Franz Gotz JG53

[keith A]

Does anyone know how many confirmed victories this pilot claimed? I have seen both 54 and 56 listed, with a higher score of 63 possibly coming through the addition of unconfirmed claims.

His first victory was claimed in May 1940 but again several dates for this are listed, including 14 and 27 May.

Also can anyone shed light on when he was commissioned? He seems to have made the jump from Oberfeldwebel to Oberleutnant.

regards

Keith

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Hello Keith,

I humbly suggest you the volumous work of Jochen Prien on JG 53 "Pik As", a fully documented and well researched book.
As we do know, some claims were unconfirmed...I do not have the books right now at my side, but maybe someone else can add a bit more...but I fully recommend those books, if you do have the opportunity to read them.
Yours,
Adriano Baumgartner

[GrafWolf]

Hello Keith!

From Jochen Prien- "PIK AS" Geschichte des JG 53

Franz Götz, born 28.01.1913, Obertsrot/Baden
03.1940 7./JG 53
17.09.1940 Oberleutnant
09.1940-10.1942 Staffelkapitän 9./JG 53
14.11.1940 Ehrenpokal
15.10.1941 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
04.09.1942 Ritterkreuz
10.1942-17.01.45 Kommandeur III./JG 53
01.12.1942 Hauptmann
01.01.1944 Major
28.01.1945 Kommodore JG 26
later Oberst Bundesluftwaffe
died 04.05.1980 Schaffenburg/Bayern
766 combat missions
63 comfirmed air victories -56 with JG 53
1. 14.05.1940 Morane
2. 18.05.1940 P-36
3. 26.05.1940 Potez-63
.......

Hope this will help!

Herzliche Grüsse aus Oberschwaben,
Wolfgang

[Pieter H]

Hi all,

quick question: what was Götz's rank during the Campaign in the west, between March 40 when he joined 7./JG53 and his promotion to ObLt in September.
I ask because in the Tony Wood claim lists he is mentined as OFw. It seems a big promotion to ObLt immediately. So it the OFw correct?

Additional comment: the first two claims mentioned (on 14 and 18 May) seems to be not confirmed.

Regards, Pieter

[keith A]

Thanks chaps. Unfortunately I don't have the excellent Prien volumes and neither does the National Library of Scotland so I can't do much in the way of research. I don't think he scored any victories with JG26 so anything other than the 56 claims (with 7 unconfirmed) gained while a pilot of JG53 seem unlikely given that there's no indication he flew with another fighter unit in WW2.

[Johannes]

Hi Keith

Claims with 7./JG 53 were:-

14th May 1940 MS406 U/C
14th May 1940 Hawk 75 U/C
27th May 1940 MS406 1412 hrs Nr.1
5th June 1940 Po63 1430 hrs Nr.2
6th June 1940 Bloch 152 0950 hrs Nr.3
9th June 1940 Hawk 75 1010 hrs Nr.4
11th June 1940 Bloch 152 1155 hrs Nr.5
8th September 1940 Hurricane 1335 hrs Nr.6

With 9./JG 53

15th September 1940 Hurricane 1540 hrs Nr.7
18th September 1940 Spitfire 2050 hrs Nr.8
30th September 1940 Spitfire 1510 hrs Nr.9
7th May 1941 Spitfire 1655 hrs Nr.10
22nd June 1941 DJ-6 1828 hrs Nr.11
25th June 1941 SB-3 0835 hrs Nr.12
25th July 1941 Pe-2 1435 hrs Nr.13
26th July 1941 Pe-2 0515 hrs Nr.14
26th July 1941 DB-3 x 3 1005,1755 & 1756 hrs Nr.15-17
31st July 1941 I-153 0650 hrs Nr.18
3rd August 1941 MiG-1 0819 hrs Nr.19
6th August 1941 Pe-2 1155 hrs Nr.20
22nd August 1941 DB-3 1053 hrs Nr.21
24th August 1941 SB-2 1549 hrs Nr.22
27th August 1941 DB-3 x 2 1625 & 1626 hrs Nr.23-24
31st August 1941 Il-2 1121 hrs Nr.25
8th September 1941 DB-3 0955 hrs Nr.26
9th September 1941 Il-2 1030 hrs Nr.27
10th September 1941 Il-2 0730 hrs Nr.28
15th September 1941 DB-3 0955 hrs Nr.29
20th September 1941 Il-2 1645 hrs Nr.30
25th September 1941 MiG-1 1705 hrs Nr.31
9th May 1942 P-40 1025 hrs Nr.32
12th May 1942 Spitfire 1506 hrs Nr.33
10th June 1942 Spitfire 0750 hrs Nr.34
14th June 1942 Hurricane 1105 hrs Nr.35
15th June 1942 Beaufighter 0616 hrs Nr.36
20th June 1942 Blenheim 1030 hrs Nr.37
6th July 1942 Spitfire x 2 1231 & 1237 hrs Nr.38-39
22nd July 1942 Spitfire 0900 hrs Nr.40
1st November 1942 Spitfire 1627 hrs Nr.41

With Stab.III./JG 53

17th April 1943 B-25 1908 hrs Nr.42
11th May 1943 P-38 1224 hrs Nr.43
18th May 1943 P-38 1403 hrs Nr.44
21st May 1943 P-38 1115 hrs Nr.45
5th July 1943 B-17 1140 hrs Nr.46
1st December 1943 P-38 1250 hrs Nr.47
2nd December 1943 P-38 1206 hrs Nr.48
12th April 1944 P-47 0937 hrs Nr.49
26th May 1944 Spitfire x 2 0948 & 0949 hrs Nr.50-51
3rd August 1944 P-51 1525 hrs Nr.52
15th August 1944 B-24 1252 hrs Nr.53
22nd August 1944 P-51 1135 hrs Nr.54
24th August 1944 B-17 1115 hrs Nr.55

Probably he claim a few more in 1945, but micro films do not cover this period. He was a honest claimer. For his claim on 8th September 1940 he was already an Oberleutnant, all claims previous he was an Oberfeldwebel.

Regards

Johannes

[keith A]

Many thanks Johannes. I wonder what the claim for a DJ-6 claim actually was? My information is that this type was not in active service in 1941 after poor performamce i it's development.