How ONE German Pilot Became the Allies Worst Nightmare

Early Life and First Victories

Egon Mayer, born in Konstanz, Germany, in 1917, volunteered for the Luftwaffe in 1937. After completing flight training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 2 “Richthofen” in 1939. He saw his first combat in the Battle of France, where he scored his first aerial victory on June 13, 1940.

By 1941, Mayer had quickly risen through the ranks. That August, after claiming 21 victories, he received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. The following year he continued to add to his tally, earning the German Cross in Gold in July 1942 and soon after taking command of III. Gruppe of JG 2.

Developing a Deadly Tactic

On November 23, 1942, Mayer shot down his first American heavy bombers, two B-17s and a B-24. Alongside fellow ace Georg-Peter Eder, he developed the head-on attack, a tactic that allowed German fighters to tear into Allied bomber formations before the gunners could concentrate their fire. This method would bring down countless B-17 Flying Fortresses in the months that followed.

For his success, Mayer received the Oak Leaves to his Knight’s Cross in April 1943. By July, he was named commander of JG 2, succeeding Colonel Walter Oesau. Under his leadership, the unit became one of the most feared on the Channel Front.

Rising to 100 Victories

Mayer’s combat record grew rapidly. He destroyed Spitfires, Thunderbolts, and heavy bombers in quick succession, often leading from the front. On February 4, 1944, he achieved his 100th aerial victory, becoming the first pilot on the Channel Front to reach that milestone. By then, his total included more than 50 Spitfires and 25 Allied bombers.

Final Flight and Legacy

On March 2, 1944, Mayer’s career came to an end. Flying a Fw 190 A-6 near Montmédy, he was shot down by a P-47 Thunderbolt, believed to have been flown by Lt. Walter Gresham of the 358th Fighter Squadron. Mayer was just 26 years old. His remains were later moved to the Saint-Désir-de-Lisieux German war cemetery in Normandy.

Mayer’s final tally stood at 102 aerial victories, and his innovative head-on tactics left a lasting mark on the air war over Europe.