After success in the Battle of Poland and France with III/JG-54, Hans-Ekkehard Bob took over leadership of 9/JG-54 during the Battle of Britain, and the following spring was awarded the Knight's Cross. Transfering to the Eastern Front with JG-54, his victories rose steadily to 50 by September 1942. His Group later transfered back to the west for a short period, where in April 1943, he rammed a B-17 Fortress. Returning to the east as a Kommandeur of IV/JG-51, he later led II/JG-3 in the West until August 1944. The following month he was transfered to the newly formed Erprobungskommando Lechfeld on the ME-262 jet Fighter, before being summoned to join Galland's JV-44 until the end of the war. Hans-Ekkehard Bob ended the war with 60 confirmed victories.