Helmut Wick RK Citation

[hucks216]

Hi,
Just thought that I would share this photo of Helmut Wick's RK citation. I took the picture at the RAF Hendon museum in London last weekend.

[VtwinVince]

Wow, now that's an eye-popper. I wonder how it wound up at Hendon?

[KM-NZ]

far out, the youngest battle of britain pilot to go MIA.
So I read
How did it wind up there indeed

Cheers

[Todd Gylsen]

Super document. Here is a pic of Wick to go with the document along with a little history I found of him on the web.

Achieved his 56th aerial victory by shooting down RAF Spitfire Pilot Officer Baillon, who was killed. Wick was then attacked by two Spitfires and was shot down in action over the Channel. He was shot down by British ace Flight Lieutenant John Dundas of 609 Squadron, RAF who was flying a Spitfire. Wick's wingman then the shot down and killed John Dundas . Wick was seen to bale out of Bf 109, his “Geschwaderstab Schwarm” mate Hauptmann Pfanz (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. Pfanz continued to circle until his fuel was almost empty, crash-landing at landfall on his return over the Channel but Wick was never found.

[KM-NZ]

Wolfgang Willrich also made a drawing of Wick, that ended up being postcard in the NVA series

Cheers

[Mark C. Yerger]

The museums in the UK are wonderful, saw some of the old Campion (spelling?) collection material there years ago, not to mention many restored aircraft that are the only ones of their type.

[hucks216]

The museums in the UK are wonderful, saw some of the old Campion (spelling?) collection material there years ago, not to mention many restored aircraft that are the only ones of their type.

I've posted a photo of the Campion Collection's display of Goering's awards (again from Hendon) in the General Awards section on this website...

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=309474

[Ludwig]

Wow, now that's an eye-popper. I wonder how it wound up at Hendon?

Someone stole it in Germany. What else?

[hucks216]

Someone stole it in Germany. What else?

His family were skint and sold it to get some money? Just another option.

[VtwinVince]

Possible that it was stolen from the family. My uncle, a gruppenkommandeur in the Luftwaffe, had many of his awards "liberated" by US forces in Bavaria in 1945, as well as by the Russians at his Berlin address. I'm still hoping to one day track them down.

[Der Freiwillige]

Helmut Wick

Well I guess this then is the right spot to add the autographed picture (Röhr Verlag) of this famous Jagdflieger. Please note signed with first and surname, not easy to come across!

Mit bestem Gruss,

Der Freiwillige

[Ludwig]

Very nice photo!!!

[stevie e]

Well I guess this then is the right spot to add the autographed picture (Röhr Verlag) of this famous Jagdflieger. Please note signed with first and surname, not easy to come across!

Mit bestem Gruss,

Der Freiwillige

Hate to disapoint you Der Freiwillige but this is not Wick's signature. I hope you didn't pay too much for it because it's not his handwriting or signature I'm afraid....

[typhoon boy]

Wick Signature

Have to agree with last post. Also, he died about 53 days after the award of his EL, pretty quick for the photo to be taken, cards made and distributed. Does anyone have publication dates for cards - Rohr, Hoffmann, etc.

[Mithrandir]

In the early years of the war, they were pretty quick in publishing cards.
There weren't so many heros like 1944 or 1945.