at 22.45 hrs. Still alive but unable to escape the aircraft, Gildner perished in the flames. Two eye witnesses wanted to help him but were kept at a distance by the exploding ammunition. Gildner was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves () on 26 February 1943. He was the 196th member of the German armed forces to be so honored. Gildner is buried at the German War Cemetery Ysselsteyn (Block M—Row 4—Grave 81) at Venray. Summary of career Aerial victory claims Gildner was credited with 44—two daytime and 42 nighttime—aerial victories, claimed in about 160 combat missions. Foreman, Parry and Mathews, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 41 nocturnal victory claims. Mathews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, listing Gildner with 43 claims, including two as a Zerstörer pilot, plus one further unconfirmed claim. Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class German Cross in Gold on 18 May 1942 as Oberfeldwebel in the 5./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 9 July 1941 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 196th Oak Leaves on 26 February 1943 as Oberleutnant and pilot in the 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 Mentioned four times in the Wehrmachtbericht (19 June 1941, 13 March 1942, 27 March 1942 and 23 April 1942) Notes References Citations Bibliography 1914 births 1943 deaths Luftwaffe pilots German World War II flying aces Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in Belgium Burials at Ysselsteyn German war cemetery Reich Labour Service members