th and 15th against the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) heavies—four-engined strategic bombers—in 1943. Still an Oberleutnant he was made ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 (NJG 5) on 22 April 1943, leading the ''Gruppe'' (group) until 23 March 1944. In this position he claimed a further six nocturnal victories and four heavy USAAF bombers shot down. He was promoted to Major and took command of NJG 5 as ''Geschwaderkommodore''. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 October 1944 by which time he had achieved 45 aerial victories in total.〔 Having claimed an Avro Lancaster, Borchers was shot down and killed in action on the night of 6 March 1945 by a long-range British night fighter north of Altenburg. Flying Junkers Ju 88 G-6 "C9+GA" (''Werknummer'' 622 319—factory number) his air gunner parachuted to safety while his radio operator ''Leutnant'' Friedrich Reul was also killed. Borchers had been nominated for the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross which he never received.〔 His victor was Wing Commander Walter Gibb and Flying Officer Kendall of No 239 Squadron, Royal Air Force (RAF), part of No. 100 Group RAF, flying a de Havilland Mosquito night fighter.〔Bowman 1998, p. 86.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Walter Borchers」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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