German air ace Helmut Lent died in crash on routine flight

GERMAN air ace Helmut Lent survived hundreds of sorties with Allied pilots only to die on a routine flight in Germany.

Later that same day, April 9, 1940, German air ace Helmut Lent’s Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter plane crashed after it ran out of fuel and came to rest in the garden of a house in Oslo-Fornebuin in 1940. He survived the crash and was later awarded the Iron Cross.

IT was meant to be a routine flight, from the northern Germany city of Stade in Lower Saxony, south to Nordborchen near Paderborn, Westphalia, on October 5, 1944 . The aircraft was a twin-engine Junkers Ju-88 fighter-bomber and its pilot, Oberstleutnant Helmut Lent was not just a skilled pilot, but one of a select group who scored more than 100 kills, most of which were at night.

The flight of just over 200km, in good weather conditions and friendly territory, should have been easy. But as Lent descended to land, one of the aircraft’s engines dropped out, causing a wing to dip. The plane hit high tension power lines, bringing it crashing to the ground.

All four men aboard were pulled alive from the wreckage but with serious injuries. Two died later that day, another the next, but Lent hung on for another day before dying on October 7.

His death was mourned in Germany, where he was a national hero. He was given a state funeral, at which Hermann Goering, the head of the Luftwaffe, spoke and took the salute.

Helmut Lent, German air ace wearing his Iron Cross in 1943.

Lent, born 100 years ago today, was Nazi Germany’s second best night fighter, the scourge of Allied pilots on night raids over German territory, including many Australians serving in RAF squadrons.

Born Helmut Johannes Siegfried Lent on June 13, 1918, in Pyrehne-Landsberg in Brandenburg, Germany, he was the fifth child of a Lutheran minister Johannes Lent and his wife Marie Elisabeth Lent (nee Braune). His two older brothers, became Lutheran ministers like their father, but growing up Helmut, although devout, developed a preoccupation other than god, joining a glider club.

At 14 he joined the Jungvolk, the section of the Hitler Youth reserved for under 15s, graduating to platoon leader. He went against his father’s wishes of a tertiary education and in April 1936 joined the Luftwaffe.

By September he had made his first solo flight and, despite an accident preventing him flying for five months, earned his wings in November 1937.

During the annexation of Czechoslovakia in 1938, Lent flew patrols, so by the time war broke out in 1939 he was already a confident and experienced pilot.

German twin-engine Messerschmitt Bf110 fighter plane, over the English Channel in 1940, is similar to what Helmut Lent would have flown.

Helmut Lent plays cards while waiting for the call to scramble in World War II.

As the Nazis rolled into Poland in September 1939, Lent was in a Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter bomber, escorting heavy bombers on missions over Poland. He scored his first victory on September 2; more would follow.

He shot down three RAF Wellington bombers during the Battle of Heligoland Bight, passing five kills, earning him the status of fighter ace, which gave him minor celebrity status. The dashing pilot was soon inundated with fan mail. In February 1940 he went on a blind date with one of his fans, Elisabeth Petersen.

In April he took part in the invasion of Norway. Among his victims was Australian pioneer aviator Cliff Carpenter, who was shot down over Norway on April 9, 1940. But on that same day, Lent’s plane crashed after it ran out of fuel. He survived the crash to help negotiate the surrender of Norwegian soldiers. Lent was awarded an Iron Cross, first class.

Australian pioneer aviator Cliff Carpenter, was shot down by Helmut Lent, over Norway on April 9, 1940.

Later that same day, April 9, 1940, Lent’s Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter plane crashed after it ran out of fuel and came to rest in the garden of a house in Oslo-Fornebuin. He survived the crash to help negotiate the surrender of Norwegian soldiers. A Junkers Ju 52/3m plane flies above the location.

He also served during the Battle of Britain in August 1940, before he was transferred, reluctantly, to the Nachtjagdgeschwader, the night fighter squadron. He soon became squadron leader and later group commander.

Meanwhile, his romance with Elisabeth had become serious. As an officer, he needed to ask for government permission to marry. Authorities delved into his fiancee’s background and discovered that she was actually Helene Senokosnikova, born in Moscow in 1914. Despite the secret identity, she had no communist ties or Jewish ancestry. The couple were allowed to marry, which they did on September 10, 1941.

The victories continued to mount and in 1942 Lent was promoted to Hauptmann, awarded Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and in June that year his first daughter, Christina, was born. But not long after, one of his brothers was arrested by the Gestapo for reading a letter at his pulpit that implied he put his allegiance to his faith above his allegiance to Nazism.

When he reached his 100th kill, Lent was personally awarded the Brillanten by Hitler. His final aerial victory was in September 1944.

Hermann Goering, head of the Luftwaffe, speaks at the state funeral for air ace Helmut Lent in October 1944.

On October 5, 1944, he flew to Nordborchen to meet with his friend Obsertleutnant Hans-Joachim Jabs, to discuss operational matters. It was a 1½ hour flight, with clear weather, but something went drastically wrong with Lent’s plane as it came in to land.

Suffering compound fractures of his lower legs, the surgeon decided against amputation, instead pinning the fractures. Lent regained consciousness to hear his wife had given birth to a second daughter, Helena. He died the next day.

After his death his family were in trouble with the Gestapo for publishing an obituary that didn’t mention Hitler. It was later revealed Lent wrote his obituary and specifically left out any mention of the Fuhrer or Nazism.

Originally published as German air ace Helmut Lent died in crash on routine flight