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Paul Gildner

March 14, 2023

Paul Gildner (1 February 1914 – 24 February 1943) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a night fighter ace credited with 44 aerial victories, including two by day, claimed in approximately 160 combat missions making him one of the more successful night fighter pilots in the Luftwaffe.[Note 1] All of his victories were claimed over the Western Front in Defense of the Reich missions against the Royal Air Force's (RAF) Bomber Command.

Paul Gildner
Born1 February 1914
Nimptsch, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died24 February 1943(1943-02-24) (aged 29)
Gilze en Rijen, German-occupied Netherlands
Buried
Ysselsteyn German war cemetery, Netherlands
(Block M-row 4-grave 81)
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service1933–43
RankOberleutnant (first lieutenant)
UnitZG 1
NJG 1
Battles/wars
See battles

World War II

AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Born in Nimptsch, Gildner grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. Following graduation from school and the compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service), he joined the military service in 1933, at first with an infantry regiment before he transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935. Trained as a pilot, Gildner served with Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1—1st Destroyer Wing), flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter, at the start of World War II. He claimed his first aerial victory during the Battle of France. In June 1940, the Luftwaffe created its first night fighter wing, Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing), and Gildner transferred to this unit. There he claimed his first nocturnal aerial victory on the night of 2/3 September 1940. On 9 July 1941, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross after his 16th aerial victory, 14 of which claimed at night. At the end of 1941, Gildner was the second leading night fighter pilot of the Luftwaffe.

Gildner was appointed squadron leader of 1. Staffel (1st squadron) of NJG 1 in February 1943. After crash landing his Me-110 following engine failure, Gildner couldn't escape from his burning plane and perished in the flames. Posthumously, Gildner was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 26 February 1943.

Early life and career

Gildner was born on 1 February 1914 in Nimptsch, present-day Niemcza in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship of south-western Poland, at the time in the Province of Silesia in the German Empire. Following graduation from school and a vocational education in metalworking, he completed his compulsory labour service (Reichsarbeitsdienst).[1]

In early 1933, Gildner joined the military service of the Reichswehr as a cadet with Infanterie-Regiment 7 in Schweidnitz, an infantry regiment of the 3rd Division. In 1935, he was transferred to the newly emerging Luftwaffe of the Wehrmacht. In 1937, he began flight training,[Note 2] and was promoted to Unteroffizier (subordinate officer) on 1 September 1937.[1] After he completed flight training, Gildner was posted to an aerial reconnaissance unit where he served as a pilot. In the fall of 1938, he was posted to the 6. Staffel (6th Squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 132 "Richthofen" (JG 132—132nd Fighter Wing),[Note 3] named after the World War I fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen.[1] This squadron was subordinated to the II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 132. On 1 November 1938, II. Gruppe was detached from JG 132 and was reassigned as I. Gruppe of Zerstörergeschwader 141 (ZG 141—141st Destroyer Wing). [3] I./ZG 141 was based at Jüterbog-Damm and was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 D-1. On 1 May 1939, I./ZG 141 was renamed again and became the I. Gruppe of Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1—1st Destroyer Wing) and was the equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter.[4]

World War II

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. Flying with I./ZG 1, Gildner participated in the invasion of Poland and the Norwegian Campaign.[1] In February 1940, I./ZG 1 was placed under the command of Hauptmann (Captain) Wolfgang Falck. With the start of the Norwegian Campaign in April 1940, I./ZG 1 was moved to Aalborg airfield. There, the airfield came under night attacks by the Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command, leading Falck to conduct his first experiments of nocturnal aerial combat.[5]

During the Battle of France, Gildner claimed his first aerial victory on 10 May 1940 over a Bristol Blenheim bomber in the vicinity of Waalhaven. His second and last daytime aerial victory was claimed over a French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 fighter on 5 June 1940.[6]

Night fighter career

 
A map of part of the Kammhuber Line. The 'belt' and night fighter 'boxes' are shown.

Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, RAF attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign.[7] By mid-1940, Generalmajor (Brigadier General) Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a Himmelbett (canopy bed) would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942.[8]

Following the Battle of France, Falck was tasked with the creation of the Luftwaffe's first night fighter wing, Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing). His former unit, I./ZG 1 formed the nucleus of I. Gruppe of NJG 1 which was placed under the command of Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) Werner Streib.[9] Now flying in the 3. Staffel of NJG 1, Gildner claimed his first aerial victory as a night fighter pilot on the night of 2/3 September 1940. The bomber, a Handley Page Hampden from the RAF No. 144 Squadron, was shot down near Sittard on its mission to bomb Ludwigshafen. The Hampden was identified as P4370, the pilot and another crewmember were taken prisoner of war and two further crewmembers were killed in action.[10] On 18/19 September 1940, Gildner was credited with the destruction of two Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bombers.[11] The first bomber was Whitley V P5008 from No. 58 Squadron was on a bombing mission to Hamm and crashed southeast of Groenlo. The second Whitley N1425 from No. 77 Squadron, on a mission to Soest, was shot down near Zieuwent.[10] On 13 March 1941 Gildner accounted for Wellington Mark I C N2746 BU-M from 214 Squadron during a British attack on Hamburg. Flight Lieutenant Dickinson, DFC, and his crew with the exception of the tail gunner, perished.[12] Gildner was photographed inspecting the wreck.[13] Gildner achieved another success on 8 April, downing Sergeant Boyer's No. 51 Squadron RAF Whitley T4298 near Gröningen.[14] Five of the crew including Boyer became prisoners.[15]

 
From left to right, Kammhuber, Lent, Gildner, Becker.[16]

On 9 July 1941, after his 16th aerial victory, 14 of which claimed at night, Gildner was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). Following Falck and Streib, he was the third soldier of the night fighter force and first noncommissioned officer to receive this distinction.[17][10][18] The presentation of the Knight's Cross was made by Kammhuber, at the time commander of the 1. Nachtjagd-Division (1st Night Fighter Division).[1]

Whitley V Z9306 KN-S, No. 77 Squadron RAF, formed part of the Düsseldorf raid during the night of 27/28 December 1941. Gildner shot it down over Friesland northwest of Leeuwarden near 'Zwarte Haan'.[19] Four of the crew died from exposure after landing in the water. Their names, ranks and family are memorialised in the cemetery at the town Sint Jacobiparochie. [20]

With 21 nocturnal aerial victories claimed, Gildner was the second highest scoring night fighter pilot at the end of 1941. At the time, in first place was Streib with 22 nocturnal aerial victories claimed, and in third place with 20 nocturnal victories was Helmut Lent.[21] On 18 May 1942, Gildner was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) and was promoted from Oberfeldwebel to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant), bypassing the rank of Leutnant (second lieutenant) in July.[22] On 8/9 March 1942, Gildner shot down the Avro Manchester bomber R5779 from No. 83 Squadron on its mission to bomb Essen. The aircraft crashed near Smilde.[23][24] Bristol Blenheim Z7307 from 114 Squadron was shot down by Gildner after taking off for an intruder sortie from West Raynham. Flight Sergeant W Popplestone and his crew died.[25] Gildner likely accounted for a 106 Squadron Lancaster during the British attack on Wilhelmshaven on 8/9 July 1942. Lent, operating in the vicinity, accounted for a No. 75 Squadron RAF Wellington.[26] Gildner's opponent was the only Lancaster lost in the raid out of 52 committed.[27]

Squadron leader and death

 
German War Cemetery Ysselsteyn - Paul Gildner

On 3 February 1943, Gildner was on his way to Gilze en Rijen to take command of 3. Staffel of NJG 1 when his friend and commander of 1. Staffel of NJG 1, Oberleutnant Reinhold Knacke, was killed in action. In consequence of this event, Gildner was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1. Staffel instead.[18] On the night of 14/15 February 1943, Gildner claimed the destruction of a Vickers Wellington and Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber.[28] The Wellington was likely HE169 from No. 196 Squadron which crashed into the North Sea west of Schouwen, killing the crew. The B-17 appears to have been misidentified. In Bowman's account, the aircraft lost was Short Stirling I BF438 WP-D from No. 90 Squadron. The Stirling crashed west of Vlissingen with loss of the crew.[29] According to Boiten, the Stirling may have been BK627 also from No. 90 Squadron.[30]

Gildner claimed his last two aerial victories on the night of 19/20 February 1943. The claim over two Halifax bombers north of Vlieland may have been misidentified Avro Lancaster bombers from No. 156 Squadron RAF and No. 467 Squadron RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force).[31] On 24 February 1943 flying near Fliegerhorst Gilze-Rijenin the Netherlands in his Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4 (Werksnummer 4846—factory number), he attempted landing but had visibility issues due to fog and engine trouble. Following engine failure and fire, he ordered his radio operator Unteroffizier Heinz Huhn to bail out. [32] and crash landed his aircraft at a crossroads on the outskirts of the town Dongen, just near Fliegerhorst Gilze-Rijen at 22.45 hrs. Still alive but unable to escape the aircraft, Gildner perished in the flames. Two eye witnesses wanted to help him but were kept at a distance by the exploding ammunition. Gildner was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 26 February 1943. He was the 196th member of the German armed forces to be so honored. Gildner is buried at the German War Cemetery Ysselsteyn (Block M—Row 4—Grave 81) at Venray.[22]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Gildner was credited with 44—two daytime and 42 nighttime—aerial victories, claimed in about 160 combat missions.[21] Foreman, Parry and Mathews, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 41 nocturnal victory claims.[33] Mathews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, listing Gildner with 43 claims, including two as a Zerstörer pilot, plus one further unconfirmed claim.[34]

Awards

Notes

  1. ^ For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces.
  2. ^ Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations. For pilots destined to fly multi-engine aircraft, the training was completed with the Luftwaffe Advanced Pilot's Certificate (Erweiterter Luftwaffen-Flugzeugführerschein), also known as the C-Certificate.[2]
  3. ^ For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II.
  4. ^ According to Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, this claim was unconfirmed while Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945 confirm this claim.[58][59]
  5. ^ a b According to Scherzer as pilot in the 4./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1.[65]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e Stockert 2012, p. 379.
  2. ^ Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 17.
  3. ^ Prien et al. 2000, p. 258.
  4. ^ Prien et al. 2000, p. 314.
  5. ^ Hinchliffe 1998, p. 27.
  6. ^ a b c d Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 388.
  7. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 9.
  8. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 27.
  9. ^ Hinchliffe 1998, pp. 33–34.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Bowman 2016, p. 21.
  11. ^ a b c Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 11.
  12. ^ a b Chorley 1996, p. 488.
  13. ^ N2746.
  14. ^ Foreman 1993, p. 52.
  15. ^ AIR 81/5730.
  16. ^ Goss 2020, p. 284.
  17. ^ Bekker 1994, p. 215.
  18. ^ a b Hinchliffe 1998, p. 100.
  19. ^ Chorley 1992, pp. 198–221.
  20. ^ Z9306.
  21. ^ a b Obermaier 1989, p. 56.
  22. ^ a b Stockert 2012, p. 380.
  23. ^ a b Kirby 2015, Essen—8–9 March 1942.
  24. ^ Chorley 1994, p. 43.
  25. ^ a b Chorley 1994, p. 52.
  26. ^ Chorley 1994, p. 148.
  27. ^ Everitt & Middlebrook 2014, p. 35.
  28. ^ a b c d e Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 67.
  29. ^ a b c Bowman 2016, p. 124.
  30. ^ Boiten 1997, p. 81.
  31. ^ Bowman 2016, pp. 125–126.
  32. ^ Hinchliffe 1998, pp. 100–101.
  33. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, pp. 10–67.
  34. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 388–389.
  35. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 10.
  36. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 16.
  37. ^ a b Bowman 2016, p. 28.
  38. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 17.
  39. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 18.
  40. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 20.
  41. ^ a b c Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 22.
  42. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 23.
  43. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 24.
  44. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 25.
  45. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 29.
  46. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 31.
  47. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 32.
  48. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 33.
  49. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 34.
  50. ^ Chorley 1994, p. 23.
  51. ^ a b c Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 35.
  52. ^ a b c Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 36.
  53. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 37.
  54. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 38.
  55. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 43.
  56. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 44.
  57. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 50.
  58. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 51.
  59. ^ a b c Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 389.
  60. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 54.
  61. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 57.
  62. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 60.
  63. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 137.
  64. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 163.
  65. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 335.
  66. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 58, 477.

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  • Boiten, Theo (1997). Nachtjagd: the night fighter versus bomber war over the Third Reich, 1939–45. London: Crowood Press. ISBN 978-1-86126-086-4.
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  • Everitt, Chris; Middlebrook, Martin (2014) [1985]. The Bomber Command War Diaries: An Operational Reference Book. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-78346360-2.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Foreman, John (1993). Air War 1941: The Turning Point: Part One: The Day by Day Account of Air Operations Over Northwest Europe: From the Battle of Britain to the Blitz. Air Research Publications. ISBN 978-1-871187-22-9.
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  • Goss, Chris (2020). Luftwaffe Aces in the Battle of Britain. Air World. ISBN 978-1-5267-5424-0.
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  • Kirby, Robert (2015). The Avro Manchester: The legend Behind the Lancaster. Fonthill Media. ISBN 978-1-78155-285-8.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
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March 14, 2023
paul, gildner, february, 1914, february, 1943, german, luftwaffe, military, aviator, during, world, night, fighter, credited, with, aerial, victories, including, claimed, approximately, combat, missions, making, more, successful, night, fighter, pilots, luftwa. Paul Gildner 1 February 1914 24 February 1943 was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II a night fighter ace credited with 44 aerial victories including two by day claimed in approximately 160 combat missions making him one of the more successful night fighter pilots in the Luftwaffe Note 1 All of his victories were claimed over the Western Front in Defense of the Reich missions against the Royal Air Force s RAF Bomber Command Paul GildnerBorn1 February 1914Nimptsch Kingdom of Prussia German EmpireDied24 February 1943 1943 02 24 aged 29 Gilze en Rijen German occupied NetherlandsBuriedYsselsteyn German war cemetery Netherlands Block M row 4 grave 81 Allegiance Nazi GermanyService wbr branch LuftwaffeYears of service1933 43RankOberleutnant first lieutenant UnitZG 1NJG 1Battles warsSee battlesWorld War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of Britain Defense of the Reich AwardsKnight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak LeavesBorn in Nimptsch Gildner grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany Following graduation from school and the compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst Reich Labour Service he joined the military service in 1933 at first with an infantry regiment before he transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935 Trained as a pilot Gildner served with Zerstorergeschwader 1 ZG 1 1st Destroyer Wing flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter at the start of World War II He claimed his first aerial victory during the Battle of France In June 1940 the Luftwaffe created its first night fighter wing Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 NJG 1 1st Night Fighter Wing and Gildner transferred to this unit There he claimed his first nocturnal aerial victory on the night of 2 3 September 1940 On 9 July 1941 he was awarded the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross after his 16th aerial victory 14 of which claimed at night At the end of 1941 Gildner was the second leading night fighter pilot of the Luftwaffe Gildner was appointed squadron leader of 1 Staffel 1st squadron of NJG 1 in February 1943 After crash landing his Me 110 following engine failure Gildner couldn t escape from his burning plane and perished in the flames Posthumously Gildner was awarded the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 26 February 1943 Contents 1 Early life and career 2 World War II 2 1 Night fighter career 2 2 Squadron leader and death 3 Summary of career 3 1 Aerial victory claims 3 2 Awards 4 Notes 5 References 5 1 Citations 5 2 BibliographyEarly life and career EditGildner was born on 1 February 1914 in Nimptsch present day Niemcza in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship of south western Poland at the time in the Province of Silesia in the German Empire Following graduation from school and a vocational education in metalworking he completed his compulsory labour service Reichsarbeitsdienst 1 In early 1933 Gildner joined the military service of the Reichswehr as a cadet with Infanterie Regiment 7 in Schweidnitz an infantry regiment of the 3rd Division In 1935 he was transferred to the newly emerging Luftwaffe of the Wehrmacht In 1937 he began flight training Note 2 and was promoted to Unteroffizier subordinate officer on 1 September 1937 1 After he completed flight training Gildner was posted to an aerial reconnaissance unit where he served as a pilot In the fall of 1938 he was posted to the 6 Staffel 6th Squadron of Jagdgeschwader 132 Richthofen JG 132 132nd Fighter Wing Note 3 named after the World War I fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen 1 This squadron was subordinated to the II Gruppe 2nd group of JG 132 On 1 November 1938 II Gruppe was detached from JG 132 and was reassigned as I Gruppe of Zerstorergeschwader 141 ZG 141 141st Destroyer Wing 3 I ZG 141 was based at Juterbog Damm and was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 D 1 On 1 May 1939 I ZG 141 was renamed again and became the I Gruppe of Zerstorergeschwader 1 ZG 1 1st Destroyer Wing and was the equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter 4 World War II EditWorld War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland Flying with I ZG 1 Gildner participated in the invasion of Poland and the Norwegian Campaign 1 In February 1940 I ZG 1 was placed under the command of Hauptmann Captain Wolfgang Falck With the start of the Norwegian Campaign in April 1940 I ZG 1 was moved to Aalborg airfield There the airfield came under night attacks by the Royal Air Force RAF Bomber Command leading Falck to conduct his first experiments of nocturnal aerial combat 5 During the Battle of France Gildner claimed his first aerial victory on 10 May 1940 over a Bristol Blenheim bomber in the vicinity of Waalhaven His second and last daytime aerial victory was claimed over a French Morane Saulnier M S 406 fighter on 5 June 1940 6 Night fighter career Edit A map of part of the Kammhuber Line The belt and night fighter boxes are shown Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight RAF attacks shifted to the cover of darkness initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign 7 By mid 1940 Generalmajor Brigadier General Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter Each sector named a Himmelbett canopy bed would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers In 1941 the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942 8 Following the Battle of France Falck was tasked with the creation of the Luftwaffe s first night fighter wing Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 NJG 1 1st Night Fighter Wing His former unit I ZG 1 formed the nucleus of I Gruppe of NJG 1 which was placed under the command of Oberleutnant First Lieutenant Werner Streib 9 Now flying in the 3 Staffel of NJG 1 Gildner claimed his first aerial victory as a night fighter pilot on the night of 2 3 September 1940 The bomber a Handley Page Hampden from the RAF No 144 Squadron was shot down near Sittard on its mission to bomb Ludwigshafen The Hampden was identified as P4370 the pilot and another crewmember were taken prisoner of war and two further crewmembers were killed in action 10 On 18 19 September 1940 Gildner was credited with the destruction of two Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bombers 11 The first bomber was Whitley V P5008 from No 58 Squadron was on a bombing mission to Hamm and crashed southeast of Groenlo The second Whitley N1425 from No 77 Squadron on a mission to Soest was shot down near Zieuwent 10 On 13 March 1941 Gildner accounted for Wellington Mark I C N2746 BU M from 214 Squadron during a British attack on Hamburg Flight Lieutenant Dickinson DFC and his crew with the exception of the tail gunner perished 12 Gildner was photographed inspecting the wreck 13 Gildner achieved another success on 8 April downing Sergeant Boyer s No 51 Squadron RAF Whitley T4298 near Groningen 14 Five of the crew including Boyer became prisoners 15 From left to right Kammhuber Lent Gildner Becker 16 On 9 July 1941 after his 16th aerial victory 14 of which claimed at night Gildner was awarded the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes Following Falck and Streib he was the third soldier of the night fighter force and first noncommissioned officer to receive this distinction 17 10 18 The presentation of the Knight s Cross was made by Kammhuber at the time commander of the 1 Nachtjagd Division 1st Night Fighter Division 1 Whitley V Z9306 KN S No 77 Squadron RAF formed part of the Dusseldorf raid during the night of 27 28 December 1941 Gildner shot it down over Friesland northwest of Leeuwarden near Zwarte Haan 19 Four of the crew died from exposure after landing in the water Their names ranks and family are memorialised in the cemetery at the town Sint Jacobiparochie 20 With 21 nocturnal aerial victories claimed Gildner was the second highest scoring night fighter pilot at the end of 1941 At the time in first place was Streib with 22 nocturnal aerial victories claimed and in third place with 20 nocturnal victories was Helmut Lent 21 On 18 May 1942 Gildner was awarded the German Cross in Gold Deutsches Kreuz in Gold and was promoted from Oberfeldwebel to Oberleutnant first lieutenant bypassing the rank of Leutnant second lieutenant in July 22 On 8 9 March 1942 Gildner shot down the Avro Manchester bomber R5779 from No 83 Squadron on its mission to bomb Essen The aircraft crashed near Smilde 23 24 Bristol Blenheim Z7307 from 114 Squadron was shot down by Gildner after taking off for an intruder sortie from West Raynham Flight Sergeant W Popplestone and his crew died 25 Gildner likely accounted for a 106 Squadron Lancaster during the British attack on Wilhelmshaven on 8 9 July 1942 Lent operating in the vicinity accounted for a No 75 Squadron RAF Wellington 26 Gildner s opponent was the only Lancaster lost in the raid out of 52 committed 27 Squadron leader and death Edit German War Cemetery Ysselsteyn Paul Gildner On 3 February 1943 Gildner was on his way to Gilze en Rijen to take command of 3 Staffel of NJG 1 when his friend and commander of 1 Staffel of NJG 1 Oberleutnant Reinhold Knacke was killed in action In consequence of this event Gildner was appointed Staffelkapitan squadron leader of 1 Staffel instead 18 On the night of 14 15 February 1943 Gildner claimed the destruction of a Vickers Wellington and Boeing B 17 Flying Fortress bomber 28 The Wellington was likely HE169 from No 196 Squadron which crashed into the North Sea west of Schouwen killing the crew The B 17 appears to have been misidentified In Bowman s account the aircraft lost was Short Stirling I BF438 WP D from No 90 Squadron The Stirling crashed west of Vlissingen with loss of the crew 29 According to Boiten the Stirling may have been BK627 also from No 90 Squadron 30 Gildner claimed his last two aerial victories on the night of 19 20 February 1943 The claim over two Halifax bombers north of Vlieland may have been misidentified Avro Lancaster bombers from No 156 Squadron RAF and No 467 Squadron RAAF Royal Australian Air Force 31 On 24 February 1943 flying near Fliegerhorst Gilze Rijenin the Netherlands in his Messerschmitt Bf 110 G 4 Werksnummer 4846 factory number he attempted landing but had visibility issues due to fog and engine trouble Following engine failure and fire he ordered his radio operator Unteroffizier Heinz Huhn to bail out 32 and crash landed his aircraft at a crossroads on the outskirts of the town Dongen just near Fliegerhorst Gilze Rijen at 22 45 hrs Still alive but unable to escape the aircraft Gildner perished in the flames Two eye witnesses wanted to help him but were kept at a distance by the exploding ammunition Gildner was posthumously awarded the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub on 26 February 1943 He was the 196th member of the German armed forces to be so honored Gildner is buried at the German War Cemetery Ysselsteyn Block M Row 4 Grave 81 at Venray 22 Summary of career EditAerial victory claims Edit Gildner was credited with 44 two daytime and 42 nighttime aerial victories claimed in about 160 combat missions 21 Foreman Parry and Mathews authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 1945 researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 41 nocturnal victory claims 33 Mathews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces Biographies and Victory Claims listing Gildner with 43 claims including two as a Zerstorer pilot plus one further unconfirmed claim 34 Chronicle of aerial victories This and the question mark indicates discrepancies between Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 1945 and Luftwaffe Aces Biographies and Victory Claims Claim total Claim nocturnal Date Time Type Location Serial No Squadron No 3 Staffel of Zerstorergeschwader 1 6 1 10 May 1940 12 00 Blenheim Waalhaven2 5 June 1940 M S 406 3 Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 6 3 1 3 September 1940 00 45 Hampden 9 km 5 6 mi south of Sittard 35 Hampden I P4370 from No 144 Squadron 10 4 2 18 September 1940 23 25 Whitley 3 km 1 9 mi southeast of Groenlo 11 Whitley V P5008 from No 58 Squadron 10 5 3 19 September 1940 00 28 Whitley Zieuwent 11 Whitley N1425 from No 77 Squadron 10 4 Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 6 6 4 1 March 1941 02 58 Blenheim vicinity of Groningen 36 Blenheim IV T1895 from No 105 Squadron 37 7 5 13 March 1941 22 48 Blenheim Tolbert 38 Blenheim IV Z5901 from No 21 Squadron 37 8 6 13 March 1941 23 10 Wellington vicinity of Burlanger 38 Wellington IC N2746 BU M from No 214 Squadron 12 9 7 8 April 1941 00 27 Whitley 8 km 5 0 mi southeast of Groningen 39 10 8 10 April 1941 01 07 Wellington IJsselmeer 39 11 9 9 May 1941 02 47 Whitley east of Enkhuizen 40 12 10 19 June 1941 01 38 Wellington over sea near Ameland 41 13 11 19 June 1941 02 34 Wellington 57 km 35 mi north of Ameland 41 14 12 19 June 1941 02 57 Whitley 47 km 29 mi north of Ameland 41 15 13 30 June 1941 02 43 Whitley 10 km 6 2 mi north northwest of Ameland 42 16 14 9 July 1941 00 58 Hampden north of Groningen 43 17 15 17 July 1941 03 27 Wellington southwest of Harlingen 44 18 16 15 August 1941 04 43 Whitley 8 km 5 0 mi west southwest of Terschelling 45 19 17 13 October 1941 04 05 Whitley 10 km 6 2 mi southwest of Roosendaal 46 20 18 31 October 1941 21 30 Wellington Schiermonnikoog 47 21 19 31 October 1941 23 50 Whitley east of Texel 47 5 Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 34 22 20 30 November 1941 23 05 Wellington 20 km 12 mi east northeast of Leeuwarden 48 23 21 27 December 1941 19 57 Whitley 15 km 9 3 mi northwest of Leeuwarden 48 24 22 20 January 1942 20 58 Hampden 7 km 4 3 mi southeast of Groningen 49 Hampden I AT148 EA S from No 49 Squadron 50 25 23 3 March 1942 21 20 Wellington 20 km 12 mi northwest of Terschelling 51 26 24 9 March 1942 03 49 Manchester 3 km 1 9 mi southeast of Smilde 51 Manchester R5779 from No 83 Squadron 23 27 25 13 March 1942 02 05 Wellington northwest of Vlieland 51 28 26 26 March 1942 22 30 Hampden north of Vlieland 52 29 27 26 March 1942 22 57 Hampden northwest of Terschelling 52 30 28 26 March 1942 23 57 Blenheim Waddenzee north of Wieringen 52 Blenheim IV Z7307 RT L from No 114 Squadron 25 31 29 9 April 1942 02 07 Wellington 20 km 12 mi northwest of Vlieland 53 32 30 23 April 1942 00 07 Hampden northwest of Ameland 54 33 31 3 June 1942 03 10 Stirling 70 km 43 mi west of Petten 55 34 32 9 June 1942 02 18 Halifax Western Front 56 35 33 9 July 1942 02 44 Lancaster 30 km 19 mi northwest of Ameland 57 36 Note 4 34 29 July 1942 01 27 Stirling 20 km 12 mi northwest of Terschelling 58 37 35 12 August 1942 01 55 Halifax vicinity of Ameland 60 38 36 4 September 1942 02 20 Wellington southwest of Norden Westermarsch 61 11 Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 59 39 37 13 October 1942 23 19 Halifax 15 km 9 3 mi north of Schiermonnikoog 62 IV Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 59 40 38 14 February 1943 21 47 Wellington 20 km 12 mi west of Schouwen 28 Wellington HE169 from No 196 Squadron 29 41 39 14 February 1943 22 07 B 17 45 km 28 mi west of Vlissingen 28 Stirling I BF438 WP D from No 90 Squadron 29 42 40 19 February 1943 21 05 Halifax 20 km 12 mi north of Vlieland 28 43 41 19 February 1943 21 16 Halifax 15 km 9 3 mi north of Vlieland 28 Awards Edit Iron Cross 1939 2nd and 1st Class German Cross in Gold on 18 May 1942 as Oberfeldwebel in the 5 Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 63 Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight s Cross on 9 July 1941 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 3 Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 64 Note 5 196th Oak Leaves on 26 February 1943 as Oberleutnant and pilot in the 3 Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 66 Note 5 Mentioned four times in the Wehrmachtbericht 19 June 1941 13 March 1942 27 March 1942 and 23 April 1942 Notes Edit For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1 A2 and B1 B2 referred to as A B flight training A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics navigation long distance flights and dead stick landings The B courses included high altitude flights instrument flights night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations For pilots destined to fly multi engine aircraft the training was completed with the Luftwaffe Advanced Pilot s Certificate Erweiterter Luftwaffen Flugzeugfuhrerschein also known as the C Certificate 2 For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II According to Luftwaffe Aces Biographies and Victory Claims this claim was unconfirmed while Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 1945 confirm this claim 58 59 a b According to Scherzer as pilot in the 4 Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 65 References EditCitations Edit a b c d e Stockert 2012 p 379 Bergstrom Antipov amp Sundin 2003 p 17 Prien et al 2000 p 258 Prien et al 2000 p 314 Hinchliffe 1998 p 27 a b c d Mathews amp Foreman 2015 p 388 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 9 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 27 Hinchliffe 1998 pp 33 34 a b c d e f Bowman 2016 p 21 a b c Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 11 a b Chorley 1996 p 488 N2746 Foreman 1993 p 52 AIR 81 5730 Goss 2020 p 284 Bekker 1994 p 215 a b Hinchliffe 1998 p 100 Chorley 1992 pp 198 221 Z9306 a b Obermaier 1989 p 56 a b Stockert 2012 p 380 a b Kirby 2015 Essen 8 9 March 1942 Chorley 1994 p 43 a b Chorley 1994 p 52 Chorley 1994 p 148 Everitt amp Middlebrook 2014 p 35 a b c d e Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 67 a b c Bowman 2016 p 124 Boiten 1997 p 81 Bowman 2016 pp 125 126 Hinchliffe 1998 pp 100 101 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 pp 10 67 a b Mathews amp Foreman 2015 pp 388 389 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 10 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 16 a b Bowman 2016 p 28 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 17 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 18 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 20 a b c Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 22 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 23 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 24 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 25 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 29 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 31 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 32 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 33 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 34 Chorley 1994 p 23 a b c Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 35 a b c Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 36 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 37 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 38 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 43 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 44 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 50 a b Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 51 a b c Mathews amp Foreman 2015 p 389 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 54 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 57 Foreman Parry amp Mathews 2004 p 60 Patzwall amp Scherzer 2001 p 137 Fellgiebel 2000 p 163 Scherzer 2007 p 335 Fellgiebel 2000 pp 58 477 Bibliography Edit Bekker Cajus 1994 The Luftwaffe War Diaries The German Air Force in World War II New York Da Capo Press ISBN 978 0 306 80604 9 Bergstrom Christer Antipov Vlad Sundin Claes 2003 Graf amp Grislawski A Pair of Aces Hamilton MT Eagle Editions ISBN 978 0 9721060 4 7 Boiten Theo 1997 Nachtjagd the night fighter versus bomber war over the Third Reich 1939 45 London Crowood Press ISBN 978 1 86126 086 4 Bowman Martin 2016 Nachtjagd Defenders of the Reich 1940 1943 Barnsley South Yorkshire Pen and Sword Books ISBN 978 1 4738 4986 0 Chorley William R 1992 RAF Bomber Command Losses Vol 1 Midland Counties Publications ISBN 978 1 906537 40 1 Chorley William R 1994 Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War Aircraft and crew losses 1942 Midland Counties Publications ISBN 978 0 9045 9789 9 Chorley William R 1996 Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War Aircraft and crew losses 1943 Midland Counties Publications ISBN 978 0 9045 9791 2 Everitt Chris Middlebrook Martin 2014 1985 The Bomber Command War Diaries An Operational Reference Book Barnsley Pen and Sword Books ISBN 978 1 78346360 2 Fellgiebel Walther Peer in German 2000 1986 Die Trager des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 1945 Die Inhaber der hochsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile The Bearers of the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 1945 The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches in German Friedberg Germany Podzun Pallas ISBN 978 3 7909 0284 6 Foreman John 1993 Air War 1941 The Turning Point Part One The Day by Day Account of Air Operations Over Northwest Europe From the Battle of Britain to the Blitz Air Research Publications ISBN 978 1 871187 22 9 Foreman John Parry Simon Mathews Johannes 2004 Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 1945 Walton on Thames Red Kite ISBN 978 0 9538061 4 0 Goss Chris 2020 Luftwaffe Aces in the Battle of Britain Air World ISBN 978 1 5267 5424 0 Hinchliffe Peter 1998 Luftkrieg bei Nacht 1939 1945 Air War at Night 1939 1945 in German Stuttgart Germany Motorbuch Verlag ISBN 978 3 613 01861 7 Kirby Robert 2015 The Avro Manchester The legend Behind the Lancaster Fonthill Media ISBN 978 1 78155 285 8 Mathews Andrew Johannes Foreman John 2015 Luftwaffe Aces Biographies and Victory Claims Volume 2 G L Walton on Thames Red Kite ISBN 978 1 906592 19 6 Obermaier Ernst 1989 Die Ritterkreuztrager der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 1945 The Knight s Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 1945 in German Mainz Germany Verlag Dieter Hoffmann ISBN 978 3 87341 065 7 Patzwall Klaus D Scherzer Veit 2001 Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II The German Cross 1941 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 in German Norderstedt Germany Verlag Klaus D Patzwall ISBN 978 3 931533 45 8 Prien Jochen Stemmer Gerhard Rodeike Peter Bock Winfried 2000 Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 1 Vorkriegszeit und Einsatz uber Polen 1934 bis 1939 The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945 Part 1 Pre War Period and Action over Poland 1934 to 1939 in German Eutin Germany Struve Druck ISBN 978 3 923457 54 0 Scherzer Veit 2007 Die Ritterkreuztrager 1939 1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer Luftwaffe Kriegsmarine Waffen SS Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbundeter Streitkrafte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives The Knight s Cross Bearers 1939 1945 The Holders of the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army Air Force Navy Waffen SS Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives in German Jena Germany Scherzers Militaer Verlag ISBN 978 3 938845 17 2 Stockert Peter 2012 1997 Die Eichenlaubtrager 1939 1945 Band 2 The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939 1945 Volume 2 in German 4th ed Bad Friedrichshall Germany Friedrichshaller Rundblick ISBN 978 3 9802222 9 7 Thomas Franz 1998 Die Eichenlaubtrager 1939 1945 Band 2 L Z The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939 1945 Volume 2 L Z in German Osnabruck Germany Biblio Verlag ISBN 978 3 7648 2300 9 Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939 1945 Band 1 1 September 1939 bis 31 Dezember 1941 The Wehrmacht Reports 1939 1945 Volume 1 1 September 1939 to 31 December 1941 in German Munchen Germany Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH amp Co KG 1985 ISBN 978 3 423 05944 2 Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939 1945 Band 2 1 Januar 1942 bis 31 Dezember 1943 The Wehrmacht Reports 1939 1945 Volume 2 1 January 1942 to 31 December 1943 in German Munchen Germany Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH amp Co KG 1985 ISBN 978 3 423 05944 2 Sergeant D L Boyer Sergeant G Snook Sergeant W F Hurst Sergeant J J W Eames Sergeant The National Archives Retrieved 3 August 2019 Crews and Losses No 214 Federated Malay States Squadron Royal Air Force Retrieved 3 August 2019 Whitley Bomber Z9306 KN S 626 squadron Retrieved 3 August 2019 Portals Aviation Biography Military of Germany World War II Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Paul Gildner amp oldid 1134659280, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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