Franz Eisenach
Encyclopedia
Franz Eisenach was a German
Luftwaffe
fighter ace
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
during World War II
. Eisenach was credited with 129 victories in 319 missions.
in 1937 and became an officer cadet in 1937. By 1939 he attained the rank of Leutnant. From 1940 Eisenach flew with various Groups, until joining 9./Jagdgeschwader 54
(JG 54) on the Eastern Front in October 1942. He became Staffelkapitän
(Squadron Leader) of 3./JG 54 with prominent success, but was badly wounded in December 1943. On 1 May 1944, he was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann
. In June 1944, he was serving with I./JG 54, based in Courland
on the Eastern front, he became Gruppenkommandeur
of I./JG 54 but in September 1944 he was wounded again, this time after an encounter with a bomber. Awarded the Knights Cross, he returned to combat until the war's end. His final tally was 129 victories claimed in 317 combat missions.
Eisenach claimed his 100th victory on 14 September 1944 by shooting down a IL-2 Sturmovik.That day he shot down 9 planes,include 5 Il-2 and 4 Pe-2. His last victory was on 19 March over a Pe-2, reaching 129 victories. He also claimed 25 unconfirmed victories.
Franz Eisenach re-joined the military service of the Bundeswehr
in 1956. He left the service in 1974 with the rank of Oberstleutnant
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Eisenach was credited with 129 victories in 319 missions.
Military career
Eisenach entered the LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
in 1937 and became an officer cadet in 1937. By 1939 he attained the rank of Leutnant. From 1940 Eisenach flew with various Groups, until joining 9./Jagdgeschwader 54
Jagdgeschwader 54
Jagdgeschwader 54 Grünherz was a Luftwaffe fighter wing during the Second World War. It was known as the Green Hearts Wing, and it was the second highest scoring wing of all time, JG 52 being the highest...
(JG 54) on the Eastern Front in October 1942. He became Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank....
(Squadron Leader) of 3./JG 54 with prominent success, but was badly wounded in December 1943. On 1 May 1944, he was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
. In June 1944, he was serving with I./JG 54, based in Courland
Courland
Courland is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland.- Geography and climate :...
on the Eastern front, he became Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur is a Luftwaffe position , that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. Gruppenkommandeur usually has the rank of Hauptmann or Major, and commands a Gruppe, which is a sub-division of a Geschwader. A Gruppe usually consists of three or four...
of I./JG 54 but in September 1944 he was wounded again, this time after an encounter with a bomber. Awarded the Knights Cross, he returned to combat until the war's end. His final tally was 129 victories claimed in 317 combat missions.
Notable victory
On 8 November, during his 21st combat mission, Eisenach claimed his first victory by shooting down a P-40 fighter on the Eastern Front. On 8 July, he shot down a Russian A-20 Boston twin-engine bomber, achieving his 21st victory but in a subsequent dogfight his aircraft was damaged necessitating an emergency landing. He required immediate hospitalisation.Eisenach claimed his 100th victory on 14 September 1944 by shooting down a IL-2 Sturmovik.That day he shot down 9 planes,include 5 Il-2 and 4 Pe-2. His last victory was on 19 March over a Pe-2, reaching 129 victories. He also claimed 25 unconfirmed victories.
After the war
After the war he was confined as a British POW. MajorMajor
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Franz Eisenach re-joined the military service of the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
in 1956. He left the service in 1974 with the rank of Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
.
Awards
- Ehrenpokal der LuftwaffeEhrenpokal der LuftwaffeThe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe was a Luftwaffe award established on February 27, 1940 by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was officially known as the Ehrenpokal "für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg", or Honor Goblet "For...
(31 August 1943) - German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold (16 January 1944) - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(10 October 1944)