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Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke

Victories : 162
-----------------------------
Country : Germany
Fought in : WW2
Fought for : Axis
Died : 23rd March 1944

Knights Cross	Oak Leaves	Swords

Wolf-Dietrich "Fürst" Wilcke was born 11 March 1913 in Schrimm, Posen, he was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1935 until his death.

He was killed in action 23 March 1944 near Schöppenstedt

In early 1939, after service in Spain with the Condor Legion, Wilcke was sent back to Germany to serve with III./Jagdgeschwader 53 . He gained his first victory in November 1939 when he claimed a French Potez 637 twin-engined fighter. After the commencement of the Battle of France, on 18 May 1940, Wilcke was shot down by a French Hawk 75 fighter, being captured but released after the fall of France. Wilcke then participated in the Battle of Britain, becoming Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 53 in August 1940. On 12 August, Wilcke's Bf 109 E-4 suffered engine failure, and he bailed out into the sea, being rescued by a Do 18 flying boat. By this time he had recorded some 13 victories.

III./JG 53 then took part in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of Soviet Russia. On 22 June 1941, III./JG 53 encountered a formation of I-15bis biplane fighters, Wilcke claiming three of the fighters. He recorded two more victories later that day to take his total to 18. Hauptmann Wilcke was awarded the Knight’s Cross on 6 August 1941 for 25 victories.

In December 1941, III./JG 53 were transferred into Sicily to operating over Malta. Wilcke added four Royal Air Force fighters to his score. In May 1942, III./JG 53 switched to North Africa. On 18 May 1942, Wilcke was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 3 operating on the Eastern front, before becoming Kommodore of JG 3 in August. His 100th claim on 6 September led to the Eichenlaub award.

Wilcke was heavily involved in the organisation of fighter defence during the Battle of Stalingrad. Based at Pitomnik Airfield he directed day fighter operations over the city. During the intensive summer offensive the Geschwaderstab of JG 3 recorded 137 victories of which Wilcke claimed some 97. In September 1942 Wilcke claimed 32 victories.

When Russian forces encircled Stalingrad, the Stab. JG 3 was transferred to Morozovskaya-Öst, outside the pocket in order for Wilcke to direct the escort missions for the transport aircraft supplying the encircled 6th Army. Wilcke became the fourth German fighter pilot to reach 150 victories and was awarded the Schwerten.

He then led the unit to Morozovskaya-Süd to escape the advance of the Russian armour. A further move to Tazinskaya on 3 January 1943 ensued before the unit withdrew from the area. During this time the unit claimed 25 victories for the loss in action of two pilots.

In March 1943, Wilcke led JG 3 during operations against the Kuban bridgehead before withdrawal to Germany in May 1943, based at Mönchenglagbach. Oberst Wilcke was under instructions not to fly operationally. However, he still flew unofficially through February 1944 and claimed four victories over USAAF B-17 bombers and a single P-51. On 6 March, his Bf 109G-6 was crippled in combat and had to make an emergency landing.

On 23 March 1944, Wilcke led JG 3 in an attack on a United States Army Air Forces bomber formation near Braunschweig. During the ensuing combat, Wilcke shot down his last victory, a P-51 Mustang fighter, but was then shot down near Schöppenstedt. He died in the wreckage of his Bf 109 G-6, possibly the victim of notable American aces Captain Don Gentile and Captain John Trevor Godfrey of the 4th Fighter Group.

By the time of his death Wilcke had shot down 162 enemy aircraft in 732 combat missions. 137 of his victories were claimed over the Eastern front. Of his 25 victories claimed over the Western front, four were four-engine bombers.

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Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke

Aircraft for : Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke
A list of all aircraft associated with Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
Squadron	Info
Me109 Click the name above to see prints featuring Me109 aircraft. Manufacturer : Messerschmitt Production Began : 1937 Retired : 1945 Number Built : 33984	Me109 Willy Messerschmitt designed the BF109 during the early 1930s. The Bf109 was one of the first all metal monocoque construction fighters with a closed canopy and retractable undercarriage. The engine of the Me109 was a V12 aero engine which was liquid-cooled. The Bf109 first saw operational service during the Spanish Civil War and flew to the end of World War II, during which time it was the backbone of the Luftwaffe fighter squadrons. During the Battle of Britian the Bf109 was used in the role of an escort fighter, a role for which it was not designed for, and it was also used as a fighter bomber. During the last days of May 1940 Robert Stanford-Tuck, the RAF ace, got the chance to fly an Me109 which they had rebuilt after it had crash landed. Stanford-Tuck found out that the Me109 was a wonderful little plane, it was slightly faster than the Spitfire, but lacked the Spitfire manoeuvrability. By testing the Me109, Tuck could put himself inside the Me109 when fighting them, knowing its weak and strong points. With the introduction of the improved Bf109F in the spring of 1941, the type again proved to be an effective fighter during the invasion of Yugoslavia and during the Battle of Crete and the invasion of Russia and it was used during the Siege of the Mediteranean island of Malta. The Bf109 was the main fighter for the Luftwaffe until 1942 when the Fw190 entered service and shared this position, and was partially replaced in Western Europe, but the Me109 continued to serve on the Eastern Front and during the defence of the Reich against the allied bombers. It was also used to good effect in the Mediterranean and North Africa in support of The Africa Korps. The Me109 was also supplied to several German allies, including Finland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Slovakia. The Bf109 scored more kills than any other fighter of any country during the war and was built in greater numbers with a total of over 31,000 aircraft being built. The Bf109 was flown by the three top German aces of the war war. Erich Hartmann with 352 victories, Gerhard Barkhorn with 301 victories and Gunther Rall with 275 kills. Bf109 pilots were credited with the destruction of 100 or more enemy aircraft. Thirteen Luftwaffe Aces scored more than 200 kills. Altogether this group of pilots were credited with a total of nearly 15,000 kills, of which the Messerschmitt Bf109 was credited with over 10,000 of these victories. The Bf109 was the most produced warplane during World War II, with 30,573 examples built during the war, and the most produced fighter aircraft in history, with a total of 33,984 units produced up to April 1945. Bf109s remained in foreign service for many years after World War II. The Swiss used their Bf109Gs well into the 1950s. The Finnish Air Force did not retire their Bf109Gs until March 1954. Romania used its Bf109s until 1955. The Spanish Hispanos flew even longer. Some were still in service in the late 1960s.

Known Claims : 165

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