40 Facts About Helmut Wick

Helmut Paul Emil Wick was a German flying ace of World War II.

Helmut Wick was a wing commander in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany, and the fourth recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, the nation's highest military decoration at the time.

Helmut Wick was assigned to Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen", and saw combat in the Battles of France and Britain.

Helmut Wick was shot down in the vicinity of the Isle of Wight on 28 November 1940, most likely by the British ace John Dundas, who was himself shot down by Helmut Wick's wingman.

Helmut Paul Emil Wick was born on 5 August 1915 in Mannheim, Germany, the youngest of three children of an agricultural engineer, Karl Wick and Berta Wick, nee Schenck.

Helmut Wick's eldest brother Walter was born in Swakopmund, at the time in the German protectorate in South-West Africa.

The Wick family moved to Hanover in 1919; Helmut's mother died there in February 1922.

Helmut Wick then started flight training and shortly later soloed in a Focke-Wulf Fw 44 "Stieglitz".

Helmut Wick was considered an average pilot and had difficulties with his theoretical training, especially those topics that were of little or no interest to him.

Helmut Wick failed to pass the third course of his training but was given a second chance and on 1 April 1938 reported to the officer candidate school at the Luftkriegsschule 3, Wildpark-West near Werder.

Helmut Wick successfully completed the course and in mid-1938 started special pilot training at the Fighter Training facility at Werneuchen.

On 8 November 1938, Oberfahnrich Helmut Wick was promoted to Leutnant and on 1 January 1939 was transferred to 1.

Helmut Wick chose the Richthofen Geschwader, commanded by Oberst Gerd von Massow, the unit was equipped with the Bf 109 E-3 and used the tactical code Yellow 3.

Helmut Wick was allowed to take home leave from his Geschwader and spent Christmas with his wife Ursel, his baby son Walter, and his parents, before returning to his Gruppe at Frankfurt-Rebstock.

Helmut Wick claimed that he observed one of the enemy gunners in the Swordfish wave a cloth which he perceived as an act of surrender before following it down and watching the pilot land.

Helmut Wick reported it hit the ground and turned over near Calais.

The next day Wick became the first pilot of the I Gruppe to complete 100 combat missions, claiming his eighth and ninth victory the same day.

Helmut Wick became the most famous German pilot of the Battle of Britain because of it, surpassing Galland and Molders.

On 22 June 1940, before his promotion to Oberleutnant, Helmut Wick became leader of 3.

Helmut Wick was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 August 1940 at Karinhall by Hermann Goring.

Helmut Wick was interviewed by an Der Adler journalist prior to the presentation.

Helmut Wick became the fourth member of the armed forces to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

The first combat took place when Helmut Wick dived on a formation of nine 607 squadron fighters.

Together with his wingman and friend, Rudolf Pflanz, Helmut Wick travelled all night and arrived at the Reich Air Ministry right on time to meet with Goring, Field Marshal Erhard Milch, Generaloberst Ernst Udet, General der Flieger Kurt Student and General der Flieger Karl Bodenschatz.

Helmut Wick was then exposed by Otto Dietrich, the Third Reich's Press Chief, to the international public at a press conference and presented as a "hero".

Helmut Wick's performance left a predominantly negative impression, since Wick presented himself as a "busybody", and made fun of his victims.

Helmut Wick ridiculed British anti-aircraft artillery defences and implied British pilots were cowards.

Helmut Wick's wing was chosen to stage southward, to provide an aerial escort to Hitler on his personal train as it journeyed to the French-Spanish border for the Meeting at Hendaye with Francisco Franco.

Helmut Wick was vain and competitive, he wished to catch up and overtake Galland and Molders, Helmut Wick's old instructor, and was prepared to fly more patrols and take more risks.

The ploy succeeded and Helmut Wick claimed five aerial victories again.

Helmut Wick's airmen claimed eight in total; five are confirmed by Fighter Command confirming the claims as reasonably accurate.

One of Helmut Wick's opponents has been identified as Pilot Officer O JK Haire, 145 Squadron, who was killed in action when his parachute opened too low.

Helmut Wick's remains were found when the fighter he was flying was excavated in 1979.

Helmut Wick was a real daredevil, He had excellent eyesight and therefore was usually the first to see enemy aircraft.

Pflanz later claimed Helmut Wick survived being shot down and watched him clamber into a dingy.

Only later did Pflanz find out that it was Helmut Wick he saw bailing out.

Helmut Wick was never found and the Luftwaffe declared him missing in action, presumed dead, on 4 December 1940, in the daily Wehrmachtbericht.

On 5 August 1939, Helmut Wick married Ursel Rolfs in Berlin.

On 23 January 1941, Helmut Wick's father received a telephone call from Bodenschatz at the Fuhrer Headquarters that Helmut Wick had been rescued and taken prisoner of war.

On 5 February 1941, a telegram from Ottawa informed Ursel that Helmut Wick was not interned in Canada.