A puzzle on Lt Heinz Wilberg

[Andre Stewart]

Hello all,

I wonder if anyone can help with a little puzzle I've always had on this pilot -- we know of a Lt Heinz Wilberg who flew with 2./ZG2 in 1939-40 and calimed 1 victory over Poland. Apparently Wilberg remained with the Gruppe until the unit was disbanded around Sep 1940, after which he "disappears" from our records.

At the same time, we have the loss info of one Lt Heinz Wilberg of Stab II./NJG4 who was KIC on the nite of 9/10 May 1944 when his Bf-110 collided with another landing a/c at Coulommiers airbase.

My question is -- is this the same guy? The unit movements make this plausible, but what really puzzles me is his rank. If he really is the same person, could he have remained Leutnant after more than 4 years service? Seems very unlikely...

Can anyone confirm or disprove this? Perhaps from his EKM Nr in the NVM?
And can someone please tell me Wilberg's date and place of birth?

Thanks in advance.

rgds
andre

[Larry deZeng]

Lt Heinz Wilberg

(1) L.Dv.Nr. 2010/1 Dienstaltersliste der Offiziere der deutschen Luftwaffe nach dem Stande vom 1. August 1944 – Truppenoffiziere (A 1), bearteitet im Luftwaffenpersonalamt, has a Lt. Wilberg listed on page 489 with other Leutnante having dates of rank back in the 1939-41 time frame. His first name is not given so I doubt if this is Heinz Wilberg. This same document identifies numerous Truppenoffiziere in the rank of Leutnant with dates of rank as far back as 1.10.35 (that individual’s name was Gerhard Gertz, born 17.6.12).

(2) According to Horst Scheibert, Die Inhaber des Ehrenpokals für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg (Friedberg: Podzun-Pallas-Verlag, 1986), Heinz Wilberg is listed as an Unteroffizier and pilot at the time he was awarded the Ehrenpokal on 17.11.41.

(3) The Kracker Archive ( http://aircrewremembrancesociety.com/Kracker/LuftwaffeGermanPilotsW.html ) lists him as an Oberleutnant.

I think it is safe to conclude that Wilberg was an enlisted pilot who later was commissioned (1942?) and was promoted to at least Oberleutnant before his death.

L.

[John Manrho]

According to NVM:

Lt. Heinz Wilberg, born 03.10.1916 Düsseldorf.
KIA 10.05.1944
Stab II./NJG 4
EM 55565/4

Perhaps somebody can check Mob.Nr. for 55565.

Cheers,

John

[karl lusink]

Originally Posted by John Manrho

According to NVM:

Lt. Heinz Wilberg, born 03.10.1916 Düsseldorf.
KIA 10.05.1944
Stab II./NJG 4
EM 55565/4

Perhaps somebody can check Mob.Nr. for 55565.

Cheers,

John

Hello
55565 = 2./Zerst.G. 2

karl lusink
ARGA

[John Manrho]

Well Mr. Stewart....problem solved then...:-))))

[Andre Stewart]

Spot on!

Thanks John, Larry and Karl. Great info.

rgds
andre

[Evgeny Velichko]

Andre:

Lt. Heinz Wilberg served with 2./ZG2 during 1939-autumn 1940. He had some (13?) claims as Zerstorer).
Then, together with those pilots of ZG2, who was not applied to instrumental(blind) flight and not fit with NachtJagd (for example - Lt. Tratt, Lt. Zimmermann e.t.c.), was transferred to different Zerstorer units, with Lt. Wilberg went to Theo Rossiwall's 5./ZG26.
Then happened strange: with his new unit he is listed with rank as "FLIEGER"!
With his new Staffel he flew over USSR during Barbarossa operation.
On 27.06.1941 Flieger Heinz Wilberg was awarded FrontFlügSpange für Zerstörer in Silber (Operational Flying Clasp for Destroyers in Silver) for 60 Frontflügen.
On 24.07.1941 Flieger Heinz Wilberg was awarded FrontFlügSpange für Zerstörer in Gold for 110 Frontflügen.

He flew with his 5./ZG26 untill Staffel was withdrawn back to Germany to convert on NightFighters.

In April 1942, 5./ZG26 was used to form II./NJG4, with Hptm. Rossiwall becomes GruppenKomandeur. Heinz Wilberg was posted to 4./NJG4.

With this Staffel he got his first night victory on 25.10.42 as Feldwebel. You know his further bio.

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello all,

Just a minor addition:
In June 1943 Feldwebel Heinz Wilberg (3./NJG 4) was temporarily attached to the 3./NJG 1, having 1 nocturnal victory in the night of 21/22 June 1943 (Halifax near Harskamp/Netherlands)

Greetz, Marcel

[Johannes]

Seems that NJG 1 was permitted to second any Night fighter pilot when needed i.e just for a night!, probably this is the case with Wilberg?

Regards Johannes

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello Johannes,

No, this posting was part of a decision of General der Nachtjagd Kammhuber to shift nightfighter pilots from areas where they hardly got any combat flights to the hard pressed NJ Gruppen (especially of NJG 1) during the Battle of the Ruhr.

In May 1943 several crews of NJG 2, 3, 4 and 5 were posted to I./NJG 1 (Venlo), II./NJG 1 (St.Trond), III./NJG 1 (Twente) and IV./NJG 1 (Leeuwarden). In the case of Venlo their presence increased the score of the I./NJG 1 with approx. 70 additional victories.

Summarizing: getting pilots from elsewhere was not a privilege of NJG 1.

All the best, Marcel