Gruppe (3rd group) of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3–3rd Fighter Wing) which was fighting in the Battle of Britain.

He was the son of forester August Balthasar who on 25 October 1914 was killed in action as a Hauptmann on the Western Front of World War I.

[2] In November 1936, he volunteered to join Sonderstab W, named after its commander General Helmuth Wilberg, for deployment in the Spanish Civil War.

[3] Following his arrival in Spain in mid-October 1936, Balthasar served with Kampfgruppe K/88 and Aufklärungsgruppe A/88 flying bomber and reconnaissance missions in Junkers Ju 52 and Heinkel He 70.

[10] In early 1939, Balthasar, together with Rolf Kaldrack and Anhäuser, flew a Siebel Fh 104 Hallore twin-engined transport aircraft on one of the longest flights to Africa, covering 40,000 kilometers (25,000 miles).

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

Staffel was subordinated, was withdrawn and ordered to Lübeck-Blankensee and then on 15 September to Vörden where the unit stayed until January 1940.

There, the Gruppe flew fighter protection during the "Phoney War" on the German border to the Netherlands.

[13] On 23 September 1939, Balthasar received the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse).

[20] Flight Lieutenant Ian Gleed, 87 Squadron, observed the Bf 109 attack that shot down the Lysanders and engaged the enemy.

RAF Fighter Command lost six in total this day over France—one 32 Squadron aircraft near Arras to 109s with pilot Sergeant GL Nowell wounded.

[21] The next day, he claimed four further victories, three LeO 451s and a M.S.406, which brought his World War II tally to 21.

[28] With 23 aerial victories, Balthasar was the most successful German fighter pilot of the Battle of France.

Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3–3rd Fighter Wing), replacing Hauptmann Walter Kienitz during the Battle of Britain.

Flying Officer OJW Cutts was killed over Maidstone at approximately 13:30 and Sergeant JW Ramshaw crashed in the same area.

[34] Spitfire II, P7362 disappeared at approximately 11:30 to an unknown cause, 26-year-old Sergeant DH Ayres' body was recovered from the water off Southwald on 4 October.

P2960, from 257 Squadron was lost in combat with 109s at approximately 09:50 over the Thames Estuary and pilot Sereant DJ Austin was wounded.

Flying Officer TM Kane became a prisoner of war and was sent to Stalag Luft III.

[36] RAF Fighter Command lost 18 Spitfires destroyed or damaged to all causes in the days air battles.

[38] In November 1940, Balthasar had to be submitted to a hospital as his injury sustained on 4 September had still not fully healed.

Balthasar thus succeeded Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Greisert who had assumed temporary command of JG 2 following the death of Helmut Wick on 28 November 1940.

[43] The next day, Balthasar was killed in action in his Bf 109 F-4 (Werknummer 7066—factory number) near the road from Aire to Saint-Omer at 15:25 hours.

[46] It is also possible that Wing Commander Harry Broadhurst could have made a head-on attack on his Messerschmitt, receiving severe punishment himself and crash-landing his Spitfire at Hornchurch wrecking it off.

[45] Balthasar was posthumously promoted to the rank of Major and buried at a World War I cemetery in Flanders alongside his father at Illies.

[48] According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Balthasar was credited with 40 aerial victories, five of which during the Spanish Civil War.