▁the ▁west ▁and ▁the ▁south , ▁beginning ▁at ▁ 0 4 : 4 5 ▁on ▁the ▁early ▁morning ▁of ▁ 1 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁On ▁this ▁morning ▁Hel mut ▁L ent , ▁with ▁Kub isch ▁as ▁his ▁wireless ▁operator ▁and ▁rear ▁gun ner , ▁esc orted ▁a ▁formation ▁of ▁He inkel ▁ 1 1 1 ▁bom bers ▁of ▁I . ▁and ▁III ./ K ampf gesch w ader ▁ 4 ▁( K G   4 ) ▁attack ing ▁the ▁air fields ▁at ▁Krak ow ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁southern ▁pr ong ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁attack . ▁At ▁ 1 6 : 3 0 ▁on ▁ 2 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁the ▁second ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁attack , ▁L ent ▁took ▁off ▁in ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Ł ód ź ▁and ▁claimed ▁his ▁first ▁aer ial - v ict ory ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁shooting ▁down ▁a ▁P Z L ▁P . 1 1 . ▁ ▁At ▁this ▁point ▁of ▁the ▁campaign ▁the ▁B f   1 1 0 s ▁switched ▁from ▁bom ber ▁esc ort ▁to ▁ground - att ack ▁since ▁the ▁Polish ▁Air ▁Force ▁was ▁all ▁but ▁defeated . ▁In ▁this ▁capacity ▁L ent ▁and ▁Kub isch ▁destroyed ▁a ▁tw in - eng ined ▁mon op lane ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁on ▁ 5 ▁September ▁and ▁another ▁aircraft , ▁a ▁P Z L ▁P . 2 4 , ▁on ▁ 9 ▁September . ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁he ▁was ▁attacked