Franz Eisenach

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.

Franz Eisenach
Born(1918-08-11)11 August 1918
Reetz, Province of Brandenburg
Died21 August 1998(1998-08-21) (aged 80)
Ottobrunn near Munich
Allegiance Nazi Germany
 West Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Bundeswehrkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service1937–45, 1956–74
RankMajor (Wehrmacht)
Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
UnitZG 76, JG 1, JG 5, JG 54
Commands held3./JG 54, I./JG 54
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

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]

On 8 August 1944, Eisennach was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) on I. Gruppe of JG 54.[7][8] He succeeded Hauptmann Horst Ademeit who was killed in action the day before.[9]

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.[10] 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.[11] Eisenach was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 10 October for 107 aerial victories.[12]

Eisenach re-joined the military service of the Bundeswehr in 1956. He left the service in 1974 with the rank of Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel).[13]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Eisenach was credited with 129 aerial victories.[14] Spick also lists Eisenach with 129 aerial victories claimed in 319 combat missions, all of which on the Eastern Front.[15] 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.[16]

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.[17]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Eisenach an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
  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
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[7]
Eastern Front — November 1942
1 8 November 1942 14:50 P-40 PQ 00253, Novaya Pustosh[18]
15 km (9.3 mi) west-southwest of Shlisselburg
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[7]
Eastern Front — December 1942 – 3 February 1943
2 9 December 1942 11:20 Il-2 Atby-Whariya[19] 6 8 January 1943 09:25 Il-2 PQ 07724[20]
20 km (12 mi) southwest of Velikiye Luki
3 30 December 1942 11:55 MiG-3 PQ 07682[19]
15 km (9.3 mi) east-southeast of Velikiye Luki		 7 12 January 1943 13:22 Il-2 PQ 07831[20]
25 km (16 mi) east-southeast of Velikiye Luki
4 30 December 1942 12:30?[Note 1] Il-2 PQ 07663[19]
25 km (16 mi) east of Velikiye Luki		 8 14 January 1943 09:30 LaGG-3 PQ 07643[20]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Velikiye Luki
5 5 January 1943 08:46 Il-2 PQ 07761[21]
25 km (16 mi) south of Velikiye Luki		 9 15 January 1943 12:06 LaGG-3 PQ 07814[20]
20 km (12 mi) south-southeast of Velikiye Luki
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[22]
Eastern Front — 17 April – 31 December 1943
10 24 May 1943 19:28 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 09741[23] 30 15 October 1943 13:38 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 07752, northeast of Nevel[24]
11 24 May 1943 19:36?[Note 2] Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 09764[23] 31 20 October 1943 09:10 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 06163, Lake Ssennitza[24]
12 17 June 1943 05:16 P-40 PQ 36 Ost 10583[25]
25 km (16 mi) northeast of Lyuban		 32 22 October 1943 15:25 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 15173[24]
20 km (12 mi) south of Rudnya
13 17 June 1943 05:20 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 10421[25]
35 km (22 mi) east-southeast of Mga		 33 27 October 1943 14:52 LaGG-3 northeast of Dubrovo[26]
14 5 July 1943 09:57 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63624[27]
20 km (12 mi) northeast of Maloarkhangelsk		 34 28 October 1943 15:21 LaGG-3 south of Gomel[26]
15 5 July 1943 14:45 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63393[27]
15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Maloarkhangelsk		 35 28 October 1943 15:34 Yak-9 south-southeast of Gomel[26]
16 6 July 1943 07:52 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63571[27]
15 km (9.3 mi) south of Maloarkhangelsk		 36 5 November 1943 10:40 Yak-9 west-northwest of Lake Ssennitza[26]
17 6 July 1943 14:12 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63544[27]
25 km (16 mi) west-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk		 37 5 November 1943 10:44 Yak-9 west of Lake Ssennitza[26]
18 6 July 1943 14:31 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63722[27]
35 km (22 mi) west-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk		 38 5 November 1943 10:46?[Note 3] Yak-9 east of Nevel[26]
19 7 July 1943 08:32 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 63572[29]
35 km (22 mi) west-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk		 39 6 November 1943 10:36 Yak-9 north of Lake Ssennitza[26]
20 7 July 1943 14:12 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 63534[29]
10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Maloarkhangelsk		 40 10 November 1943 12:50 La-5 southeast of Nevel[26]
21 8 July 1943 08:06 Boston PQ 35 Ost 63563, northeast of Ponyri[29]
10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk		 41 10 November 1943 13:42 Il-2 west of Nevel[26]
22 30 September 1943 11:45 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 06861[30] 42 10 November 1943 13:43 Il-2 west-southwest of Nevel[26]
23 30 September 1943 11:46 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 06222[30] 43 17 November 1943 10:22 Yak-9 southeast of Nevel[31]
24 7 October 1943 15:40 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 06249[30] 44 15 December 1943 09:14 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 06344[31]
25 9 October 1943 06:52 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 06114[30] 45 15 December 1943 11:37 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 06374[31]
26 9 October 1943 06:54 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 06121[30] 46 15 December 1943 11:40 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 06173[31]
27 11 October 1943 07:05 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 97892[30]
vicinity of Nevel		 47 15 December 1943 11:52 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 06342[31]
28 12 October 1943 12:52 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 15514, north of Leninsk[24]
20 km (12 mi) north-northeast of Krassnyj		 48 18 December 1943 10:52 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 06352[31]
29 13 October 1943 08:40 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 15553, Leninsk[24]
20 km (12 mi) northeast of Gorky		 49 18 December 1943 10:54 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 06354[31]
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[28]
Eastern Front — June – 4 July 1944
50 26 June 1944 10:40 Yak-9 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Pskov 55 30 June 1944 18:15 P-39
51 26 June 1944 10:44 Il-2 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Ostrov 56 30 June 1944 18:17 Il-2
52 26 June 1944 10:46 Yak-9 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Ostrov 57 2 July 1944 17:22 P-39 Pyatnitsa
53 29 June 1944 12:35 P-39 58 4 July 1944 17:17 P-39 vicinity of Siversky
54 30 June 1944 13:30 P-39
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[32]
Eastern Front — 24 July – 2 August 1944
59 24 July 1944 07:43 Il-2 35 km (22 mi) south-southwest of Narva 66 28 July 1944 04:48 Il-2 northwest of Kunda
60 24 July 1944 08:05 Il-2 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Narva 67 30 July 1944 08:20 Il-2 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Narva
61 24 July 1944 19:53 Il-2 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva 68 30 July 1944 19:49 Il-2 northeast of Kunda
62 26 July 1944 16:52 Pe-2 30 km (19 mi) west-southwest of Wesenberg 69 30 July 1944 19:51 Il-2 Gulf of Finland, north-northwest of Reval
63 26 July 1944 16:55 Pe-2 southwest of Kunda 70 30 July 1944 19:53 Yak-9 northeast of Kunda
64 26 July 1944 16:57 Pe-2 southwest of Kunda 71 30 July 1944 19:54 Il-2 Baltic Sea, 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Kunda
65 27 July 1944 16:52 Il-2 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva 72 2 August 1944 13:07 La-5 Baltic Sea, 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Hungerburg
– I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[33]
Eastern Front — 3 August 1944 – 19 March 1945
73 3 August 1944 11:07 Yak-9 10 km (6.2 mi) west-southwest of Hungerburg 102 15 September 1944 10:00 Yak-9 35 km (22 mi) south-southeast of Riga
74 3 August 1944 11:11 Il-2 Baltic Sea, 25 km (16 mi) west of Hungerburg 103 15 September 1944 13:40 P-39 55 km (34 mi) south-southeast of Riga
75 3 August 1944 11:21 Il-2 in the vicinity of 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Hungerburg 104 17 September 1944 09:40 Yak-9 45 km (28 mi) southwest of Mālpils
76 3 August 1944 20:08 Il-2 Baltic Sea, 25 km (16 mi) west of Hungerburg 105 17 September 1944 12:40 Il-2 40 km (25 mi) south-southeast of Riga
77 4 August 1944 09:18 Il-2 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva 106 17 September 1944 12:50 Il-2 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Riga
78 5 August 1944 12:00 Pe-2 Gulf of Finland 107 19 September 1944 16:01 Il-2 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Riga
79 5 August 1944 13:07 Il-2 in the middle of the Gulf of Finland 108 14 December 1944 18:11 Il-2 Gulf of Riga
80 15 August 1944 11:19 Il-2 109 14 December 1944 18:15 Il-2 Gulf of Riga
81 15 August 1944 17:40 P-39 35 km (22 mi) north-northwest of Pasewalk 110 15 December 1944 11:01 Pe-2
82 23 August 1944 11:05 Il-2 40 km (25 mi) north of Kreuzburg 111 15 December 1944 11:04 Pe-2 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Libau
83 24 August 1944 18:55 Yak-9 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Mitau 112 15 December 1944 11:05 Pe-2 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Libau
84 26 August 1944 11:05 Yak-9 15 km (9.3 mi) west-southwest of Mitau 113 15 December 1944 11:08 Pe-2
85 27 August 1944 14:54 Il-2 45 km (28 mi) southeast of Wenden 114 23 December 1944 08:45 Il-2
86 27 August 1944 14:56 Yak-9 50 km (31 mi) north of Kreuzburg 115 23 December 1944 08:47 Il-2 40 km (25 mi) south-southeast of Goldingen
87 28 August 1944 11:26 Il-2 50 km (31 mi) north of Kreuzburg 116 26 December 1944 10:02 Pe-2 55 km (34 mi) east-southeast of Libau
88 29 August 1944 18:53 Yak-9 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Mitau 117 29 December 1944 10:55 Yak-9
89 12 September 1944 16:20 Pe-2 35 km (22 mi) north-northwest of Pasewalk 118 6 January 1945 11:31 Il-2 north of Doblin
90 12 September 1944 16:23 P-39 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Pasewalk 119 6 January 1945 11:33 Yak-9 north of Doblin
91 12 September 1944 16:26 Pe-2 25 km (16 mi) north-northwest of Pasewalk 120 6 January 1945 11:46 Pe-2 north of Doblin
92♠ 14 September 1944 11:52 Il-2 45 km (28 mi) east-southeast of Mālpils 121 21 February 1945 13:40 Pe-2 55 km (34 mi) east-southeast of Libau
93♠ 14 September 1944 11:59 Il-2 40 km (25 mi) north-northwest of Kreuzburg 122 23 February 1945 16:30 Pe-2 vicinity of Courland
94♠ 14 September 1944 16:34 Pe-2 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Riga 123 23 February 1945 16:31 Pe-2 vicinity of Courland
95♠ 14 September 1944 16:36 Pe-2 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Riga 124 5 March 1945 09:06 Pe-2 vicinity of Courland
96♠ 14 September 1944 16:36 Pe-2 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Riga 125 5 March 1945 09:07 Pe-2 vicinity of Courland
97♠ 14 September 1944 16:40 Pe-2 35 km (22 mi) north-northwest of Pasewalk 126 5 March 1945 14:12 Yak-3 vicinity of Courland
98♠ 14 September 1944 18:18 Il-2 45 km (28 mi) south of Riga 127 6 March 1945 15:52 Yak-3 vicinity of Courland
99♠ 14 September 1944 18:20 Il-2 55 km (34 mi) south-southeast of Riga 128 19 March 1945 12:17 Pe-2 vicinity of Courland
100♠ 14 September 1944 18:21 Il-2 40 km (25 mi) north of Pasewalk 129 19 March 1945 12:27 Pe-2 vicinity of Courland
101 15 September 1944 09:51 Il-2 45 km (28 mi) south of Riga

Awards

Notes
  1. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 12:01.[7]
  2. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 19:38.[7]
  3. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14:46.[28]
  4. According to Obermaier on 31 August 1943.[35]
  5. According to Scherzer as pilot in the II./Jagdgeschwader 54.[38]

References

Citations
  1. Prien & Rodeike 1994, p. 99.
  2. Prien & Rodeike 1994, pp. 99, 105, 585.
  3. Prien et al. 2012, p. 165.
  4. Prien et al. 2012, pp. 165, 191.
  5. Weal 2001, p. 84.
  6. Prien et al. 2012, p. 194.
  7. Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 276.
  8. Weal 2001, p. 118.
  9. Weal 2001, p. 112.
  10. Bergström 2008, p. 84.
  11. Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
  12. Weal 2001, p. 113.
  13. Eriksson 2019, Chapter 1, The Balkan Campaign, April–May 1941.
  14. Zabecki 2019, p. 330.
  15. Spick 1996, p. 230.
  16. Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 276–279.
  17. Planquadrat.
  18. Prien et al. 2006, p. 226.
  19. Prien et al. 2006, p. 228.
  20. Prien et al. 2006, p. 230.
  21. Prien et al. 2006, p. 229.
  22. Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 276–277.
  23. Prien et al. 2012, p. 174.
  24. Prien et al. 2012, p. 186.
  25. Prien et al. 2012, p. 175.
  26. Prien et al. 2012, p. 187.
  27. Prien et al. 2012, p. 176.
  28. Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 277.
  29. Prien et al. 2012, p. 177.
  30. Prien et al. 2012, p. 185.
  31. Prien et al. 2012, p. 188.
  32. Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 277–278.
  33. Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 278–279.
  34. Patzwall 2008, p. 72.
  35. Obermaier 1989, p. 107.
  36. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 101.
  37. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 171.
  38. Scherzer 2007, p. 292.

Bibliography
  • Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  • Bergström, Christer (2008). Bagration to Berlin – The Final Air Battles in the East: 1944–1945. Ian Allan. ISBN 978-1-903223-91-8.
  • 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.
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