Hans-Joachim Heyer (20 April 1922 – 9 November 1942) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Hans-Joachim Heyer was shot down near Leningrad, Russia on 9 November 1942. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross on 25 November 1942. During his career he was credited with 53 aerial victories, all of them on the Eastern Front.