Heinz Vinke
Encyclopedia
Heinz Vinke was a German
Luftwaffe
night fighter
ace
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
during World War II
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
(RAF) Bombers targeted Peenemünde
and the V-weapons test centre. Five Bristol Beaufighter
night fighter
s of No. 141 Squadron
, under the command of W/C Bob Braham
, intercepted five Messerschmitt Bf 110
s from IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1
(NJG 1), and Fw Georg Kraft (14 victories) and Fw Vinke ( at the time with 20 claims) were both shot down by Braham. Fw Vinke was the only one of his crew to survive.
Vinke claimed eight confirmed night kills during 1942, twenty-nine in 1943 and seventeen during early 1944 before he was killed in action. He was decorated with the Ritterkreuz on 19 September 1943 for twenty-seven claims, and was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves. Vinke claimed 54 aerial victories in 153 operations, all of the them at night.For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces.
Obfw. Vinke was shot down and killed while flying Bf 110G-4 (Werknummer 740136—factory number) of 11./NJG 1 on 26 February 1944, while on a search and rescue mission over the English channel. The victors were two Hawker Typhoon
s of No. 198 Squadron RAF
, flown by F/L. Cheval L'Allemand and F/O. George Hardy. His crew of Uffz Rudolf Dunger and Uffz Rudolf Walter were also killed.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
night fighter
Night fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career
Serving with NJG 2 over Northern Europe, his first air victory was on 27 February 1942, a Whitley near Leeuwarden. He transferred to NJG 1 in early 1943. On 18 August 1943, Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) Bombers targeted Peenemünde
Peenemünde
The Peenemünde Army Research Center was founded in 1937 as one of five military proving grounds under the Army Weapons Office ....
and the V-weapons test centre. Five Bristol Beaufighter
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
night fighter
Night fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
s of No. 141 Squadron
No. 141 Squadron RAF
No. 141 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed on 1 January 1918 at Rochford, for home defence in the London Area. The Squadron moved to RAF Biggin Hill in February and giving up its mixed collection of types in favour of Bristol F.2 Fighters during March...
, under the command of W/C Bob Braham
Bob Braham
John Randall Daniel 'Bob' Braham DSO & Two Bars, DFC & Two Bars, AFC, CD, was a British pilot and one of the most highly decorated airman of the RAF in World War II. He claimed 29 enemy aircraft destroyed, probably destroyed one more, and damaged 6 in 318 operational flights...
, intercepted five Messerschmitt Bf 110
Messerschmitt Bf 110
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often called Me 110, was a twin-engine heavy fighter in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110, and nicknamed it his Eisenseiten...
s from IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1
Nachtjagdgeschwader 1
Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 was a German Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II. NJG 1 was formed on 22 June 1940 in Mönchengladbach.By the end of the war it was the most successful night fighter unit and had claimed some 2,311 victories by day and night, for some 676 aircrew killed in...
(NJG 1), and Fw Georg Kraft (14 victories) and Fw Vinke ( at the time with 20 claims) were both shot down by Braham. Fw Vinke was the only one of his crew to survive.
Vinke claimed eight confirmed night kills during 1942, twenty-nine in 1943 and seventeen during early 1944 before he was killed in action. He was decorated with the Ritterkreuz on 19 September 1943 for twenty-seven claims, and was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves. Vinke claimed 54 aerial victories in 153 operations, all of the them at night.For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces.
Obfw. Vinke was shot down and killed while flying Bf 110G-4 (Werknummer 740136—factory number) of 11./NJG 1 on 26 February 1944, while on a search and rescue mission over the English channel. The victors were two Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
s of No. 198 Squadron RAF
No. 198 Squadron RAF
No. 198 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron that operated during the Second World War particularly in the ground attack role as the allies advanced through continental Europe.-History:...
, flown by F/L. Cheval L'Allemand and F/O. George Hardy. His crew of Uffz Rudolf Dunger and Uffz Rudolf Walter were also killed.
Awards
- FlugzeugführerabzeichenAviator BadgeAn Aviator Badge is an insignia used in most of the world’s militaries to designate those who have received training and qualification in military aviation...
- Ehrenpokal der LuftwaffeEhrenpokal der LuftwaffeThe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe was a Luftwaffe award established on February 27, 1940 by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was officially known as the Ehrenpokal "für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg", or Honor Goblet "For...
- Front Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeFront Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeThe Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe was awarded in Bronze, Silver, and Gold with upgrade possible to include diamonds. Pennants suspended from the clasp indicated the number of missions obtained in a given type of aircraft...
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939)- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold (2 August 1943) - Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak LeavesKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Knight's Cross on 19 September 1943 as FeldwebelFeldwebelFeldwebel is a German military rank which has existed since at least the 18th century with usage as a title dating to the Middle Ages. The word Feldwebel is usually translated as sergeant being rated OR-6 in the NATO rank comparison scale, equivalent to the British Army Sergeant and the US Army...
and Flugzeugführer in the 11./NJG 1 - 465th Oak Leaves on 25 April 1944 as OberfeldwebelFeldwebelFeldwebel is a German military rank which has existed since at least the 18th century with usage as a title dating to the Middle Ages. The word Feldwebel is usually translated as sergeant being rated OR-6 in the NATO rank comparison scale, equivalent to the British Army Sergeant and the US Army...
and Flugzeugführer in the 11./NJG 1
- Knight's Cross on 19 September 1943 as Feldwebel