Ludwig Franzisket
Prof. Dr. Ludwig Franzisket | |
|---|---|
Jagdgeschwader 1 | |
| Commands held | Jagdgeschwader 27 |
| Battles/wars | See battles World War II
|
| Awards | Westfälisches Museum für Naturkunde |
Ludwig Franzisket (born 26 June 1917 in
Westfälisches Museum für Naturkunde
.
Early life and military career
Franzisket was born on 26 June 1917 in
Jagdgeschwader 1
(JG 1—1st Fighter Wing) on the 1 August 1939.
World War II
World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces
French campaign
with nine aerial victories. On 9 July, 1./JG 1 was redesignated and became 7./JG 27.
On 1 October 1940 Franzisket was appointed Adjutant of I./
Captain Kenneth Driver. The air battle was fought singularly, in a one-versus-one situation. Both men fired at each other, but only the German scored hits. Franzisket got too close and struck Driver's tail with a wing tip ,damaging it. Franzisket remained ignorant of the collision, as did Driver, who was preparing to bail out, until after they met. Franzisket showed Driver around the damaged Bf 109. Driver showed Franzisket a picture and lock of hair belonging to his girlfriend who had come to visit him in Cairo. The German promised to have a message dropped via container over his airfield informing her that Driver lived.[3] Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) Franzisket was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
(Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 20 July for 22 victories in 204 missions.
Franzisket was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1. Staffel JG 27 on 5 December 1941.[4] With his score at 39, Frankisket was shot down on 29 October 1942 by Royal Air Force (RAF) Spitfires. As he bailed out of Messerschmitt Bf 109 (Werknummer 10616—factory number) he struck the vertical stabilizer, a fate suffered by his close friend and fellow ace Hans-Joachim Marseille just four weeks before, breaking his leg. Marseille had not been as fortunate to survive the accident and was killed. Franzisket was tasked with recovery of Marseille's body from the desert.
Franzisket summed up his view of the air war over North Africa after the war:
In the air we were superior to the British fighter aircraft [Hurricanes] particularly in 1941. The Curtiss Tomahawks and Kittyhawks were much better aircraft, but the Bf 109F had the better performance at high altitude. Over and above, our tactics seemed to be better than the British, but on the other hand, the ever-growing superiority in numbers of the RAF was the reason why JG 27 was from the summer, 1942 onwards, more and more decimated and weakened. Negative points were the enormous technical difficulties and the lack of supply. An important but not decisive psychological factor was the news of the immense super-victories of the German pilots in Russia. But we all had the feeling that these victories were gained much more easily than ours. I never envied the German Jagdgeschwadern on the Channel front; I have a very unpleasant memory of my own tour of several months over England, and therefore had the highest respect for the results of the pilots on the Western front."[5]
After recovering Franzisket led 1./Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Süd—a supplementary training unit—from 1 July 1943. On 15 July, he was then appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I./JG 27. Hu succeeded Hauptmann Hans Remmer who had temporarily led the Gruppe since 1 June when the former commander Hauptmann Erich Hohagen had been wounded in combat.[4] The Gruppe was based in Germany, defending against the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).
In May 1944, the
Oil Campaign of World War II, targeting various facilities supplying Germany with petroleum, oil, and lubrication products. On 12 May, the Eighth Air Force sent an attack force of 886 heavy bombers, protected by 980 escort fighters, against the German refineries in central Germany at Leuna, Merseburg, Böhlen and Zeitz.[6] That day, Franzisket's Bf 109 G-6/U4 (Werknummer 441097) was shot down and severely wounded in combat with the bombers, forcing him to bail out near Frankfurt.[7] Subsequently he surrendered command of I. Gruppe to Hauptmann Ernst Börngen.[8]
On 15 December 1944 Franzisket joined the Geschwaderstab of JG 27, and then was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of JG 27 on 30 December 1944.
Franzisket surrendered with the remnants of his unit to American Forces at Salzburg, Austria on 8 May 1945. His younger brother Max, born 22 August 1918 in Düsseldorf, was a Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1—1st Destroyer Wing) and was killed in action on 19 July 1943 on the Eastern Front.[9]
Academic career
After World War II Ludwig Franzisket went to the
Westfälisches Museum für Naturkunde
. He died aged 71 on 23 November 1988 in Münster.
Summary of career
Aerial victory claims
Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces: Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 39 aerial victory claims, plus four further unconfirmed claims. All of his aerial victories were claimed on the Western Front and include three four-engined bombers.[10]
| Chronicle of aerial victories | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Franzisket did not receive credit.
This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
| |||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1?[Note 1] – Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11 May 1940 | 06:53 | Gladiator | vicinity of Maastricht[12] | ?[Note 2] | 23 May 1940 | 14:20 | Hurricane | Douai |
| 2?[Note 3] | 11 May 1940 | 19:55 | M.S.406 | Riemst[12] | 6 | 23 May 1940 | 14:20?[Note 4] | Hurricane | Douai[13] |
| 3 | 17 May 1940 | 13:05 | Potez 63 | Laon[12] | 7 | 5 June 1940 | 10:45?[Note 5] | LeO 451 | Nesle[13] |
| 4 | 19 May 1940 | 13:50 | Mureaux | Amiens[13] | 8 | 5 June 1940 | 10:50 | LeO 451 | Nesle[13] |
| 5 | 23 May 1940 | 14:12 | Hurricane | Douai[13] | ?[Note 2] | 5 June 1940 | 10:50 | LeO 451 | Nesle |
| ?[Note 2] | 23 May 1940 | 14:15 | Hurricane | Douai | 9 | 5 June 1940 | 21:22 | M.S.406 | Roye[13] |
| – 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[11] Action at the Channel and over England — 26 June – 10 November 1940 | |||||||||
| 10?[Note 1] | 11 July 1940 | 09:03 | Hurricane | south of Portland[14] | 13 | 25 August 1940 | 18:55 | Hurricane | Portland[15] |
| 11 | 8 August 1940 | 13:25 | Hurricane | south of the Isle of Wight[14] | 14?[Note 6] | 8 September 1940 | 13:42 | Blenheim | Calais[15] |
| 12 | 16 August 1940 | 14:20 | Hurricane | Portsmouth[15] | |||||
| – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[11] Sicily, Balkans and North Africa — 4 December 1940 – 31 May 1941 | |||||||||
| 15 | 23 April 1941 | 10:40 | Hurricane | Tobruk[16] | 16 | 23 April 1941 | 11:05 | Hurricane | Tobruk[16] |
| – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[11] Sicily, Balkans and North Africa — 1 June – 17 November 1941 | |||||||||
| 17 | 14 June 1941 | 05:05 | Hurricane | south of Ain el Gazala[16] | 21 | 30 June 1941 | 16:35 | P-40 | north of Marsa Luccech[17] |
| 18 | 14 June 1941 | 05:06 | Martin 167 | southeast of Ain el Gazala[16] | 22 | 19 July 1941 | 18:15 | P-40 | north of Ras Asaz[17] |
| 19 | 15 June 1941 | 16:30 | Hurricane | southeast of Gambut[16] | 23 | 9 September 1941 | 17:15 | Hurricane | 30 km (19 mi) east of Sidi Barrani[18] |
| 20 | 26 June 1941 | 13:45 | P-40 | Ain el Gazala[17] | 24 | 12 October 1941 | 08:08 | P-40 | Bir Sheferzen[18] |
| – 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[11] In North Africa — 5 December 1941 – 31 October 1942 | |||||||||
| 25 | 17 December 1941 | 11:12 | P-40 | Martuba[19] | 32?[Note 3] | 9 June 1942 | 07:50 | P-40 | southwest of Hagfa el Beda[20] |
| 26 | 17 December 1941 | 11:20 | P-40 | southeast of Timimi[19] | 33 | 12 June 1942 | 18:50 | Hurricane | Al Adm[20] |
| 27 | 23 December 1941 | 12:24 | Maryland | northeast Ajdabiya[19] | 34 | 26 June 1942 | 12:12 | P-40 | southwest of Mersa Matruh[21] |
| 28 | 21 March 1942 | 07:55 | P-40 | north of Ain el Gazala[22] | 35?[Note 3] | 27 June 1942 | 08:55 | Martin 167 | southwest of RAF El Daba[21] |
| 29 | 27 March 1942 | 16:55 | P-40 | south of Ain el Gazala[22] | 36 | 27 June 1942 | 18:25 | Hurricane | southwest of Fouka[21] |
| 30 | 11 April 1942 | 10:55 | P-40 | 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Bir Habex[22] | 37 | 5 July 1942 | 13:50 | Spitfire | 20 km (12 mi) south of El Alamein[21] |
| 31 | 22 May 1942 | 07:41 | P-40 | 20 km (12 mi) east of Derna[22] | 38 | 17 July 1942 | 13:12 | Hurricane | southwest of El Alamein[23] |
— [Note 7]
|
22 May 1942 | 07:51 | P-40 | south of Timimi[24] | 39?[Note 3] | 12 October 1942 | —
|
Spitfire | La Valetta, Malta[25] |
| – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –[11] Defense of the Reich — 29 July – 31 December 1943 | |||||||||
| 40 | 14 October 1943 | 14:50 | B-17 | 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Schweinfurt[26] | 42 | 14 October 1943 | 14:55?[Note 8] | B-17 | 15 km (9.3 mi) west-southwest of Rothenburg[26] |
| 41 | 14 October 1943 | 14:55 | B-17 | 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Schweinfurt[26] | |||||
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
- Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 20 October 1940[27]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 July 1941 as Oberleutnant and adjudant of the I./JG 27[28][Note 9]
- German Cross in Gold on 12 January 1943 as Hauptmann in the I./JG 27[30]
Works
- The Atrophy of Hermatypic Reef Corals Maintained in Darkness and their Subsequent Regeneration in Light.
- Die Geschichte des Lebens. Verl. Natur u. Heimat, 1966.
- Die Geschichte des Westfälischen Landesmuseums für Naturkunde. Landesmuseum f. Naturkunde, 1967.
Notes
- ^ a b According to Mathews and Foreman claimed while flying with 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1.[11]
- ^ a b c This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock.[13]
- ^ a b c d According to Mathews and Foreman, this claim is unconfirmed .[11]
- ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14:15.[11]
- ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 10:43.[11]
- ^ This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[11]
- ^ This unconfirmed claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[11]
- ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 15:02.[11]
- ^ According to Scherzer on 23 July 1941.[29]
References
Citations
- ^ Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.
- ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 437.
- ^ Shores & Ring 1969, pp. 43–44.
- ^ a b Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 535.
- ^ Shores, Massimello & Guest 2012, p. 15.
- ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 403.
- ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, pp. 404, 550.
- ^ Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 406.
- ^ Ziefle 2013, p. 117.
- ^ Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 334–335.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 335.
- ^ a b c Prien et al. 2000, p. 77.
- ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2000, p. 78.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2002, p. 420.
- ^ a b c Prien et al. 2002, p. 421.
- ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2003, p. 370.
- ^ a b c Prien et al. 2003, p. 371.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2003, p. 372.
- ^ a b c Prien et al. 2004, p. 177.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2004, p. 181.
- ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2004, p. 182.
- ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2004, p. 179.
- ^ Prien et al. 2004, p. 183.
- ^ Prien et al. 2004, p. 180.
- ^ Prien et al. 2004, p. 185.
- ^ a b c Prien et al. 2009, p. 171.
- ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 113.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 185.
- ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 317.
- ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 121.
Bibliography
- 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.
- Prien, Jochen; Rodeike, Peter; Stemmer, Gerhard (1998). Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei Stab und I./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1939 – 1945 [Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Action with the Headquarters Unit and I./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1939 – 1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-46-5.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2000). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 3—Einsatz in Dänemark und Norwegen 9.4. bis 30.11.1940—Der Feldzug im Westen 10.5. bis 25.6.1940 [Fighter Pilot Association of the German Luftwaffe 1934 to 1945 Part 3—Assignments in Denmark and Norway 9 April to 30 November 1940—The campaign in the West 10 May to 25 June 1940] (in German). Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-61-8.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2002). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 4/I—Einsatz am Kanal und über England—26.6.1940 bis 21.6.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 4/I—Action at the Channel and over England—26 June 1940 to 21 June 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-63-2.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 5—Heimatverteidigung—10. Mai 1940 bis 31 Dezember 1941—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—Oktober 1940 bis November 1941—Einsatz im Westen—22. Juni bis 31. Dezember 1941—Die Ergänzungsjagdgruppen—Einsatz 1941 bis zur Auflösung Anfang 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 5—Defense of the Reich—10 May 1940 to 31 December 1941—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—October 1940 to November 1941—Action in the West—22 June to 31 December 1941—The Supplementary Fighter Groups—Action from 1941 until their Breakup in Early 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-68-7.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2004). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 8/I—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—November 1941 bis December 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 8/I—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—November 1941 to December 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-74-8.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2009). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 10/III—Reichsverteidigung—1.1. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 10/III—Defense of the Reich—1 January to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-89-2.
- 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.
- Scutts, Jerry (1994). Bf 109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 2. London, UK: ISBN 978-1-85532-448-0.
- Shores, Christopher; Ring, Hans (1969). Fighters over the Desert. London: Neville Spearman Limited. ISBN 978-0-668-02070-1.
- Shores, Christopher F.; Massimello, Giovanni; Guest, Russell (2012). A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940–1945 Volume 2: North African Desert, February 1942 – March 1943. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-909166-12-7.
- Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
- Weal, John (2003). Jagdgeschwader 27 "Afrika". Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 12. London, UK: ISBN 978-1-84176-538-9.
- Ziefle, Michael (2013). Messerschmitt Bf 110: Die Rehabilitierung eines Flugzeuges [Messerschmitt Bf 110: The Rehabilitation of an Aircraft] (in German). Norderstedt Books on Demand. ISBN 978-3-8482-8879-3.
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