Gustav Denk was born on 24 January 1915 at Soest
in Westfalen. At the outbreak of World War 2, Denk was serving with JG
52. Oberfeldwebel Denk was assigned to 6./JG 52. He participated in the
invasions of Poland and France. However, he did not claim his first victory
until the Battle of Britain, when, on 13 July 1940, he shot down a RAF
Blenheim twin-engine bomber off Borkum. At the end of 1940, he was posted
for training as an officer. Denk claimed his greatest successes over the
Eastern front flying with the Stabsstaffel of II./JG 52, commanded at this
time by Hauptmann Johannes Steinhoff (176 victories, RK-S). Leutnant Denk
recorded his 10th victory on 23 August 1942, when he shot down a Russian
LaGG-3 fighter. In September, he claimed 11 victories, including three
Russian LaGG fighters shot down on 9 September (11-13) and a further two
LaGG fighters shot down on 25 September (20-21). Denk claimed two victories
on 12 November (29-30). In December, he claimed 15 victories, including
three Russian fighters shot down on 8 December (40-42), a further three
Russian fighters on 19 December (45-47) and his 50th, a Russian La-5 fighter
shot down on 26 December. In January 1943, Leutnant Denk was appointed
Staffelführer of 5./JG 52. He recorded 10 victories with the unit, raising
his victory total to 61, before transferring to a similar role with 6./JG
52 on 12 February. Denk’s first day with his new unit saw him claim five
enemy aircraft shot down (62-66). On 13 February 1943, Oberleutnant Denk
made a strafing attack on the Russian airfield at Tschernigow and destroyed
two aircraft on the ground. However, his Bf 109 G-2 (W.Nr. 14 554) “Black
13” was then hit by flak and exploded, killing Denk instantly.
Gustav Denk was credited with 67 victories in over
500 missions. He recorded one confirmed victory over the Western
front. He was posthumously awarded the Ritterkreuz on 14 March 1943.
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13.7.1940
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Blenheim | 6./JG 52 | NW Borkum |
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1.5.1941
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Blenheim | 6./JG 52 | Not confirmed |
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25.8.1941
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I-18 | 6./JG 52 | - |
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7.9.1941
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I-16 | 6./JG 52 | - |
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13.9.1941
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DB-3 | 6./JG 52 | E Klimowka |
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21.9.1941
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I-153 | 6./JG 52 | - |
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22.8.1942
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I-153 | II./JG 52 | 49 334 |
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23.8.1942
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LaGG-3 | II./JG 52 | 49 661 |
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23.8.1942
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LaGG-3 | II./JG 52 | 49 271 |
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7.9.1942
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E/a | II./JG 52 | - |
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7.9.1942
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I-16 | II./JG 52 | 44 651 |
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9.9.1942
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LaGG | II./JG 52 | 54 651 |
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9.9.1942
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LaGG | II./JG 52 | 44 482 |
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9.9.1942
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LaGG | II./JG 52 | 44 444 |
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10.9.1942
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LaGG-3 | II./JG 52 | 44 454 |
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12.9.1942
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LaGG-3 | II./JG 52 | 44 453 |
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16.9.1942
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LaGG-3 | II./JG 52 | 54 414 |
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16.9.1942
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LaGG-3 | II./JG 52 | 54 414 |
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18.9.1942
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I-153 | II./JG 52 | 54 442 |
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18.9.1942
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I-153 | II./JG 52 | 54 442 |
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25.9.1942
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LaGG | II./JG 52 | 95 743 |
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25.9.1942
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LaGG | II./JG 52 | 95 743 |
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26.10.1942
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Yak-1 | II./JG 52 | 44 784 |
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30.10.1942
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Yak-1 | II./JG 52 | 94 161 |
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30.10.1942
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Yak-1 | II./JG 52 | 94 161 |
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2.11.1942
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R-5 | II./JG 52 | 94 152 |
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2.11.1942
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LaGG-3 | II./JG 52 | 94 152 |
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3.11.1942
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Pe-2 | II./JG 52 | 94 481 |
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3.11.1942
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LaGG-3 | II./JG 52 | 94 152 |
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12.11.1942
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I-16 | II./JG 52 | 95 723 |
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12.11.1942
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Il-2 | II./JG 52 | 95 753 |
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15.11.1942
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Yak-1 | II./JG 52 | 96 161 |
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28.11.1942
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Il-2 | II./JG 52 | 49 382 |
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28.11.1942
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Il-2 | II./JG 52 | 49 353 |
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30.11.1942
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Yak-1 | II./JG 52 | 39 143 |
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30.11.1942
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Yak-1 | II./JG 52 | 39 153 |
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30.11.1942
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Il-2 | II./JG 52 | 29 432 |
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1.12.1942
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P-40 | II./JG 52 | 39 311 |
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2.12.1942
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Yak-1 | II./JG 52 | 49 354 |
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2.12.1942
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Il-2 | II./JG 52 | 49 354 |
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8.12.1942
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Yak-1 | II./JG 52 | 39 651 |
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8.12.1942
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Yak-1 | II./JG 52 | 39 654 |
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8.12.1942
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P-40 | II./JG 52 | 39 491 |
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18.12.1942
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Yak-1 | II./JG 52 | 39 823 |
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18.12.1942
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Yak-1 | II./JG 52 | 39 733 |
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19.12.1942
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La-5 | II./JG 52 | 49 534 |
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19.12.1942
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Yak-1 | II./JG 52 | 49 641 |
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19.12.1942
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Yak-1 | II./JG 52 | 49 671 |
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20.12.1942
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Il-2 | II./JG 52 | 39 853 |
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22.12.1942
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La-5 | II./JG 52 | 39 823 |
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26.12.1942
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La-5 | II./JG 52 | 39 812 |
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28.12.1942
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La-5 | II./JG 52 | 38 351 |
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26.1.1943
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Pe-2 | 5./JG 52 | 8 613 |
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27.1.1943
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R-5 | 5./JG 52 | 7 442 |
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31.1.1943
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LaGG-3 | 5./JG 52 | 99 601 |
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31.1.1943
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LaGG-3 | 5./JG 52 | 9 541 |
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1.2.1943
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La-5 | 5./JG 52 | 18 544 |
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2.2.1943
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LaGG-5 | 5./JG 52 | 12 842 |
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2.2.1943
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Yak-1 | 5./JG 52 | 8 842 |
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7.2.1943
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Yak-1 | 5./JG 52 | 99 662 |
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11.2.1943
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Yak-1 | 5./JG 52 | 86 460 |
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11.2.1943
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Yak-1 | 5./JG 52 | 86 490 |
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12.2.1943
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I-153 | 6./JG 52 | 85 174 |
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12.2.1943
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I-153 | 6./JG 52 | 85 311 |
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12.2.1943
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I-153 | 6./JG 52 | 85 482 |
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12.2.1943
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I-153 | 6./JG 52 | 85 624 |
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12.2.1943
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R-5 | 6./JG 52 | 85 833 |
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13.2.1943
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Boston | 6./JG 52 | 86 522 |