Helmut Lent

Oberst Helmut Lent (13 June 1918 7 October 1944)

was a German night-ghter ace in World War II. Lent
shot down 110 aircraft, 102 of them at night, far more
than the minimum of ve enemy aircraft required for the
title of ace.[1][Note 1] Born into a devoutly religious family, he showed an early passion for glider ying; against
his fathers wishes, he joined the Luftwae in 1936.
After completing his training, he was assigned to the
1. Squadron, or Stael, of Zerstrergeschwader 76 (ZG
76), a wing ying the Messerschmitt Bf 110 twin-engine
heavy ghter. Lent claimed his rst aerial victories at
the outset of World War II in the invasion of Poland and
over the North Sea. During the invasion of Norway he
ew ground support missions before he was transferred to
the newly established Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1), a
night-ghter wing.[2][3][Note 2]

From Easter 1924 until Easter 1928, Lent attended the

local public primary school at Pyrehne. His father and
oldest brother Werner then tutored him at home in preparation for the entrance examination at the public secondary school at Landsberg.[Note 3] In February 1933,
Helmut joined the Jungvolk, the junior branch of the
Hitler Youth. From March 1933, he acted as a youth platoon leader, or Jungzugfhrer (1 March 1933 1 April
1935) and ag-bearer, or Fhnleinfhrer (1 April 1935
9 November 1935) until he left the Jungvolk to prepare
for his diploma examination.[8] Helmut passed his graduation examinations at the age of seventeen on 12 December 1935. On 2 February 1936, he began the eightweek compulsory National Labor Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst) at Mohrin.[9] He joined the military service in the
Luftwae as a Fahnenjunker on 1 April 1936, against the
[10]
Lent claimed his rst nocturnal victory on 12 May 1941 wishes of his father.
and on 30 August 1941 was awarded the Knights Cross His military training began on 6 April 1936 at the 2nd
of the Iron Cross for 22 victories. His steady accumula- Air Warfare School (Luftkriegsschule 2) at Gatow, on the
tion of aerial victories resulted in regular promotions and south-western outskirts of Berlin. He swore the National
awards. On the night of 15 June 1944, Major Lent was Socialist oath of allegiance on 21 April 1936.[11] Flight
the rst night ghter pilot to claim 100 nocturnal aerial training began on Monday, 7 August 1936 at Gatow.
victories, a feat which earned him the Knights Cross of His rst ight was in a Heinkel He 72 Kadet D-EYZA
the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds single engine biplane. Lent logged his rst solo ight
on 31 July 1944.[2][3][4]
on 15 September 1936 in a Focke-Wulf Fw 44 Stieglitz.
By this time, Lent had accumulated 63 ights in his
On 5 October 1944, Lent ew a Junkers Ju 88 on a rou[12]
In conjunction with ight training, the stutine transit ight from Stade to Nordborchen, 5 kilome- logbook.
dents also learned to drive motorcycles and cars and durtres (3 mi) south of Paderborn. On the landing approach
one of the engines cut out and the aircraft collided with ing one of these training exercises, Lent was involved in a
enough to prepower lines. All four members of the crew were mortally road accident, breaking his upper leg badly
[13]
vent
him
from
ying
for
ve
months.
This
did not adinjured. Three men died shortly after the crash and Lent
versely
aect
his
classroom
training
and
on
1
April
1937,
succumbed to his injuries two days later on 7 October
after
taking
his
commission
examination,
he
was
pro[2][3]
1944.
moted to Fhnrich.[14] On 19 October 1937 Lent completed his ight training and was awarded the A/B License. He earned his wings on 15 November 1937. On
1 Childhood, education and early 1 February 1938, he was promoted to Oberfhnrich (rst
ensign), and on 1 March 1938 to Leutnant. By this time,
career
he had made 434 ights in eight dierent types of aircraft
and had accumulated 112 hours and 48 minutes ying
Helmut Lent was born on 13 June 1918 in Pyrehne, dis- time, mostly in daylight ights, in single engine training
[15]
trict of Landsberg an der Warthe, Province of Branden- aircraft.
burg, Germany (now Pyrzany, Lubusz Province, western After leaving Gatow, Helmut Lent was posted to
Poland) and christened Helmut Johannes Siegfried Lent. the Heavy Bomber Crew School, or Groe KampfHe was the fth child of Johannes Lent, a Lutheran min- iegerschule at Tutow, in northeast Germany. He spent
ister and Marie Elisabeth, ne Braune. Helmut Lent had three months training as an observer (1 March 1938 30
two older brothers, Werner and Joachim, and two older May 1938). Prior to completing this course, Lent was run
sisters, Kthe and Ursula.[5] His family was deeply reli- over by a car, resulting in a broken lower jaw, concussion,
gious; in addition to his father, both of his brothers and and internal bleeding. On 1 July 1938, Lent was posted
both grandfathers were also Lutheran ministers.[6]
1

2 WORLD WAR II

to the 3rd Group of Jagdgeschwader 132 Richthofen

(III./JG 132), ying on 19 July 1938 for the rst time after his injuries.[16]
At the beginning of September, Lents squadron, 7./JG
132, relocated to Groenhain near Dresden, in preparation and support of the annexation of Czechoslovakia.
Lent ew a number of operational patrols in this conict until his Stael relocated again to Rangsdorf on 29
September 1938. After the tension over the occupation of the Sudeten territories eased, Lents unit began
a conversion to the Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun. On
1 November 1938 III./JG 132 moved to Frstenwalde,
between Berlin and Frankfurt an der Oder, and was A ZG 76 Bf 110C similar to those own by Helmut Lent
renamed II./JG 141, and Lent was posted to the 6th
Squadron.[17]
[22][23]
II./JG
141
changed
its
designation
to P.11.
I./Zerstrergeschwader 76 (I./ZG 76) on 1 May 1939 At this point of the campaign the Bf 110s switched from
at the same time relocating to an aireld at Olmtz, bomber escort to ground-attack since the Polish Air Force
Czechoslovakia. The group was being re-equipped was all but defeated. In this capacity Lent and Kuwith the Messerschmitt Bf 110, and Lent made his rst bisch destroyed a twin-engined monoplane on the ground
ight in the Bf 110 on 7 June 1939. Lent was granted on 5 September and another aircraft, a PZL P.24, on
his Luftwae Advanced Pilots Certicate (Erweit- 9 September. On 12 September 1939 he was attacked
erter Luftwaen-Flugzeugfhrerschein), also known as by a Polish aircraft which shot out his starboard engine.
'C'-Certicate, conrming prociency on multi-engine Lent made a forced landing behind German lines.[24] He
aircraft, on 12 May 1939.[18] While converting to the ew ve more missions during the Polish campaign, deBf 110, Lent did not have a regular wireless operator stroying one anti-aircraft battery. For his actions in the
(Funker) in the rear gunners seat, but on 14 August Polish campaign Lent was awarded one of the rst Iron
1939 he was accompanied in M8+AH for the rst time Cross 2nd class of World War II on 21 September 1939.
by Gefreiter Walter Kubisch.[19] During the prelude of I./ZG 76 relocated to the Stuttgart area on 29 SeptemWorld War II on 25 August 1939 I./ZG 76 deployed to ber 1939 to defend the western border against the French
an aireld at Ohlau to the southeast of Breslau.[20]
and British, who had been at war with Germany since 3
September 1939.[25] From early October to middle December I./ZG 76 operated from a number of airelds in
the Stuttgart and Ruhr areas before relocating north to
2 World War II
Jever on 16 December 1939.[26]
World War II began at 04:45 on Friday 1 September 1939
when German forces crossed the Polish border. Helmut
2.2 Battle of the Heligoland Bight
Lent, ying a Bf 110 marked M8-DH, took o from
Ohlau, at 04:44 to escort Heinkel He 111 bombers on
During the rst month of the war the Royal Air
a mission over Krakow.[20]
Force (RAF) mostly focused its bomber attacks against
anti-shipping operations on the German Bight. RAF
bombers mounted a heavy attack against shipping o
2.1 Invasion of Poland
Wilhelmshaven on 18 December 1939 in what became
[27]
The German plans for the invasion of Poland were con- to be known as the Battle of the Heligoland Bight.
ceived under the codename Fall Weiss (Case White). This Twenty-four twin-engine Vickers Wellington from No.
operation called for simultaneous attacks on Poland from 9 Squadron, No. 37 Squadron and No. 149 Squadron
three directions, the north, the west and the south, be- formed up over Norfolk heading for the island of
ginning at 04:45 on the early morning of 1 September Heligoland. Two aircraft aborted the mission due to me1939. On this morning Helmut Lent, with Kubisch as his chanical defects, but the remaining 22 pursued the attack
spotted by a Freya radar on the East Frisian Iswireless operator and rear gunner, escorted a formation and were
[28]
lands.
of Heinkel 111 bombers of I. and III./Kampfgeschwader
4 (KG 4) attacking the airelds at Krakow in support of
the southern prong of the German attack.[21] At 16:30
on 2 September 1939, the second day of the German attack, Lent took o in the direction of d and claimed
his rst aerial-victory of the war, shooting down a PZL

Helmut Lent was ordered to intercept and engage the

attacking bomber force and after refuellingLent had
just landed at Jever from an armed patrolclaimed three
Wellingtons, two of which, shot down at 14:30 and
14:45, were later conrmed.[29] The two aircraft were

2.3

Norwegian Campaign and Battle of Britain

both from No. 37 Squadron, captained by Flying Of- to provide them 20 minutes ying time over Fornebu,[36]
cer P.A. Wimberley and Flying Ocer O.J.T. Lewis and the pilots would have to land at Fornebu once the airrespectively, and both crashed in the shallow sea o eld had been seized.[37]
Borkum. It is likely that his third claim may have been
No. 37 Squadron Wellington 1A N2396, LF-J, piloted by
Sergeant H. Ruse, which crash-landed on the sand dunes
of Borkum.[30] Lent was refused the victory over Wimberley, as the Wellington was attacked by Lent after it
had already been badly damaged and was about to crash.
The Wellington was credited to pilot Carl-August Schumacher .[31]
His success as a ghter pilot over the North Sea had made
him a minor national hero. Exploits such as those at Heligoland made good news stories for German propaganda
machine. Consequently, he attracted fan mailmainly
from young girls and womenamong them Elisabeth Petersen. Lent replied to her letter, and he and Elisabeth
met on a blind date at the Reichshof hotel in Hamburg,
after which they enjoyed a skiing holiday in Hirschegg in
February 1940.[32]

2.3

Lents Bf 110C ran out of fuel and was forced to land at

Oslo/Fornebu aireld on 9 April 1940.[38] A troop-carrying Ju
52 ies over Lents belly-landed Bf 110.[39]

On the early morning ight to Fornebu, Lent engaged and

shot down a Norwegian Gloster Gladiator.[33] While the
Ju 52s transporting the German paratroops came under
Norwegian Campaign and Battle of heavy re, Lents Rotte engaged the enemy ground posiBritain
tions. Lents starboard engine caught re, forcing him to
land immediately. With Kubisch manning the movable
machine gun, Lent negotiated the capitulation with the
Norwegian ground forces and the aireld was in German
hands.[40]

Norwegian Gladiator 427 brought down by Lent on 9 April

1940[33]

On 8 April 1940 eight aircraft of 1./ZG 76, under the

command of Staelkapitn Werner Hansen, deployed
northward from Jever to Westerland on Sylt in preparation for operation Weserbung, the invasion of Norway.[34] The German plan for the attack called for an amphibious assault on the Norwegian capital, Oslo, and six
major ports from Kristiansand in the south to Narvik in
the north.[35] Simultaneously, Junkers 52 (Ju 52) transport aircraft would drop parachute troops to secure Oslos
Fornebu airport. Additional Ju 52s were scheduled to arrive at Fornebu twenty minutes after the parachute drop,
by which time the aireld had to be in German hands.
1./ZG 76 was to provide air cover and ground-attack support for both waves. Eight Bf 110 Zerstrer of 1./JG 76
took o at 7:00 in the morning, planning to synchronize
their arrival at Fornebu with the parachute drop at 8:45.
The distance from Westerland to Fornebu meant that this
was a one-way operation; the Bf 110s could not hold
enough fuel for the return trip. Their fuel was calculated

At 18:50 the same day, Lent and his Staelkapitn Werner

Hansen took o again from Fornebu in undamaged Bf
110s. During the 40-minute ight, they came across a
RAF Short Sunderland ying boat, serial number L2167,
from No. 210 Squadron RAF which they shot down
together; Hansen received credit for the kill.[41] Helmut Lent was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class on 13
May 1940 before he was transferred to Trondheim on 18
May.[42] He claimed his second aerial victory of the Norwegian campaign on 27 May over a RAF Gloster Gladiator from No. 263 Squadron RAF, piloted by Flight Lieutenant Caesar Hull. On 2 June 1940 Lent and his wingman Thnes claimed a Gladiator each. The ight lasted
5 hours and 46 minutes and their opponents were again
from No. 263 Squadron, aircraft serial number N5893
piloted by Pilot Ocer J.L. Wilkie, and N5681 piloted
by Pilot Ocer L.R. Jacobsen. He claimed his seventh
victory overall and nal of the Norwegian theatre of operations on 15 June 1940 over a No. 254 Squadron RAF
Bristol Blenheim, piloted by Pilot Ocer P.C. Gaylord.
On 1 July 1940 Lent was promoted to Oberleutnant and
on 13 July 1./ZG 76 was relocated to Stavanger/Forus.[33]
Helmut Lent briey participated in the Battle of Britain
when on 15 August 1940 twenty-one Bf 110s from I./ZG
76 escorted He 111 bombers from Kampfgeschwader
26 (KG 26) on their attack on Yorkshire and the
Newcastle/Sunderland area. I./ZG 76 lost seven aircraft
on this mission and it was Helmut Lents 98th and nal
mission as a Zerstrer pilot.[43]

2.4

2 WORLD WAR II

Night ghter career

By June 1940 RAF Bomber Command penetrations

of German airspace had increased to the level that
Hermann Gring decreed that a night-ghter force
should be formed. The ocer tasked with its creation was Wolfgang Falck, Gruppenkommandeur of the
I./Zerstrergeschwader 1 (ZG 1).[44] The night-ghter
force began to expand rapidly, with existing units being
divided to form the nucleus of new units. By October
1940 Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1) comprised three
Gruppen, while Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 (NJG 2) and
Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (NJG 3), were still forming.[45]
It was during this period that Helmut Lent reluctantly became a member of the night-ghter force. At the end of
August Lent wrote home, We are currently converting
to night ghting. We are not very enthusiastic. We would
sooner head directly for England.[46]
Lent completed night ghter training at Ingolstadt in
south-western Germany, and was appointed squadron
leader, or Staelkapitn, of the newly formed 6./NJG 1 on
1 October 1940. The squadron was based at Fliegerhorst
Deelen, located 12.5 kilometres (8 mi) north of Arnhem
in the Netherlands. On the night 1112 May 1941, Lent
claimed his rst nocturnal aerial victories against two
Wellington IC bombers from No. 40 Squadron RAF
on a mission against Hamburg. BL-H (serial number
R1330) was shot down at 01:40 near Sderstapel and BLZ (R1461) at 02:49 near Nordstrand.[47]
On 1 July 1941, he took command of 4./NJG 1, stationed
in the Netherlands at Fliegerhorst (aireld) Leeuwarden,
161 kilometres (100 mi) north of Arnheim, on the Friesland coast, where he remained until his death. From this
position in the so-called German Bight, the squadron patrolled the North Sea coast, and could intercept Allied
night-time bombing missions, what the Luftwae called
terror attacks, based out of England.[48] By the end of
the war, the 4./NJG 1 was one of the most successful
Nachtjagdstaela squadron of a night ghter wing
of the Luftwae. Other members included such night
ghter pilots as Oberleutnant Helmut Woltersdorf, Leutnant Ludwig Becker (44 victories, KIA February 1943),
Leutnant Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weienfeld (51 victories, killed in a ying accident in the Netherlands in
March 1944), Leutnant Leopold Fellerer (41 victories),
Oberfeldwebel Paul Gildner (46 victories, killed in a ying accident at Fliegerhorst Gilze-Rijen in the Netherlands in February 1943), and Unterozier Siegfried Ney
(12 victories, KIA February 1943). On 30 August 1941,
Lent received the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross for
seven daytime and 14 night victories.[49]
On 1 November 1941, Lent became acting Group
Commander Gruppenkommandeur of the newly formed
II./NJG 2.[50] Lents rst aerial victory as a Gruppenkommandeur, his 20th night-time, and his last in 1941, came
during the night of Friday 7 November to Saturday 8
November. He shot down a Wellington 1C heading for

Berlin, which came down near Akkrum. The six-man

crew of the bomber, X9976 of No. 75 (New Zealand)
Squadron, was killed in action. This achievement earned
Lent a reference in the Wehrmachtbericht (his rst of six
in total), an information bulletin issued by the headquarters of the Wehrmacht. To be singled out individually
in the Wehrmachtbericht was an honour and was entered
in the Orders and Decorations section of ones Service
Record Book.[51]

Gordon Gollob (hidden) and Max-Hellmuth Ostermann receive

the Oak Leaves with Swords, Helmut Lent, Heinrich Setz and
Friedrich Geihardt receive the Oak Leaves to the Knights Cross
from Adolf Hitler on 28 or 29 June 1942.[52]

He was promoted to Hauptmann on 1 January 1942.[53]

Later that year, he was awarded the Knights Cross of the
Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 6 June 1942, at which
time his total stood at 34 nocturnal victories plus seven
day-time victories.[49] The award was presented at the
Fhrerhauptquartier on 28 and 29 June, his tally standing
then at 39 nocturnal and seven day-time victories.[52] Lent
also held the distinction of achieving the rst Lichtenstein
radar-assisted air victory in a Dornier Do 215B-5 night
ghter.[54]
By the end of 1942, Lent had 56 victories and was the top
German night-ghter ace. He was promoted to Major on
1 January 1943 and appointed Geschwaderkommodore of
Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (NJG 3) on 1 August 1943.[55]
After 73 kills, of which 65 were claimed at night, he was
awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak
Leaves and Swords on 2 August 1943 and notied by telegram on 4 August.[56] The Swords were presented to him
at the Fhrerhauptquartier at Rastenburg on 10/11 August 1943.[57]
In January 1944, Lent downed three so-called
heaviesfour-engined strategic bombersin one
night, but his aircraft was damaged by return re,
requiring a forced landing. He used only 22 cannon
shells to down two bombers on the night of the 2223
March 1944, and red only 57 rounds in seven minutes
against three Avro Lancasters on 1516 June. Promoted
to Oberstleutnant, he was awarded the Knights Cross of
the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
in recognition of his 110 conrmed air kills, the rst of
two night-ghter pilots to be awarded the decoration.[58]
The second was Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, who, with

5
121 aerial victories, became aviation historys leading
night-ghter pilot.[59]

2.5

Personal life

All German ocers were required to obtain ocial permission to marry; however, this was usually a bureaucratic formality. When Lent decided to marry Elizabeth
Petersen, his admirer from Hamburg whom he had met
on a blind date, his case was more complicated. 'Elisabeth Petersen' was in fact Helene (Lena) Senokosnikova,
born in Moscow in April 1914. She had been afraid to reveal her true identity, since Russians were not popular in
the Third Reich,[60] but after a thorough investigation into
her background and racial ancestry, she received her German citizenship on 15 March 1941. They were married
on 10 September 1941 in Wellingsbttel, Hamburg.[61]
The marriage produced two daughters. Christina was
born on 6 June 1942; the second, Helma, was born on
6 October 1944, shortly after her fathers fatal crash.[62]
Both of Helmuts older brothers, Joachim and Werner,
as members of the Confessing Church (German: Bekennende Kirche), encountered trouble with the Nazi party.
The Confessing Church, led by Pastor Martin Niemller,
was a schismatic Protestant church which opposed
the Reichs eorts to Nazify Germanys Protestant
churches. It stood in outspoken opposition to National
Socialist principles, particularly those embodied in the
Aryan Paragraph. Through the Barmen Declaration,
the church condemned the national German Evangelical Church as heretical. Werner Lent, an adherent to
the Confessing church, was arrested for the rst time in
1937 after preaching an anti-Nazi sermon.[63] In June
1942, his brother Joachim was arrested by the Gestapo
after reading the so-called Mlders letter from the pulpit.
The Mlders letter was a propaganda piece conceived by
Sefton Delmer, the chief of the British black propaganda
in the Political Warfare Executive (PWE) to capitalize
on the death of Germanys ghter ace Werner Mlders;
this letter, ostensibly written by Mlders, attested to the
supreme importance of his Catholic faith in his lifeby
implication, placing faith above his allegiance to the National Socialist Party.[64]

2.6

Death

Hermann Gring speaking at Lents funeral[65]

unable to keep the plane steady and it struck high-voltage

cables and crashed. All four members of the crew sustained serious injuries but were rescued alive. Kubisch
and Klss succumbed to their injuries on the same day,
Kark on the next morning and Lent himself died two days
later on 7 October 1944.[66]
Helmut Lents state funeral was held in the Reich
Chancellery, Berlin, on Wednesday 11 October 1944.
Reichsmarschall Hermann Gring took the salute at
Lents con, which was draped in the national ag of
the Third Reich. Ahead of the con, carrying Lents
honours and decorations on a velvet cushion, marched
Oberstleutnant Werner Streib, the Inspector of Night
Fighters. Six steel-helmeted ocers, all recipients of
the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross, escorted the cofn on its caisson and stood as guard of honour during
the ceremony: Oberstleutnant Gnther Radusch, Oberstleutnant Hans-Joachim Jabs, Major Rudolf Schoenert,
Hauptmann Heinz Strning, Hauptmann Karl Hadeball
and Hauptmann Paul Zorner.[67] On 12 October 1944
Lent and his crew were interred in a single grave in the
military cemetery at Stade.[68]

3 Legacy
On 18 July 1964, a German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr)
Army Aviation Corps (Heeresieger) installation in
Rotenburg (Wmme) (Lower Saxony) was renamed the
Lent Barracks, or Lent-Kaserne, in his honour.[69] In
2014, the German Armed Forces have decided to rename
the Lent Barracks. Although Lent was not a war criminal, he was a Nazi and is therefore no longer considered an
appropriate namesake within the German Armed Forces.
The process, which is expected to nalize in end 2015,
involves 1,500 soldiers and 250 civil employees of the
site and was initiated by the commander Oberstleutnant
Edmund Vogel in early 2015.[70]

On 5 October 1944, Lent ew his Junkers Ju-88 G6,

coded D5+AA, from Stade to Paderborn. His crew included his long-time radio operator Oberfeldwebel Walter
Kubisch, the war correspondent Leutnant Werner Kark
in the aerial gunner position, and Oberleutnant Hermann
Klss, second radio operator. Lent was on his way to visit
the Geschwaderkommodore of the Nachtjagdgeschwader
1, Oberstleutnant Hans-Joachim Jabs, to discuss opera- A number of Helmut Lents awards were auctioned at
tional matters. During the landing approach, the left en- Sothebys, London, on 18 July 1966. The items were
gine of the plane failed, causing the wing to dip. Lent was bought in one lot by an anonymous bidder for the to-

tal sum of 500. The purchaser was Adolf Galland,

the former General der Jagdieger, acting on behalf of
the Federal German Ministry of Defence. The awards
were sold by Helmut Lents elder daughter Christina after consultation with her mother, Lena, who was in urgent need for money to pay for an operation. The Federal
Ministry of Defence presented the collection to the Museum of Defence History (Wehrgeschichtliches Museum)
in Rastatt, Germany.[71]

Summary of career

Helmut Lent is ocially credited with 110 victories in

507 ights. The total includes 103 victories at night, during which he destroyed 59 four-engine bombers and one
Mosquito, among other types. Lent received a posthumous promotion to Oberst (Colonel).[Note 4]

4.1

REFERENCES

Ehrenpokal der Luftwae (26 June 1941)[58]

Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwae for Destroyer
Pilots in Gold[75]
Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwae for Nightghter
Pilots in Gold with Pennant 300[75]
Combined Pilots-Observation Badge in Gold with
Diamonds
German Cross in Gold on 9 April 1942 as Hauptmann in the II./NJG 2[79]
Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves,
Swords and Diamonds
Knights Cross on 30 August 1941 as Oberleutnant and Staelkapitn of the 6./NJG
1[80][81][Note 5]
98th Oak Leaves on 6 June 1942 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the
II./NJG 2[82][83][84]

Awards

32nd Swords on 2 August 1943 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the IV./NJG

1[82][85][86]
15th Diamonds on 31 July 1944 as Oberstleutnant and Geschwaderkommodore of the NJG
3[82][87][88]
Mentioned six times in the Wehrmachtbericht (see
below)

4.2

Wehrmachtbericht references

4.3 Promotions

5 Notes
Helmut Lents Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds on display at
the Bundeswehr Military History Museum in Dresden

Pilots Badge (15 November 1937)[73]

Sudetenland Medal[74]

[1] For a list of Luftwae night ghter aces see List of German
World War II night ghter aces
[2] See Organization of the Luftwae during World War II
for an explanation of the Luftwae structure.
[3] After 1933 the school was renamed Hermann Gring
Hochschule[7]

Narvik Shield (30 January 1941)[73][75]

[4] According to Jerry Scutts 113 victories of which 102 at

night.[72]

Wound Badge (1939)

[5] According to Scherzer as Staelkapitn of the 4./NJG 1[82]

in Black (14 July 1941)[76]

in Silver (22 December 1943)[75][77]

6 References

Iron Cross (1939)

2nd class (21 September 1939)[78]
1st class (11 May 1940)[78]

6.1 Citations
[1] Spick 1996, pp. 34.

6.1

Citations

[2] Fraschka 1994, pp. 185189.

[40] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 6263.

[3] Williamson 2006, pp. 3141.

[41] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 6263, 295.

[4] Schaulen 2004, p. 78.

[42] Hinchlie 2003, p. 67.

[5] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 24.

[43] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 7374.

[6] Hinchlie 2003, p. xvi.

[44] Hinchlie 2003, p. 79.

[7] Hinchlie 2003, p. 6.

[45] Hinchlie 2003, p. 84.

[8] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 811.

[46] Hinchlie 2003, p. 85.

[9] Hinchlie 2003, pp.512.

[47] Hinchlie 2003, p. 295.

[10] Fraschka 1994, p. 186.

[11] Hinchlie 2003, p. 13.

[48] Die Wehrmachtberichte 19391945. Band 3, pp. 285

286.

[12] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 1718.

[49] Fraschka 1994, p. 187.

[13] Hinchlie 2003, p. 21.

[50] Hinchlie 2003, p. 120.

[14] Hinchlie 2003, p. 22.

[51] Hinchlie 2003, p. 121.

[15] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 2425.

[52] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 147, 296.

[16] Hinchlie 2003, p. 29.

[53] Hinchlie 2003, p. 125.

[17] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 3031.

[54] Aders 1978, pp. 44-45. (see photo gallery and caption)

[18] Hinchlie 2003, p. 32.

[55] Hinchlie 2003, p. 199.

[19] Hinchlie 2003, p. 33.

[56] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 201, 297.

[20] Hinchlie 2003, p. 34.

[57] Hinchlie 2003, p. 204.

[21] Hinchlie 2003, p. 35.

[58] Obermaier 1989, p. 23.

[22] Helden der Wehrmacht 2004, p. 112.

[59] Williamson 2006, pp. 50, 51.

[23] Bekker 1994, p. 37.

[60] Hinchlie 2003, p. 56.

[24] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 4041.

[61] Hinchlie 2003, p. 116.

[25] Hinchlie 2003, p. 42.

[62] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 143, 259.

[26] Hinchlie 2003, p. 46.

[63] Hinchlie 2003, p. 143.

[27] Hinchlie 2003, p. 44.

[28] Hinchlie 2003, p. 45.
[29] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 4749.
[30] Hinchlie 2003, p. 50.
[31] Holmes 2010, pp. 7881.
[32] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 5455.
[33] Hinchlie 2003, p. 61.

[64] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 149151.

[65] Hagen 1998, p. 267.
[66] Hagen 1998, p. 148.
[67] Hagen 1998, pp. 265266.
[68] Hagen 1998, p. 268.
[69] Helmut Lent. Lexikon der Wehrmacht. Retrieved 2 December 2009.

[37] Hinchlie 2003, p. 59.

[70] Kasernenkommandant Edmund Vogel leitet Findungsprozess einSuche nach dem neuen Namen zieht
sich noch hin [Barracks commander Edmund Vogel
initiated name nding processThe search for the
new name still drags on]. kreiszeitung.de (in German).
Retrieved 25 August 2015.

[38] Weal 1999, p. 26.

[71] Hinchlie 2003, pp. 287288.

[39] Hinchlie 2003, p. 62.

[72] Scutts 1998, pp. 20, 88.

[34] Hinchlie 2003, p. 57.

[35] Hinchlie 2003, p. 58.
[36] Bekker. 1964 p. 84.

[73] Hinchlie 2003, p. 298.

[74] Hinchlie 2003, p. 112.
[75] Berger 2000, p. 184.
[76] Hinchlie 2003, p. 299.
[77] Hinchlie 2003, p. 220.
[78] Hagen 1998, p. 142.
[79] Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 275.
[80] Fellgiebel 2000, p. 289.
[81] Von Seemen 1976, p. 221.
[82] Scherzer 2007, p. 502.
[83] Fellgiebel 2000, p. 60.
[84] Von Seemen 1976, p. 29.
[85] Fellgiebel 2000, p. 41.
[86] Von Seemen 1976, p. 15.
[87] Fellgiebel 2000, p. 37.
[88] Von Seemen 1976, p. 12.
[89] Die Wehrmachtberichte 19391945 Band 1, p. 721.
[90] Die Wehrmachtberichte 19391945 Band 2, p. 21.
[91] Die Wehrmachtberichte 19391945 Band 2, p. 131.
[92] Die Wehrmachtberichte 19391945 Band 2, p. 170.
[93] Die Wehrmachtberichte 19391945 Band 3, p. 131.
[94] Die Wehrmachtberichte 19391945 Band 3, pp. 285286.

6.2

Bibliography

Aders, Gebhard (1978). History of the German

Night Fighter Force, 19171945. London: Janes
Publishing. ISBN 978-0-354-01247-8.
Bekker, Cajus (1994). The Luftwae War Diaries
The German Air Force in World War II. New York:
Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-80604-9.
Berger, Florian (1999). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die hchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten
Weltkrieges [With Oak Leaves and Swords. The
Highest Decorated Soldiers of the Second World
War] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag
Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-0-6.
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Trger
des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 19391945
Die Inhaber der hchsten Auszeichnung des
Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross 19391945
The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second
World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN
978-3-7909-0284-6.

REFERENCES

Fraschka, Gnther (1994). Knights of the Reich. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schier Military/Aviation History. ISBN 978-0-88740-580-8.
Hagen, Hans-Peter (1998). Husaren des Himmels:
Berhmte deutsche Jagdieger und die Geschichte
ihrer Wae [Hussars of Heaven: Famous German
Fighter Pilots and the History of their Weapon] (in
German). Rastatt, Germany: Moewig. ISBN 9783-8118-1456-1.
Hinchlie, Peter (1998). Luftkrieg bei Nacht 1939
1945 [Air War at Night 19391945] (in German).
Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 9783-613-01861-7.
Hinchlie, Peter (2003). The Lent Papers Helmut
Lent. Bristol, UK: Cerberus Publishing. ISBN 9781-84145-105-3.
Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuztrger der
Luftwae. Band 1: Jagdieger 19391945 [The
Knights Cross Bearers of the Luftwae. Volume
1: Fighter Pilots 19391945] (in German) (2 ed.).
Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Homann. ISBN
978-3-87341-065-7.
Holmes, Robin (2010). The Battle of the Heligoland
Bight, 1939: The Royal Air Force and the Luftwaes
Baptism of Fire. London: Grub Street. ISBN 9781-906502-56-0.
Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das
Deutsche Kreuz 19411945 Geschichte und Inhaber
Band II [The German Cross 19411945 History and
Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt,
Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3931533-45-8.
Schaulen, Fritjof (2004). Eichenlaubtrger 1940
1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe II Ihlefeld - Primozic
[Oak Leaves Bearers 19401945 Contemporary History in Color II Ihlefeld - Primozic] (in German).
Selent, Germany: Pour le Mrite. ISBN 978-3932381-21-8.
Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuztrger 1939
1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen
Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwae, Kriegsmarine,
Waen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbndeter Streitkrfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knights Cross Bearers 19391945
The Holders of the Knights Cross of the Iron
Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waen-SS,
Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives]
(in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers MiltaerVerlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
Scutts, Jerry (1998). German Night Fighter Aces
of World War 2. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing.
ISBN 978-1-85532-696-5.

9
Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwae Fighter Aces. New
York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
Von Seemen, Gerhard (1976). Die Ritterkreuztrger
19391945 : die Ritterkreuztrger smtlicher
Wehrmachtteile, Brillanten-, Schwerter- und Eichenlaubtrger in der Reihenfolge der Verleihung :
Anhang mit Verleihungsbestimmungen und weiteren
Angaben [The Knights Cross Bearers 19391945
: The Knights Cross Bearers of All the Armed Services, Diamonds, Swords and Oak Leaves Bearers
in the Order of Presentation: Appendix with Further
Information and Presentation Requirements] (in
German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Verlag.
ISBN 978-3-7909-0051-4.
Weal, John (1999). Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstrer
Aces World War Two. London, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-753-8.
Williamson, Gordon (2006). Knights Cross with Diamonds Recipients 194145. Oxford, UK: Osprey
Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-644-7.
Die Wehrmachtberichte 19391945 Band 1, 1.
September 1939 bis 31. Dezember 1941 [The
Wehrmacht Reports 19391945 Volume 1, 1 September 1939 to 31 December 1941] (in German).
Mnchen, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-42305944-2.
Die Wehrmachtberichte 19391945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 [The Wehrmacht
Reports 19391945 Volume 2, 1 January 1942 to 31
December 1943] (in German). Mnchen, Germany:
Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG.
1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.
Die Wehrmachtberichte 19391945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports
19391945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May
1945] (in German). Mnchen, Germany: Deutscher
Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN
978-3-423-05944-2.
Frey, Gerhard; Herrmann, Hajo (2004). Helden der
Wehrmacht - Unsterbliche deutsche Soldaten [Heroes
of the Wehrmacht - Immortal German Soldiers] (in
German). Mnchen, Germany: FZ-Verlag. ISBN
978-3-924309-53-4.

External links
Helmut Lent in the German National Library catalogue
Helmut Lent @ Aces of the Luftwae
Helmut Lent @ Eichenlaubtrger (German)

Helmut Lent @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht (German)

10

8 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

8.1

Text

Helmut Lent Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmut_Lent?oldid=723303070 Contributors: N-true, Sca, Clemwang, Bender235,

Art LaPella, Denniss, Gene Nygaard, Abel29a, Mandarax, Crzrussian, Ground Zero, Jaraalbe, Jonrock, Brandmeister (old), Tresckow,
Manxruler, Gadget850, Zzuuzz, Carabinieri, Attilios, SmackBot, AnOddName, Ohnoitsjamie, Chris the speller, MalafayaBot, Moshe
Constantine Hassan Al-Silverburg, Harryurz, SandyGeorgia, Neddyseagoon, CmdrObot, Jason43, Cydebot, Jayen466, Synergy, Fluxbot,
Wildhartlivie, Magioladitis, Bongwarrior, Hamiltonstone, KCX, CliC, Keith D, Dapi89, Plasticup, Belovedfreak, MisterBee1966, Xyl 54,
Wikipeterproject, Sporti, GimmeBot, SGT141, RiverStyx23, Eubulides, Logan, Coobabulga, SieBot, Monegasque, Maralia, Richard David
Ramsey, Jappalang, Piledhigheranddeeper, Auntof6, Sturmvogel 66, HerkusMonte, MystBot, Good Olfactory, Airplaneman, NCDane, Addbot, Queenmomcat, Aitrea, Fred.marchalon, LaaknorBot, Soppakanuuna, Tsorena, Fabiano Tatsch, Luckas-bot, Yobot, DisillusionedBitterAndKnackered, Gobbleswoggler, 1exec1, BsBsBs, Xqbot, Auntieruth55, AustralianRupert, LucienBOT, HJ Mitchell, Martinvl, Moonraker, December21st2012Freak, DocYako, Suomi Finland 2009, Tbhotch, RjwilmsiBot, ScottyBerg, Lmiller14, ZroBot, Wikieconometrician, Lukesourisseau, Karlsandersismygod, Chadude, ThisArticleHasBeenTERMINATED, Sarah Dugger, Themaxibolin, Frietjes, Ukjt,
Celtechm, DA - DP, Dexbot, VIAFbot, K.e.coman, 45sixtyone, KasparBot and Anonymous: 39

8.2

Images

File:Aviacionavion.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Aviacionavion.png License: Public domain Contributors:

Turkmenistan.airlines.frontview.arp.jpg Original artist: Turkmenistan.airlines.frontview.arp.jpg: elfuser
File:Balkenkreuz.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Balkenkreuz.svg License: Public domain Contributors: German Junkers Ju 52 Messerschmitt Me-262
Own work and also based on Page 49 of
Original artist: David Liuzzo
File:BmRKEL.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/BmRKEL.jpg License: Public domain Contributors:
Transferred from de.wikipedia to Commons by Tzo15 using CommonsHelper. Original artist: Original uploader was Bruce Marvin at
de.wikipedia
File:BmRKELS.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/BmRKELS.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Transferred from de.wikipedia to Commons by Tzo15 using CommonsHelper. Original artist: Original uploader was Bruce Marvin at
de.wikipedia
File:BmRKELSB.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/BmRKELSB.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Transferred from de.wikipedia to Commons by Tzo15 using CommonsHelper. Original artist: Original uploader was Bruce Marvin
at de.wikipedia
File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-382-0211-011,_Flugzeug_Messerschmitt_Me_110.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/
wikipedia/commons/4/46/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-382-0211-011%2C_Flugzeug_Messerschmitt_Me_110.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0
de Contributors: This image was provided to Wikimedia Commons by the German Federal Archive (Deutsches Bundesarchiv) as part
of a cooperation project. The German Federal Archive guarantees an authentic representation only using the originals (negative and/or
positive), resp. the digitalization of the originals as provided by the Digital Image Archive. Original artist: Wundshammer, Benno
File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-399-0006-19,_Norwegen,_beschdigte_Bf_110.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
commons/2/20/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-399-0006-19%2C_Norwegen%2C_besch%C3%A4digte_Bf_110.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0
de Contributors: This image was provided to Wikimedia Commons by the German Federal Archive (Deutsches Bundesarchiv) as part of a
cooperation project. The German Federal Archive guarantees an authentic representation only using the originals (negative and/or positive),
resp. the digitalization of the originals as provided by the Digital Image Archive. Original artist: Pilz
File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-J27851,_Staatsakt_fr_Helmut_Lent.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/
8/8d/Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-J27851%2C_Staatsakt_f%C3%BCr_Helmut_Lent.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 de Contributors: This image was provided to Wikimedia Commons by the German Federal Archive (Deutsches Bundesarchiv) as part of a cooperation project. The
German Federal Archive guarantees an authentic representation only using the originals (negative and/or positive), resp. the digitalization
of the originals as provided by the Digital Image Archive. Original artist: Lange, Eitel
File:Bundeswehr_Kreuz_Black.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Bundeswehr_Kreuz_Black.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Online-Redaktion Heer (16.12.10). Das Eiserne Kreuz. Bundeswehr. Retrieved on 19 January 2012.
Original artist: See source
File:Commons-logo.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Flag_of_German_Reich_(19351945).svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Flag_of_German_
Reich_%281935%E2%80%931945%29.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: Fornax
File:Gollob-Ostermann-Lent-Setz-Geihardt.jpg
Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7b/
Gollob-Ostermann-Lent-Setz-Gei%C3%9Fhardt.jpg License: Fair use Contributors:
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/4833/28o29642gollobostermann.jpg Original artist:
anon
File:Heinkel_He_111_during_the_Battle_of_Britain.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Heinkel_
He_111_during_the_Battle_of_Britain.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: This is photograph MH6547 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 4700-05) Original artist: Unknown<a href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718'
title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img
alt='wikidata:Q4233718'
src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/

8.3

Content license

11

Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png' width='20' height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png
1.5x,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/
Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='1050' data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:Helmut_Lent_Diamonds.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5f/Helmut_Lent_Diamonds.jpg License: CCBY-SA-3.0 Contributors:
with a camera
Previously published: no
Original artist:
Own work by MisterBee1966.
File:Luftwaffe_eagle.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Luftwaffe_eagle.svg License: Public domain
Contributors: Own work Original artist: Fornax (modied by DIREKTOR)
File:Nachtjagd_badge.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Nachtjagd_badge.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: Quezon95
File:Norwegian_Gloster_Gladiator_-_Kristian_Fredrik_Schye.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/
Norwegian_Gloster_Gladiator_-_Kristian_Fredrik_Schye.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://www.liernett.no/?artikkel=223
Original artist: Unknown<a href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718' title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:Q4233718'
src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png'
width='20'
height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 1.5x,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='1050'
data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:P_vip.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/69/P_vip.svg License: PD Contributors: ? Original artist: ?

8.3

Content license

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0