Wilhelm Crinius
Leutnant

Wilhelm Crinius

      Wilhelm Crinius was born on 1 December 1920 at Hohenhausen in Lipper Bergland. He joined the Luftwaffe in January 1940 and underwent fighter pilot training. In February 1942, Crinius was posted to JG 53 based in Sicily. Gefreiter Crinius was assigned to 3./JG 53. Between mid-March and the end of April, he flew 60 missions over Malta. On 1 April, he received promotion to the rank of Unteroffizier. In May 1942, I./JG 53 was relocated to the Eastern front. Operating from Kursk, Crinius achieved his first victories on 9 June when he shot down two Russian Il-2 Sturmovik ground-attack aircraft. On 8 July, Crinius shot down two Russian Boston twin-engined bombers attacking a bridge west of Voronezh. During the engagement his aircraft was hit by Russian anti-aircraft fire. He belly-landed his Bf 109 F-4 trop (W.Nr. 10 243) between the lines where he was rescued by a German army patrol and returned to his unit. In late July 1942, I./JG 53 was relocated to the southern sector of the Eastern front. Crinius claimed his 15th victory on 1 August. He shot down three Russian aircraft on 12 August to record his 25th through 27th victories. Crinius recorded his 49th victory on 27 August which was also the 1,000th victory for I./JG 53. He recorded his 55th victory on 1 September and was promoted to the rank of Feldwebel. Flying with Wolfgang Tonne (122 victories, RK-EL, killed in action 20 April 1943) and Friedrich-Karl “Tutti” Müller (140 victories, RK-EL, killed in flying accident 29 May 1944) in I./JG 53, Crinius was particularly successful, recording 40 victories in August and 46 victories between 1 and 22 September, including 100th victory on 22 September. He was awarded the Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub (Nr 127) on 23 September and promoted to the rank of Leutnant. In November 1942, Crinius transferred with I./JG 53 to Tunisia. Here he was to record 14 victories, including his only four-engined bomber on 26 December and his 110th victory on 4 January 1943. On 13 January 1943, in aerial combat with RAF Spitfire fighters near La Calle, 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 stricken Bf 109 G-2 (W.Nr. 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.
    Wilhelm Crinius was credited with 114 victories in approximately 400 missions. He recorded 100 victories over the Eastern front. Of his 14 victories recorded over the Western front, one was a four-engined bomber.
 
No
Date
Time
A/c Type
Unit
Location / Comments
1.
9.6.1942
17:25
 Il-2 3./JG 53  
2.
9.6.1942
17:30
 Il-2 3./JG 53  
3.
21.6.1942
19:10
 LaGG-3 3./JG 53  
4.
23.6.1942
18:20
 LaGG-3 3./JG 53  
5.
23.6.1942
18:40
 R-5 3./JG 53 Near Yelets
6.
23.6.1942
19:10
 MiG-3 3./JG 53  
7.
28.6.1942
18:30
 R-10 3./JG 53  
8.
3.7.1942
18:40
 P-39 3./JG 53  
9.
3.7.1942
18:53
 P-39 3./JG 53  
10.
5.7.1942
7:55
 MiG-3 3./JG 53  
11.
8.7.1942
4:46
 Boston 3./JG 53  
12.
8.7.1942
8:50
 Boston 3./JG 53 W Voronezh
13.
8.7.1942
8:50
 Boston 3./JG 53 W Voronezh
14.
27.7.1942
17:40
 R-5 3./JG 53  
15.
1.8.1942
14:19
 LaGG-3 3./JG 53  
16.
1.8.1942
-
 LaGG-3 3./JG 53  
17.
3.8.1942
10:51
 Il-2 3./JG 53  
18.
3.8.1942
10:57
 Il-2 3./JG 53  
19.
3.8.1942
11:03
 Il-2 3./JG 53  
20.
5.8.1942
9:35
 Il-2 3./JG 53  
21.
6.8.1942
8:47
 R-5 3./JG 53  
22.
6.8.1942
16:40
 Il-2 3./JG 53  
23.
8.8.1942
6:00
 Il-2 3./JG 53  
24.
8.8.1942
12:01
 MiG-3 3./JG 53  
25.
11.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
26.
12.8.1942
-
 MiG-3 3./JG 53  
27.
12.8.1942
-
 MiG-3 3./JG 53  
28.
12.8.1942
-
 MiG-3 3./JG 53  
29.
13.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
30.
16.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
31.
16.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
32.
17.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
33.
17.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
34.
17.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
35.
18.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
36.
18.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
37.
19.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
38.
19.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
39.
19.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
40.
19.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
41.
20.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
42.
20.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
43.
21.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
44.
21.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
45.
23.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
46.
23.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
47.
24.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
48.
24.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
49.
27.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
50.
28.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
51.
28.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
52.
28.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
53.
29.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
54.
30.8.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
55.
1.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
56.
2.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
57.
5.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
58.
6.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
59.
8.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
60.
8.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
61.
8.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
62.
8.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
63.
9.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53 I./JG 53 1,000th victory
64.
9.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
65.
9.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
66.
10.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
67.
10.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
68.
10.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
69.
10.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
70.
11.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
71.
12.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
72.
12.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
73.
12.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
74.
13.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
75.
13.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
76.
13.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
77.
14.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
78.
14.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
79.
14.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
80.
14.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
81.
15.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
82.
15.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
83.
15.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
84.
16.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
85.
16.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
86.
16.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
87.
16.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
88.
17.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
89.
17.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
90.
17.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
91.
17.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
92.
18.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
93.
18.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
94.
18.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
95.
18.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
96.
19.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
97.
20.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
98.
21.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
99.
21.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
100.
22.9.1942
-
 E/a 3./JG 53  
101.
1.12.1942
16:34
 Spitfire 3./JG 53 15km SW Scaramia, Spitfire of 229 Sqn, RAF
102.
1.12.1942
16:38
 Spitfire 3./JG 53 25km S Scaramia, Spitfire of 229 Sqn, RAF
103.
18.12.1942
11:55
 P-38 3./JG 53 9866:
104.
18.12.1942
11:56
 P-38 3./JG 53 9859:
105.
26.12.1942
13:28
 B-17 3./JG 53 9714: 15
106.
28.12.1942
14:07
 Spitfire 3./JG 53 5km S Souk el Arba
107.
29.12.1942
14:35
 Spitfire 3./JG 53 5km ENE Bone
108.
1.1.1943
-
 Spitfire 3./JG 53 Bone
109.
1.1.1943
-
 Spitfire 3./JG 53 Bone
110.
4.1.1943
-
 Boston 3./JG 53 Fondouk area
111.
6.1.1943
-
 Hurricane 3./JG 53  
112.
7.1.1943
-
 Spitfire 3./JG 53  
113.
8.1.1943
-
 P-38 3./JG 53  
114.
8.1.1943
-
 Spitfire 3./JG 53  

Victories : 114
Awards : Knight`s Cross with Oak Leaves
Units : JG 53

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