Franz Eisenach

Infobox Military Person
name=Franz Eisenach
lived=11 August 1918 – 21 August 1998
placeofbirth=Reetz, Province of Brandenburg
placeofdeath=Ottobrunn near Munich
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=
serviceyears=1937–1945
rank=Major
Commands=3./JG 54
unit=ZG 76, JG 1, JG 5, JG 54
battles=World War II
*Eastern Front
*North African Campaign
awards=Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
laterwork=

Franz Eisenach (11 August 1918 – 21 August 1998) 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. [Spick 1996, p. 230]

Military career

Eisenach entered the Luftwaffe 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./JG 54 on the Eastern Front in October 1942. He became 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 the Front until the war's end. His final tally was 129 victories 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 21th 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.After releaved from prison, Major Franz Eisenach joined the Bundeswehr in 1956. He left the service in 1974 with the rank of Oberstleutant.

Awards

* Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (31 August 1943)
* German Cross in Gold (16 January 1944)
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (10 October 1944)

References

*cite web | title=Aces of the Luftwaffe| work=Franz Eisenach| url= http://www.luftwaffe.cz/eisenach.html| accessdate=19 February| accessyear=2008
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
* Spick, Mike. "Luftwaffe Fighter Aces". Ivy Books, 1996. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.

*www.axisfactbook.com
*http://home.pacbell.net/horrido1/photos.htm