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Messerschmitt Bf-109E JG27.1 (A+ $Ludwig Franzisket El Gazala, North Africa 1941 00

Messerschmitt Bf-109E.7 Trop flown by Oblt. Ludwig Franzisket of the Stabschwarm of 1./JG27, April 1941 Although it was later repainted in a desert scheme more appropriate to the North African area of operations, Oblt. Franziskets aircraft is depicted here still retaining its European scheme of 02/71 uppersurfaces over 65 undersurfaces. The rudder and engine cowling are yellow, and sixteen victory bars appear on the rudder, the last two representing Hurricanes destroyed during a mission to Tobruk on 23 April 1941. The spinner tip and small letter A on the fuselage side are in the Stab colour of Green 25.

Messerschmitt Bf-109E JG27.1 (A+ $Ludwig Franzisket El Gazala, North Africa 1941 01

Photo 01: This aircraft was flown by Oblt. Ludwig Franzisket of Stab I./JG27. The rudder is marked with the pilots victory tally, the last, the 23rd, being a Hurricane shot down over Sidi Barrani on 9 September 1941.Although carrying Stab markings similar to picture above this machine is finished in a desert camouflage scheme.

Messerschmitt Bf-109E JG27.1 (A+ $Ludwig Franzisket with Ju-87 Stuka's SG2.2 N. Africa 1941 01

Photo 01: A Bf-109E-7 of the Stabschwarm of I./JG27 which is believed to have been flown by the Gruppe Adjutant, Oblt. Ludwig Franzisket, shown while flying escort for Ju-87s of II./St.G2.

Pilots JG27.1 $Ludwig ‘Zirkus’ Franzisket

Ludwig “Zirkus” Franzisket was born on 26 June 1917 at Düsseldorf. Fähnrich Franzisket was serving with JG26 in 1938. On 1 August 1939, he transferred to 1./JG1. He participated in the invasion of Poland and the Low Countries and France. On 11 May 1940, Franzisket claimed his first two victories. He ended the French campaign with nine victories to his credit, including two French LeO 451 twin-engine bombers shot down near Nesle on one mission and a French Morane fighter shot down near Roye on a later mission to record his 7th through 9th victories on 5 June. On 9 July, 1./JG1 was redesignated 7./JG27. On 1 October 1940, Franzisket was transferred as Adjutant of I./JG27. In spring 1941, I./JG27 was relocated to North Africa. Franzisket had 14 victories to his credit at this time. On 14 June, Franzisket intercepted a lone RAF Maryland twin-engine bomber escorted by a Hurricane fighter. He shot down both aircraft. The Hurricane was piloted by South African ace, Captain Ken Driver (10 destroyed and 1 damaged victories) of 1Sqn, SAAF, who baled out to become a prisoner of war. Oberleutnant Franzisket was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 23 July for 22 victories in 204 missions. Franzisket was appointed Staffelkapitän of 1./JG27 on 6 December 1941. On 25 December, Franzisket was wounded when his Bf 109 F-4trop was damaged by flak 40km south of Agedabia. On 11 April 1942 he shot down a P-40 to raise his victory total to 30. On 29 October 1942, Franzisket was shot down in aerial combat with RAF Spitfire fighters. He baled out of his stricken Bf 109 G-2trop (W.Nr. 10616) but struck the tailplane breaking a leg. When I./JG27 was withdrawn from North Africa at the end of 1942, Franzisket had 39 victories to his credit. From 1 July 1943, Franzisket led 1./Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Süd. He attended a fighter leader’s course from 15 July before being appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG27 based in Germany performing Reichsverteidigung

duties. On 14 October, he claimed two USAAF B-17 four-engine bombers from the formations raiding Schweinfurt. On 12 May 1944, in aerial combat with four-engine bombers over Bad Orb, Franzisket’s Bf 109 G-6/U4 (W.Nr. 441097) was hit by return fire and he was badly wounded. He successfully baled out of his stricken aircraft despite his wounds.

Following his recovery, Franzisket led the fighter leaders’ courses at Königsberg in Neumark from 1 October 1944. He was able to shoot down two USAAF B-17 four-engine bombers on 6 October. On 15 December 1944, Franzisket joined the Geschwaderstab of JG27. He was appointed Kommodore of JG27 on 30 December 1944. Franzisket died on 23 November 1988 at Münster. ‘Zirkus’ Franzisket was credited with 43 victories in over 500 missions. He recorded all his victories over the Western front. Included in his victory total are four four-engined bombers.

No Date Time A/c Type Unit Location Comments

1 11.5.1940 6:53 Gladiator 1./JG1 Near Maastricht Gladiator of 1/I/2 of Armee de l’Air Belge flown by Sgt Denis Rolin, baled out

2 11.5.1940 19:55 Morane 1./JG1 Riemst

3 17.5.1940 13:05 Potez 63 1./JG1 Laon

4 19.5.1940 13:50 Mureaux 1./JG1 Amiens

5 23.5.1940 14:12 Hurricane 1./JG1 Douai

6 23.5.1940 14:20 Hurricane 1./JG1 Douai

7 5.6.1940 10:45 LeO 451 1./JG1 Nesle

8 5.6.1940 10:50 LeO 451 1./JG1 Nesle

9 5.6.1940 21:22 Morane 1./JG1 Roye

10 11.7.1940 9:03 Hurricane 7./JG27 S Portland Spitfire (L1069) of 609 Sqn, RAF flown by F/Lt PH Barran, killed

11 8.8.1940 13:25 Hurricane 7./JG27 S Isle of Wight

12 16.8.1940 14:20 Hurricane 7./JG27 Portsmouth

13 25.8.1940 18:55 Hurricane 7./JG27 Portland

14 8.9.1940 13:42 Blenheim 7./JG27 Calais

15 23.4.1941 10:40 Hurricane Stab I./JG27 Tobruk Hurricane of 73 Sqn, RAF

16 23.4.1941 11:05 Hurricane Stab I./JG27 Tobruk Hurricane of 73 Sqn, RAF

17 14.6.1941 5:05 Hurricane 3./JG27 S Ain el Gazala Hurricane (V7818) of 1 Sqn, SAAF flown by Capt KW Driver (10/0/1 victories), baled out, POW

18 14.6.1941 5:06 Martin 167 3./JG27 SE Ain el Gazala Maryland of 24 Sqn, SAAF

19 15.6.1941 16:30 Hurricane 3./JG27 SE Gambut Hurricane of 274 Sqn, RAF

20 26.6.1941 13:45 P-40 3./JG27 Ain el Gazala Tomahawk of 250 Sqn, RAF

21 30.6.1941 16:35 P-40 3./JG27 N Marsa Luccech Hurricane of 73 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O JFC Kent

22 19.7.1941 18:15 P-40 3./JG27 N Ras Asaz

23 9.9.1941 17:15 Hurricane 3./JG27 30km E Sidi Barrani Hurricane of 33 Sqn, RAF

24 12.10.1941 8:08 P-40 3./JG27 Bir Sheferzen Tomahawk of 1 or 2 Sqn, SAAF

25 17.12.1941 11:12 P-40 1./JG27 Martuba

26 17.12.1941 11:20 P-40 1./JG27 SE Tmimi

27 23.12.1941 12:24 Maryland 1./JG27 NE Agedabia Maryland of 12 or 21 Sqn, SAAF

28 21.3.1942 7:55 P-40 1./JG27 N Ain el Gazala Kittyhawk of 94 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O RH Mackillop

29 27.3.1942 16:55 P-40 1./JG27 S Ain el Gazala Hurricane of 80 Sqn, RAF

30 11.4.1942 10:55 P-40 1./JG27 20km NE Bir Habex Tomahawk of 4 Sqn, RAAF

31 22.5.1942 7:41 P-40 1./JG27 20km E Derna Kittyhawk of 112 or 250 Sqn, RAF

- 22.5.1942 - P-40 1./JG27 Near Martuba Not confirmed

32 9.6.1942 7:50 P-40 1./JG27 SW Hagfa el Beda Tomahawk of 4 or 5 Sqn, SAAF

33 12.6.1942 18:50 Hurricane 1./JG27 El Adem

34 26.6.1942 12:12 P-40 1./JG27 SW Mersa Matruh

35 27.6.1942 8:55 Martin 167 1./JG27 SW El Daba Baltimore of 223 Sqn, RAF

36 27.6.1942 18:25 Hurricane 1./JG27 SW Fuka

37 5.7.1942 13:50 Spitfire 1./JG27 20km S El Alamein Spitfire V of 145 Sqn, RAF

38 17.7.1942 13:12 Hurricane 1./JG27 SW El Alamein Hurricane of 92 or 238 Sqn, RAF

39 12.10.1942 - Spitfire 1./JG27 La Valetta, Malta Spitfire of 229 Sqn, RAF

40 14.10.1943 14:50 B-17 Stab I./JG27 10km E Schweinfurt

41 14.10.1943 14:55 B-17 Stab I./JG27 20km SE Schweinfurt

? 14.10.1943 15:02 B-17 Stab I./JG27 15km WSW Rothenburg

42 6.10.1944 - B-17 ?

43 6.10.1944 - B-17 ?

Victories : 43

Awards : Ehrenpokal (20 October 1940)

Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (12 January 1943)

Ritterkreuz (23 July 1941)

Units : JG1, JG27

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