Wilhelm Philipp

Wilhelm Philipp (31 January 1916 – 10 January 1986) was a Luftwaffe 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. During his career Wilhelm Philipp was credited with 81 aerial victories in 500+ missions.

Career Philipp was born on 31 January 1916 in Böhla, present-day part of Priestewitz, at the time in the Kingdom of Saxony, part of the German Empire.

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 31 October 1939, Unteroffizier Philipp joined Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing), which had been named after Albert Leo Schlageter on 1 May 1939. On 27 May 1940 during the Battle of Dunkirk, II. Gruppe reported combat with Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfire fighters over Ostend. This encounter is not matched with British records. However, the combat may have been with Hawker Hurricane fighters from No. 17 and No. 605 Squadron. That day at 17:30, Philipp claimed a Spitfire fighter shot down over Ostend.

On 7 June 1940, Philipp was forced to bail out of his Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-3 following combat with Hurricane fighters near Dieppe.

At the Channel and over England On 17 August 1942, his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-3 (Werknummer 5405—factory number) suffered engine fire resulting in an emergency landing at Ligescourt.

During the Dieppe Raid on 19 August, on II. Gruppes second combat air patrol of the day, at 08:37, Philipp was credited with the destruction of a Spitfire southwest of Dieppe, the aircraft coming from either the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) 31st Fighter Group or the RAF No. 350 Squadron. At 17:32, a 4. Staffel Schwarm (flight) intercepted withdrawing Allied aircraft. In this encounter, Philipp claimed a Spitfire fighter west of Dieppe for his 20th aerial victory. For his achievements to date, Philipp was awarded the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 24 August.

In November 1942, Philipp was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) which was fighting on the Eastern Front.

War against the Soviet Union Philipp claimed his first aerial victory on the Eastern Front on 15 January 1943. He had been assigned to 3. Staffel of JG 54 which at the time was commanded by Hauptmann Gerhard Koall. The Staffel was subordinated to I. Gruppe of JG 54 headed by Hauptmann Hans Philipp and was based at Krasnogvardeysk, present-day Gatchina. The Gruppe supported German forces of Army Group North fighting against the Soviet Operation Iskra which aimed to break the Wehrmacht's siege of Leningrad. On 15 January, Philipp was credited with shooting down a Lavochkin La-5 fighter.

On 22 February, his Fw 190 A-4 suffered engine failure resulting in a forced landing at Krasnogvardeysk. On 7 September, Philipp was wounded in combat when his Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer 550501—factory number) was shot up by Yakovlev Yak-9 fighters resulting in an emergency landing.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Philipp was credited with 81 aerial victories. Spick also lists him with 81 aerial victories claimed in over 500 combat missions. Of his 81 aerial victories, 22 were claimed during the Battle of France and Battle of Britain, 55 on the Eastern Front, and four on the Western Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that he claimed at least 79 claims. This figure includes 54 claims on the Eastern Front, and over 24 claims on the Western Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 10243". The Luftwaffe grid map 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 . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location – 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" –Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940 1 27 May 1940 17:30 Spitfire Ostend 3 29 May 1940 18:45 Spitfire Dover 2 28 May 1940 12:30 Spitfire east-southeast of DoverEnglish Channel 4 7 June 1940 19:30 Hurricane east of Dieppe – 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" –Action at the Channel and over England — 26 June 1940 – 21 June 1941 5 16 August 1940 14:06? Spitfire Doverwest of Dover 7 8 November 1940 17:40 Spitfire Tonbridge 6 22 August 1940 20:05 Spitfire Dovernorth-northeast of Dover 8 5 February 1941 14:15 Spitfire Neufchâtel – 2. Ergänzungsjagdgruppe of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" –Western Front — 22 June – 31 December 1941 9 12 August 1941 Blenheim 10 12 August 1941 Blenheim – 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" –On the Western Front — 1 January – November 1942 11 9 March 1942 16:45 Spitfire Boulogne-sur-Mer 17 31 July 1942 15:13 Spitfire west of Berck 12 17 May 1942 11:37 Spitfire northeast of Calais 18 17 August 1942 19:06 Spitfire west of Dieppe 13 2 June 1942 11:05 Spitfire middle of the English Channel, west of BerckBay du Somme, Berck-sur-Mer 19 19 August 1942 08:37 Spitfire southwest of Dieppe 14 8 June 1942 13:58 Spitfire west-northwest of Dunkirk 20 19 August 1942 17:32 Spitfire west of Dieppe 15 13 July 1942 15:10 Spitfire middle of the English Channel 21 24 August 1942 17:35 Spitfire northwest of Fécamp northwest of Fécamp 16 26 July 1942 13:47 Spitfire off the English Coast 22 29 August 1942 12:53 Mosquito southeast of Hastings southeast of Hastings – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — November 1942 – 3 February 1943 23 15 January 1943 09:37 La-5 PQ 10243 east-southeast of Shlisselburg 26 23 January 1943 14:10 Il-2 PQ 00234 west of Shlisselburg 24 15 January 1943 12:40 Yak-4 PQ 00282 west of Mga 27 24 January 1943 09:15 MiG-3 PQ 00264 25 23 January 1943 13:51 Il-2 PQ 10151southeast of Shlisselburg 28 24 January 1943 09:40 Yak-1 PQ 10183east of Mga – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — 4 February – 7 September 1943 29 10 February 1943 12:41 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 00412 east of Pushkin 46 23 August 1943 07:39 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 40292 southwest of Shlisselburg 30 10 February 1943 15:14 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 00414 east of Pushkin 47 25 August 1943 05:15 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 41691 31 14 February 1943 15:10? Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 00254Pushkin-Mga 48 26 August 1943 18:20 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 51741 southeast of Okhtyrka 32 14 February 1943 15:14 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 00283 west of Mga 49 28 August 1943 11:36 Boston PQ 35 Ost 43674 northeast of Sevsk 33 19 February 1943 07:55 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10414 northeast of Lyuban 50 29 August 1943 06:43 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 43681 northeast of Sevsk 34 19 February 1943 07:58 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 10533 northeast of Lyuban 51 1 September 1943 18:08 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 25454 northwest of Yelnya 35 21 February 1943 11:45 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10473 northeast of Lyuban 52 1 September 1943 18:10 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 25424 northwest of Yelnya 36 21 February 1943 11:47 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10442 southeast of Mga 53 1 September 1943 18:12 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 25424 northwest of Yelnya 37 23 February 1943 10:02? Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10144south of Shlisselburg 54 1 September 1943 18:14 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 25452 northwest of Yelnya 38 23 February 1943 10:05 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10142south of Shlisselburg 55 2 September 1943 17:20 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 25732 south of Schatalowka 39 7 March 1943 11:13? Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 18382 north of Kholm 56 4 September 1943 06:40 Boston northeast of Roslavl 40 15 March 1943 09:23 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 19734 north of Staraya Russa 57 4 September 1943 10:55 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 26674 northeast of Moschna 41 15 March 1943 09:24 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 19734Lake Ilmen 58 5 September 1943 11:18 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 25463 west of Yelnya 42 15 March 1943 09:29 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 19683 southeast of Novgorod 59 5 September 1943 11:20 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 35341 southwest of Yelnya 43? 15 March 1943 16:13 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 18252 60 5 September 1943 11:21 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 25462 west of Yelnya 44 20 March 1943 09:07 MiG-3 PQ 36 Ost 00442 southeast of Slutsk 61 6 September 1943 14:03 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 26653 north of Yartsevo 45 20 March 1943 09:10 P-40 PQ 36 Ost 00274 northeast of Pushkin

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 24 August 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot German Cross in Gold on 27 October 1942 as Oberfeldwebel in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 26 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 54