10 Facts About Ulrich Steinhilper

Ulrich Steinhilper was a World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace who made numerous attempts to escape after he was shot down and captured.

Ulrich Steinhilper earned his Pilotenabzeichen and in 1939 was assigned to Jagdgeschwader 433, where he was Adolf Galland's adjutant.

Ulrich Steinhilper learned that he was supposed to provide pilots with ground-to-ground and ground-to-air communications using two 1.5 kilowatt radio stations and two field telephone units.

Ulrich Steinhilper tried hard to promote the use of radios, but most pilots were against the idea, among them Galland, considering the equipment an unnecessary additional weight and the concept a waste of their time.

Ulrich Steinhilper managed to demonstrate the advantages during a large training exercise commanded by General Hugo Sperrle involving a simulated bombing attack on Stuttgart, only to have the results dismissed by Galland and ignored by the rest.

Ulrich Steinhilper saw sporadic combat in the Battle of France, flying a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter.

Ulrich Steinhilper tried again several weeks later, managing to reach Montreal's Windsor Station.

Ulrich Steinhilper was then transferred to Camp 20 in Gravenhurst, Ontario, where he made two further unsuccessful breakouts.

Ulrich Steinhilper tried to get IBM Germany interested in the concept, but without much success.

Ulrich Steinhilper died on 20 October 2009 at the age of 91 in his native Stuttgart.