Franz Götz (pilot)

Franz Götz (28 January 1913 – 4 May 1980) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II.

As a fighter ace, he is credited with 63 enemy aircraft shot down in 766 combat missions.

The majority of his victories were claimed over the Western Front, including five four-engined bombers, with nineteen claims over the Eastern Front.

Born in Obertsrot, Grand Duchy of Baden, Götz grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany and volunteered for military service in the Reichswehr.

Götz was born on 28 January 1913 in Obertsrot, present-day part of Gernsbach, at the time in the Grand Duchy of Baden of the German Empire.

In 1935, he transferred to the Luftwaffe (Air Force).

In 1935, he transferred from the Reichswehr to the newly emerging Luftwaffe where he was trained as a fighter pilot.

On 26 September 1939, Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing) was ordered to form its III.

Gruppe (3rd group).

Leadership of the Gruppe was given to Hauptmann Werner Mölders at Wiesbaden–Erbenheim Airfield.

Formation of the 7.

Staffel (7th squadron) was headed by Oberleutnant Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke and Götz was assigned to this squadron holding the rank of Oberfeldwebel (master sergeant).

At the time, the Gruppe was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E.

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland.

Following the outbreak of World War II, he claimed his first aerial victory on 14 May 1940 during the Battle of France.

In September 1940, during the Battle of Britain, he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 9.

From 2–16 January 1940, Götz and other pilots from III.

Gruppe went on a ski vacation to Vorarlberg (Austria).

On 11 March 1940, he became witness to Wilcke's second aerial victory which was claimed near the "three-nations-corner" north of Metz during the "Phoney War" period of World War II.

The Battle of France, the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, began on 10 May 1940.

On 14 May, he engaged in aerial combat with French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 fighters and claimed one of the aircraft shot down.

On 26 May, III.

Gruppe moved to an airfield at Lor.

The next day, Götz claimed an aerial victory over a M.S.406 shot down 10 km south of Creil.

His wingman Unteroffizier Ernst Poschenrieder also filed claim for this French aircraft, but the claim was later credited to Götz.

On 5 June, German forced launched Fall Rot (Case Red), the second phase of the conquest of France.

That day, Götz claimed his fourth aerial victory, a Potez 63 destroyed over the Noyon-Compiègne combat area.

The following day, III.

Gruppe engaged in combat with twelve French Bloch MB.152 fighters near Soissons.

For the loss of one pilot taken prisoner of war, four aerial victories were claimed by III.

Gruppe pilots, including one of which credited to Götz.

On 9 June, Army Group A began its attack on Rethel and Soissons in an attempt to cross the Aisne.

Götz then fought in the aerial battles of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union and in September 1941, he relocated with his group to the Mediterranean Theater.

Fighting in this theater of operations, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 September 1942 and was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the III.

Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 53 in October 1942.

In January 1945, Götz became the last Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter".

Following World War II, he reentered military service in the Bundeswehr and became an officer in the Bundesluftwaffe.

Following flight training, he was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing).

Staffel (9th squadron) of JG 53.

He died on 4 May 1980 in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria.