Franz_Eisenach

Franz Eisenach

Franz Eisenach

German World War II fighter pilot (1918–1998)

Franz Eisenach (11 August 1918 – 21 August 1998) was a German fighter ace during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. He was credited with 129 aerial victories claimed in 319 combat missions, all on the Eastern front of the Second World War.

Quick Facts Born, Died ...

Career

In March 1942, IV. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1–1st Fighter Wing) was re-designated and became the III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing). In consequence, Hauptmann Fritz Losigkeit was charged with the creation of a new IV. Gruppe which was initially based at Werneuchen near Berlin.[1] Oberleutnant Friedrich Eberle headed 10. Staffel which had already served as 3. Staffel of Jagdgruppe Losigkeit. The Einsatzstaffel of Jagdfliegerschule 4 under Oberleutnant Wilhelm Moritz formed 11. Staffel on 3 April. Eisenach initially led 12. Staffel created from some pilots of the former IV. Gruppe. Command of 12. Staffel then passed on to Oberleutnant Heinz Stöcker in October.[2]

Eisenach was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) on 17 April 1943. He replaced Hauptmann Gerhard Koall in this function who was transferred.[3] On 8 July 1943, Eisenach was wounded in his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5 (Werknummer 1503—factory number) during combat with Douglas A-20 Havoc bombers northeast of Panino. During his convalescence, he was temporarily replaced by Oberleutnant Robert Weiß as Staffelkapitän.[4][5] On 18 December, he was again injured and shot down. On this occurrence, his Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer 530391) was shot down by anti-aircraft artillery 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) northwest of Gorodok, south of Nevel.[6]

In July 1944, Eisenach was given command of 4. Staffel of JG 54, succeeding Hauptmann Herbert Aloé who had been killed in action on 21 June.[7] On 8 August 1944, Eisennach was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) on I. Gruppe of JG 54.[8][9] He succeeded Hauptmann Horst Ademeit who was killed in action the day before.[10] Command of 4. Staffel was then temporarily given to Leutnant Hermann Schleinhege before the Staffel was renamed 7. Staffel and command was given to Leutnant Gerhard Thyben in September.[7]

Soviet forces launched the Baltic Offensive on 14 September 1944. Thad day, Eisenach claimed his 100th victory on 14 September 1944 by shooting down an IL-2 Sturmovik.[11] That day, he became an "ace-in-a-day" claiming nine aerial victories, include five Ilyushin Il-2 ground attach aircraft and four Petlyakov Pe-2 twin-engined dive bombers. He was the 90th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[12] Eisenach was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 10 October for 107 aerial victories.[13]

Later life

Eisenach re-joined the military service of the Bundeswehr in 1956. He left the service in 1974 with the rank of Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel).[14] He died on 21 August 1998 at the age of 80 in Ottobrunn, Germany.[15]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Eisenach was credited with 129 aerial victories.[16] Spick also lists Eisenach with 129 aerial victories claimed in 319 combat missions, all of which on the Eastern Front.[17] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and also found confirmed records for 129 aerial victories for 154 claims filed.[18]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 00253". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[19]

More information Chronicle of aerial victories, Claim ...

Awards

Notes

  1. [N 1]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 12:01.[8]
  2. [N 2]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 19:38.[8]
  3. [N 3]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14:46.[30]
  4. [N 4]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Yakovlev Yak-9.[30]
  5. [N 5]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 18:17.[30]
  6. [N 6]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 08:05.[30]
  7. [N 7]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as an Ilyushin Il-2.[30]
  8. [N 8]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 11:07.[37]
  9. [N 9]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 12:00.[37]
  10. [N 10]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 18:11.[37]
  11. [N 11]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 18:15.[37]
  12. [N 12]
    This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Balke, Bock. However, the last aerial victory claimed by Eisenach on 27 August 1944 is listed as his 86th aerial victory while the first aerial victory claimed on 29 August is his 89th claim.[42]
  13. [N 13]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 18:53.[37]
  14. [N 14]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Petlyakov Pe-2.[37]
  15. [N 15]
    According to Obermaier on 31 August 1943.[47]
  16. [N 16]
    According to Scherzer as pilot in the II./Jagdgeschwader 54.[50]

References

Citations

  1. [1]
    Prien & Rodeike 1994, p. 99.
  2. [2]
    Prien & Rodeike 1994, pp. 99, 105, 585.
  3. [3]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 165.
  4. [4]
    Prien et al. 2012, pp. 165, 191.
  5. [5]
    Weal 2001, p. 84.
  6. [6]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 194.
  7. [7]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 471.
  8. [8]
    Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 276.
  9. [9]
    Weal 2001, p. 118.
  10. [10]
    Weal 2001, p. 112.
  11. [11]
    Bergström 2008, p. 84.
  12. [12]
    Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
  13. [13]
    Weal 2001, p. 113.
  14. [14]
    Eriksson 2019, Chapter 1, The Balkan Campaign, April–May 1941.
  15. [15]
    Dixon 2023, p. 154.
  16. [16]
    Zabecki 2019, p. 330.
  17. [17]
    Spick 1996, p. 230.
  18. [18]
    Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 276–279.
  19. [19]
    Planquadrat.
  20. [20]
    Prien et al. 2006, p. 226.
  21. [21]
    Prien et al. 2006, p. 228.
  22. [22]
    Prien et al. 2006, p. 230.
  23. [23]
    Prien et al. 2006, p. 229.
  24. [24]
    Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 276–277.
  25. [25]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 174.
  26. [26]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 186.
  27. [27]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 175.
  28. [28]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 187.
  29. [29]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 176.
  30. [30]
    Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 277.
  31. [31]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 177.
  32. [32]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 185.
  33. [33]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 188.
  34. [34]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 309.
  35. [35]
    Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 277–278.
  36. [36]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 481.
  37. [37]
    Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 278.
  38. [38]
    Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 278–279.
  39. [39]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 386.
  40. [40]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 389.
  41. [41]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 391.
  42. [42]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 387.
  43. [43]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 392.
  44. [44]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 388.
  45. [45]
    Dixon 2023, p. 153.
  46. [46]
    Patzwall 2008, p. 72.
  47. [47]
    Obermaier 1989, p. 107.
  48. [48]
    Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 101.
  49. [49]
    Fellgiebel 2000, p. 171.
  50. [50]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 292.

Bibliography

  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish] (2008). Bagration to Berlin – The Final Air Battles in the East: 1944–1945. Ian Allan. ISBN 978-1-903223-91-8.
  • Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
  • Eriksson, Patrick G. (2019). Alarmstart South and Final Defeat: The German Fighter Pilot's Experience in the Mediterranean Theatre 1941–44 and Normandy, Norway and Germany 1944–45. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4456-9333-0.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-18-9.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
  • Prien, Jochen; Rodeike, Peter (1994). Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11: Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945: Teil 1, 1939–1943 [Jagdgeschwader 1 and 11: Operations in the Defense of the Reich from 1939 to 1945] (in German). Vol. I 1939–1943. Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-21-2.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/III—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/III—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-78-6.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/III—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/III—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-07-9.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Balke, Ulf; Bock, Winfried (2022). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 15/II—Einsatz im Osten—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 15/II—Action in the East—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-28-4.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
  • Weal, John (2001). Jagdgeschwader 54 "Grünherz". Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 6. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-286-9.
  • Zabecki, David T., ed. (2019). The German War Machine in World War II. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-44-086918-1.
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