During World War II, Pingel claimed his first victory on 10 September 1939 as a squadron leader of 2.

In August 1940, Pingel was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing) where he became a group commander.

On 10 July 1941, his Messerschmitt Bf 109 was damaged in combat, resulting in a forced landing near St Margaret's at Cliffe and was captured by the British Home Guard.

After he completed his flight training, he was posted to I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 134 "Horst Wessel" (JG 134–134th Fighter Wing) in March 1937.

[6] Pingel was credited with his sixth and last aerial victory in Spain on 22 August during the Battle of Santander, claiming yet another I-16.

[10] World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland.

Still based at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim, I. Gruppe patrolled western German border between Trier and Saarbrücken during the "Phoney War".

[11] Pingel claimed his first aerial victory of World War II on 10 September when he shot down a French ANF Les Mureaux 113 near Ensdorf.

On 30 September he was credited with the destruction of a Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairey Battle west of Saarbrücken.

[13] At the end of October, the Gruppe was moved to an airfield at Kirchberg to make room at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim for the newly created III.

[11] On 5 June, German forces launched Fall Rot (Case Red), the second phase of the conquest of France.

That day, Hauptmann Werner Mölders was shot down in combat in the vicinity of Compiègne and taken prisoner of war.

[14] On 11 June, JG 53 supported the fighting at the Aisne and near Reims where Pingel shot down two Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 fighters.

Hauptmann Harro Harder was officially appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III.

[17] Galland shared Göring's opinion, and as a first measure had Gruppenkommandeur of I. Gruppe, Hauptmann Kurt Fischer replaced by Pingel.

Defending against this attack, Pingel claimed his 20th aerial victory, a Spitfire shot down west of Dunkirk.

He then came under attack of a Spitfire which resulted in him making a forced landing near Dover and St Margaret's at Cliffe.

Pingel's aircraft, the Bf 109 F–2, was returned to flying condition by the RAF and allocated the serial number ES906.

It was briefly flown for evaluation testing until it crashed near Fowlmere on 20 October 1941, killing its Polish pilot Flight Officer Marian J.