Battle of Britain Print

"The Needles and the Ace of Spades"

D: in the series "Echoes of the Home Front by John Howard Worsley

 

The German ace had just made his 56th kill and having separated from his
Staffel, was returning to base. Fuel was running low and had reached the critical reserve beyond which, the
Messerschmitt would not get across the channel. .........

Extract from the Story-Sheet:

.......... The dog-fight over the Isle of Wight had been at high level, around 3000 metres, which was an advantage for the return but speed was also important for a safe withdrawal and so a compromise was reached by the strategy of a shallow dive towards the south. The Needles, a well known land-mark to the pilot, had just passed below his starboard wing where the late afternoon winter sun was washing the westward passage with slippery light. From out of that light came spitting death. One of the airman's old and feared adversaries, a Supermarine Spitfire who's pilot had seen the unprotected flight of the German and taken advantage of their relevant positions. Attack from the west, from the sun.

The first blows were swift. A soft phuttering from the enemy's eight machine guns, followed by a shattering snarl of the Merlin engine as an oblique pass was made. The damage was instant, the German's engine stopped dead and bullets had ripped through the fuel tank. Flying controls were still working but the aircraft was doomed. Then again that dreadful silver purring of Brownings from behind. This time the tail was reduced to a skeleton of useless ribs, torn fabric and punctured aluminium and the stubby control stick jammed itself back against the pilot's left leg. Out of control, the aeroplane started a series of twisting stalls, throwing the airman's hand away from the canopy release lever. An awesome silence added terrible apprehension to the struggle to get at that lever. Another attack would definitely be death. Then, approaching the zenith of the final stall, the lid came off. Canopy and radio aerial fluttered away. The pilot threw off his seat harness and heaved himself towards the cold air. Was the Spitfire coming in for the kill? There were two sudden bangs . Not the enemy this time, it was the reflex death throw of the 109. The automatic wing slots had jabbed out like fingers clawing at the air to stay aloft. For a moment the aircraft just hung there, then, as the pilot made his exit, the escaping fumes from the fuel tank, ignited and blew out its guts.

Over and over tumbled the ace. The sea, the sky, sea, sky. Then just before his chute opened, another plane flashed past. It was his faithful wing man, his Rottenkamerad .

The parachute was torn but still worked. The sky was getting darker and then came, the cold sea.

This was the death of Major Helmut Wick who, in a short year had risen from trainee fighter pilot, to one of the highest scoring aces of the time. As he was promoted, his Messerschmitt was personalised with his "Horrido" motif on its nose cowling. Firstly, its number 2 on the fuselage was replaced with twin chevrons and its nose cowling was painted white, then after achieving the rank of Major and Kommodore of Jagdgeshwader 2, the nose was repainted yellow and the fuselage markings again altered to include two bars. JG2 was the elite Geshwader and known as the new "Richthoffen Circus", its insignia was the letter R on a shield. However, Wick's deadly skills had been honed during his time with JG53 who's emblem was "Pik As" (Ace of Spades) ... the card of death!

November 28th 1940: Last moments of German Ace Major Helmut Wick and P/O John Dundas, the British pilot who shot him down and was immediately lost to the guns of Wick's wingman.

Available as hand mounted prints 10" x 8" , 14" x 11" & 20" x 16".
Also available to order as Canvas Repro'