Helmut Wick was born on 5 August 1915 at Mannheim. On completion of his schooling, he began training as a forestry worker. Wick joined the new Luftwaffe in 1935. By April 1936, he had received the rank of Fahnenjunker and by July 1937, he had been promoted to the rank of Fähnrich. On completion of his training, Wick was assigned to II./JG 134 flying Arado Ar 68 biplane fighters. He was commissioned with the rank of Leutnant on 1 September 1938. In January 1939, Wick was transferred to 1./JG 53, flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter under the command of Werner Mölders (115 victories, RK-Br, killed in flying accident 22 November 1941). Wick was transferred to JG 2 on 30 August 1939. Leutnant Wick was assigned to 3./JG 2 and served with the unit in the air defence of Berlin during the Polish Campaign. He recorded his and the Geschwader’s first victory on 22 November 1939, when he shot down a French Hawk 75 fighter near Strasbourg, piloted by ace Adjutant Camille Plubeau (14 victories) of GC II/4, Armée de l’Air, who crash-landed, wounded. On 10 May, 3./JG 2 was relocated to the western front but Wick remained behind while his aircraft underwent an engine change. He finally arrived at the front on 21 May. Wick was particularly successful during the French campaign recording 12 confirmed and two unconfirmed victories, including four French fighters shot down on 5 June to record his fourth through seventh victories and his 10th victory shot down on 8 June. The two unconfirmed victories related to two Royal Navy Swordfish torpedo bomber biplanes shot down at the end of May for which he had no witnesses.Wick was to have continued success during the Battle of Britain. He was appointed Staffelkapitän of 3./JG 2 on 1 August 1940, although he had been leading the unit since 23 June. He recorded his 19th and 20th victories on 25 August and on 26 August claimed a further two to take his score 22. For this feat, Oberleutnant Wick was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 27 August 1940. On 4 September 1940, Wick received promotion to the rank of Hauptmann and took command of 6./JG 2.
He added six further victories with this unit to
raise his victory total to 28. Wick was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of
I./JG 2 on 9 September. On 5 October, he shot down five RAF fighters in
the Isle of Wight area (37-41). This gained him the immediate award of
the Eichenlaub (Nr 4). Further promotion followed and, at 25 years of age,
Wick was the youngest Major in the Wehrmacht. Wick was appointed Kommodore
of JG 2 on 20 October 1940, succeeding Major Wolfgang
Schellmann (25 victories, RK) who had left to command JG 27. On 6 November,
Wick claimed five RAF fighters shot down (48-52). On 28 November 1940,
Wick achieved his 55th victory during an early sortie to become the leading
fighter ace in the world. Later in the day, on a "Freie Jagd" over the
English
Channel, Wick scored his 56th victory, a Spitfire. In turn, his aircraft
was shot down by British ace Flight Lieutenant John Dundas (13.333 confirmed,
2 probable and 4.5 damaged victories) of 609 Squadron, RAF. Wick was seen
to bale out of Bf 109 E-4 (W.Nr. 5344) “Black < - + -“ over the Channel,
his “Geschwaderstab Schwarm” mate Hauptmann “Rudi”
Pflanz (52 victories, RK, killed in action 31 July 1942) circled the
area calling over the radio that a “Spitfire was down” hoping to attract
the British air/sea rescue. Pflanz continued to circle until his fuel was
almost empty, crash-landing at landfall on his return over the Channel
but Wick was never found.
Helmut Wick was credited with 56 victories achieved
flying 168 combat missions. In his score are 24 Spitfires.
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22.11.1939
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Hawk-75 | 3./JG 2 | Bitsch-Phalsbourg-Saare / Possibly H-75A (No 95) of GC II/4 flown by Adj Camille Plubeau (14 victories), crash-landed, wounded |
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20.5.1940
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LeO 451 | 3./JG 2 | Cambrai-St. Quentin |
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20.5.1940
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LeO 451 | 3./JG 2 | Cambrai-St. Quentin |
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5.6.1940
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Bloch 151 | 3./JG 2 | Ham-Péronne |
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5.6.1940
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Bloch 151 | 3./JG 2 | Ham-Péronne |
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5.6.1940
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Bloch 151 | 3./JG 2 | Ham-Péronne |
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5.6.1940
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Morane 406 | 3./JG 2 | Ham-Péronne |
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6.6.1940
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Bloch 151 | 3./JG 2 | Ham-Péronne |
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6.6.1940
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Bloch 151 | 3./JG 2 | Ham-Péronne |
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8.6.1940
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Bloch 151 | 3./JG 2 | SW Soissons |
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8.6.1940
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Morane 406 | 3./JG 2 | SW Soissons |
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9.6.1940
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Blenheim | 3./JG 2 | NE Soissons / Blenheim of 107 Sqn, RAF |
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13.6.1940
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Battle | 3./JG 2 | Montdidier-Provins |
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17.7.1940
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Spitfire | 3./JG 2 | Hailsham (Brighton) / Spitfire (P9507) of 64 Sqn, RAF flown by F/O D Taylor, crash-landed |
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11.8.1940
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Hawk-75 | 3./JG 2 | E Weymouth / Hurricane I (V7233) “LV-K” of 87 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O JR Cock (10.75/4/5 victories), baled out |
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11.8.1940
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Spitfire | 3./JG 2 | - |
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11.8.1940
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Hurricane | 3./JG 2 | 40km in front Portland |
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16.8.1940
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Hurricane | 3./JG 2 | E Portsmouth |
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25.8.1940
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Hurricane | 3./JG 2 | Portland |
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25.8.1940
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Spitfire | 3./JG 2 | Portland |
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26.8.1940
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Hurricane | 3./JG 2 | Portsmouth |
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26.8.1940
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Hurricane | 3./JG 2 | Portsmouth |
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5.9.1940
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Spitfire | 6./JG 2 | - |
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6.9.1940
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Spitfire | 6./JG 2 | - |
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7.9.1940
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Spitfire | 6./JG 2 | - |
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8.9.1940
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Hurricane | 6./JG 2 | - |
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8.9.1940
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Hurricane | 6./JG 2 | - |
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8.9.1940
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Hurricane | 6./JG 2 | - |
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25.9.1940
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Spitfire | Stab I./JG 2 | - |
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26.9.1940
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Spitfire | Stab I./JG 2 | - |
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27.9.1940
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Spitfire | Stab I./JG 2 | - |
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28.9.1940
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Hurricane | Stab I./JG 2 | - |
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30.9.1940
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Spitfire | Stab I./JG 2 | - |
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30.9.1940
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Spitfire | Stab I./JG 2 | - |
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1.10.1940
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Spitfire | Stab I./JG 2 | - |
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1.10.1940
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Spitfire | Stab I./JG 2 | S Swanage |
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5.10.1940
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Hurricane | Stab I./JG 2 | S Bournemouth / Hurricane of 607 Sqn, RAF |
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5.10.1940
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Hurricane | Stab I./JG 2 | Bournemouth / Hurricane of 607 Sqn, RAF |
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5.10.1940
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Hurricane | Stab I./JG 2 | Bournemouth / Hurricane of 607 Sqn, RAF |
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5.10.1940
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Spitfire | Stab I./JG 2 | E Isle of Wight / Hurricane of 238 Sqn, RAF |
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5.10.1940
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Spitfire | Stab I./JG 2 | E Isle of Wight / Hurricane of 238 Sqn, RAF |
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15.10.1940
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Spitfire | Stab I./JG 2 | Portsmouth |
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29.10.1940
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Hurricane | Stab/JG 2 | Portsmouth |
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29.10.1940
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Spitfire | Stab/JG 2 | Portsmouth |
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5.11.1940
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Hurricane | Stab/JG 2 | NE Portland |
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5.11.1940
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Hurricane | Stab/JG 2 | NE Portland |
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5.11.1940
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Spitfire | Stab/JG 2 | NE Portland |
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6.11.1940
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Hurricane | Stab/JG 2 | Southampton / Hurricane (V7602) “AD-D” of 151 Sqn, RAF flown by Sgt HH Adair, killed |
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6.11.1940
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Hurricane | Stab/JG 2 | Southampton |
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6.11.1940
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Spitfire | Stab/JG 2 | E Isle of Wight |
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6.11.1940
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Spitfire | Stab/JG 2 | E Isle of Wight |
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6.11.1940
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Spitfire | Stab/JG 2 | E Isle of Wight |
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7.11.1940
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Hurricane | Stab/JG 2 | S Portsmouth |
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10.11.1940
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Spitfire | Stab/JG 2 | E Portsmouth |
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28.11.1940
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Spitfire | Stab/JG 2 | NE Isle of Wight |
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28.11.1940
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Spitfire | Stab/JG 2 | Bournemouth / Spitfire I (R6631) “PR-O” of 609 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O PA Baillon, killed |
Victories : 56
Awards : Ritterkreuz (27 August 1940)
Eichenlaub (6 October 1940)
Units : JG 134, JG 53, JG 2