Franz Schieß
# Franz Schieß

Franz Schieß (21 February 1921 – 2 September 1943) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace. He claimed 67 victories in 657 missions, (14 on the Eastern Front, and 53 against the Western Allies) whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.

## 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 the Geschwaderstab (Headquarters) of Jagdgeschwader 53, based on the Channel front in March 1941, then served, from December 1941, as Geschwader Adjutant. Staying there for nearly two years, he established a close friendship with the Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn.

On 22 June 1941, the opening day of Operation Barbarossa, Schieß scored his first victories destroying an I-153 biplane fighter and an Ilyushin DB-3 bomber. The members of his Staffel called him "Nawratil", after his radio call sign name.

After achieving 14 kills on the Eastern Front he was withdrawn in August, along with the rest of JG 53 and, following rest and refitting in Germany, then deployed in December to the Mediterranean. Operating from Sicily, Schieß flew sorties over Malta scoring 11 victories. Throughout 1942, and re-equipped with the new Bf 109G-2, he outscored his Geschwaderkommodore. In November, the Stab flight itself transferred to Tunisia, where Schieß continued his success, gaining a further 13 victories, including a B-17 four-engined bomber on 29 January 1943 (36th v.)

Leutnant Schieß was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 23 January 1943 as a member of Stab/JG 53. On 16 February 1943, the now Oberleutnant Schieß was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 8./JG 53. He was regarded as one of the most enthusiastic and aggressive pilots in the Mediterranean theatre, and often flew the escort missions for the Ju 52 transports as they tried to evacuate personnel out of Africa. On 18 April he shot down a Spitfire (for his 43rd victory), but nevertheless 24 heavy-laden transports were shot down and a further 35 damaged, in what became known as the "Palm Sunday Massacre".

Even when his unit was evacuated back to Sicily after the fall of Tunis in April 1943, he still flew over to Tunisia each day doing combat missions before returning to Sicily each night, writing home of "wonderful aerial combats". He went on to score 29 victories as leader of 8./JG 53 and reached 50 kills shooting down a P-38 over the sea south of Sicily on 21 May. Schieß was awarded the Knight's Cross on 21 June for 55 victories and then was sent on leave for 2 months, thereby missing the air battles over the invasion of Sicily. Returning to 8./JG 53 in mid-August, his unit was now flying out of southern Italy against the Allies, who were mounting a concerted campaign to destroy the transport net prior to an invasion of the Italian mainland. 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 1 September 1943.

## Death

The next day, on 2 September 1943, Schieß led a scramble against a USAAF B-25 bomber formation attacking rail marshalling yards at Cancello, Naples. His unit engaged the fighter escort of P-38 Lightnings. Unable to break through the fighter screen to attack the bombers, he followed the force back over the Gulf of Salerno. His final battle took place over the island of Ischia; 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 "Black 1 + I" (Werknummer 160 022—factory number) crashed into the Mediterranean 30 to 50 kilometers (19 to 31 miles) south-southwest of Ischia in the Gulf of Salerno. Though not witnessed, he was probably 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 thoughts 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.

He is credited with 67 aerial victories in 657 missions. Among those were 17 P-38 Lightnings, making him the highest scoring "Lightning-Killer" of the war.

## Summary of career

### Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Schieß was credited with 67 aerial victories. Spick also lists Schieß with 67 aerial victories claimed in 540 combat missions. This figure includes 13 aerial victories in North Africa, a further 40 aerial victories in the Mediterranean theater and 14 more on the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 68 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim. This number includes 14 claims on the Eastern Front and 54 over the Western Allies, including three four-engined bombers.

Chronicle of aerial victories :

| This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Schieß did not receive credit.  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman. ||||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – Stab of Jagdgeschwader 53 – Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 6 August 1941 ||||||||||
| 1 | 22 June 1941 | 07:25 | I-153 | northwest of Kobryn | 8 | 14 July 1941 | 11:00 | SB-3 | |
| 2 | 22 June 1941 | 16:35 | DB-3 | Biała Podlaska | 9 | 20 July 1941 | 17:52 | I-15 | vicinity of Uman |
| 3 | 24 June 1941 | 10:00 | SB-2 | northwest of Kobryn | 10 | 23 July 1941 | 06:33 | I-16 | vicinity of Uman |
| 4 | 24 June 1941 | 10:10 | SB-2 | vicinity of Kobryn | 11 | 24 July 1941 | 11:45 | I-16 | vicinity of Uman |
| 5 | 29 June 1941 | 19:55 | SB-3 | vicinity of Bobruysk | 12 | 25 July 1941 | 18:14 | I-15 | northeast of Bila Tserkva |
| 6 | 6 July 1941 | 14:05 | DB-3 | east of Polonne | 13 | 26 July 1941 | 11:00 | V-11 (Il-2) | |
| 7 | 7 July 1941 | 06:15 | SB-3 | east of Polonne | 14 | 29 July 1941 | 17:02 | SB-3 | |
| – Stab of Jagdgeschwader 53 – Mediterranean Theater — 15 December 1941 – 31 December 1942 ||||||||||
| 15 | 25 January 1942 | 10:49 | Hurricane | south of Malta south of La Valletta | 24 | 17 October 1942 | 13:41? | Spitfire | 5 km (3.1 mi) north of La Valletta |
| 16 | 24 February 1942 | 16:00 | Hurricane | vicinity of Malta | 25 | 17 November 1942 | 13:37 | Spitfire | Bône harbour |
| 17 | 15 June 1942 | 15:15 | Beaufighter | west of Linosa | 26 | 25 November 1942 | 12:00 | Spitfire | 10 km (6.2 mi) north-northwest of Majaz al Bab |
| 18 | 7 July 1942 | 10:47 | Spitfire | vicinity of Malta | 27 | 3 December 1942 | 11:41 | P-38 | La Garaet Achkil |
| 19 | 9 July 1942 | 12:20 | Spitfire | vicinity of Malta | 28 | 4 December 1942 | 16:04 | Boston | 6 km (3.7 mi) south of Jefna |
| 20 | 14 July 1942 | 10:32 | Spitfire | 5 km (3.1 mi) east-southeast of La Valetta 5 km (3.1 mi) east-northeast of Zonqor Point Malta | 29 | 5 December 1942 | 15:40 | P-38 | 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Djebel Abiod |
| 21 | 18 July 1942 | 14:33 | Spitfire | 5 km (3.1 mi) north of La Valetta | — | 5 December 1942 | 15:42 | P-38 | west of Djebel Abiod |
| 22 | 26 August 1942 | 13:17 | Spitfire | 12 km (7.5 mi) south of La Valetta | 30 | 6 December 1942 | 15:58 | Dragonfly | 18 km (11 mi) south of Djebel Abiod |
| 23 | 11 October 1942 | 14:35 | Spitfire | vicinity of Malta | 31 | 18 December 1942 | 11:08 | Spitfire | 20 km (12 mi) west of Jefna |
| – Stab of Jagdgeschwader 53 – Mediterranean Theater — 1 January – 15 February 1943 ||||||||||
| 32 | 2 January 1943 | 09:07 | Spitfire | 20 km (12 mi) east of Bône | 35 | 17 January 1943 | 14:00 | P-38 | 28 km (17 mi) northeast of Béja |
| 33 | 4 January 1943 | 12:23 | P-40 | 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Sbeitla southwest of Pichon | 36 | 29 January 1943 | 11:10 | B-17 | 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Béja |
| 34 | 16 January 1943 | 13:48 | Hurricane | 15 km (9.3 mi) west-southwest of Tebourba 18 km (11 mi) southeast of Mateur | 37 | 29 January 1943 | 11:30 | P-38 | 12 km (7.5 mi) northeast of Bou Arada 12 km (7.5 mi) southwest of Mateur |
| – 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 – Mediterranean Theater — 16 February – 2 September 1943 ||||||||||
| 38 | 26 February 1943 | 17:02 | Spitfire | 40 km (25 mi) north of La Valetta | 54 | 11 June 1943 | 15:37 | Spitfire | 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Pantelleria |
| 39 | 25 March 1943 | 09:44 | Spitfire | 5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of La Valetta | 55 | 25 June 1943 | 12:13 | B-17 | 30 km (19 mi) south of Stromboli |
| 40 | 5 April 1943 | 19:00 | Spitfire | southwest of Béja | 56 | 19 August 1943 | 12:20 | B-17 | 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Benevento |
| 41 | 11 April 1943 | 09:59 | Spitfire | 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Mateur 7 km (4.3 mi) south of Tunis | 57 | 20 August 1943 | 12:43 | P-38 | 12 km (7.5 mi) north of Grazzanise |
| 42 | 17 April 1943 | 19:14 | Spitfire | 18 km (11 mi) north of Medjez el Bab vicinity of Cap Vito | 58 | 21 August 1943 | 13:04 | B-26 | 12 km (7.5 mi) west of Capua |
| 43 | 18 April 1943 | 18:07 | Spitfire | 24 km (15 mi) southwest of Mateur | 59 | 22 August 1943 | 12:17 | B-26 | 50 km (31 mi) southwest of Capri |
| 44 | 29 April 1943 | 16:02 | P-38 | 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Cape Farina | 60 | 23 August 1943 | 11:30 | Catalina | south of Capri |
| 45 | 8 May 1943 | 18:45 | P-40 | 8 km (5.0 mi) southeast of Cape Bon | ? | 26 August 1943 | 12:52 | B-26 | |
| 46 | 8 May 1943 | 19:00 | P-40 | 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Zembra 18 km (11 mi) east of Kelebia | 61 | 26 August 1943 | 12:52? | P-38 | 8 km (5.0 mi) south of Gaeta 2 km (1.2 mi) west of Grazzanise |
| ? | 11 May 1943 | 12:25 | P-40 | 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Marsala | 62 | 27 August 1943 | 12:39? | B-25 | 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Capua 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Benevento |
| 47 | 18 May 1943 | 14:15 | P-38 | northwest of Trapani | 63 | 27 August 1943 | 12:51? | P-38 | 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Benevento 40 km (25 mi) south of Capri |
| 49 | 19 May 1943 | 13:47 | P-38 | 36 km (22 mi) west of Marettimo | 64 | 28 August 1943 | 15:43 | P-38 | 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Altamura east of Castel Volturno |
| 50 | 21 May 1943 | 11:24 | P-38 | 40 km (25 mi) north of Pantelleria | 65 | 28 August 1943 | 15:51? | P-38 | east of Castel Volturno 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Albaccora |
| 51 | 25 May 1943 | 11:03? | P-38 | 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Trapani | 66 | 30 August 1943 | 12:06 | P-38 | southwest of Castel Volturno |
| 52 | 6 June 1943 | 06:42 | Boston | 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Pantelleria | 67 | 30 August 1943 | 12:15 | P-38 | southwest of Castel Volturno |
| 53 | 10 June 1943 | 15:50 | P-40 | 1 km (0.62 mi) west of Pantelleria | | | | | |

### Awards

* Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 7 September 1942 as Leutnant and pilot
* German Cross in Gold on 23 January 1943 as Leutnant in Stab/Jagdgeschwader 53
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 June 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 8./Jagdgeschwader 53
