Wilhelm "Willy" Kientsch (12 May 1921 – 29 January 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. Kientsch claimed 53 victories all over the Western Front and North Africa in 295 combat missions. On 29 January 1944, Kientsch was killed in action when during aerial combat he crashed into the ground near Würrich. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 20 July 1944.
Career
Kientsch was born on 12 May 1921 in Kißlegg in the district of Wangen im Allgäu, at the time in the Free People's State of Württemberg of the Weimar Republic. The son of a merchant, he joined the military service of the Luftwaffe as a Fahnenjunker (cadet) in early 1940. Following flight training, he was transferred to the Ergänzungsstaffel (Training/Supplement Squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing) on 27 May 1941. At the time, the Ergänzungsstaffel was based at Grottkau, present-day Grodków in Poland. On 12 June, the unit was expanded by a second Staffel, transforming the unit to an Ergänzungsgruppe (Training/Supplement Group) and placed under the command under Hauptmann Herbert Nebenführ.
North African Campaign
Kientsch was posted to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 27 in January 1942. At the time, the Gruppe was commanded by Hauptmann Erich Gerlitz and equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4. On 7 February, II. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Martuba where they stayed until 23 May. Kientsch was credited with his first aerial victory on 18 March when he claimed two Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighters shot down. That day, II. Gruppe claimed four aerial victories over near Ain el Gazala and Tobruk for the loss of one Bf 109 shot down by a pilot from the Royal Air Force (RAF) No. 260 Squadron. These claims are not verifiable through British records. In the afternoon of 7 April, P-40s escorted Douglas A-20 Havoc bombers, also referred to as "Boston". The RAF formation was intercepted by nine Bf 109s from II. Gruppe. During this encounter, Kientsch claimed a P-40 shot down which may have belonged to No. 450 Squadron. His claim may have been double counted as Oberleutnant Gustav Rödel filed a similar claim. On 1 May, Kientsch was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant).
On 20 May, command of II. Gruppe was transferred from Gerlitz to Rödel. Three days later, the Gruppe relocated to an airfield at Timimi. That day, Kientsch claimed two P-40s, one of which was not confirmed. Kientsch claimed another P-40 shot down on 4 June in aerial combat with South African Air Force (SAAF) P-40s from 2 Squadron, 4 Squadron and 5 Squadron. The SAAF fighters had just intercepted Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers from I. Gruppe of Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 (StG 3—3rd Dive Bomber Wing) over Bir Hakeim. On 17 June, Kientsch claimed a P-40 shot down near Sidi Rezegh. On this mission, II. Gruppe lost its leading fighter pilot to date, Oberleutnant Otto Schulz, who was shot down and killed in action. On 23 June, following the Axis capture of Tobruk, II. Gruppe moved to an airfield named Menastir located on the Bay of Sallum and then to Sidi Barrani three days later to support the Axis forces fighting in the Battle of Mersa Matruh. On 30 June, II. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Fukah, located approximately east of Mersa Matruh where they engaged in the aerial battles during the First Battle of El Alamein. Two days later, the Gruppe moved to a makeshift airfield named Quotaifiya, located approximately east of Fukah where they stayed until 30 October.