Franz Götz (pilot)

Infobox Military Person
name=Franz Götz
born=birth date|1913|1|28|df=y
died=death date and age|1980|5|4|1913|1|28|df=y|df=y
placeofbirth=Obertsrot in the district of Rastatt, Germany
placeofdeath=Aschaffenburg
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
flagicon|West Germany West Germany
branch=
serviceyears=1939–1943
rank=Major (Wehrmacht)
Oberst (Bundeswehr)
commands=9./JG 53, III./JG 53, JG 26
unit=JG 53, JG 26
battles=World War II
awards=Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
laterwork=

Franz Götz (28 January 1913 – 4 May 1980) was a former German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Franz Götz was the last "Geschwaderkommodore" of the renowned Jagdgeschwader 26 'Schlageter'.

Franz Götz enlisted as a fighter pilot in the pre-war Luftwaffe and began the war with III./JG 53 “Pik-As”. As an "Oberfeldwebel" he gained his first victory in May 1940 during the Battle of France. Götz served with JG 53 through successive European, Russian, Mediterranean, and Reich Defence campaigns. He received the "Ritterkreuz" and became Kommandeur of II./JG 53 from october 1942 until early 1945.

On 28 January 1945, (Götz’s 32nd birthday) he was posted as Kommodore of JG 26, based at Fursternau. His final tally was 63 victories, including 3 heavy bombers.

At war’s end Götz’s Fw 190 D-13 was surrendered to the British at Flensburg, in Northern Germany.The very rare Focke Wulf Fw 190 D-13/R11 (Wk. Nr 836017) is now on display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.

Awards

* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* German Cross in Gold
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (4 September 1942)

References

* Crandall, Jerry. "Yellow 10 The story of the ultra-rare Fw 190 D-13". Hamilton, MT: Eagle Edition Ltd., 2000. ISBN 0-9660706-3-1.
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.