An arrow through the clouds, the trump card will last forever.
Air combat during World War II was the final era of large-scale short-term engagement, an era of frantic fighting and skill within visual range. The combat experience of the ace pilots of that era was like a legendary novel, full of excitement and tragedy.
Helmut. Vic Medal photo
Helmut. Vic was one of the best of these ace pilots, and his fame was not particularly well-known among his German counterparts, and his record was less than 100 aircraft, far less than Hartmann and Novotney. However, Major Vic was definitely the most representative figure of the Luftwaffe in the early stages of World War II, especially in the Battle of Britain, and his record was unbeatable.
Vic wears the Knight's Cross in oak leaves
Vic was born in Mannheim on 5 August 1915. After graduating from high school at the age of 20 (studying as if it were not his forte), Vic joined the Luftwaffe. In April 1936, he entered the Air Force Officer School in Dresden and began flight training in July. This stage is quite mediocre for Vic, and can even be described as bad. He had little interest in theoretical knowledge and was not very good at flying. In the third phase of the training course, I also participated in the make-up exam, but fortunately I passed the final level. In this regard, Vic is really a combat genius.
Vic poses with the tail wing of a fighter with a logo of victory
In 1938, Vic graduated from The 3rd Air Combat School in Wild and was assigned to serve with the II./JG 135 Group, which was equipped with the old-fashioned AR68 biplane fighter. In November, the 135th Fighter Wing was renamed the 333rd Wing, and Vic was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant that month.
AR68 biplane fighter, the last biplane fighter produced by the Arado for the Luftwaffe
In January 1939, Lieutenant Vic was transferred to 1/JG133 Squadron, later 1/JG53 Squadron, where Vic began to fly BF109 fighters. Captain Mordez discovered the young man's traits and recommended him to be the captain of the four-plane formation. As can be seen from the photo, Vic is not tall (shorter than a mustache), but stout and powerful, and energetic, calm and has a leadership temperament.
The Vulture Legion veteran, the soul of the Luftwaffe in the early days of World War II, unfortunately died too early
In September 1939, Vic chose to join the 3/JG2 Squadron. After the outbreak of the Polish Campaign, Vic, who served as a domestic guard, did not get a chance to appear. Subsequently, in the "sit-in war", JG2 Wing was deployed to the southern border area of Germany. In November 1939, Lieutenant Vic shot down a French Air Force H-75 fighter, achieving his first aerial victory. At the end of the Battle of France, Vic achieved a total of 14 victories, ranking third among the German pilots of the time. It can be seen that Vic is a very explosive air combat player.
The H-75, also known as the P-36, was manufactured by Curtis Wright
What really made Vic famous was the ensuing Battle of Britain. In July 1940, Vic was promoted to Squadron Leader 3/JG2 and promoted to Lieutenant. On 25 August, his record rose to 22, and Goering personally awarded him the Knight's Cross. Soon, the German press noticed this youthful young man, and the rotation of reports and interviews in the big and tabloid newspapers made him the image spokesperson of the Luftwaffe at that time.
BF109 fighter
Back at the front, Vic was promoted to captain and in September took over the position of Captain of the I./JG2 Brigade. That month, Captain Vic was awarded the Knight's Cross in Oak Leaves, the first pilot in the Luftwaffe to receive the award. Less than a month later, he raised his personal record to 42, and it seems that being a commander has not affected his personal performance at all. Vic was not only a brilliant combatant, but also a capable commander. When he was a squadron leader, Marshal Speler, commander of the 3rd Air Force, inspected his squadron. It was clear that the marshal had expressed a degree of dissatisfaction with the scruffy image of the ground staff. Vic responded unashamedly that these people had worked day and night to protect the needs of the front line, which was much more important than a haircut and shaving.
Air Marshal Speyler, who was acquitted after the war
In October 1940, the triumphant Vic was promoted to major and was appointed captain of the JG27 Wing. But Vic wanted to remain in the unit he knew well, and Marshal Goering granted his request to be renamed JG2 Wing Commander. In this way, Vic became the youngest Air Force major and wing commander in Germany at that time.
BF 109E4 fighter, landline of Major Vic in October 1940
On 28 November 1940, Major Vic returned to base to refuel again after shooting down a RaF 602nd Squadron Spitfire over the Vite Islands, england, after achieving his 55th victory. When his formation spotted the RAF's 609 Squadron Spitfires in the Solent Strait climbing to intercept, Major Vic immediately swooped down to attack, and with the help of altitude and speed advantages, 1 Spitfire became his latest record and the last record of his short life.
Spitfire, a formidable opponent of the Germans
After the successful attack, Vic slid too far during the dive pull, skimming right in front of a follow-up Spitfire fighter. The responsive Captain Tondas, who previously had 16 records, pulled the trigger in the instant of lightning flint, and Major Vic's BF109 was immediately shot, becoming his 17th record. Vic, whose landline was severely damaged, managed to skydive, but it is not known whether he was injured at the time. In short, this parachute is the last image that Vic left for everyone. Subsequently, Captain Dundas was shot down near Bournemouth by Vic's wingman, Lieutenant Plantz. Of course, there was controversy over the shooting down of such an influential ace pilot – the RAF's 152 Squadron believed that Sergeant Klein had shot Vic down. Whoever it was, the result was the same, and Vic's saga came to an end.
Performance Helmut. Vic's oil paintings from the Battle of France
After the battle, Lieutenant Plantz deliberately repeatedly radioed "1 Spitfire was shot down" in the waters where Vic parachuted, hoping to attract the attention of the British rescue team until the fuel was about to run out, and finally forced a landing on the way back. After that, Goering ordered a large-scale and intensive search and rescue of the target sea, but found nothing. On 4 December, the Germans announced that Major Vic had disappeared during the fighting.
Helmut. Major Vic, with a total record of 56 aircraft, he is like a meteor across the sky, short but radiant, dazzling but fleeting, just like his ideal: born to fly, died for flight.