|
Franz Schieß (21 February 1921 – 2 September 1943) was a German fighter ace. He claimed 67 victories in 657 missions, (14 on the Eastern Front, and 53 against the Western Allies) whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109. ==War time service== During the Polish campaign, he saw service in the Army before transferring to the ''Luftwaffe'' and undergoing fighter pilot training in 1940. Schieß was posted to the ''Geschwaderstab'' (Headquarters) of Jagdgeschwader 53,〔Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries website.〕 based on the Channel front in March 1941, then served, from December 1941, as ''Geschwader Adjutant''.〔Aces of the Luftwaffe website.〕 Staying there for nearly two years, he established a close friendship with the ''Geschwaderkommodore'' (wing commander) Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn.〔Prien 1998, p. 678.〕 On 22 June 1941, the opening day of Operation Barbarossa, Schieß scored his first victories destroying an I-153 biplane fighter and an Ilyushin DB-3 bomber. The members of his Staffel called him "Nawratil", after his radio call sign name. After achieving 14 kills on the Eastern Front he was withdrawn in August, along with the rest of JG 53 and, following rest and refitting in Germany, then deployed in December to the Mediterranean.〔Luftwaffe Air Units: Single–Engined Fighters website.〕 Operating from Sicily, Schieß flew sorties over Malta scoring 11 victories. Throughout 1942, and re-equipped with the new Bf 109G-2, he outscored his ''Geschwaderkommodore''.〔Weal 2007, pg. 81-83.〕 In November, the ''Stab'' flight itself transferred to Tunisia, where Schieß continued his success, gaining a further 13 victories, including a B-17 four-engined bomber on 29 January 1943 (36th v.) ''Leutnant'' Schieß was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 23 January 1943 as a member of Stab/JG 53.〔Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 405〕 On 16 February 1943, the now ''Oberleutnant'' Schieß was appointed ''Staffelkapitän'' (squadron leader) of 8./JG 53. He was regarded as one of the most enthusiastic and aggressive pilots in the Mediterranean theatre, and often flew the escort missions for the Ju 52 transports as they tried to evacuate personnel out of Africa. On 18 April he scored one such victory (a Spitfire, as his 43rd) but it counted for nought as 24 heavy-laden transports were shot down, and a further 35 damaged, in what became known as the "Palm Sunday Massacre".〔Weal 2007, pg. 91.〕 Even when his unit was evacuated back to Sicily after the fall of Tunis in April 1943, he still flew over to Tunisia each day doing combat missions before returning to Sicily each night, writing home of "wonderful aerial combats".〔Sundin & Bergström 1997, p. 44〕 He went on to score 29 victories as leader of 8./JG 53〔Scutts 1994, p. 94〕 and reached 50 kills shooting down a P-38 over the sea south of Sicily on 21 May. Schieß was awarded the Knight's Cross on 21 June for 55 victories and then was sent on leave for 2 months, thereby missing the air battles over the invasion of Sicily. Returning to 8./JG 53 in mid-August, his unit was now flying out of southern Italy against the Allies, who were mounting a concerted campaign to destroy the transport net prior to an invasion of the Italian mainland. Schieß shot down 12 enemy aircraft in 11 days, of which seven were P-38 twin-engine fighters. Together with Jürgen Harder of III./JG 53, Schieß was promoted to the rank of ''Hauptmann'' on September 1, 1943.〔Prien 1998, p. 677.〕 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 Schieß」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|