Heinz Vinke

Heinz Vinke
Born	22 May 1920 Barby
Died	over the North Sea near Dunkirk, France
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1938–44
Rank	Oberfeldwebel
Unit	NJG 1
Battles/wars	World War II Defense of the Reich Battle of Berlin (air)
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Heinz Vinke (22 May 1920 – 26 February 1944) was a German Luftwaffe night fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He and his crew were shot down and killed in action on 26 February 1944, while on a search and rescue mission over the English Channel.

Career

This gun sequence, taken from F/O. George Hardy's aircraft, shows the Messerschmitt's starboard engine exploding, shortly before it dived to its destruction in the English Channel.

Heinz Vinke was born on 22 May 1920 in Barby, in the Province of Saxony, a Free State of Prussia. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1938, where he was trained as a Zerstörer (destroyer) pilot. Serving with Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 (NJG 2—2nd Night Fighter Wing) over Northern Europe, his first air victory was on 27 February 1942, a Armstrong Whitworth Whitley 22 kilometres (14 mi) north-east of Leeuwarden. His next claim was filed on the night of 3/4 June 1942 when he shot down a Short Stirling at 02:16 over the Zuiderzee. His fourth victory was over a Vickers Wellington shot down on 28 June 1942 at 00:54 east of Enkhuizen. Vinke became an ace when he shot down his fifth opponent, Wellington bomber, on the night of 27/28 August 1942 at 02:32.

He transferred to Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing) in early 1943. On 17/18 August 1943, Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command targeted Peenemünde and the V-weapons test centre. Five Bristol Beaufighter night fighters of No. 141 Squadron, under the command of Wing Commander Bob Braham, intercepted five Messerschmitt Bf 110s from IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (IV./NJG 1—4th group of the 1st Night Fighter Wing), and Feldwebel (Sergeant) Georg Kraft (14 victories) and Feldwebel Vinke (at the time with 20 claims) were both shot down by Braham near Schiermonnikoog. Feldwebel Vinke was the only one of his crew to survive.

Vinke claimed eight confirmed night kills during 1942, twenty-nine in 1943 and seventeen during early 1944 before he was killed in action. He was decorated with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 19 September 1943 for twenty-seven claims, and was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves. Vinke claimed 54 aerial victories in 153 operations, all of them at night.

Oberfeldwebel (Master Sergeant) Vinke was shot down and killed while flying Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4 (Werknummer 740136—factory number) of 11./NJG 1 on 26 February 1944, while on a search and rescue mission over the English Channel. The victors were two Hawker Typhoons of No. 198 Squadron RAF, flown by F/L. Cheval L'Allemand and F/O. George Hardy. His crew of Unteroffizier Rudolf Dunger and Unteroffizier Rudolf Walter were also killed.

Awards

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 29 March 1943 as Feldwebel and pilot
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 2 August 1943 as Feldwebel in the 5./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 19 September 1943 as Feldwebel and pilot in the 11./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1
  • 465th Oak Leaves on 25 April 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 11./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1