Wilhelm Beier

German World War II flying ace From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wilhelm Beier (18 November 1913 – 12 July 1977) was a Luftwaffe night fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Depending on source, Beier claimed 38 nocturnal aerial victories, including 14 of which flying intruder missions, intercepting bombers on their return flight to England.[1]

Born18 November 1913
Homberg
Died12 July 1977(1977-07-12) (aged 63)
Moers
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Branch Luftwaffe
Quick facts Born, Died ...
Wilhelm Beier
Born18 November 1913
Homberg
Died12 July 1977(1977-07-12) (aged 63)
Moers
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Branch Luftwaffe
Service years?–1945
RankOberleutnant (first lieutenant)
UnitNJG 2
NJG 1
ConflictsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross
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Career

Beier was born on 18 November 1913 in Homberg, present-day part of Duisburg, at the time in the Rhine Province within the German Empire.[2]

Night fighter career

A map of part of the Kammhuber Line. The 'belt' and night fighter 'boxes' are shown.

Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, Royal Air Force (RAF) attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defense of the Reich campaign.[3] By mid-1940, Generalmajor (Brigadier General) Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a Himmelbett (canopy bed) would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942.[4]

On 10 April 1941, Beier claimed his second aerial victory, a Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bomber shot down near Chelmsford on an intruder mission over England.[5]

Beier was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 10 October 1941 for 14 nocturnal aerial victories. The presentation was made by Kammhuber, at the time commanding general of XII. Fliegerkorps (12th Air Corps), at Gilze-Rijen Airfield.[6] On the night of 29/30 May 1943, the RAF attacked Wuppertal with 719 bombers. Defending against this attack, Beier claimed the Handley Page Halifax bomber HR793 from No. XXXV (Madras Presidency) Squadron shot down which crashed near Limbricht.[7]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Aders, Beier was credited with 36 nocturnal aerial victories.[8] Spick also lists him with 36 aerial victories while Obermaier lists him with 38 aerial victories. Both Obermaier and Spick state that Beier flew about 250 combat missions.[2][9] Foreman, Parry and Mathews, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 37 nocturnal victory claims, numerically ranging from 1 to 31, and 33 to 38.[10] Mathews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, also listing Beier with 37 claims.[11]

More information Chronicle of aerial victories, Claim ...
Chronicle of aerial victories

  This and the ? (question mark) indicates discrepancies between Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945 and Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims.

Claim Date Time Type Location Serial No./Squadron No.
– 3. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –[11]
1 7 December 1940 06:36 Hurricane 5 km (3.1 mi) east of Spilsby[12]
2 10 April 1941 02:35 Whitley Chelmsford[13]
3 8 May 1941 02:50 Wellington Wells-next-the-Sea[14]
4 11 May 1941 03:46 Blenheim 50 km (31 mi) east of Scarborough[14]
5 4 June 1941 01:35 Blenheim 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Lowestoft[15]
6 13 June 1941 00:44 Defiant vicinity of Thornby[15]
7 6 July 1941 03:08 Wellington 110 km (68 mi) north-northwest of Texel[16]
8 6 July 1941 03:36 Blenheim 100 km (62 mi) west of Texel[16]
9 6 July 1941 23:54 Whitley 60 km (37 mi) northeast of Bacton[16]
10 6 July 1941 23:58 Whitley 60 km (37 mi) northeast of Bacton[16]
11 18 July 1941 03:02 Blenheim 120 km (75 mi) northeast of Great Yarmouth[17]
12 8 August 1941 03:20 Blenheim East Dereham[18]
13 8 August 1941 03:44 Halifax 200 km (120 mi) east of Withernsea[18]
14 8 August 1941 03:48 Wellington 200 km (120 mi) east of Flamborough Head[18]
– Ergänzungsgruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –[11]
15 23 April 1942 01:15 Boston[19]
16 31 May 1942 02:07 Wellington[20]
17 31 May 1942 02:25 Wellington[20]
18 23 June 1942 03:01 Stirling[21]
– 9. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –[11]
19 27 July 1942 01:32 Havoc 24 km (15 mi) northeast of Eindhoven[22]
20 29 July 1942 03:20 Wellington 20 km (12 mi) north of Enschede[23] Wellington X3710/No. 156 Squadron RAF[24]
21 28 August 1942 00:25 Boston 40 km (25 mi) west of IJmuiden[25]
22 29 August 1942 03:16 Manchester northeast of Moerbeke[26]
23 3 September 1942 03:08 Stirling 40 km (25 mi) west of Den Haag[26]
24 7 September 1942 04:49 Manchester[27]
25 7 September 1942 05:03 Halifax[27]
26 7 September 1942 05:11 Wellington[27]
27 11 September 1942 01:19 Wellington 50 km (31 mi) west of Katwijk-an-See[27]
28 17 September 1942 01:12 Boston[28]
29 17 September 1942 01:13 Boston[28]
30 17 September 1942 01:37 Stirling[28]
– 8. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –[11]
31 30 September 1942 00:19 Beaufighter[29]
– 10. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –[11]
32?[Note 1] 15 October 1942 22:13 B-24 50 km (31 mi) west of Den Haag[29]
33 15 October 1942 22:16 Stirling 70 km (43 mi) west of Den Haag[29]
34 15 October 1942 22:19 Stirling 50 km (31 mi) west of Den Haag[30]
35 15 October 1942 22:52 Manchester 50 km (31 mi) west of Leiden[30] Lancaster W4130/No. 57 Squadron RAF[31]
36 13 May 1943 02:30 Halifax 16 km (9.9 mi) north-northwest of Amsterdam[32]
37 30 May 1943 00:27 Halifax 20 km (12 mi) north-northwest of Maastricht[33] Halifax HR793/No. XXXV (Madras Presidency) Squadron[34]
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Awards

Notes

  1. [1]
    This claim is listed as Beier's 32nd aerial victory in Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, while this claim is listed as his 33rd claim in Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945 confirm this claim.[29][11]

References

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