Hi folks,
I was informed that unfortunately the Luftwaffe fighter ace and Oakleaves holder Gerhard "Gerd" Thyben had passed away on September 4th, 2006.
For those who are not familiar with Luftwaffe fighter aces, Thyben was born in Kiel on February 24th, 1922 and joined the JG 3 in late 1942. In April 1944 he moved to the JG54 and stayed at the Ostfront up to the end of hostilities. When the III Reich surrendered he flew from Kurland pocket to his homeland Kiel. During his final trip he shot down one soviet Pe-2 - the last JG54 victory.
By the end of the war Thyben had flown 385 combat missions and shot down 157 enemy planes (152 in the Ostfront). He was awarded with the German Cross in Gold (September 30th, 1944), Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (December 6th, 1944) and the Oakleaves (#822, April 8th, 1945).
After the war he settled in South America, where he worked as consultant to the Colombian Air Force.
May he rest in peace.
Douglas.
I was informed that unfortunately the Luftwaffe fighter ace and Oakleaves holder Gerhard "Gerd" Thyben had passed away on September 4th, 2006.
For those who are not familiar with Luftwaffe fighter aces, Thyben was born in Kiel on February 24th, 1922 and joined the JG 3 in late 1942. In April 1944 he moved to the JG54 and stayed at the Ostfront up to the end of hostilities. When the III Reich surrendered he flew from Kurland pocket to his homeland Kiel. During his final trip he shot down one soviet Pe-2 - the last JG54 victory.
By the end of the war Thyben had flown 385 combat missions and shot down 157 enemy planes (152 in the Ostfront). He was awarded with the German Cross in Gold (September 30th, 1944), Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (December 6th, 1944) and the Oakleaves (#822, April 8th, 1945).
After the war he settled in South America, where he worked as consultant to the Colombian Air Force.
May he rest in peace.
Douglas.