Herbert Heinrich Otto Lütje (30 January 1918 – 18 January 1967) was a German military aviator, a wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II and an officer in the postwar German Air Force. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 50 aerial victories claimed in 247 combat missions. His 47 nocturnal claims made him the twentyfourth most successful night fighter pilot in the history of aerial warfare. All of his victories were claimed in Defense of the Reich missions, the majority at night against the Royal Air Force's (RAF) Bomber Command and three daytime claims, one over a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber and two Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter aircraft.
Born in Abbesbüttel, Lütje grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. Following graduation from school, he joined the military service in 1937 and was trained as a pilot. In 1939 and 1940 he served with the night-fighter squadron of Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2—2nd Demonstration Wing) and Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing) during the Norwegian campaign and Battle of France. Following the units reorganization, he served with III. Gruppe (3rd group) of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing). Lütje claimed his first aerial victory on the night of 6/7 September 1942 and was appointed squadron leader of 8. Staffel (8th squadron) of NJG 1 in May 1943. Following his 28th aerial victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 1 June 1943, shortly after he was given command IV. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 6 (NJG 6—6th Night Fighter Wing). He was appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of NJG 6 in October 1944. On 17 April 1945, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
Following the rearmament of the Federal Republic of Germany, Lütje joined the German Air Force in July 1957. He died on 18 January 1967 in Cologne-Wahn.
Early life and career
Lütje was born on 30 January 1918 in Abbesbüttel, at the time in the Province of Hanover, as part of the German Empire. He was the son of a farmer. After graduation from school, Lütje joined the Luftwaffe on 1 November 1937 as a Fahnenjunker (cadet) and attended the Luftkriegsschule 2 in Berlin-Gatow. Following flight training, he was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) on 1 August 1939. In December 1939, he was transferred to the night fighter squadron of Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2—2nd Demonstration Wing).
World War II
World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. In February 1940, the night fighter squadron was absorbed by the VI. (Nacht) Gruppe (4th night fighter group) of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing). There, Lütje was assigned to the 12. Staffel (12th squadron). Flying with this squadron, he participated in the Norwegian Campaign. On 24 April 1940, 12. Staffel was ordered to Aalborg where it stayed until May. From Aalborg, the unit flew patrol missions along the Danish coast. On 31 May, 12. Staffel was ordered back to Germany, arriving in Jever on 2 June. The Staffel then moved to Köln-Ostheim airfield, flying night-fighter missions during the Battle of France. In total, Lütje flew three missions over Norway and 19 missions during the Battle of France on the Messerschmitt Bf 109 D single engined fighter.
Night fighter career
Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, Royal Air Force (RAF) attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign. By mid-1940, Generalmajor (Brigadier General) Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a Himmelbett (canopy bed) would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942.
Following the campaign in Norway and France, VI.(N)/JG 2 was moved to Mönchengladbach in late June. There, the unit was outfitted with the Bf 109 E, equipped with the navigational direction finder PeilG IV direction finder (PeilG - Peilgerät). The objective was to test single-engined fighter aircraft as night-fighters. During this test phase, VI.(N)/JG 2 was integrated in the newly formed Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing) on 26 June 1940. On 1 July, the Gruppe was officially designated III. Gruppe (3rd Group) of NJG 1 and converted to the twin-engined Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter.