|
Franz Schall (born 1 June 1918 in Graz, Austria – killed in action 10 April 1945 in Parchim) was a German World War II fighter ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.〔Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.〕 He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ((ドイツ語:Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes)). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership—for the fighter pilots, it was a quantifiable measure of skill and combat success. ==Career== Following the Austrian ''Anschluss'' in 1938, Schall volunteered for the ''Luftwaffe''〔Luftwaffe 39-45 Historia website.〕 and initially served as a gunner in a ''FlaK'' battery.〔Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries website.〕 In 1940 he transferred to the ''Jagdwaffe'' and started training as a pilot in September 1941.〔Aces of the Luftwaffe website.〕 On completing his flight training in February 1943, ''Leutnant'' Schall was transferred to the Eastern Front and assigned to 3./JG 52: the 3rd ''Staffel'' (squadron) of ''Jagdgeschwader 52'' (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) which was at that time based at the city of Kursk.〔Aces of the Luftwaffe website.〕〔Luftwaffe 39-45 Historia website.〕 He achieved his first victory, a La-5 fighter, on 6 May. His victories continued steadily through 1943, as his ''Gruppe'' supported the southern attack of the Kursk offensive, then fought in the intense air battles over the Kuban bridgehead on the Black Sea coast. By the end of the year he had 26 victories to his credit. This success carried into 1944 with the retreat across the Ukraine into Romania, with his 40th victory on 19 April, 50th on 17 May and 60th on 4 June. On 11 August, he was appointed the ''Staffelkapitän'' (squadron leader) of 3./52. Now fighting across southern Poland and based out of Krakow, it led to his most prolific period in the war with a number of multiple victories in a day: three on 12 August (74-76), three more on the 24th (79-81), 11 on the 26th (83-93) including six Il-2s and 13 on 31 August to bring him up to his century (97-109) including eleven Il-2s. He was the 81st ''Luftwaffe'' pilot to achieve the century mark.〔Obermaier 1989, p. 243.〕 It was not all one-sided however, and during this period he was himself shot down four times, including a forced landing behind enemy lines. At the beginning of September 1944, with his score at 116, he was transferred to the new ''Kommando Nowotny'', named after its commander, Walter Nowotny, at that time the top fighter pilot in the world with 255 victories. This was a test-unit set up to devise and evaluate combat tactics for the brand new jet fighter - the Messerschmitt Me 262. Such an advanced machine was plagued with problems and in the first month of test-flying nearly half the unit's aircraft were damaged or destroyed in accidents. On 2 October, on only their second operational mission, ''StaKa'' and ''Ritterkreuzträger'' Alfred Teumer was killed when an engine flamed out as he was trying to land. Ltn Schall was chosen to replace him as commander of 2 ''Staffel''. A week later, on 10 October, he was awarded the ''Ritterkreuz'' with his tally then at 117 victories. On 8 November 1944, Fighter General Adolf Galland was visiting to question the slow progress with the unit. But only four aircraft were able to take to the air. Although Schall could not get through to the bomber stream, he was able to shoot down a pair of United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) P-51 Mustang fighter escorts, but then suffered a flameout of both engines. While attempting to glide back to his base at Hesepe, he was intercepted by a P-51, probably piloted by 1st Lt. James W. Kenney of the 357th Fighter Group, which badly damaged Schall's Me 262 A-1a (''Werknummer'' 110 404—factory number) "White 7". Schall managed to bail out just before his aircraft exploded. It was far worse though for the unit ''Kommodore'' Maj Nowotny who was, in almost identical circumstances, also pounced by Mustangs after another engine flameout. Witnesses saw his burning aircraft plummet straight into the ground just east of their Hesepe airfield, killing Nowotny instantly.〔Morgan & Weal 1998, pp.27-28.〕〔Forsyth 2008, p.14.〕 Within a fortnight the unit had been disbanded, and absorbed into the newly formed JG 7, the world’s first operational jet-fighter unit, and ''Hauptmann'' Schall, now with 122 victories, and his unit (now renamed 10./JG 7) was based at Oranienburg. He continued to score regularly in the Me 262, eventually ending with at least 14 confirmed jet victories (there were probably more victories, but they remain unconfirmed amidst the chaotic records of the last days of the war), making him the 3rd highest scorer of jet victories in the war. On 22 March 1945, he shot down a Yak-9, probably the one flown by L.I. Sivko from 812.IAP, himself one of the first Soviet pilots to shoot down an Me 262 jet fighter.〔Morgan 1999, p.53.〕〔IAP—Istrebitelny Aviatsionny Polk (Fighter Aviation Regiment—Истребительный Авиационный Полк)〕 On 10 April 1945, Schall shot down a P-51 Mustang for his final victory, but then attempted an emergency landing at Parchim airbase. His aircraft rolled into a bomb crater and exploded, killing him instantly. Reports vary that Schall was credited with either 133〔Aces of the Luftwaffe website.〕〔Luftwaffe 39-45 Historia website.〕〔Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries website.〕〔Forsyth 2008, pg. 100.〕 or 137 〔Morgan & Weal 1998, pp. 27-28.〕 victories in 550 missions.〔Spick 1996, p. 229.〕 The majority of his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front, including 61 Il-2 Stormoviks. All 14 (or 16) of his victories claimed over the Western Front were gained flying the Me 262 jet fighter and included six four-engine bombers and 10 P-51 fighters.〔For a list of Luftwaffe Jet aces see ''List of German World War II Jet aces''〕 At the time of his death he had been nominated for the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross, however this was never awarded. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Franz Schall」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|