Heinz Vinke (22 May 1920 – 26 February 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a night fighter ace credited with 54 aerial victories claimed in approximately 150 combat missions making him the eighteenth most successful night fighter pilot in the history of aerial warfare. All of his victories were claimed over the Western Front in Defense of the Reich missions against the Royal Air Force's (RAF) Bomber Command. Born in Barby, Vinke grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. Following graduation from school and the compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service), he joined the military service in 1938. Vinke then served with Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing), flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter. Following an injury sustained in July 1941, he was posted to Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 (NJG 2—2nd Night Fighter Wing) where he claimed his first aerial victory on the night of 27/28 February 1942. Following his 25th aerial victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 September 1943. Vinke and his crew were shot down and killed in action on 26 February 1944, while on a search and rescue mission over the English Channel. He was posthumously bestowed with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Early life and career Vinke was born on 22 May 1920 in Barby, in the Province of Saxony, a Free State of Prussia. He was the son of merchant Heinrich Vinke and his wife Martha, née Rehse. Until 1935, he attended school in Barby. While at school, he joined the Flying Hitler Youth (Flieger-HJ) and became a glider pilot, receiving his A, B and C license to fly glider aircraft. Following six months of compulsory National Labour Service, he joined the Luftwaffe on 1 April 1938. World War II World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. At the time, Vinke was based at Stargard on the Fliegerhorst Klützow, present-day Kluczewo Airfield, where he received his flight training which he completed in 1940. At Stargard, he met his future wife Erika Schröder and they were married on 20 April 1942 in Berlin-Kreuzberg. At first, he was trained as a Zerstörer (destroyer) pilot. Holding the rank of Unteroffizier, he was posted to the 4. Staffel (4th squadron) of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing) in early 1941. On