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Wilhelm Lemke - Pilot Profile - Wilhelm Lemke

Wilhelm Lemke

Victories : 131
-----------------------------
Country : Germany
Fought in : WW2
Fought for : Axis
Died : 4th December 1943


Awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron CrossAwarded Oak Leaves to the Knights Cross
Knights
Cross
Oak Leaves

Wilhelm Lemke was born on 27 September 1920 at Arnswalde in Neumark. By November 1939, Lemke was serving in the Luftwaffe with the rank of Fahnenjunker. In spring 1941, Lemke was serving with JG 3, based on the Eastern front. Oberfähnrich Lemke was assigned to 8./JG 3. He claimed two Russian bombers shot down on 26 June for his first victories Lemke had recorded 15 victories, when he was shot down in combat with Russian bombers, sustaining an abdominal injury on 26 August. He made an emergency landing in Bf 109 F-2 “Black 7” but the injuries received in this incident required a long stay in hospital. He returned to his unit in mid-February 1942. On 31 March, Lemke recorded his 20th victory. His 30th victory was achieved on 24 June. He claimed four victories on 29 July to take his victory total to 42. On 19 September, Leutnant Lemke was awarded the Knight’s Cross for 59 Victories. However, he was shot down the same day by enemy flak necessitating an emergency landing in Bf 109 F-4 “Yellow 1” with 60% damage 4km west of Gumrak. He was uninjured in the incident. On 11 August 1942, Lemke had been appointed Staffelkapitän of 9./JG 3. By the end of 1942, he had recorded 90 victories, including a Russian LaGG-3 fighter by ramming on 27 December 1942, necessitating an emergency landing at Morosowskaja with Bf 109 G-2 “Yellow 7” sustaining 50% damage, and numerous tanks and military vehicles in ground attacks. He claimed his 100th victory on 16 March 1943. Lemke was afforded two months leave in May 1943. On his return, he recorded his 125th victory on 28 July. In August 1943, III./JG 3 was transferred to the Western front to undertake Reichsverteidigung duties. Lemke shot down two USAAF P-47 fighters on 17 August. On 4 November, Lemke was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 3. Hauptmann Lemke was awarded the Eichenlaub on 25 November. He recorded his 131st, and last, victory on 30 November when he shot down a P-47.

On 4 December 1943, Lemke was shot down and killed in aerial combat with P-47s of 487th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group, USAAF. His Bf 109 G-6 crashed at Dodewaard, 18km west Nijmegen.

Wilhelm Lemke is credited with 131 victories. He recorded 125 victories over the Eastern Front, including 28 Il-2 Sturmovik ground attack aircraft. Of his six Western front victories, three were four-engine bombers.


Latest Axis Aviation Artwork !
 In early May 1941, in conditions of strict secrecy because the United States was not yet at war, seventeen pilots of the US Navy had arrived in Britain and been attached to Catalina squadrons of Coastal Command.  These experienced PBY pilots were there to assist the Royal Air Force to become familiar with the Catalina, and also to gain operational experience for the US Navy.  On 26th May 1941 Catalina Z of No.209 Sqn, commanded by Flying Officer Dennis Briggs RAF, with Ensign Leonard B Smith USN as co-pilot, joined the search for the Bismarck.  At 1015 the aircraft was being flown in poor visibility at an altitude of 500ft when Ensign Smith sighted the Bismarck at a range of eight miles.  The Catalina was flown towards the contact so that a positive identification could be made and emerged from the cloud only 500 yards from the German ship.  The aircraft met a hail of anti-aircraft fire but was able to make its escape.  As a result of the sighting report from Catalina Z the Bismarck was again engaged by ships and aircraft of the Royal Navy and was sunk at 1040 on 27th May 1941.  Leonard Smith can be considered therefore, the first American to be directly involved in action in World War Two.  He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (American) for his actions.

The Aircraft That Found the Bismarck by Ivan Berryman.
 One of the all time great fighter aces, Adolf Galland is depicted flying Bf 109E-4/N of Stab/JG26 in September 1940.  Galland flew 705 combat missions during World War Two and was credited with a final tally of 104 aerial victories. He survived the war and died peacefully in February 1996.

Tribute to Generalleutnant Adolf Galland by Ivan Berryman.
 Walter Briegleb is shown in his Ju88 G.7 4R+BR as he stalks his prey - on this occasion a Lancaster.  Flying below their target, his crew would aim upward firing cannon at the inner wing of the bomber, igniting the fuel tanks.  For the bomber crews, they were very much defenceless against this type of attack, and often had no idea of the presence of an enemy aircraft in the dark.

Tribute to Walter Briegleb by Ivan Berryman.
 The attack by Leutnant Walter Briegleb and his crew on Lancaster Mk.III ND960 DX-I of No.57 Sqn early on 22nd May 1944.  Flying Me110 with codes D5+BV with his crew of Feldwebel Walter Bräunlich and Bordfunker Feldwebel Brandt, Briegleb flew undetected beneath the bomber and used the deadly 'Schräge Musik' - upward firing cannon - to hit the fuel tanks in the port wing between the fuselage and inner engine.  Pulling away, he watched the aircraft burn and could see both gunners in their turrets but no return fire came.  He wondered why none of the crew escaped by parachute with the bomber doomed - it disintegrated in the air over the coast of the island of Fyn, Denmark, impacting near Emtekær at 00:44hrs.<br><br><center>All of the crew were killed :<br>Flight Lieutenant Arthur Richards (Pilot)<br>Flying Officer William Woodall (Navigator)<br>Pilot Officer Athur Bugden (Flight Engineer)<br>Sergeant Thomas Edwards (Wireless Operator)<br>Flying Officer George Ferguson (Air Bomber)<br>Sergeant Harold Griffiths (Air Gunner)<br>Sergeant Cyril Woodmass (Air Gunner)

The Hunted and the Hunter by Ivan Berryman.

Wilhelm Lemke

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