The Results
Thanks to the archaeological investigation, 72 years after the crash, we were able to find out what happened after Major Stone shot down Willi Lücks "Gelbe 13". Even more: we can put a face on Willi, and even have an idea who he was, and how the daily life of a Luftwaffe fighter pilot looked like.
There is some mystery whether Willi was called Peter. In several archival sources he is mentioned with that name, and in his private belongings it seems people called him Peter (see further). Willi left Stettin (now Poland) to join the Luftwaffe. It seems around 1941-1942 he received his initial flying training, probably in Germany, on biplanes. Looking at the pictures found in his wallet, it is clear Willi Lück was a family man. He must have been fond of his grandparents, his sister, his parents. During his whole service, he kept a very busy correspondence and stored all the letters in his wallet. He certainly loved swimming, and girls. The guys enjoyed singing songs with dirty lyrics, he kept two pages of these in his wallet... In southern France, Willi received his combat training, and headed in spring 1943 to Amsterdam. On March 29, 1943 he went to Deelen airfield by train. During his stay in Holland, he dated a Dutch girl (G)erry, who lived in Amsterdam - she spoke German. She wrote him a letter (free translation from German): "My dear Peter, This morning I received your long awaited letter. I thought you had forgotten me. My German is not so good, since I am Dutch, but you must learn Dutch as well... You asked me if we can meet again. Of course. I suggest Sunday 25 April, at 2 o'clock at the railway station of Utrecht - we can meet there. I hope you receive this letter in time - Feldpost takes a long time. If you're unable to join, call me at 0.2900.25784. My master hears everything, and opens all my letters. So call me only when it's really necessary. It's almost midnight, and I'm going to bed. Sunday April 25, at the railway station at 2 o'clock ! Many kisses, Yours, (G)erry. P.S. : Whatever my parents think - I couldn’t care less" The phone number’s prefix 2900 was located in Amsterdam. Little is know about Willi's operational career in the Staffel. He probably took part in several missions, and must have experienced the danger of being a fighter pilot. He attended the funeral of a pilot in a hangar of the airfield, and kept some pictures of it in his wallet. When the unit was scrambled at Deelen airfield on May 14, 1943, he threw all his personnel belongings in the stowage room in the fuselage of his Focke Wulf "Gelbe 13" - all his pictures, song books, money, and his cap. He knew that after the mission he might have landed at another base, outside Holland. The Dutch and French money he had, could have been useful the same evening. As a young and inexperienced pilot, it seems logical he flew third in the row during the attack on the bombers heading to Antwerp, as the American pilot Major Stone's stated. Willi was intercepted from behind, and most probably hardly knew what had happened. There was no dog fight during which he could prepare himself for the worst. When he got out of his Gelbe 13, it was too late. The impact the Focke Wulf made in a field along the Dienstweg, must have been huge - logical when we know that the final dive started at a height of about 7000 meters. During the excavation, it became clear from the position of the cannons that the plane dove almost vertically in the ground. The tail section smashed into the cockpit, leaving nothing recognizable. All the BMW's cylinder heads were separated from the engine's body. The German forces took the remains of the wings with them, but left a great deal of Gelbe 13 on site, to be recovered 72 years later. |
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