5 ▁night ▁f ighter . ▁L ent ▁fle w ▁D orn ier ▁Do ▁ 2 1 5 B - 5 ▁code ▁R 4 + DC ▁regularly ▁on ▁H imm el b ett ▁miss ions ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁five - hour ▁end urance . ▁L ent ▁claimed ▁at ▁least ▁four ▁vict ories ▁in ▁this ▁machine . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁L ent ▁had ▁ 5 6 ▁vict ories ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁top ▁German ▁night - fig h ter ▁ace . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Major ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁and ▁appointed ▁Gesch w ader kom mod ore ▁of ▁Nach t j ag d gesch w ader ▁ 3   ( N J G   3 ) ▁on ▁ 1 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁After ▁ 7 3 ▁k ills , ▁of ▁which ▁ 6 5 ▁were ▁claimed ▁at ▁night , ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁with ▁Oak ▁Le aves ▁and ▁S words ▁() ▁on ▁ 2 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁and ▁not ified ▁by ▁tele gram ▁on ▁ 4 ▁August . ▁The ▁S words ▁were ▁presented ▁to ▁him ▁at ▁the ▁F ühr er haupt qu art ier ▁at ▁R ast enburg ▁on ▁ 1 0 / 1 1 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁L ent ▁down ed ▁three ▁so - called ▁" he av ies " — four -