Aces of the Luftwaffe - Ludwig Franzisket

Ludwig "Zirkus" Franzisket
Major Ludwig Franzisket

Ludwig “Zirkus” Franzisket was born on 26 June 1917 at Düsseldorf. Fähnrich Franzisket was serving with JG 26 in 1938. On 1 August 1939, he transferred to 1./JG 1. 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./JG 1 was redesignated 7./JG 27. On 1 October 1940, Franzisket was transferred as Adjutant of I./JG 27. In spring 1941, I./JG 27 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 1 Sqn, 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./JG 27 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 When I./JG 27 was withdrawn from North Africa at the end of 1942, Franzisket had 39 victories to his credit.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./JG 27 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 JG 27. He was appointed Kommodore of JG 27 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./JG 1	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./JG 1	Riemst
3	17.5.1940	13:05	Potez 63	1./JG 1	Laon
4	19.5.1940	13:50	Mureaux	1./JG 1	Amiens
5	23.5.1940	14:12	Hurricane	1./JG 1	Douai
6	23.5.1940	14:20	Hurricane	1./JG 1	Douai
7	5.6.1940	10:45	LeO 451	1./JG 1	Nesle
8	5.6.1940	10:50	LeO 451	1./JG 1	Nesle
9	5.6.1940	21:22	Morane	1./JG 1	Roye
10	11.7.1940	9:03	Hurricane	7./JG 27	S Portland	Spitfire (L1069) of 609 Sqn, RAF flown by F/Lt PH Barran, killed
11	8.8.1940	13:25	Hurricane	7./JG 27	S Isle of Wight
12	16.8.1940	14:20	Hurricane	7./JG 27	Portsmouth
13	25.8.1940	18:55	Hurricane	7./JG 27	Portland
14	8.9.1940	13:42	Blenheim	7./JG 27	Calais
15	23.4.1941	10:40	Hurricane	Stab I./JG 27	Tobruk	Hurricane of 73 Sqn, RAF
16	23.4.1941	11:05	Hurricane	Stab I./JG 27	Tobruk	Hurricane of 73 Sqn, RAF
17	14.6.1941	5:05	Hurricane	3./JG 27	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./JG 27	SE Ain el Gazala	Maryland of 24 Sqn, SAAF
19	15.6.1941	16:30	Hurricane	3./JG 27	SE Gambut	Hurricane of 274 Sqn, RAF
20	26.6.1941	13:45	P-40	3./JG 27	Ain el Gazala	Tomahawk of 250 Sqn, RAF
21	30.6.1941	16:35	P-40	3./JG 27	N Marsa Luccech	Hurricane of 73 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O JFC Kent
22	19.7.1941	18:15	P-40	3./JG 27	N Ras Asaz
23	9.9.1941	17:15	Hurricane	3./JG 27	30km E Sidi Barrani	Hurricane of 33 Sqn, RAF
24	12.10.1941	8:08	P-40	3./JG 27	Bir Sheferzen	Tomahawk of 1 or 2 Sqn, SAAF
25	17.12.1941	11:12	P-40	1./JG 27	Martuba
26	17.12.1941	11:20	P-40	1./JG 27	SE Tmimi
27	23.12.1941	12:24	Maryland	1./JG 27	NE Agedabia	Maryland of 12 or 21 Sqn, SAAF
28	21.3.1942	7:55	P-40	1./JG 27	N Ain el Gazala	Kittyhawk of 94 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O RH Mackillop
29	27.3.1942	16:55	P-40	1./JG 27	S Ain el Gazala	Hurricane of 80 Sqn, RAF
30	11.4.1942	10:55	P-40	1./JG 27	20km NE Bir Habex	Tomahawk of 4 Sqn, RAAF
31	22.5.1942	7:41	P-40	1./JG 27	20km E Derna	Kittyhawk of 112 or 250 Sqn, RAF
-	22.5.1942	-	P-40	1./JG 27	Near Martuba	Not confirmed
32	9.6.1942	7:50	P-40	1./JG 27	SW Hagfa el Beda	Tomahawk of 4 or 5 Sqn, SAAF
33	12.6.1942	18:50	Hurricane	1./JG 27	El Adem
34	26.6.1942	12:12	P-40	1./JG 27	SW Mersa Matruh
35	27.6.1942	8:55	Martin 167	1./JG 27	SW El Daba	Baltimore of 223 Sqn, RAF
36	27.6.1942	18:25	Hurricane	1./JG 27	SW Fuka
37	5.7.1942	13:50	Spitfire	1./JG 27	20km S El Alamein	Spitfire V of 145 Sqn, RAF
38	17.7.1942	13:12	Hurricane	1./JG 27	SW El Alamein	Hurricane of 92 or 238 Sqn, RAF
39	12.10.1942	-	Spitfire	1./JG 27	La Valetta, Malta	Spitfire of 229 Sqn, RAF
40	14.10.1943	14:50	B-17	Stab I./JG 27	10km E Schweinfurt
41	14.10.1943	14:55	B-17	Stab I./JG 27	20km SE Schweinfurt
?	14.10.1943	15:02	B-17	Stab I./JG 27	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 : JG 1, JG 27