▁day , ▁including ▁the ▁B - 1 7 ▁destroyed ▁by ▁Hof mann ▁ ▁north west ▁of ▁R he ine . ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Hof mann ▁shot ▁down ▁a ▁R AF ▁No . ▁ 2 ▁Squadron ▁P - 5 1 ▁tact ical ▁reconna issance ▁aircraft ▁near ▁Ab be ville . ▁The ▁next ▁day , ▁he ▁claimed ▁his ▁third ▁heavy ▁bom ber ▁destroyed , ▁a ▁B - 1 7 ▁bom ber ▁shot ▁down ▁north ▁of ▁L ut re bo is . ▁That ▁day , ▁the ▁USA AF ▁had ▁attacked ▁targets ▁in ▁the ▁greater ▁Frankfurt ▁area . ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁April , ▁Hof mann ▁claimed ▁his ▁fifth ▁heavy ▁bom ber ▁destroyed ▁when ▁he ▁shot ▁down ▁a ▁B - 2 4 . ▁ ▁Squadron ▁leader ▁On ▁ 2 5 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁the ▁Staff el kap it än ▁of ▁ 8 . ▁Staff el , ▁Haupt mann ▁Rudolf ▁Le usch el , ▁was ▁killed ▁in ▁action . ▁The ▁following ▁day , ▁Hof mann ▁succeeded ▁Le usch el ▁as ▁commander ▁of ▁ 8 . ▁Staff el . ▁On ▁ 8 ▁June , ▁two ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁Norm andy ▁land ings , ▁he ▁claimed ▁three ▁USA AF ▁f igh ters ▁shot ▁down ▁in ▁combat ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁Ca en . ▁Hof mann ▁received ▁the ▁German ▁Cross ▁in ▁Gold ▁() ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁July . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁he ▁was ▁cred ited ▁with ▁ 2 6 ▁aer ial ▁vict ories , ▁ 1