Wilhelm Kientsch was born on 12 May 1921 at Kisslegg in Württemberg. Kientsch was posted to the Ergänzungs-Staffel/JG 27 on 27 May 1941 for operational training. At the beginning of 1942, Oberfähnrich Kientsch was transferred to the Stabsstaffel of II./JG 27 based in North Africa. He gained his first two victories on 18 March when he shot down two RAF P-40 fighters. By late June 1942, by which time Kientsch was serving with 5./JG 27, he had eight victories to his credit and, by the end of 1942, he had increased his score to 16. On 1 June 1943, Kientsch was appointed Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 27. He was particularly successful over Sicily and southern Italy in the spring and summer of 1943 claiming 25 victories, including his 20th victory, a USAAF P-38 twin-engined fighter on 16 April, one of eight he was to claim during his Mediterranean theatre service. Also included in his victories were nine four-engined bombers.

    He claimed his 30th victory on 6 June, another P-38 near Pantelleria, and his 40th victory on 17 July, a USAAF B-24 four-engined bomber near Salerno. In August 1943, 6./JG 27 was relocated to bases in Germany to engage in Reichsverteidigung duties. Leutnant Kientsch was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 22 November for 44 victories. On 20 December, he claimed his 50th victory when he shot down a B-24 bomber near Bremen. Kientsch was killed in Bf 109 G-6 (WNr 440073) “Yellow 3” when he became disorientated in cloud during aerial combat and crashed into the ground near Würrisch/Hunsrück in Germany on 29 January 1944. Kientsch was posthumously awarded the Eichenlaub (Nr 527) on 20 July.
    "Willy" Kientsch was credited with 53 victories. All his victories were recorded over the Western front. Included in his total are 20 four-engined bombers.
 

No	Date	Time	A/c Type	Unit	Location / Comments
1.	18.3.1942	8:20	P-40	Stab II./JG 27	15km SW Ain-el-Gazala
2.	18.3.1942	8:40	P-40	Stab II./JG 27	10km SE Tobruk
3.	7.4.1942	15:45	P-40	Stab II./JG 27	S Ain-el-Gazala / Kittyhawk of 450 Sqn RAF
4.	23.5.1942	9:40	P-40	Stab II./JG 27	10km NE Ras-el-Tin / Hurricane of 33 Sqn RAF
5.	23.5.1942	9:55	P-40	Stab II./JG 27	3km NE Ain-el-Gazala / Hurricane of 33 Sqn RAF
6.	4.6.1942	8:20	P-40	Stab II./JG 27	10km SW Mteifel Chebir / Tomahawk of 4 Sqn SAAF
7.	9.6.1942	19:05	P-40	Stab II./JG 27	NE Bir Hacheim
8.	17.6.1942	10:25	P-40	Stab II./JG 27	E Sidi Rezegh
9.	21.7.1942	18:20	Hurricane	5./JG 27	SE El Alamein
10.	20.10.1942	11:40	P-40	5./JG 27	SE Bir el Abd
11.	21.10.1942	8:50	P-40	5./JG 27	SE El Daba / Hurricane of 213 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O WH Stephenson
12.	23.10.1942	7:55	P-40	5./JG 27	NE El Alamein
13.	24.10.1942	16:40	P-40	5./JG 27	SE El Alamein
14.	26.10.1942	6:40	P-40	5./JG 27	SW El Alamein / Kittyhawk of 3 Sqn, SAAF flown by F/Sgt Bullwinkel, baled out
15.	18.11.1942	9:20	P-40	5./JG 27	ENE Sidi Ahmed el Magrun / Hurricane of 33 Sqn, RAF flown by S/L Mannix
16.	27.11.1942	15:25	Spitfire	5./JG 27	15km SW Agedabia / Spitfire of 1 Sqn, SAAF flown by Capt Breidenkamp
17.	5.4.1943	12:50	P-38	6./JG 27	35km W Maréttimo
18.	13.4.1943	13:30	B-17	6./JG 27	10km N Trapani
19.	16.4.1943	16:45	P-38	6./JG 27	30km NNW Maréttimo
20.	16.4.1943	16:55	P-38	6./JG 27	60km NW Maréttimo
21.	29.4.1943	11:35	P-38	6./JG 27	25km W Maréttimo
22.	30.4.1943	10:30	Spitfire	6./JG 27	30km SE Kelibia
23.	9.5.1943	13:45	B-17	6./JG 27	WNW Trapani
24.	21.5.1943	11:20	B-17	6./JG 27	SSW Granitola Torreta
25.	22.5.1943	16:00	B-17	6./JG 27	SW Maréttimo
26.	25.5.1943	11:30	B-17	6./JG 27	NW Maréttimo
27.	28.5.1943	18:10	P-38	6./JG 27	SSW Granitola Torreta
28.	28.5.1943	18:13	P-38	6./JG 27	SSW Granitola Torreta
29.	9.6.1943	14:02	P-38	6./JG 27	N Pantelleria
30.	9.6.1943	14:10	P-38	6./JG 27	20km S Pantelleria
31.	10.6.1943	12:28	Spitfire	6./JG 27	20km NW Pantelleria
32.	10.6.1943	12:32	Spitfire	6./JG 27	20km WSW Pantelleria
33.	15.6.1943	8:40	B-25	6./JG 27	30km SW Maréttimo
34.	15.6.1943	8:45	P-38	6./JG 27	40km S Maréttimo
35.	15.6.1943	10:15	Spitfire	6./JG 27	1km N Maréttimo
36.	2.7.1943	11:30	B-24	6./JG 27	20km SW Gallipolo
37.	10.7.1943	16:05	Spitfire	6./JG 27	15km E Syracusa
38.	13.7.1943	15:35	Spitfire	6./JG 27	20km SW Syracusa
39.	16.7.1943	13:10	B-24	6./JG 27	5km NE Molfetta
40.	17.7.1943	14:10	B-24	6./JG 27	30km SW Salerno
41.	19.7.1943	11:00	B-24	6./JG 27	100km S Spartivento
42.	6.9.1943	10:53	B-17	6./JG 27	SE Schorndorf
43.	6.9.1943	11:00	B-17	6./JG 27	SSW Böblingen
44.	4.10.1943	11:42	B-17	6./JG 27	Valmy
45.	26.11.1943	13:30	B-17	6./JG 27	Duurswoude
46.	26.11.1943	13:35	B-24	6./JG 27	SE Leeuwarden
47.	1.12.1943	12:20	B-17	6./JG 27	Bonn
48.	19.12.1943	12:32	B-17 HSS	6./JG 27	80km SSE Innsbruck
49.	19.12.1943	12:35	B-17 HSS	6./JG 27	80km SSE Innsbruck
50.	20.12.1943	12:05	B-24	6./JG 27	NW Bremen
51.	5.1.1944	11:30	P-47	6./JG 27	Hagen-Bergisch Gladbach-Prüm
52.	7.1.1944	12:20	B-17	6./JG 27	Neunkirchen
53.	11.1.1944	12:12	B-24	6./JG 27	E Assen

Victories : 53
Awards : Knight`s Cross with Oak Leaves
Units : JG 27