Helmut Lent

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Helmut Lent
NJG 3
Battles/wars
See battles

World War II

Awards
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds

Helmut Lent (13 June 1918 – 7 October 1944) was a German

invasion of Norway he flew ground support missions before he was transferred to the newly established Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1), a night-fighter wing.[2][3][Note 2]

Lent claimed his first nocturnal victory on 12 May 1941 and on 30 August 1941 was awarded the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds on 31 July 1944.[2][3]

On 5 October 1944, Lent flew a Junkers Ju 88 on a routine transit flight from Stade to Nordborchen, 5 kilometres (3 mi) south of Paderborn. On the landing approach one of the engines cut out and the aircraft collided with power lines. All four members of the crew were fatally wounded. Three men died shortly after the crash and Lent succumbed to his injuries two days later on 7 October 1944.[2][3]

Childhood, education and early career

Lent was born on 13 June 1918 in Pyrehne, district of

Lubusz Province, western Poland) and christened Helmut Johannes Siegfried Lent. He was the fifth child of Johannes Lent, a Lutheran minister and Marie Elisabeth, née Braune. Helmut Lent had two older brothers, Werner and Joachim, and two older sisters, Käthe and Ursula.[4] His family was deeply religious; in addition to his father, both of his brothers and both grandfathers were also Lutheran ministers.[5]

From Easter 1924 until Easter 1928, Lent attended the local

Mohrin.[8] He joined the military service in the Luftwaffe as a Fahnenjunker on 1 April 1936, against the wishes of his father.[9]

His military training began on 6 April 1936 at the 2nd Air Warfare School (

Focke-Wulf Fw 44 Stieglitz. By this time, Lent had accumulated 63 flights in his logbook.[11] In conjunction with flight training, the students also learned to drive motorcycles and cars and during one of these training exercises, Lent was involved in a road accident, breaking his upper leg badly enough to prevent him from flying for five months.[12] This did not adversely affect his classroom training and on 1 April 1937, after taking his commission examination, he was promoted to Fähnrich.[13] On 19 October 1937 Lent completed his flight training and was awarded the A/B License. He earned his wings on 15 November 1937. On 1 February 1938, he was promoted to Oberfähnrich (first ensign), and on 1 March 1938 to Leutnant. By this time, he had made 434 flights in eight different types of aircraft and had accumulated 112 hours and 48 minutes flying time, mostly in daylight flights, in single engine training aircraft.[14]

After leaving Gatow, Helmut Lent was posted to the Heavy Bomber Crew School, or Große Kampffliegerschule at Tutow, in northeast Germany. He spent three months training as an observer (1 March 1938 – 30 May 1938). Prior to completing this course, Lent was run over by a car, resulting in a broken lower jaw, concussion, and internal bleeding. On 1 July 1938, Lent was posted to the 3rd Group of Jagdgeschwader 132 "Richthofen" (III./JG 132), flying on 19 July 1938 for the first time after his injuries.[15]

At the beginning of September, Lent's squadron, 7./JG 132, relocated to

Frankfurt an der Oder, and was renamed II./JG 141, and Lent was posted to the 6th Squadron.[16]

II./JG 141 changed its designation to I./

Breslau.[19]

World War II

World War II began at 04:45 on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces crossed the Polish border. Helmut Lent, flying a Bf 110 marked M8-DH, took off from Ohlau, at 04:44 to escort Heinkel He 111 bombers on a mission over Kraków.[19]

Invasion of Poland

A black-and-white photograph of a twin-engine fighter aircraft standing on a grass field, shown in profile.
A ZG 76 Bf 110C similar to those flown by Helmut Lent

The German plans for the

rear gunner, escorted a formation of Heinkel 111 bombers of I. and III./Kampfgeschwader 4 (KG 4) attacking the airfields at Kraków in support of the southern prong of the German attack.[20] At 16:30 on 2 September 1939, the second day of the German attack, Lent took off in the direction of Łódź and claimed his first aerial-victory of the war, shooting down a PZL P.11.[21]

At this point of the campaign the Bf 110s switched from bomber escort to ground-attack since the Polish Air Force was all but defeated. In this capacity Lent and Kubisch destroyed a twin-engined monoplane on the ground on 5 September and another aircraft, a PZL P.24, on 9 September. On 12 September 1939 he was attacked by a Polish aircraft which shot out his starboard engine. Lent made a forced landing behind German lines.[22] He flew five more missions during the Polish campaign, destroying one anti-aircraft battery. For his actions in the Polish campaign Lent was awarded one of the first Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse) of World War II on 21 September 1939. I./ZG 76 relocated to the Stuttgart area on 29 September 1939 to defend the western border against the French and British, who had been at war with Germany since 3 September 1939.[23] From early October to middle December I./ZG 76 operated from a number of airfields in the Stuttgart and Ruhr areas before relocating north to Jever on 16 December 1939.[24]

Battle of the Heligoland Bight

Formation 1
Section 1: 1 Richard Kellett 2 Turner 3 Speirs
Section 2: 4 Kelly 5 Duguid 6 Riddlesworth
Formation 2
Section 1: 7 Harris 8 Briden 9 Bolloch
Section 2: 10 Ramshaw 11 Grant 12 Purdy
Formation 3
Section 1: 13 Guthrie 14 Petts 15 McRae
Section 2: 16 Challes 17 Allison 18 Lines
Formation 4
19 Hue-Williams 20 Lemon 21 Wimberley 22 Lewis 23 Thompson 24 Ruse[25]

During the first month of the war the Royal Air Force (RAF) mostly focused its bomber attacks against anti-shipping operations on the German Bight. RAF bombers mounted a heavy attack against shipping off Wilhelmshaven on 18 December 1939 in what became known as the Battle of the Heligoland Bight.[26] Twenty-four twin-engine Vickers Wellington from No. 9 Squadron, No. 37 Squadron and No. 149 Squadron formed up over Norfolk heading for the island of Heligoland. Two aircraft aborted the mission due to mechanical defects, but the remaining 22 pursued the attack and were spotted by a Freya radar on the East Frisian Islands.[27]

Helmut Lent was ordered to intercept and engage the attacking bomber force and after refuelling—Lent had just landed at Jever from an armed patrol—claimed three Wellingtons, two of which, shot down at 14:30 and 14:45, were later confirmed.

Carl-August Schumacher.[30]

His success as a fighter pilot over the North Sea had made him a minor national hero. Exploits such as those at Heligoland made good news stories for German propaganda machine. Consequently, he attracted fan mail—mainly from young girls and women—among them Elisabeth Petersen. Lent replied to her letter, and he and Elisabeth met on a blind date at the Reichshof hotel in Hamburg, after which they enjoyed a skiing holiday in Hirschegg in February 1940.[31]

Norwegian Campaign and Battle of Britain

A black-and-white photo of a biplane sitting on the ground, shown in semi profile, viewed from the left-rear. The left wing and nose is buried in the ground.
Norwegian Gladiator 427 brought down by Lent on 9 April 1940[32]

On 8 April 1940 eight aircraft of 1./ZG 76, under the command of

invasion of Norway.[33] The German plan for the attack called for an amphibious assault on the Norwegian capital, Oslo, and six major ports from Kristiansand in the south to Narvik in the north.[34] Simultaneously, Junkers 52 (Ju 52) transport aircraft would drop parachute troops to secure Oslo's Fornebu airport. Additional Ju 52s were scheduled to arrive at Fornebu twenty minutes after the parachute drop, by which time the airfield had to be in German hands. 1./ZG 76 was to provide air cover and ground-attack support for both waves. Eight Bf 110 Zerstörer of 1./ZG 76 took off at 7:00 in the morning, planning to synchronise their arrival at Fornebu with the parachute drop at 8:45. The distance from Westerland to Fornebu meant that this was a one-way operation; the Bf 110s could not hold enough fuel for the return trip. Their fuel was calculated to provide them 20 minutes flying time over Fornebu,[35] and the pilots would have to land at Fornebu once the airfield had been seized.[36]

On the early morning flight to Fornebu, Lent engaged and shot down a Norwegian Gloster Gladiator.[32] While the Ju 52s transporting the German paratroops came under heavy fire, Lent's Rotte engaged the enemy ground positions. Lent's starboard engine caught fire, forcing him to land immediately. With Kubisch manning the movable machine gun, Lent negotiated the capitulation with the Norwegian ground forces and the airfield was in German hands.[37]

A black-and-white photo of a three-engine aircraft flying over trees. The aircraft is viewed from the front and below. Among the trees is a house with three people standing in front of it. A further aircraft is sitting on the ground and viewed from the rear-right.
Lent's Bf 110C ran out of fuel and was forced to land at Oslo/Fornebu airfield on 9 April 1940.[38] A troop-carrying Ju 52 flies over Lent's belly-landed Bf 110.[39]

At 18:50 the same day, Lent and his Staffelkapitän Werner Hansen took off again from Fornebu in undamaged Bf 110s. During the 40-minute flight, they came across a RAF

Flight Lieutenant Caesar Hull. On 2 June 1940 Lent and his wingman Thönes claimed a Gladiator each. The flight lasted 5 hours and 46 minutes and their opponents were again from No. 263 Squadron, aircraft serial number N5893 piloted by Pilot Officer J.L. Wilkie, and N5681 piloted by Pilot Officer L.R. Jacobsen. He claimed his seventh victory overall and final of the Norwegian theatre of operations on 15 June 1940 over a No. 254 Squadron RAF Bristol Blenheim, piloted by Pilot Officer P.C. Gaylord. On 1 July 1940 Lent was promoted to Oberleutnant and on 13 July 1./ZG 76 was relocated to Stavanger/Forus.[32]

Helmut Lent briefly participated in the

Sunderland area. I./ZG 76 lost seven aircraft on this mission and it was Helmut Lent's 98th and final mission as a Zerstörer pilot.[42]

Night fighter career

By June 1940 RAF Bomber Command penetrations of German airspace had increased to the level at which Hermann Göring decreed that a night-fighter force should be formed. The officer tasked with its creation was Wolfgang Falck, Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1).[43] The night-fighter force began to expand rapidly, with existing units being divided to form the nucleus of new units. By October 1940 Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1) comprised three Gruppen, while Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 (NJG 2) and Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (NJG 3), were still forming.[44] It was during this period that Helmut Lent reluctantly became a member of the night-fighter force. At the end of August Lent wrote home, "We are currently converting to night fighting. We are not very enthusiastic. We would sooner head directly for England."[45]

Lent completed night fighter training at Ingolstadt in south-western Germany, and was appointed squadron leader, or Staffelkapitän, of the newly formed 6./NJG 1 on 1 October 1940. The squadron was based at Deelen Airfield, located 12.5 kilometres (8 mi) north of Arnhem in the Netherlands.[46] On the night 11–12 May 1941, Lent claimed his first nocturnal aerial victories against two Wellington IC bombers from No. 40 Squadron RAF on a mission against Hamburg. BL-H (serial number R1330) was shot down at 01:40 near Süderstapel and BL-Z (R1461) at 02:49 near Nordstrand.[47]

On 1 July 1941, he took command of 4./NJG 1, stationed in the Netherlands at Fliegerhorst (airfield) Leeuwarden, 161 kilometres (100 mi) north of Arnheim, on the Friesland coast. From this position in the so-called German Bight, the squadron patrolled the North Sea coast, and could intercept Allied night-time bombing missions, what Nazi propaganda called terror attacks, which were conducted from England.[48] By the end of the war, the 4./NJG 1 was one of the most successful Nachtjagdstaffeln—a squadron of a night fighter wing—of the Luftwaffe. Other members included such night fighter pilots as Oberleutnant Helmut Woltersdorf, Leutnant Ludwig Becker (44 victories, KIA February 1943), Leutnant Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld (51 victories, killed in a flying accident in the Netherlands in March 1944), Leutnant Leopold Fellerer (41 victories), Oberfeldwebel Paul Gildner (46 victories, killed in a flying accident at Fliegerhorst Gilze-Rijen in the Netherlands in February 1943), and Unteroffizier Siegfried Ney (12 victories, KIA February 1943). On 30 August 1941, Lent received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for seven daytime and 14 night victories.[49]

On 1 November 1941, Lent became acting Group Commander

X9976 of No. 75 (New Zealand) Squadron, was killed in action. This achievement earned Lent a reference in the Wehrmachtbericht (his first of six in total), an information bulletin issued by the headquarters of the Wehrmacht. To be singled out individually in the Wehrmachtbericht was an honour and was entered in the Orders and Decorations' section of one's Service Record Book.[52]

Nazi propaganda
photograph, summer 1942, France

Lent was promoted to

Führerhauptquartier on 28 and 29 June, his tally standing then at 39 nocturnal and seven day-time victories.[54] Lent also held the distinction of achieving the first Lichtenstein radar-assisted air victory in a Dornier Do 215B-5 night fighter.[55] Lent flew Dornier Do 215B-5 code R4+DC regularly on Himmelbett missions because of its five-hour endurance. Lent claimed at least four victories in this machine.[56]

By the end of 1942, Lent had 56 victories and was the top German night-fighter ace. He was promoted to Major on 1 January 1943 and appointed

Rastenburg on 10/11 August 1943.[59]

In January 1944, Lent downed three so-called "heavies"—four-engined

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten) in recognition of his 110 confirmed air kills, the first of two night-fighter pilots to be awarded the decoration.[60] The second was Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, who, with 121 aerial victories, became aviation history's leading night-fighter pilot.[61]

Personal life

All German officers were required to obtain official permission to marry; however, this was usually a bureaucratic formality. When Lent decided to marry Elizabeth Petersen, his admirer from Hamburg whom he had met on a blind date, his case was more complicated. 'Elisabeth Petersen' was in fact Helene (Lena) Senokosnikova, who had been born in Moscow in April 1914. She had been afraid to reveal her true identity, since Russians were not popular in the Third Reich,[62] but after a thorough investigation into her background and racial ancestry, she received her German citizenship on 15 March 1941. They were married on 10 September 1941 in Wellingsbüttel, Hamburg.[63] The marriage produced two daughters. Christina was born on 6 June 1942; the second, Helma, was born on 6 October 1944, shortly after her father's fatal crash.[64]

Both of Helmut's older brothers, Joachim and Werner, as members of the

Mölders letter from the pulpit. The Mölders letter was a propaganda piece conceived by Sefton Delmer, the chief of the British black propaganda in the Political Warfare Executive (PWE) to capitalise on the death of Germany's fighter ace Werner Mölders; this letter, ostensibly written by Mölders, attested to the supreme importance of his Catholic faith in his life—by implication, placing faith above his allegiance to the National Socialist Party.[66]

Death

A black-and-white photo of six soldiers standing around a flag-covered coffin.
Hermann Göring speaking at Lent's funeral[67]

On 5 October 1944, Lent flew his Junkers Ju 88 G–6, coded D5+AA, from Stade to Paderborn. His crew included his long-time radio operator Oberfeldwebel Walter Kubisch, the member of a Propagandakompanie (Wehrmacht Propaganda Troops) Leutnant Werner Kark in the aerial gunner position, and Oberleutnant Hermann Klöss, second radio operator. Lent was on his way to visit the Geschwaderkommodore of the NJG 1, Oberstleutnant Hans-Joachim Jabs, to discuss operational matters.[68] Shortly before the arrival at Paderborn/Nordborchen, the airfield had come under attack by the United States Army Air Forces, leaving craters on the runway. An emergency makeshift runway was cleared and marked out for Lent, but an overhead electrical cable was overlooked.[69] During the landing approach, the left engine of the plane failed, causing the wing to dip. Lent was unable to keep the plane steady and it struck high-voltage cables and crashed. All four members of the crew sustained serious injuries but were rescued alive. Kubisch and Klöss succumbed to their injuries on the same day, Kark on the next morning and Lent himself died two days later on 7 October 1944.[70]

white headstone bearing the name Helmut Lent and dates 13 June 1918, 7 October 1944
Lent's grave at the Garrison Cemetery (Garnisonsfriedhof) in Stade

Lent's state funeral was held in the Reich Chancellery, Berlin, on Wednesday 11 October 1944. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring took the salute at Lent's coffin, which was draped in the national flag of the Nazi Germany.[71] Ahead of the coffin, carrying Lent's honours and decorations on a velvet cushion, marched Oberstleutnant Werner Streib, the Inspector of Night Fighters. Six steel-helmeted officers, all recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, escorted the coffin on its caisson and stood as guard of honour during the ceremony: Oberstleutnant Günther Radusch, Oberstleutnant Hans-Joachim Jabs, Major Rudolf Schoenert, Hauptmann Heinz Strüning, Hauptmann Karl Hadeball and Hauptmann Paul Zorner.[72] On 12 October 1944 Lent and his crew were interred in a single grave in the military cemetery at Stade.[73]

Commemoration

A number of Helmut Lent's awards were auctioned at

General der Jagdflieger, acting on behalf of the West German Ministry of Defence. The awards were sold by Helmut Lent's elder daughter Christina after consultation with her mother, Lena, who was in urgent need for money to pay for an operation. The Federal Ministry of Defence presented the collection to the Wehrgeschichtliches Museum Rastatt, Germany.[74]

The former Lent Barracks in Rotenburg (Wümme)

In 1964,

Rotenburg (Wümme), Lower Saxony was named the Lent Barracks, or Lent-Kaserne, on a recommendation of Lent's former superior.[75] In 2014, the Bundeswehr decided to rename the facility as Lent was no longer considered to be an appropriate namesake. The process, which is expected to finalise in end 2015, involves 1,500 soldiers and 250 civil employees of the site and was initiated by the commander Oberstleutnant Edmund Vogel in early 2015.[76] In September 2016 the district administrator Herrmann Luttmann, member of the moderate right-wing Party CDU stated "No substantial evidence has been found that indeed Helmut Lent was a supporter of the Nazi regime". Luttmann will therefore recommend to keep the name to the local government. Lars Klingbeil, member of the Bundestag and of the Defence Committee has signalled that the German armed forced would adhere to the decision made on local level despite all controversies.[77]

"It's long overdue to rename the last barracks named after Wehrmacht officers," Professor Johannes Tuchel, head of the German Resistance Memorial, told Bild am Sonntag. "Officers like Schulz, Lent and Marseille fought in Hitler's war and were part of Nazi propaganda." The barracks should be renamed after soldiers who resisted the Nazi regime, he said. "Those who fought for human rights and the rule of law cannot be commemorated enough."[78] Historian Wolfram Wette concurs with this opinion, citing the tradition directive of 1982. Historian Sönke Neitzel has the opinion that the Bundeswehr should keep the name of Lent, who was not a Nazi but only a value-oriented person who followed his Christian image of humankind (christlichen Menschenbild), even if no Wehrmacht soldier came out of the war completely clean. Despite this, Neitzel thinks that except for the case of Erwin Rommel, in five years no Bundeswehr barracks will retain the name of a Wehrmacht man any more, since soldiers do not want to risk their careers to defend names unwanted by the Ministry of Defence.[79]

The Von-Düring Barracks

On 18 March 2018, the Bundeswehr released the latest regulations on military tradition (Traditionserlass) which stipulates that "The Bundeswehr does not maintain a tradition of people, troop units and military institutions in German (military) history who, according to today's understanding, have acted in a criminal, racist or inhuman manner."[80] Based on these regulations, it was decided that the Lent Barracks would be renamed.[81] Following an inquiry submitted by the Left Party on 8 October 2019, the Cabinet of Germany responded that members of the Lent Barracks had proposed renaming the barracks after forester and Freikorps officer Johann Christian von Düring.[82] On 8 June 2020, the barracks was officially renamed the Von-Düring Barracks.[83]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Lent is officially credited with 111 victories in 507 flights. The total includes 103 victories at night, during which he destroyed 59 four-engine bombers and one Mosquito, among other types. Lent received a posthumous promotion to Oberst (Colonel).[Note 4] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 111 aerial victory claims, including seven as a Zerstörer pilot and 104 as a night fighter pilot, plus three further unconfirmed claims.[85]

The majority of his victories were claimed with detailed geographical locations. However, two of his victories were claimed in a Planquadrat (grid reference), for example "QE-PE". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) was composed of rectangles measuring 15

minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2).[86]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ! (exclamation mark) indicates those aerial victories not listed by Hinchliffe.
  This and the # (hash mark) indicates those aerial victories not listed by Foreman, Mathews and Parry.
  This along with the + (plus) indicates almost certain identification.
  This along with the * (asterisk) indicates probable identification.
  This along with the ? (question mark) indicates possible identification.
Claim
(total) 		Claim
(nocturnal) 		Date Time Type Location Serial No./Squadron No.
– 1. Staffel of Zerstörergeschwader 76 –
1 3 September 1939 17:10 PZL P.24[47] Lodz region Polish Air Force+
2 18 December 1939 14:40 Wellington[47] near Borkum N2888/No. 37 Squadron RAF+[47]
3 18 December 1939 14:45 Wellington[47] near Borkum N2889/No. 37 Squadron RAF+[47]
4 9 April 1940 08:55 Gladiator[47] Bratenjordet 427/NAAS+[47]
5 27 May 1940 08:20 Gladiator[47] Bodø No. 263 Squadron RAF+[47]
6 2 June 1940 14:25 Gladiator[47] Norway N5893/No. 263 Squadron RAF+[47]
7 15 June 1940 12:45 Blenheim[47] near Trondheim L9408/No. 254 Squadron RAF+[47]
– 6. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
8 1 12 May 1941 01:40 Wellington[87] southwest of Süderstapel R1330/No. 40 Squadron RAF*[47]
9 2 12 May 1941 02:49 Wellington[88] southwest of Nordstrand R1461/No. 40 Squadron RAF*[47]
10 3 28 June 1941 01:58 Whitley[89] 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Bremervörde T4297/No. 102 Squadron RAF+[47]
11 4 30 June 1941 01:40 Stirling[89] 10 km (6.2 mi) south Wesermünde N6001/No. 7 Squadron RAF*[47]
12 5 30 June 1941 02:05 Stirling 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Bremervörde[89] N3664/No. 7 Squadron RAF*[47]
– 4. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
13 6 4 July 1941 00:43 Wellington[90] Exloermond, 23 km (14 mi) southeast of Assen R1492/No. 301 Polish Bomber Squadron+[47]
14! 7! 4 July 1941 03:41 unknown[90]
15 8 6 July 1941 00:56 Whitley[90] 8 km (5.0 mi) west of Coevorden Z6793/No. 10 Squadron RAF+[47]
16 9 8 July 1941 00:55 Whitley[90] 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Assen Z6799/No. 77 Squadron RAF+[47]
17 10 10 July 1941 02:20 Wellington[91] 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Meppen B1770/No. 40 Squadron RAF+[47]
18 11 13 July 1941 00:55 Hampden[91] Veendam, 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Groningen AE226/No. 50 Squadron RAF*[47]
19 12 15 July 1941 00:49 Wellington[91] Veendam, 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Groningen W5513/No. 104 Squadron RAF+[47]
20 13 25 July 1941 03:54 Wellington[92] 13 km (8.1 mi) south-southwest of Leeuwarden R1369/No. 57 Squadron RAF?[47]
21 14 15 August 1941 03:20 Whitley[93] north of Ameland Z6819/No. 51 Squadron RAF+[47]
22 15 29 August 1941 03:40 Hampden[94] south of Ameland AE126/No. 49 Squadron RAF+[95]
23 16 7 September 1941 01:25 Whitley[94] east of Leeuwarden, Bergen aan Zee Z6681/No. 78 Squadron RAF+[95]
24 17 8 September 1941 04:04 Wellington[94] Terwipsel, northeast Franeker Z8845/No. 9 Squadron RAF*[95]
25 18 8 September 1941 04:59 Wellington[94] Drachten, southeast of Leeuwarden R1798/No. 115 Squadron RAF+[95]
26 19 13 October 1941 00:06 Wellington[96]
Westergeest
, northeast of Leeuwarden 		X9822/No. 40 Squadron RAF+[95]
27 20 13 October 1941 00:33 Hampden[96] Zuiderzee AD965/No. 144 Squadron RAF+[95]
– II. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –
28 21 8 November 1941 01:21 Wellington[97] north of Akkrum X9976/No. 75 Squadron RAF+[95]
29 22 17 January 1942 21:40 Whitley[98] Terschelling Z9301/No. 51 Squadron RAF*[95]
30 23 21 January 1942 22:38 Whitley[98] 40 km (25 mi) west of Terschelling Z9311/No. 51 Squadron RAF+[95]
31 6 February 1942 15:14 Hampden[98] 70 km (43 mi) west of Terschelling AE308/
No. 455 Squadron RAF+[95]
32 24 26 March 1942 00:32 Manchester[99] 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Alkmaar L7518/No. 61 Squadron RAF+[95]
33 25 27 March 1942 22:10 Hampden[99] north of Terschelling
No. 408 Squadron RAF[95]
34 26 27 March 1942 22:42 Hampden[100] north of Terschelling No. 408 Squadron RAF[95]
35 27 29 March 1942 22:00 Manchester[100] north of Terschelling L7394/No. 61 Squadron RAF?[95]
36 28 11 April 1942 00:23 Wellington[101] 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Den Helder Z8838/
No. 311 Squadron RAF+[95]
37 29 13 April 1942 00:32 Hampden[101] north of Terschelling P1239/
No. 420 Squadron RAF*[95]
38 30 18 April 1942 01:55 Wellington[101] 25 km (16 mi) north of Tershelling Z1267/No. 300 Squadron RAF*[95]
39 31 15 May 1942 22:45 Hudson[102] north of Terschelling X3482/No. 9 Squadron RAF?[95]
40 32 3 June 1942 01:06 Hampden[103] east of Medemblik AT154/No. 408 Squadron RAF+[95]
41 33 4 June 1942 00:55 Halifax[103] west of Sint Maartensvlotbrug, north-northwest of Alkmaar R9457/No. 76 Squadron RAF+[95]
42 34 6 June 1942 00:34 Wellington[104] south of Hoorn DV812/No. 156 Squadron RAF+[95]
43 35 6 June 1942 01:16 Wellington[104] IJsselmeer, east of Amsterdam Z1331/No. 301 Polish Bomber Squadron+[95]
44 36 21 June 1942 00:59 Hampden[105] north of Ameland AT185/No. 420 Squadron RAF+[95]
45 37 24 June 1942 01:12 Wellington[106] 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Tershelling T2921/No. 103 Squadron RAF+[95]
46 38 24 June 1942 01:46 Wellington[106] northwest of Vlieland DV831/No. 103 Squadron RAF+[95]
47 39 26 June 1942 02:37 Wellington[107] 6 km (3.7 mi) northwest of Enkhuizen T2612/No. 18 Operational Training Unit RAF*[95]
48 40 26 June 1942 02:56 Whitley[107] Noordwijk BD266/No. 24 Operational Training Unit RAF*[95][108]
49 41 3 July 1942 01:25 Wellington[109] southwest of Assen Z1314/No. 301 Polish Bomber Squadron*[95]
50 42 9 July 1942 01:30 Wellington[110] Rottumeroog X3557/No. 75 Squadron RAF+[95]
51 43 27 July 1942 02:35 Halifax[111] northwest of Vlieland
52 44 27 July 1942 02:39 Wellington[111] northwest of Vlieland
53 45 5 September 1942 02:50 Halifax[112] 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Leeuwarden R5682/No. 61 Squadron RAF*[95]
54 46 14 September 1942 05:02 Wellington[113] northwest of Terschelling
55 47 9 November 1942 20:37 Halifax[114] Ameland W7864/No. 102 Squadron RAF*[95]
– IV. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
56 48 17 December 1942 20:22 Lancaster[114] north of Sloten ED355/No. 44 Squadron RAF+[95]
57 49 17 December 1942 20:38 Halifax[114] east of Urk ED333/No. 44 Squadron RAF*[95]
58! 50! 2 January 1943 20:24 four-engined bomber[115]
59 51 8 January 1943 20:24 Lancaster[115] 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Texel
60 52 21 January 1943 20:11 Wellington[116] north of Schiermonnikoog
61 53 1 March 1943 21:39 Halifax[117] 8 km (5.0 mi) north of Ameland DT641/
No. 419 Squadron RAF*[95][118]
62 54 5 March 1943 22:20 Halifax[119] 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Harlingen BB282/No. 76 Squadron RAF?[95]
63 55 5 March 1943 22:34 Halifax[119] 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Wieringen W4847/No. 83 Squadron RAF*[95]
64 56 29 March 1943 23:46 Wellington[120] northwest of Lemmer BJ762/
No. 426 Squadron RAF+[95]
65 57 4 April 1943 00:24 Lancaster[121] 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Texel
66 58 20 April 1943 03:38 Mosquito[122] west of Stavoren DZ694/
No. 410 Squadron RAF[123]
67 59 5 May 1943 00:08 Stirling[124] 8 km (5.0 mi) south of Enkhuizen BK773/No. 7 Squadron RAF+[95]
68 60 5 May 1943 00:18 Stirling[124] 1 km (0.62 mi) southeast of Hommerts EF343/No. 149 Squadron RAF+[95]
69 61 14 May 1943 02:54 Halifax[125] 4 km (2.5 mi) north of Harlingen JB924/No. 78 Squadron RAF+[95]
70 62 24 May 1943 02:16 Lancaster[126] southwest of Workum DT789/No. 10 Squadron RAF[127]
71 63 22 June 1943 03:09 Lancaster[128] 70 km (43 mi) west of Vlieland
72 64 23 June 1943 02:06 Halifax[128] 7 km (4.3 mi) west of Urk
73 65 26 June 1943 01:13 Wellington[129] west of Urk HF544/
No. 466 Squadron RAF+[127]
74# 66# 28 July 1943 02:37 Lancaster[127] northwest of Terschelling
75 67 30 July 1943 02:10 Lancaster[130] 25 km (16 mi) north of Ameland
– Stab of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 –
76 68 24 August 1943 00:56 Stirling[131] Berlin-Lichtenberg
77 69 24 August 1943 01:16 Halifax[132] Berlin-Mahlsdorf
78 70 24 August 1943
—
 Halifax[132][Note 5] Berlin-Spandau
79 71 1 September 1943 00:54 Halifax[133] southwest of Berlin
80 72 1 September 1943 01:03 Halifax[134] east of Berlin
81 73 22 September 1943 22:41 Stirling[135] Krohnsberg
82 74 3 October 1943 22:27 Stirling[136] Herleshausen
83 75 2 December 1943 19:58 Lancaster[137] Magdeburg
84 76 2 December 1943 20:20 Stirling[137] southwest of Berlin
85 77 16 December 1943 19:07 Lancaster[138] Almanbrück
86# 78# 2 January 1944 02:49 Lancaster[127]
87 79 14 January 1944 18:49 Lancaster[139]
88 80 14 January 1944 19:05 Lancaster[139]
89 81 14 January 1944 19:10 Lancaster[139]
90 82 21 January 1944 22:28 Lancaster[140]
91 83 21 January 1944 22:58 Lancaster[140]
92 84 22 March 1944 21:26 Lancaster[141] near Bielefeld
93 85 22 March 1944 21:35 four-engined bomber[141] south of Bielefeld
94 86 24 March 1944 21:30 four-engined bomber[142] Berlin area
95 87 24 March 1944 22:00 four-engined bomber[142] Lübeck
96 88 31 March 1944 01:21 four-engined bomber[143] 20–40 km (12–25 mi) north of Nürnberg Halifax MZ508/No. 578 Squadron RAF?[127]
97# 89# 23 April 1944
—
 Lancaster[127]
98 90 23 May 1944 00:21 four-engined bomber[144] Osnabrück
99 91 23 May 1944 00:40 four-engined bomber[144] near Osnabrück
100 92 16 June 1944 00:52 Lancaster[145] southwest of Lille
101 93 16 June 1944 00:56 Lancaster[145] Béthune-Armentières
102 94 16 June 1944 01:00 Lancaster[145] northwest Béthune
103 95 25 June 1944 00:25 four-engined bomber[146] QE-PE
104 96 25 June 1944 00:40 four-engined bomber[146] QE-PE
105 97 28 June 1944 01:10 four-engined bomber[147] off Dunkirk Lancaster ME743/No. 44 Squadron RAF[148]
106! 98! 19 July 1944 01:36 four-engined bomber[149] southeast of Reims
107 99 19 July 1944 01:41 four-engined bomber[149] 50 km (31 mi) southeast of Reims
108 100 21 July 1944 02:07 Lancaster[149] over the sea, near Deal
109 101 25 July 1944 01:14 four-engined bomber[150] Pforzheim
110 102 29 July 1944 01:47 four-engined bomber[151] near Bouxwiller
111 103 29 July 1944 01:57 four-engined bomber[151] near Château-Salins
112# 104# 17 August 1944
—
 four-engined bomber[127]
113# 105# 12 September 1944
—
 Lancaster[127]
114# 106# 17 September 1944
—
 Lancaster[127]

Awards

Lent's Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds on display at the Bundeswehr Military History Museum in Dresden
  • Pilot's Badge (15 November 1937)[152]
  • Sudetenland Medal[153]
  • Narvik Shield (30 January 1941)[152][154]
  • Wound Badge (1939)
    • in Black (14 July 1941)[155]
    • in Silver (22 December 1943)[155]
  • Iron Cross (1939)
    • 2nd class (21 September 1939)[156]
    • 1st class (11 May 1940)[156]
  • Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 26 June 1941[60]
  • Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Destroyer Pilots in Gold[154]
  • Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Nightfighter Pilots in Gold with Pennant "300"[154]
  • Combined Pilots-Observation Badge
    in Gold with Diamonds
  • German Cross in Gold on 9 April 1942 as Hauptmann in the II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2[157]
  • Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
    • Knight's Cross on 30 August 1941 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 6./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1[158][Note 6]
    • 98th Oak Leaves on 6 June 1942 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2[159][160]
    • 32nd Swords on 2 August 1943 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1[159][161]
    • 15th Diamonds on 31 July 1944 as Oberstleutnant and Geschwaderkommodore of the Nachtjagdgeschwader 3[159][162]

Promotions

1 April 1936: Fahnenjunker (Cadet)[9]
1 April 1937: Fähnrich (Ensign)[13]
1 February 1938: Oberfähnrich (Senior Ensign)[163]
1 March 1938: Leutnant (Second Lieutenant)[14]
1 July 1940: Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant)[164]
1 January 1942: Hauptmann (Captain)[53]
1 January 1943: Major (Major)[57]
1 March 1944: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)[60]
Posthumously: Oberst (Colonel)[86]

Notes

  1. ^ For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces
  2. ^ See Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II for an explanation of the Luftwaffe structure.
  3. ^ After 1933 the school was renamed Hermann Göring Hochschule.[6]
  4. ^ According to Jerry Scutts 113 victories of which 102 at night.[84]
  5. ^ According to Hincliffe, this aerial victory was over a Lancaster bomber claimed over Berlin-Tegel.[127]
  6. ^ According to Scherzer as Staffelkapitän of the 4./NJG 1[159]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.
  2. ^ a b c Fraschka 1994, pp. 185–189.
  3. ^ a b c Williamson 2006, pp. 31–41.
  4. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 2–4.
  5. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. xvi.
  6. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 6.
  7. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 8–11.
  8. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 5–12.
  9. ^ a b Fraschka 1994, p. 186.
  10. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 13.
  11. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 17–18.
  12. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 21.
  13. ^ a b Hinchliffe 2003, p. 22.
  14. ^ a b Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 24–25.
  15. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 29.
  16. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 30–31.
  17. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 32.
  18. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 33.
  19. ^ a b Hinchliffe 2003, p. 34.
  20. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 35.
  21. ^ Bekker 1994, p. 37.
  22. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 40–41.
  23. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 42.
  24. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 46.
  25. ^ Holmes 2010, p. 60.
  26. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 44.
  27. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 45.
  28. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 47–49.
  29. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 50.
  30. ^ Holmes 2010, pp. 78–81.
  31. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 54–55.
  32. ^ a b c Hinchliffe 2003, p. 61.
  33. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 57.
  34. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 58.
  35. ^ Bekker 1994, p. 84.
  36. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 59.
  37. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 62–63.
  38. ^ Weal 1999, p. 26.
  39. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 62.
  40. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 62–63, 295.
  41. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 67.
  42. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 73–74.
  43. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 79.
  44. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 84.
  45. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 85.
  46. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 85–87.
  47. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Hinchliffe 2003, p. 295.
  48. ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945. Band 3, pp. 285–286.
  49. ^ a b Fraschka 1994, p. 187.
  50. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 120.
  51. ^ Aders 1978, p. 224.
  52. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 121.
  53. ^ a b Hinchliffe 2003, p. 125.
  54. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 147, 296.
  55. ^ Aders 1978, pp. 44–45.
  56. ^ Boiten 1999, p. 46.
  57. ^ a b Hinchliffe 2003, p. 199.
  58. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 201, 297.
  59. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 204.
  60. ^ a b c Obermaier 1989, p. 23.
  61. ^ Williamson 2006, pp. 50, 51.
  62. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 56.
  63. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 116.
  64. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 143, 259.
  65. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 143.
  66. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 149–151.
  67. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 267.
  68. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 257–258.
  69. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 258.
  70. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 258–259.
  71. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 265–266.
  72. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 266–267.
  73. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 268.
  74. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, pp. 287–288.
  75. ^ Schulze 2017.
  76. ^ Rotenburger Kreiszeitung & 2 March 2015.
  77. ^ Krüger 2016.
  78. ^ Huggler 2017.
  79. ^ Horn 2018.
  80. ^ The Bundeswehr Tradition.
  81. ^ Horn 2020.
  82. ^ Drucksache 19/13954.
  83. ^ Reschke 2020.
  84. ^ Scutts 1998, pp. 20, 88.
  85. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 742–744.
  86. ^ a b Hinchliffe 1999, p. 208.
  87. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 20.
  88. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 21.
  89. ^ a b c Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 23.
  90. ^ a b c d Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 24.
  91. ^ a b c Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 25.
  92. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 26.
  93. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 29.
  94. ^ a b c d Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 30.
  95. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an Hinchliffe 2003, p. 296.
  96. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 31.
  97. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 32.
  98. ^ a b c Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 34.
  99. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 36.
  100. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 37.
  101. ^ a b c Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 38.
  102. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 40.
  103. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 43.
  104. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 44.
  105. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 46.
  106. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 47.
  107. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 48.
  108. ^ Chorley 1996, p. 492.
  109. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 49.
  110. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 50.
  111. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 51.
  112. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 57.
  113. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 58.
  114. ^ a b c Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 62.
  115. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 64.
  116. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 65.
  117. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 68.
  118. ^ Chorley 1996, p. 57.
  119. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 70.
  120. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 72.
  121. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 73.
  122. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 76.
  123. ^ Bowman 2016, p. 144.
  124. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 78.
  125. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 80.
  126. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 82.
  127. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hinchliffe 2003, p. 297.
  128. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 88.
  129. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 90.
  130. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 99.
  131. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 105.
  132. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 106.
  133. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 109.
  134. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 110.
  135. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 115.
  136. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 119.
  137. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 130.
  138. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 132.
  139. ^ a b c Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 140.
  140. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 142.
  141. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 156.
  142. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 157.
  143. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 162.
  144. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 178.
  145. ^ a b c Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 188.
  146. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 192.
  147. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 194.
  148. ^ Lancaster ME743.
  149. ^ a b c Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 202.
  150. ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 204.
  151. ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 206.
  152. ^ a b Hinchliffe 2003, p. 298.
  153. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 112.
  154. ^ a b c Berger 1999, p. 184.
  155. ^ a b Hinchliffe 2003, p. 220.
  156. ^ a b Hagen 1998, p. 142.
  157. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 275.
  158. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 289.
  159. ^ a b c d Scherzer 2007, p. 502.
  160. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 60.
  161. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 41.
  162. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 37.
  163. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 24.
  164. ^ Hinchliffe 2003, p. 70.

Bibliography

External links

Military offices
Preceded by Commander of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3
1 August 1943 – 7 October 1944 		Succeeded by

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Helmut_Lent&oldid=1213752108"