[Johannes]

Hi Ken

Wilhelm Fest did get at least six confirmations:-

19th May 1943 B-17 south of Hallig Sudfall 1318 hrs 7400 metres Nr.1
28th July 1943 B-17 X 3 0906 hrs 6000 metres Nr.2-4
6th March 1944 P-47 Lingen area 1155 hrs 7000 metres A.S.M
29th April 1944 B-24 west of Minden 1340 hrs 6500 metres

The first five were as a Unteroffizier, the last as a Feldwebel. The Micro Films during January 1944 are generally recording only the date and time of "Kill" and perhaps he could be responsable for some of these, so I have left the last two without number!

On 8th May 1944 he was shot down in combat with U.S Thunderbolt's, he bailed-out of his Bf109 near Uelzen, Germany, but his parachute failed to open, and he fell to his death!

Regarding Knoke:- he was rebuffed from post war meetings as was an outspoken Nazi(allegedly), and over the years we have been given variously differing totals for "kills" 52, 44 and 33 have all been declared, and as he survived the war, I can only think these came from himself, though it would appear that only fifteen were ever confirmed(thirteen of them viermots). He has been also sited as being not that honest with his claims, but as so few were actually put forward offically, I would give him the benifit of the doubt!

Regards

Johannes