WWII German Oil Painting of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Pilot (Grouping)
This is an original WWII German oil painting on canvas, on a wooden stretcher. The individual depicted in this oil painting is Leutnant (Second Lieutenant) Ernst-Otto Hoevermann. View the Veteran's Information Section for more details regarding Hoevermann's life and military service. The upper left-hand area of the painting is marked with what appears to be “C. 3ix. 20.6.47.”, most likely making the painting a commemorative item commissioned by a grieving family member on June 20, 1947. Included with the painting is an original photograph of young Unteroffizier Ernst-Otto Hoevermann and his flight school calling card. The painting appears to have been wrapped in newspaper, as evident by remnants of inverted newsprint stuck to its surface throughout. The dimensions are 11.25" x 16".
Veteran's Information
Leutnant Ernst-Otto Hoevermann was born on May 31, 1923 in Lichterfelde, Berlin. During the war, he served as a pilot in the Luftwaffe, following graduation from Luftkriegsschule (Air War College) 3, formerly located at the Potsdam Wildpark, Werder an der Havel (the town, Werder, upon the Havel River) in Brandenburg, Germany. The Leutnant received the following awards during the war: Eisernes Kreuz II 1939 (Iron Cross 2nd Class) and the Gold Grade, Long Range, Night Fighter Frontflugspange (Front Flight Clasp). Hoevermann belonged to the Stab III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 (Staffel, Night Fighter-Wing 2, Group 3). It was with this unit that he recorded at least three confirmed aerial victories; a 4-Mot. Flzg. was shot down on March 31, 1944 and two Halifax bombers were downed near Brussels on April 28, 1944. On October 15, 1944 Hoevermann met his own demise; he was flying his Junkers Ju 88G-1 over the Gütersloh airfield when Bransome Arthur “Branse” Burbridge, a legendary RAF night-fighter pilot returning from Operation Hurricane, shot him down. Interestingly, Burbridge was the most successful living British ace before passing away in 2016; he held the Allied record of 21 aerial victories achieved at night during WWII. Burbridge’s medals, flight jacket, and flight logs were sold at the Dix Noonan Webb London auction house on March 25, 2013 for £155,000. Leutnant Hoevermann is buried at the Alter Stadtfriedhof Gütersloh cemetery.
