Jacob van Helsdingen
Encyclopedia
Jacob Pieter van Helsdingen (7 March 1907 – 7 March 1942) was a pilot
of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force
. Jacob and August Deibel
were the most successful Dutch pilots on the Brewster F2A fighter. He was twice awarded the Military William Order for bravery in battle.
es and was stationed at Kallang Airfield.
They first went into action on January 12, 1942, during a Japanese air raid over Singapore. At 10:00 hours, a formation of Japanese bombers appeared, escorted by five Ki-27 Nates. They were intercepted by three Dutch Buffaloes, who succeeded in chasing them away, damaging one of the bombers. When they returned in the afternoon, van Helsdingen and two other pilots were scrambled to intercept them, encountering nine Ki-27s. Four of them were shot down, one by van Helsdingen, with the Dutch losing one Buffalo.
When the Japanese raided Singapore again on 15 January, van Helsdingen and two other pilots took off. They ran into an overwhelming number of A6M Zero
s, scoring no kills and losing one Buffalo and its pilot. His squadron returned to Java on 18 January, missing out on the Battle of Singapore
. Van Helsdingen led eight Buffaloes to Semplak, while 23 others flew to Andir and Tjilitian.
Van Helsdingen was awarded his first Military William Order on 11 February 1942, for carrying out attacks against Imperial Japanese Navy
ships in the Battle of Balikpapan
on 23 January. Twenty Buffalo fighters carrying two 50 kg bombs each escorted nine Martin B-10
bombers to attack a fleet of IJN ships in the Makassar Strait
. Eight hits were scored on four Japanese ships and one destroyer, sinking two transports, with the Dutch losing one Buffalo.
to Royal Dutch East Indies Army forces fighting in Lembang with three other Buffalo aircraft on 7 March 1942.
Despite the Japanese having an almost complete air superiority over Java, he nevertheless chose to take off from Andir airfield. He ordered another pilot to stand down and hand over his Buffalo aircraft (B-396) to him because he was married, despite the fact that van Helsdingen was himself married. Three other pilots, 1st Lieutenant August Deibel
, Gerard Bruggink
(flying B-3107) and Officer Cadet
Jan Scheffer, volunteered to join him using the last three working Buffalo aircraft on the airfield.
The squadron travelled 200 metres before running into three Japanese A6M Zeros. Deibel's plane was hit in the oil tank and had to break off from combat. His wingman, Scheffer, escorted him back to Andir airfield, where Deibel crash landed his aircraft without injury. The other two remained above Lembang, but were now dogfight
ing six Zeroes. Van Helsdingen shot down a Zero before he too was hit, but Bruggink managed to escape into the clouds before returning to Andir airfield. Jacob's body was never found. The Dutch forces in Lembang surrendered the next day. All four Dutch pilots were awarded the Military William Order, while van Helsdingen and Scheffer (who died a prisoner of war
) were posthumously awarded the honour on 14 July 1948.
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force was the air arm of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army in the Dutch East Indies from 1939 until 1950...
. Jacob and August Deibel
August Deibel
1st Lieutenant August Gerard Deibel was a Dutch pilot of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force. He was part of 2-VLG-V, which was stationed in Singapore before its withdrawal to Java. His unit emblem was a rhinoceros head painted on both sides of the front fuselage on his Brewster...
were the most successful Dutch pilots on the Brewster F2A fighter. He was twice awarded the Military William Order for bravery in battle.
Singapore
Van Helsdingen's squadron arrived in Singapore on 9 December 1941 with 9-12 Brewster BuffaloBrewster Buffalo
The Brewster F2A Buffalo was an American fighter aircraft which saw limited service early in World War II. Though the Buffalo won a competition against the Grumman F4F Wildcat in 1939 to become the US Navy's first monoplane fighter aircraft, it turned out to be a big disappointment...
es and was stationed at Kallang Airfield.
They first went into action on January 12, 1942, during a Japanese air raid over Singapore. At 10:00 hours, a formation of Japanese bombers appeared, escorted by five Ki-27 Nates. They were intercepted by three Dutch Buffaloes, who succeeded in chasing them away, damaging one of the bombers. When they returned in the afternoon, van Helsdingen and two other pilots were scrambled to intercept them, encountering nine Ki-27s. Four of them were shot down, one by van Helsdingen, with the Dutch losing one Buffalo.
When the Japanese raided Singapore again on 15 January, van Helsdingen and two other pilots took off. They ran into an overwhelming number of A6M Zero
A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the...
s, scoring no kills and losing one Buffalo and its pilot. His squadron returned to Java on 18 January, missing out on the Battle of Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
. Van Helsdingen led eight Buffaloes to Semplak, while 23 others flew to Andir and Tjilitian.
Balikpapan
Van Helsdingen was awarded his first Military William Order on 11 February 1942, for carrying out attacks against Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
ships in the Battle of Balikpapan
Battle of Balikpapan (1942)
This article concerns the naval and land battles of Balikpapan in 1942. For information on the 1945 landings by Australian forces in the same area, see Second Battle of Balikpapan....
on 23 January. Twenty Buffalo fighters carrying two 50 kg bombs each escorted nine Martin B-10
Martin B-10
The Martin B-10 was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to go into regular use by the United States Army Air Corps, entering service in June 1934...
bombers to attack a fleet of IJN ships in the Makassar Strait
Makassar Strait
Makassar Strait is a strait between the islands of Borneo and Sulawesi in Indonesia. To the north it joins the Celebes Sea, while to the south it meets the Java Sea.The Mahakam River of Borneo empties into the strait....
. Eight hits were scored on four Japanese ships and one destroyer, sinking two transports, with the Dutch losing one Buffalo.
Lembang
Van Helsdingen was killed on his 35th birthday by an A6M Zero while providing air supportClose air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
to Royal Dutch East Indies Army forces fighting in Lembang with three other Buffalo aircraft on 7 March 1942.
Despite the Japanese having an almost complete air superiority over Java, he nevertheless chose to take off from Andir airfield. He ordered another pilot to stand down and hand over his Buffalo aircraft (B-396) to him because he was married, despite the fact that van Helsdingen was himself married. Three other pilots, 1st Lieutenant August Deibel
August Deibel
1st Lieutenant August Gerard Deibel was a Dutch pilot of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force. He was part of 2-VLG-V, which was stationed in Singapore before its withdrawal to Java. His unit emblem was a rhinoceros head painted on both sides of the front fuselage on his Brewster...
, Gerard Bruggink
Gerard Bruggink
Gerardus Meinardus Bruggink was a Dutch pilot of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force. A recipient of the Military Order of William, he was one of only four Dutch pilots to dogfight the Japanese in the Battle of Java.Born in Tubbergen, Overijssel, Bruggink followed a Catholic seminary...
(flying B-3107) and Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...
Jan Scheffer, volunteered to join him using the last three working Buffalo aircraft on the airfield.
The squadron travelled 200 metres before running into three Japanese A6M Zeros. Deibel's plane was hit in the oil tank and had to break off from combat. His wingman, Scheffer, escorted him back to Andir airfield, where Deibel crash landed his aircraft without injury. The other two remained above Lembang, but were now dogfight
Dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is a form of aerial combat between fighter aircraft; in particular, combat of maneuver at short range, where each side is aware of the other's presence. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane...
ing six Zeroes. Van Helsdingen shot down a Zero before he too was hit, but Bruggink managed to escape into the clouds before returning to Andir airfield. Jacob's body was never found. The Dutch forces in Lembang surrendered the next day. All four Dutch pilots were awarded the Military William Order, while van Helsdingen and Scheffer (who died a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
) were posthumously awarded the honour on 14 July 1948.