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Home | Military Person | Franz Gotz (pilot)
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Franz Götz enlisted as a fighter pilot in the pre-war Luftwaffe and began the war with III./Jagdgeschwader 53 (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 was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) and became Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II./JG 53 from October 1942 until early 1945. He claimed his first of three B-17 Flying Fortress on 24 August 1944 over the Lüneburger Heide. 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 (Werknummer 836017—factory number) is now on display at the Flying Heritage Collection in Everett, Washington. |
