place with 20 nocturnal victories was Helmut Lent. On 18 May 1942, Gildner was awarded the German Cross in Gold () and was promoted from Oberfeldwebel to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant), bypassing the rank of Leutnant (second lieutenant) in July. On 8/9 March 1942, Gildner shot down the Avro Manchester bomber R5779 from No. 83 Squadron on its mission to bomb Essen. The aircraft crashed near Smilde. Bristol Blenheim Z7307 from 114 Squadron was shot down by Gildner after taking off for an intruder sortie from West Raynham. Flight Sergeant W Popplestone and his crew died. Gildner likely accounted for a 106 Squadron Lancaster during the British attack on Wilhelmshaven on 8/9 July 1942. Lent, operating in the vicinity, accounted for a No. 75 Squadron RAF Wellington. Gildner's opponent was the only Lancaster lost in the raid out of 52 committed. Squadron leader and death On 3 February 1943, Gildner was on his way to Gilze en Rijen to take command of 3. Staffel of NJG 1 when his friend and commander of 1. Staffel of NJG 1, Oberleutnant Reinhold Knacke, was killed in action. In consequence of this event, Gildner was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1. Staffel instead. On the night of 14/15 February 1943, Gildner claimed the destruction of a Vickers Wellington and Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. The Wellington was likely HE169 from No. 196 Squadron which crashed into the North Sea west of Schouwen, killing the crew. The B-17 appears to have been misidentified. In Bowman's account, the aircraft lost was Short Stirling I BF438 WP-D from No. 90 Squadron. The Stirling crashed west of Vlissingen with loss of the crew. According to Boiten, the Stirling may have been BK627 also from No. 90 Squadron. Gildner claimed his last two aerial victories on the night of 19/20 February 1943. The claim over two Halifax bombers north of Vlieland may have been misidentified Avro Lancaster bombers from No. 156 Squadron RAF and No. 467 Squadron RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force). On 24 February 1943 flying near Fliegerhorst Gilze-Rijenin the Netherlands in his Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4 (Werksnummer 4846—factory number), he attempted landing but had visibility issues due to fog and engine trouble. Following engine failure and fire, he ordered his radio operator Unteroffizier Heinz Huhn to bail out. and crash landed his aircraft at a crossroads on the outskirts of the town Dongen, just near Fliegerhorst Gilze-Rijen