Loading AI tools
German World War II fighter pilot From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wilhelm Crinius (2 December 1920 – 26 April 1997) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.[1] Crinius is credited with 114 aerial victories claimed in approximately 400 combat missions. He recorded 100 victories over the Eastern Front. Of his 14 victories claimed over the Western Front, one was a four-engined bomber.[2] On 23 September 1942, Crinius became the only German fighter pilot to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves simultaneously.[2]
Wilhelm Crinius | |
---|---|
![]() Wilhelm Crinius | |
Born | Hohenhausen in Kalletal | 2 December 1920
Died | 26 April 1997 76) Stuhr-Fahrenhorst | (aged
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | Luftwaffe |
Years of service | 1939–45 |
Rank | Leutnant (second lieutenant) |
Unit | JG 53 |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Other work | Senior manager, private industry |
Wilhelm Crinius was born in Hohenhausen, Kalletal on 2 December 1920. His father, also named Wilhelm, was a master craftsman and house painter and decorator, his mother née Tölle.[3] Crinius attended the Volksschule, a primary school, in Hohenhausen from 1927 until 1935. In 1935 he started his merchant apprenticeship at the savings and loans bank in Hohenhausen. Parallel to his apprenticeship, he attended the vocational school. He worked at the saving and loans bank in Hohenhausen as an employee from Easter 1938 until November 1938.[4]
In the summer of 1939, Crinus served in the compulsory labour service (Reichsarbeitsdienst), working in a construction unit on the Westwall, a fortified defensive line on Germany's western border. In January 1940, Crinius joined the Luftwaffe and was trained as a pilot.[5][Note 1]
In February 1942, Gefreiter (lance corporal) Crinius was posted to 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing) based in Sicily.[Note 2] In March and April 1942, he flew 60 missions over Malta. On 1 April, he was promoted to Unteroffizier (non-commissioned officer). In May 1942, I./JG 53 was transferred to the Eastern Front near Kursk. Crinius achieved his first victories on 9 June when he shot down two Il-2 Sturmoviks. On 8 July, Crinius shot down two Douglas Boston bombers west of Voronezh, although his aircraft was hit by Russian anti-aircraft fire and he was forced to belly-landed his Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 (Werknummer 10243—factory number) between the enemy lines, where he was rescued by a German patrol and safely returned to his unit.[7]
In July 1942, I./JG 53 was sent to the southern sector of the Eastern Front, where Crinius claimed his 15th kill on 1 August.[8] He claimed his 24th victory on 11 August 1942. The next day I./JG 53 relocated from Bereska to Tusov, closer to the front and Crinius shot down three Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3s, bringing his total to 27 victories.[9] Crinius recorded his 49th victory on 27 August which was also the 1,000th victory for I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 53.[2] After his 55th victory on 1 September he was promoted to Feldwebel (Sergeant). Hereafter Crinius was particularly successful, claiming some 40 victories in August and 46 victories in the timeframe 1–22 September, including his 100th on 22 September.[2] He was the 22nd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[10]
Together with Friedrich-Karl Müller, Crinius received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 23 September 1942.[11] He was the 127th member of the German armed forces to be so honored. The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler in October at the Führerhauptquartier Werwolf, Hitler's headquarters located in a pine forest about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) north of Vinnytsia, in Ukraine. Three other Luftwaffe officers were presented with the Oak Leaves that day by Hitler, Oberleutnant Müller, Oberleutnant Wolfgang Tonne and Leutant Hans Beißwenger.[12] Crinius was promoted to Leutnant der Reserve (second lieutenant of the reserves) on 1 October 1942.[12] Following the presentation, Müller, Tonne and Crinius were ordered to Berlin where they made a propaganda appearance at the "House of the Press".[13] At the same time, I. Gruppe of JG 53 relocated from the Eastern Front to Comiso Airfiled in Sicily where they arrived on 10 October.[14]
In November 1942, Crinius relocated with I./JG 53 to Tunisia. In Africa, Crinius claimed another 14 victories, including a B-17 Flying Fortress on 26 December 1942 over Bizerte.[15] On 13 January 1943, he engaged in aerial combat with Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfire fighters near El Kala, Crinius' aircraft was hit and he was wounded in the thigh. Breaking off combat, he headed for his base but his engine then caught fire. He ditched his damaged Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 10805) in the sea. He spent 24 hours in the water before being rescued by French sailors and Arabs. After hospitalisation for his wounds, Crinius became a prisoner of war.[2][16]
After World War II, Wilhelm Crinius worked in private industry, serving as a director in the German branch of the Dutch Philips GmbH. He was appointed chairman of the board of directors of the Ernst Düllmann GmbH in 1971.[17] On 18 June 1989, as a pensioner, Crinius ran for the European Parliament in Hesse as candidate for the right-wing German People's Union (Deutsche Volksunion).[18] He died on 26 April 1997 in Stuhr-Fahrenhorst, Lower Saxony.[15]
According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Crinius was credited with 114 aerial victories.[19] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 114 aerial victory claims. This figure includes 100 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 14 over the Western Allies, including one four-engined bomber.[20]
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 39242". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[21]
Chronicle of aerial victories | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Crinius did not receive credit.
This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman. | |||||||||
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[20] Eastern Front — 28 May 1942 – 27 September 1942 | |||||||||
1 | 9 June 1942 | 17:25 | Il-2[22] | 51 | 28 August 1942 | 14:41 | LaGG-3 | PQ 50792[23] 80 km (50 mi) east-northeast of Stalingrad | |
2 | 9 June 1942 | 17:30 | Il-2[22] | 52 | 28 August 1942 | 14:44 | LaGG-3 | PQ 50792[23] 80 km (50 mi) east-northeast of Stalingrad | |
3 | 21 June 1942 | 19:10 | LaGG-3[24] | 53 | 30 August 1942 | 05:27 | MiG-3 | PQ 4921[23] 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Grebenka | |
4 | 23 June 1942 | 18:20 | LaGG-3[24] | 54 | 30 August 1942 | 05:31 | MiG-3 | PQ 4921[23] 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Grebenka | |
5 | 23 June 1942 | 18:40 | R-5[24] vicinity of Yelets |
55 | 1 September 1942 | 07:43 | Pe-2 | PQ 4935[25] 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Bassargino | |
6 | 23 June 1942 | 19:10 | MiG-3[24] | 56 | 2 September 1942 | 09:43 | P-40 | PQ 4948[25] 35 km (22 mi) southeast of Stalingrad | |
7 | 28 June 1942 | 18:30 | R-10 (Seversky)[26] | 57 | 2 September 1942 | 12:17?[Note 3] | LaGG-3 | PQ 4921[25] 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Grebenka | |
8 | 28 June 1942 | 18:33 | R-10 (Seversky) | north of Tschurnawa[26] | 58 | 2 September 1942 | 12:35 | LaGG-3 | PQ 4923[25] 35 km (22 mi) east-northeast of Stalingrad |
9 | 3 July 1942 | 18:42 | P-39 | south of Walinow[26] | 59 | 2 September 1942 | 15:23 | P-40 | PQ 4933[25] vicinity of Stalingrad |
10 | 3 July 1942 | 18:53 | P-39 | Kriwonka[26] | 60 | 3 September 1942 | 14:12 | La-5 | PQ 4942[25] 30 km (19 mi) east-southeast of Stalingrad |
11 | 5 July 1942 | 07:55 | MiG-3 | east of Voronezh[26] | 61 | 4 September 1942 | 05:12?[Note 4] | Yak-1 | PQ 4992[25] 65 km (40 mi) east of Stalingrad |
12 | 8 July 1942 | 04:50 | Boston[26] | 62 | 4 September 1942 | 10:25?[Note 5] | Yak-1 | PQ 4923[25] 35 km (22 mi) east-northeast of Stalingrad | |
13 | 8 July 1942 | 08:50?[Note 6] | Boston | east of Podgonnoje[26] | 63 | 4 September 1942 | 13:20 | LaGG-3 | PQ 49251[25] 25 km (16 mi) east of Stalingrad |
14 | 27 July 1942 | 17:40 | R-5 | PQ 1761[29] | 64 | 5 September 1942 | 13:20 | Yak-1 | PQ 49274[25] 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Stalingrad |
15 | 1 August 1942 | 14:19 | LaGG-3 | PQ 3941[30] 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Kalach |
65 | 5 September 1942 | 13:22?[Note 7] | Yak-1 | PQ 49283[25] 25 km (16 mi) east of Stalingrad |
16 | 3 August 1942 | 10:54 | Il-2 | PQ 3919[31] vicinity of Kalach |
66 | 6 September 1942 | 13:31 | Yak-1 | PQ 4912[25] 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Gumrak |
17 | 3 August 1942 | 10:57 | Il-2 | PQ 3919[31] vicinity of Kalach |
67 | 6 September 1942 | 13:32 | Yak-1 | PQ 4912[25] 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Gumrak |
18 | 3 August 1942 | 11:03 | Il-2 | PQ 3927[31] vicinity of Kalach |
68 | 6 September 1942 | 13:33 | Yak-1 | PQ 4912[25] 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Gumrak |
19 | 5 August 1942 | 09:36 | Il-2 | PQ 4971[31] 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Aksal |
69 | 6 September 1942 | 13:57 | LaGG-3 | PQ 5992[25] 65 km (40 mi) east of Stalingrad |
20 | 6 August 1942 | 08:47 | R-5 | PQ 3965[32] 35 km (22 mi) north of Shutow |
70 | 7 September 1942 | 05:23?[Note 8] | La-5 | PQ 4925[25] 25 km (16 mi) east of Grebenka |
21 | 6 August 1942 | 16:40 | Il-2 | PQ 4958[32] 35 km (22 mi) northeast of Aksal |
71 | 7 September 1942 | 13:35?[Note 9] | Il-2 | PQ 4925[25] 25 km (16 mi) east of Grebenka |
22 | 8 August 1942 | 06:00 | Il-2 | PQ 4961[32] 35 km (22 mi) south-southeast of Stalingrad |
72 | 7 September 1942 | 16:45 | Il-2 | PQ 49274[33] 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Stalingrad |
23 | 8 August 1942 | 12:01 | MiG-3 | PQ 3945[32] 30 km (19 mi) southeast of Kalach |
73 | 7 September 1942 | 16:49 | Il-2?[Note 10] | PQ 4925[33] 25 km (16 mi) east of Grebenka |
24 | 9 August 1942 | 18:26 | Il-2 | PQ 3947[34] 30 km (19 mi) south-southeast of Kalach |
74 | 8 September 1942 | 10:20 | Il-2 | PQ 4916[33] vicinity of Grebenka |
25 | 12 August 1942 | 04:23 | MiG-3 | PQ 39714[34] 20 km (12 mi) north-northwest of Kotelnikovo |
75 | 8 September 1942 | 10:27 | Yak-1 | PQ 4924[33] 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Grebenka |
26 | 12 August 1942 | 04:24 | MiG-3 | PQ 39711[34] vicinity of Shutow |
76 | 9 September 1942 | 10:17?[Note 11] | LaGG-3 | PQ 4924[33] 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Grebenka |
27 | 12 August 1942 | 04:34 | Il-2 | PQ 3959[34] 30 km (19 mi) southeast of Nizhny Chir |
77 | 9 September 1942 | 10:45 | Yak-1 | PQ 4059[33] 45 km (28 mi) east of Grebenka |
28 | 13 August 1942 | 10:14 | LaGG-3 | PQ 49422[34] 25 km (16 mi) east of Stalingrad |
78 | 9 September 1942 | 10:48 | Yak-1 | PQ 4059[33] 45 km (28 mi) east of Grebenka |
29 | 13 August 1942 | 16:35 | LaGG-3 | PQ 3942[34] 20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Kalach |
79 | 10 September 1942 | 06:15 | Yak-1 | PQ 4927[33] 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Stalingrad |
30 | 13 August 1942 | 17:55 | LaGG-3 | PQ 3942[34] 20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Kalach |
80 | 10 September 1942 | 06:19 | Yak-1 | PQ 4925[33] 25 km (16 mi) east of Grebenka |
31?[Note 12] | 14 August 1942 | 04:44 | R-5[36] | 81 | 10 September 1942 | 14:10 | LaGG-3 | PQ 4947[33] 30 km (19 mi) east-southeast of Stalingrad | |
32 | 14 August 1942 | 14:15 | Il-2[36] | 82 | 11 September 1942 | 11:40 | LaGG-3 | PQ 4079[37] 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Grebenka | |
33 | 15 August 1942 | 11:43?[Note 13] | LaGG-3 | PQ 4943[36] 40 km (25 mi) east-southeast of Stalingrad |
83 | 11 September 1942 | 11:45 | Yak-1 | PQ 4087[37] 20 km (12 mi) north-northeast of Stalingrad |
34 | 16 August 1942 | 06:10 | MiG-3 | PQ 4921[36] 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Grebenka |
84 | 11 September 1942 | 14:27?[Note 14] | Yak-1 | PQ 4079[37] |
35 | 17 August 1942 | 15:45?[Note 15] | R-5 | PQ 49263[36] 35 km (22 mi) east of Stalingrad |
85 | 15 September 1942 | 14:52?[Note 16] | La-5 | 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Stalingrad[38] |
36 | 18 August 1942 | 08:05 | R-5 | PQ 49253[36] 25 km (16 mi) east of Stalingrad |
86 | 16 September 1942 | 12:05?[Note 17] | LaGG-3 | PQ 49422[38] |
37 | 19 August 1942 | 15:25 | Boston | PQ 59173[36] 45 km (28 mi) east of Stalingrad |
87 | 17 September 1942 | 09:46 | Yak-1 | PQ 4075[38] 30 km (19 mi) north of Gumrak |
38 | 19 August 1942 | 15:28 | Il-2 | PQ 59173[36] 45 km (28 mi) east of Stalingrad |
88 | 17 September 1942 | 09:48 | Yak-1 | PQ 4076[38] 25 km (16 mi) north of Grebenka |
39 | 20 August 1942 | 04:26 | LaGG-3 | PQ 49533[36] 25 km (16 mi) north of Grebenka |
89 | 17 September 1942 | 09:51 | Yak-1 | PQ 4076[38] 25 km (16 mi) north of Grebenka |
40 | 20 August 1942 | 04:49?[Note 18] | Er-2 | PQ 4078[36] 20 km (12 mi) north of Gumrak |
90 | 17 September 1942 | 14:48 | Yak-1 | PQ 40731[38] 35 km (22 mi) north of Grebenka |
41 | 21 August 1942 | 13:17 | Boston | PQ 5077[39] 50 km (31 mi) northeast of Stalingrad |
91 | 19 September 1942 | 07:08 | Yak-1 | PQ 49124[40] 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Gumrak |
42 | 23 August 1942 | 10:14 | U-2 | PQ 49223[39] 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Stalingrad |
92 | 19 September 1942 | 07:11 | Yak-1 | PQ 49122[40] 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Gumrak |
43 | 23 August 1942 | 10:22 | R-5 | PQ 4927[39] 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Stalingrad |
93 | 20 September 1942 | 07:15 | Yak-1 | PQ 49291[41] 35 km (22 mi) east of Stalingrad |
44 | 23 August 1942 | 12:50 | I-180 (Yak-7) | PQ 4916[39] vicinity of Grebenka |
94 | 20 September 1942 | 09:56 | Yak-1 | PQ 40761[41] 25 km (16 mi) north of Grebenka |
45 | 23 August 1942 | 16:22 | MiG-3 | PQ 4924[39] 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Grebenka |
95 | 20 September 1942 | 09:58 | Yak-1 | PQ 4076[41] 25 km (16 mi) north of Grebenka |
46 | 24 August 1942 | 06:13 | MiG-3 | PQ 5914[23] 45 km (28 mi) east-northeast of Stalingrad |
96 | 20 September 1942 | 16:10 | LaGG-3 | PQ 5911[41] |
47 | 24 August 1942 | 06:17 | MiG-3 | PQ 5915[23] 60 km (37 mi) east-northeast of Stalingrad |
97 | 21 September 1942 | 06:07 | Pe-2 | PQ 49241[41] 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Stalingrad |
48 | 26 August 1942 | 08:24 | MiG-3 | PQ 4916[23] vicinity of Grebenka |
98 | 21 September 1942 | 17:15 | Yak-1 | PQ 40792[41] 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Grebenka |
— [Note 19] |
27 August 1942 | 11:15 | MiG-3 | 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Stalingrad | 99 | 21 September 1942 | 17:16 | Yak-1 | PQ 40792[41] 15 km (9.3 mi) north of Grebenka |
49 | 27 August 1942 | 17:35 | Yak-4 | PQ 4911[23] 15 km (9.3 mi) north-northeast of Pitomnik |
100 | 22 September 1942 | 06:45 | Yak-1 | PQ 49132[41] south of Akhtuba |
50 | 28 August 1942 | 08:12 | P-40 | PQ 4943[23] 40 km (25 mi) east-southeast of Stalingrad |
|||||
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[35] Mediterranean Theater — 1 October – 31 December 1942 | |||||||||
101 | 1 December 1942 | 16:34 | Spitfire | 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Cap Scaramia[42] | 105 | 26 December 1942 | 13:28 | B-17 | Bizerte[42] |
102 | 1 December 1942 | 16:38 | Spitfire | 25 km (16 mi) south of Cap Scaramia[42] | 106 | 28 December 1942 | 14:07 | Spitfire | 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Souk El Arba[42] |
103 | 18 December 1942 | 11:55 | P-38 | south of Tunis[42] | 107 | 29 December 1942 | 14:35 | Spitfire | 10 km (6.2 mi) east-northeast of Bône[42] |
104 | 18 December 1942 | 11:56 | P-38 | south of Tunis[42] | |||||
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[35] North Africa — 1 January – May 1943 | |||||||||
108 | 1 January 1943 | 11:15 | Spitfire | 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Bône[43] | 112 | 7 January 1943 | 15:03 | Spitfire | PQ 03 Ost 8582[43] |
109 | 1 January 1943 | 15:54 | Spitfire | 15 km (9.3 mi) south-southwest of Bône[43] | 113 | 8 January 1943 | 13:45 | P-38 | 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Béja[43] |
110 | 4 January 1943 | 10:36 | Boston | 2 km (1.2 mi) southwest of Sbeitla[43] | 114 | 8 January 1943 | 13:56 | Spitfire | 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Souk El Arba[43] |
111 | 6 January 1943 | 13:15 | P-40 | 4 km (2.5 mi) northeast of Cap Rosa[43] |
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.