Luftwaffe DKiG Grouping: KG-54 Bomber & Possible Jet Pilot

[hucks216]

I have posted pieces of this grouping in the various Citation & LW Schein Databases but here it is in it's entirety.

The set consists of the Soldbuch, Flugzeugführerschein and citations to Feldwebel Wilhelm Leymann who won the DKiG & Ehrenpokal with KG-54 'Totenkopf' and may also of been a pilot of the Me-262 jet.

After joining the Luftwaffe in 1939 Leymann underwent the lengthy training process to become a pilot of bomber aircraft, a process that took 2 years. In February 1942 he joined 10./KG-54 of IV Ergänzungsgruppe, the training Gruppe of the bomber wing and remained with them until May of that year. The Gruppe was based in Southern Italy at that time and as well as the training crews were also participating in convoy escort sorties which even saw them attack a submarine on 10th March in the Gulf of Tarento.

On 25th May 1942 Leymann joined 5./KG-54 with which he remained until January 1944 and so saw plenty of action in Central Russia, UK, North Africa and Italy. In just 6 months of service with 5./KG-54 Wilhelm Leymann had already won the EK II, EK I, the Bomber Clasp in Bronze, Silver & Gold and the Ehrenpokal by 16th November 1942 - a good indicator of the pace of operations.

Leymann left 5./KG-54 on the 21st January 1944 for IV Ergänzungsgruppe again but on 20th March 1944 he won the DKiG, which was issued for something he did during his service with 5./KG-54. In January 1944 he was also promoted to Feldwebel for an act of distinction. Unfortunately what that act was is unknown to me, as is the act that won him the DKiG.

He remained with the training Gruppe until August 1944 when it was reduced to just one staffel with some of the Gruppe being reassigned to the Fallschirmjäger while others (including Leymann) being sent to 9./KG-54 to train on the Me-262 jet fighter.

On the 16th October 1944 Leymann was awarded the Bomber Clasp in Gold with '200' Pendant.

In Me-262 Combat Diary & Radtke's book on KG-54 there are numerous known Me-262 pilots mentioned and listed but Leymann's name is not among them. However, in the Soldbuch there are a few entries that hint at Leymann being a possible 'unknown' or 'unconfirmed' pilot of the jet aircraft. On page 6 there are four sets of equipment issues dated for late in 1944 and two in 1945, while between Pages 8 & 9 there has been an extra note attached showing the issue of a summer & winter flying headgear. And finally on Page 14 there is an entry dated for 1st May 1945 from the Staffelkapitän of 4./KG(J)-54, Werner Brandau (Ehrenpokal).

Among the signatures in the Soldbuch are those of Horst Bressel (DKiG) and Wilhelm Hannak-Hammerl (Ehrenpokal).

[hucks216]

And here are Leymann's citations - unfortunately the citation for the Ehrenpokal is missing from the group.

Bomber Clasp in Bronze - Dated 24th Jul 1942 - Signed by Joachim Coeler (RK)

EK II - Dated 27th Jul 1942 - Signed by Joachim Coeler (RK)

Bomber Clasp in Silver - Dated - 4th Sept 1942 - Signed by Jobst Heinrich von Heydebreck (DKiG)

EK I - Dated 7th Sept 1942 - Signed by Robert Ritter von Greim (RK, EL & Schw)

Ehrenpokal - Dated 10th Nov 1942.

Bomber Clasp in Gold - Dated 16th Nov 1942 - Signed by Hellmuth von Raven (DKiG & EP)

German Cross in Gold - Dated 20th Mar 1944 - Signed by Bruno Loerzer (RK) - (Too large for my scanner hence the photo).

Bomber Clasp in Gold with '200' Pendant - Dated 16th Oct 1944 - Signed by Volprecht Riedesel Freiherr zu Eisenbach (RK & EL) (KIA flying a Me-262 in February 1945).

Edited June 22, 2014 by hucks216

[Chris Boonzaier]

That is indeed a group that can hold its head high.

Very nice indeed!

[Jock Auld]

Glad it is still mostly together, do you know if the missing bits are lost or in another collection?

Jock

[hucks216]

Glad it is still mostly together, do you know if the missing bits are lost or in another collection?

Jock

I'm afraid that I have no idea but I wouldn't be surprised if his Ehrenpokal citation is sitting in a collection somewhere along with the Wehrpass & Flugbucher.

[Douglas Jr.]

Great group!

As a firearms collector it is always interesting to see his sidearms entries, most related to FN Browning Model 1922 guns.

Thanks for sharing,

Douglas.

[Paul R]

Superb! I am surprised that they did not make him an officer!