Karl Borris (3 January 1916 – 18 August 1981) was a World War II Luftwaffe military aviator and test pilot.

Borris and 30 other pilots, technicians and engineers extensively tested the Fw 190 and their input was used in the decision to continue the project.

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland.

[2] At the time, the Geschwader was commanded by Oberst Eduard Ritter von Schleich and II.

[3] The Gruppe was based at Werl and patrolled western German border during the "Phoney War" without having contact with the enemy.

[4] During the Battle of France on 13 May, Borris was shot down in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-3 by a Boulton Paul Defiant fighter near Dordrecht.

On 19 May, Knüppel was killed in action, he was temporarily replaced by Hauptmann Karl Ebbinghausen until he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 4.

He was credited with the destruction of a Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfire at 12:42 over the combat area of Dunkirk.

Gruppe again fought over the Dunkirk battle zone and Borris claimed his second aerial victory.

[15] The unit was given six pre-production Fw 190 A-0 fighters for evaluation and conducted numerous test flights and made various suggestions which proved vital to working out all the technical challenges associated with a new aircraft design.

[16][17] The Erprobungsstaffel 190, the operational Fw 190 test squadron, headed by Behrens, was ordered from Rechlin to the Le Bourget airfield near Paris on 1 August.

Staffel which at the time was commanded by Oberleutnant Walter Schneider and was based at an airfield in Moorsele Belgium.

101 consisting of twelve Bristol Blenheim bombers and escorted by fourteen squadrons of Spitfires and Hurricanes which targeted Béthune and Gosnay.

Gruppe's second patrol of the day, a flight led by Borris and Oberleutnant Klaus Mietusch took off from Wevelgem airfield at 09:36.

He managed to bail out at 7,000 meters (23,000 feet) but opened his parachute too soon, causing it to partially collapse.

He sustained multiple broken bones, requiring a lengthy period in hospitals and convalescence.

[31] 24 July marked the beginning of a period in the Combined Bomber Offensive which was referred to as "Blitz Week".

As part of the offensive, the next day, U.S. Martin B-26 Marauder bombers attacked the Ghent coke furnaces.

In defense of this attack, Borris, who had returned to his unit, claimed the first of 60 B-17 bombers lost by the USAAF that day.

[36] A little more than a month later on 14 May, Borris briefly left I. Gruppe and transferred command to Hauptmann Hermann Staiger.

[40] On 24 November 1944, Priller with his Geschwaderstab of JG 26 and Borris with his I. Gruppe moved to an airfield near Handrup and Fürstenau.

[43] The presentation of the Knight's Cross was made by Oberst Hannes Trautloft, at the time Inspekteur der Tagjäger (Inspector of Day Fighters), at Fürstenau airfield on 5 December.

Following the presentation, Borris led a flight of five Fw 190s against a formation of B-17s bombing Berlin and managed to shoot down a straggler from the 452d Bombardment Group west of Lingen.

[44] At Fürstenau airfield, the Gruppe was equipped with the Fw 190 D-9 aircraft and flew twelve combat missions in support of the Ardennes Counteroffensive, also known as the Battle of the Bulge.

Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) under the command of Oberleutnant Hans Dortenmann arrived at Fürstenau in preparation for Operation Bodenplatte.

[46] Bodenplatte was an attempt at gaining air superiority during the stagnant stage of the Battle of the Bulge.

[47] Flying at an altitude of approximately 50–150 metres (160–490 feet), the attack force sustained losses during the approach to the target area, largely due to anti-artillery fire.

The airfield at Gimbergen was almost completely abandoned, the damage inflicted was minimal, and the losses sustained where significant.

[48] Borris claimed his 43rd and last aerial victory on 14 January and German forces were on the retreat in the Ardennes.

Borris and his flight of 28 aircraft encountered Spitfires of the Second Tactical Air Force with the two Norwegian squadrons No.