Franz Götz (pilot)


Franz Götz was a German fighter pilot during World War II. A fighter ace, he was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Götz was the last commander of the Jagdgeschwader 26.

Career

Franz Götz enlisted as a fighter pilot in the pre-war Luftwaffe and began the war with III./Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik-As". Holding the rank of Oberfeldwebel he gained his first victory in May 1940 during the Battle of France. Götz served with JG 53 through successive European, Soviet, Mediterranean, and Reich Defence campaigns. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and became Gruppenkommandeur of III./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, he was posted as Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 26, based at Fürstenau. 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 is now on display at the Flying Heritage Collection in Everett, Washington, which recently had its Junkers Jumo 213 engine once more, to prepare it for flight in the 21st century.

Awards