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.
Staffelführer of 6./JG 27 Lt. Willy Kientsch leaves the cockpit
of his Bf 109G-6 Trop. Trapani, spring 1943.
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.
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18.3.1942
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P-40 | Stab II./JG 27 | 15km SW Ain-el-Gazala |
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18.3.1942
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P-40 | Stab II./JG 27 | 10km SE Tobruk |
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7.4.1942
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P-40 | Stab II./JG 27 | S Ain-el-Gazala / Kittyhawk of 450 Sqn RAF |
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23.5.1942
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P-40 | Stab II./JG 27 | 10km NE Ras-el-Tin / Hurricane of 33 Sqn RAF |
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23.5.1942
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P-40 | Stab II./JG 27 | 3km NE Ain-el-Gazala / Hurricane of 33 Sqn RAF |
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4.6.1942
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P-40 | Stab II./JG 27 | 10km SW Mteifel Chebir / Tomahawk of 4 Sqn SAAF |
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9.6.1942
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P-40 | Stab II./JG 27 | NE Bir Hacheim |
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17.6.1942
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P-40 | Stab II./JG 27 | E Sidi Rezegh |
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21.7.1942
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Hurricane | 5./JG 27 | SE El Alamein |
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20.10.1942
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P-40 | 5./JG 27 | SE Bir el Abd |
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21.10.1942
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P-40 | 5./JG 27 | SE El Daba / Hurricane of 213 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O WH Stephenson |
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23.10.1942
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P-40 | 5./JG 27 | NE El Alamein |
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24.10.1942
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P-40 | 5./JG 27 | SE El Alamein |
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26.10.1942
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P-40 | 5./JG 27 | SW El Alamein / Kittyhawk of 3 Sqn, SAAF flown by F/Sgt Bullwinkel, baled out |
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18.11.1942
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P-40 | 5./JG 27 | ENE Sidi Ahmed el Magrun / Hurricane of 33 Sqn, RAF flown by S/L Mannix |
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27.11.1942
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Spitfire | 5./JG 27 | 15km SW Agedabia / Spitfire of 1 Sqn, SAAF flown by Capt Breidenkamp |
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5.4.1943
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P-38 | 6./JG 27 | 35km W Maréttimo |
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13.4.1943
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B-17 | 6./JG 27 | 10km N Trapani |
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16.4.1943
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P-38 | 6./JG 27 | 30km NNW Maréttimo |
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16.4.1943
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P-38 | 6./JG 27 | 60km NW Maréttimo |
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29.4.1943
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P-38 | 6./JG 27 | 25km W Maréttimo |
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30.4.1943
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Spitfire | 6./JG 27 | 30km SE Kelibia |
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9.5.1943
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B-17 | 6./JG 27 | WNW Trapani |
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21.5.1943
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B-17 | 6./JG 27 | SSW Granitola Torreta |
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22.5.1943
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B-17 | 6./JG 27 | SW Maréttimo |
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25.5.1943
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B-17 | 6./JG 27 | NW Maréttimo |
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28.5.1943
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P-38 | 6./JG 27 | SSW Granitola Torreta |
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28.5.1943
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P-38 | 6./JG 27 | SSW Granitola Torreta |
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9.6.1943
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P-38 | 6./JG 27 | N Pantelleria |
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9.6.1943
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P-38 | 6./JG 27 | 20km S Pantelleria |
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10.6.1943
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Spitfire | 6./JG 27 | 20km NW Pantelleria |
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10.6.1943
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Spitfire | 6./JG 27 | 20km WSW Pantelleria |
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15.6.1943
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B-25 | 6./JG 27 | 30km SW Maréttimo |
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15.6.1943
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P-38 | 6./JG 27 | 40km S Maréttimo |
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15.6.1943
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Spitfire | 6./JG 27 | 1km N Maréttimo |
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2.7.1943
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B-24 | 6./JG 27 | 20km SW Gallipolo |
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10.7.1943
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Spitfire | 6./JG 27 | 15km E Syracusa |
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13.7.1943
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Spitfire | 6./JG 27 | 20km SW Syracusa |
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16.7.1943
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B-24 | 6./JG 27 | 5km NE Molfetta |
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17.7.1943
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B-24 | 6./JG 27 | 30km SW Salerno |
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19.7.1943
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B-24 | 6./JG 27 | 100km S Spartivento |
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6.9.1943
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B-17 | 6./JG 27 | SE Schorndorf |
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6.9.1943
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B-17 | 6./JG 27 | SSW Böblingen |
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4.10.1943
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B-17 | 6./JG 27 | Valmy |
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26.11.1943
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B-17 | 6./JG 27 | Duurswoude |
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26.11.1943
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B-24 | 6./JG 27 | SE Leeuwarden |
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1.12.1943
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B-17 | 6./JG 27 | Bonn |
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19.12.1943
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B-17 HSS | 6./JG 27 | 80km SSE Innsbruck |
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19.12.1943
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B-17 HSS | 6./JG 27 | 80km SSE Innsbruck |
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20.12.1943
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B-24 | 6./JG 27 | NW Bremen |
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5.1.1944
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P-47 | 6./JG 27 | Hagen-Bergisch Gladbach-Prüm |
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7.1.1944
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B-17 | 6./JG 27 | Neunkirchen |
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11.1.1944
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B-24 | 6./JG 27 | E Assen |
Victories : 53
Awards : Knight`s Cross with Oak Leaves
Units : JG 27