4 5 . ▁The ▁next ▁day , ▁Hof mann ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁II . ▁Gruppe , ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Major ▁Anton ▁H ack l , ▁to ▁take ▁command ▁of ▁ 5 . ▁Staff el ▁while ▁officially ▁retain ing ▁command ▁of ▁his ▁ 8 . ▁Staff el ▁until ▁ 1 5 ▁February . ▁Hof mann ▁claimed ▁his ▁ 4 4 th ▁and ▁last ▁aer ial ▁victory ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁His ▁oppon ent ▁was ▁W arr ant ▁Officer ▁C . ▁A . ▁L igten stein ▁flying ▁a ▁Haw ker ▁Temp est ▁from ▁No . ▁ 3 3 ▁Squadron . ▁L igten stein ▁safely ▁ba iled ▁out ▁following ▁combat ▁sout heast ▁of ▁Mün ster . ▁Short ly ▁later , ▁Hof mann ▁was ▁also ▁shot ▁down ▁in ▁his ▁F w   1 9 0   D - 9 , ▁pres umably ▁by ▁a ▁Luft wa ffe ▁pilot ▁from ▁I . ▁Gruppe . ▁He ▁managed ▁to ▁b ail ▁out , ▁the ▁alt itude ▁was ▁too ▁low ▁for ▁his ▁par ach ute ▁to ▁fully ▁deploy ▁and ▁he ▁fell ▁to ▁his ▁death . ▁His ▁body ▁was ▁recovered ▁on ▁ 2 ▁April ▁near ▁Has el ün ne . ▁Ober f ä hn rich ▁Er ich ▁Schne ider ▁was ▁charged ▁with ▁shooting ▁Hof mann ▁down ▁and ▁tried ▁at ▁the ▁headquarters ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁Air ▁Division , ▁but ▁was ▁acqu itted . ▁ ▁Sum mary ▁of ▁career ▁ ▁Aer ial ▁victory ▁claims ▁Matt he ws ▁and ▁For