Gertrud Barkhorn, nicknamed Trudy, serves as the veteran second-in-command of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing. Hailing from Karlsland, she ranks as the nation’s second-highest-scoring ace behind Erica Hartmann, credited with over 250 Neuroi eliminations and decorated with the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Her combat expertise centers on prolonged heavy-weaponry engagements, sustained by her Superhuman Strength magic—a power enabling feats like rending iron chains or hefting multi-ton steel structures briefly. A rigid disciplinarian devoted to protocol, she enforces order relentlessly, particularly toward the habitually tardy Hartmann, though her stoic exterior cracks under fiery emotional surges. Their dynamic intertwines exasperation with fierce loyalty, exemplified when Gertrud physically carries Hartmann mid-battle or coaxes her with chocolate bribes. Her oldest bonds trace to Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke and Hartmann, forged during their JG52 service, where Gertrud led Gruppe II prior to co-founding the 501st. Gertrud’s past harbors tragedy: her sister Christiane’s coma following a Neuroi attack drove her to self-destructive recklessness until Yoshika Miyafuji’s intervention and Christiane’s recovery mellowed her bitterness. This trauma fuels her “siscon” protectiveness over figures resembling Christiane, including Miyafuji. Beyond combat, she manages the 501st’s logistics, archives, and strategy with precision, offset by mechanical ineptitude—she avoids driving, relying on Hartmann for transport. Her culinary trademark, Eisbein, reflects practicality, though she spares no effort perfecting dishes for her sister. Notable operations include testing the flawed Me262V1 Jet Striker, whose malfunctions caused crashes. Expanded lore positions her in the Heroes Coalition, navigating interdimensional battles and philanthropy to highlight tactical versatility. Her arc intertwines disciplined command with vulnerability, reconciling past trauma through duty and the bonds shielding those she cherishes.