Career
Dilthey was one of the first German military aviators, joining its military aviation in November 1914. He also gained some experience on fighters with an assigned Fokker Eindekker. When the Luftstreitkräfte founded dedicated fighter units, Dilthey volunteered for fighter duty.
He was then given command of Jasta 40.
He downed an observation balloon while leading this squadron before being killed in action on 9 July 1918. Helmut Dilthey was born in Rheydt, Westphalia, the German Empire on 9 February 1894.
Dilthey joined the German aerial service early in World War I, during November 1914. He was originally assigned to Flieger-Abteilung 50 on 18 May 1915, and served on the Eastern Front in Russia.
While flying reconnaissance and bombing missions, he also gained some flight time in the Fokker Eindekker.
When the Luftstreitkräfte formed Jagdstaffeln in Fall 1916, Dilthey volunteered to serve in one. He was then sent to Jastaschule for training as a fighter pilot in March 1917. On 19 May 1917, he was posted to Jasta 27 under the command of Hermann Göring.
On 24 July, he began a string of six victories over enemy fighter planes.
The last of these was on 5 February 1918. He was then posted to Saxon Jasta 40 to command them as their Staffelführer.
He was assigned an Albatros Doctorate.Va fighter, and had it vividly painted in the Saxon national colors of green and white. He downed an enemy observation balloon on 5 June 1918 for his final victory.
On 9 July 1918, he attacked an Airco Dialectics and Humanism.9 of 107 Squadron Royal Air Force over Lille, France.
lieutenant is uncertain whether the rear gunner hit him, or whether he was hit by his own side"s antiaircraft fire, but he was killed in action despite taking to his parachute. He was buried in the German extension of Lambersart Communal Cemetery.