Franz Schiess
Encyclopedia
Franz Schieß was a German
fighter ace
. He scored 67 victories in 657 missions, (14 on the Eastern Front
, and 53 against the Western Allies
) whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109
.
On 22 June 1941, Schieß scored his first victories on the opening day of Operation Barbarossa
, destroying a I-153 biplane
fighter and an Ilyushin DB-3
bomber.
The members of his Staffel called him "Nawratil", by his radio call sign
name. Schieß joined JG 53 in the spring of 1941 and until February flew as a member of the Geschwaderstab. In this time he established a close friendship with Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn
.
After achieving 14 kills on the Eastern front JG 53 was withdrawn and, following rest and refitting in Germany, then deployed to the Mediterranean. Operating from Sicily
, Schieß flew sorties over Malta
scoring 11 victories.
In Tunisia
Schieß continued his success, gaining a further 13 victories.
Leutnant Schieß was awarded the German Cross
in Gold on January 23, 1943 as a member of Stab/JG 53. On 16 February 1943, Schieß was appointed Staffelkapitän
of 8./JG 53 and reached 50 kills on 21 May over Sicily
. He went on to score 29 kills as "head" of 8./JG 53. Schieß was awarded the Knight's Cross on 21 June for 55 victories. In August, 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.
Among his 67 aerial victories were 17 P-38 Lightnings, making him the highest scoring "Lightning Killer" of the war.
; at around 1:45PM, the pilots heard Franz Schieß radio: "At them again, everyone get ready!" At the time, the formation was 30 to 40 km southwest of Ischia when Hauptmann Schieß's wingman was forced away by two Lightnings and lost sight of his Staffelkapitän. Ten of the P-38s were shot down, but Schieß's Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 160 022—factory number) "Black 1 + I", crashed into the Mediterranean 30–50 km SSW of Ischia. Although it was not witnessed, he probably was shot down by a P-38.
On September 27 Günther von Maltzahn wrote to Schieß's parents expressing the close friendship they shared:
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...
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...
. He scored 67 victories in 657 missions, (14 on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
, and 53 against the Western Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
) whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
.
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 JG 53, based on the Channel front, in March 1941.On 22 June 1941, Schieß scored his first victories on the opening day of Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
, destroying a I-153 biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
fighter and an Ilyushin DB-3
Ilyushin DB-3
The Ilyushin DB-3 was a Soviet bomber aircraft of World War II. It was a twin-engined, low-wing monoplane that first flew in 1935. It was the precursor of the Ilyushin Il-4...
bomber.
The members of his Staffel called him "Nawratil", by his radio call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
name. Schieß joined JG 53 in the spring of 1941 and until February flew as a member of the Geschwaderstab. In this time he established a close friendship with Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn
Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn
Oberst Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn was a German World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace and Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 53 and a winner of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
.
After achieving 14 kills on the Eastern front JG 53 was withdrawn and, following rest and refitting in Germany, then deployed to the Mediterranean. Operating from Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, Schieß flew sorties over Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
scoring 11 victories.
In Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
Schieß continued his success, gaining a further 13 victories.
Leutnant Schieß was awarded the German Cross
German Cross
The 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 on January 23, 1943 as a member of Stab/JG 53. On 16 February 1943, Schieß was appointed 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....
of 8./JG 53 and reached 50 kills on 21 May over Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. He went on to score 29 kills as "head" of 8./JG 53. Schieß was awarded the Knight's Cross on 21 June for 55 victories. In August, Schieß shot down 12 enemy aircraft in 11 days of which seven were P-38 twin-engine fighters. Together with Jürgen Harder
Jürgen Harder
Jürgen Harder was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Harder claimed 64 aircraft shot down in approximately 500 missions...
of III./JG 53, Schieß 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...
on September 1, 1943.
Among his 67 aerial victories were 17 P-38 Lightnings, making him the highest scoring "Lightning Killer" of the war.
Death
On 2 September 1943 Schieß led a scramble against a USAAF B-25 bomber formation attacking marshalling yards at Cancello. His unit engaged the fighter escort of P-38 Lightnings. The final battles took place around the island of IschiaIschia
Ischia is a volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It lies at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples, about 30 km from the city of Naples. It is the largest of the Phlegrean Islands. Roughly trapezoidal in shape, it measures around 10 km east to west and 7 km north to south and has...
; at around 1:45PM, the pilots heard Franz Schieß radio: "At them again, everyone get ready!" At the time, the formation was 30 to 40 km southwest of Ischia when Hauptmann Schieß's wingman was forced away by two Lightnings and lost sight of his Staffelkapitän. Ten of the P-38s were shot down, but Schieß's Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 160 022—factory number) "Black 1 + I", crashed into the Mediterranean 30–50 km SSW of Ischia. Although it was not witnessed, he probably was shot down by a P-38.
On September 27 Günther von Maltzahn wrote to Schieß's parents expressing the close friendship they shared:
"I ask that you and your husband accept my and my Geschwader's most sincere and heartfelt sympathy on the unspeakably hard stroke of fate which befell your son Franz.
I can sympathize with how hard it must be to come to terms with thought that you will never see your son Franz again in this life. One could not have wished for a better officer. Not only did there exist a comradeship and a mutual trust between Kommodore and adjutant that was tested in far more than 100 air battles, but in him I lost my best friend, on whom I could depend no matter what the situation."