According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Bühligen was credited with 112 aerial victories.[1] Spick and Obermaier also list him with 112 aerial victories, of which 40 were claimed over the North Africa, 72 over the Western Front including 24 four-engined heavy bombers, claimed in over 700 combat missions.[2][3] Forsyth also lists him with 24 four-engined bombers shot down.[4] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for more than 99 aerial victory claims, plus nine further unconfirmed claims. All of his victories were claimed on the Western Front and include 13 four-engined bombers.[5]
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 05 Ost 1157". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[6]
♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Bühlingen an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
– (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Bühlingen did not receive credit.
* (asterisk) indicates an Herausschuss (separation shot)—a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from his combat box which was counted as an aerial victory.
? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim
Date
Time
Type
Location
Claim
Date
Time
Type
Location
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[7] At the Channel and over England — 26 June – September 1940
^ abcdefAccording to Mathews and Foreman this claim is unconfirmed.[7]
^ abcThis unconfirmed claim is listed by Mathews and Foreman.[7] However, Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock do not list this claim.[9][10]
^According to Mathews and Foreman, on 4 January 1943 Bühlingen shot down a Martin B-26 Marauder bomber for his 28th aerial victory.[18] However, Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock attribute this claim to Leutnant Werner Klein-Korres.[19]
^According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14:47.[18]
^According to Mathews and Foreman, on 21 January 1943 Bühlingen shot down a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter for his 34th aerial victory.[18] However, Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock attribute this claim to Leutnant Lothar Werner.[19]
^According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 07:36.[18]
^According to Mathews and Foreman, on 12 March 1943 Bühlingen shot down a Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter for his 62nd aerial victory.[18] However, Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock do not list this claim.[20]
^ abcThis claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[18]
^According to Mathews and Foreman, on 2 September 1943 Bühlingen shot down a North American P-51 Mustang fighter for his 77th aerial victory.[18] However, Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock do not list this claim.[22]
Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN978-1-906592-18-9.
Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN978-3-87341-065-7.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2002). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 4/I—Einsatz am Kanal und über England—26.6.1940 bis 21.6.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 4/I—Action at the Channel and over England—26 June 1940 to 21 June 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-63-2.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 5—Heimatverteidigung—10. Mai 1940 bis 31 Dezember 1941—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—Oktober 1940 bis November 1941—Einsatz im Westen—22. Juni bis 31. Dezember 1941—Die Ergänzungsjagdgruppen—Einsatz 1941 bis zur Auflösung Anfang 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 5—Defense of the Reich—10 May 1940 to 31 December 1941—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—October 1940 to November 1941—Action in the West—22 June to 31 December 1941—The Supplementary Fighter Groups—Action from 1941 until their Breakup in Early 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-68-7.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2004a). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 7—Heimatverteidigung—1. January bis 31 Dezember 1942—Einsatz im Westen—1. Januar bis 31. Dezember 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 7—Defense of the Reich—1 January to 31 December 1942—Action in the West—1 January to 31 December 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-73-1.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2004b). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 8/I—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—November 1941 bis December 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 8/I—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—November 1941 to December 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-74-8.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2010a). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 10/IV—Einsatz im Westen—1.1. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 10/IV—Action in the West—1 January to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-92-2.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2010b). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 11/I—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—1.1. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 11/I—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—1 January to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-95-3.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Bock, Winfried (2018). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 13/IV—Einsatz im Reichsverteidigung und im Westen—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 13/IV—Action in the Defense of the Reich and in the West—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-942943-19-2.
