Franz Schiess (Schiehs)
Hauptmann

Franz Schiess

    Franz “Nawratil” Schieß (also spelt Schiehs) was born on 25 February 1921 at Wörth near St Polten in Austria. He participated in the Polish campaign as an Arbeitsdienstmann before transferring to the Luftwaffe and undergoing fighter pilot training. Schieß was posted to JG 53, based on the Channel front, on 8 March 1941. Leutnant Schieß was assigned to the Geschwaderstab, where he was appointed Adjutant under the tutelage of Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn (68 victories, RK-EL). On 22 June 1941, Schieß recorded his first victories on the opening day of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of Russia, when he shot down a Russian I-153 biplane fighter on a morning mission and a DB-3 twin-engine bomber in the afternoon. By early August, he had increased his tally to 14. In early August, JG 53 were withdrawn from the Eastern front and, following re-equipment, deployed to the Mediterranean theatre. From bases in Sicily, Schieß operated over Malta recording 11 victories, one of which was not confirmed, including his 20th victory, a RAF Spitfire fighter shot down on 18 July 1942. At the end of November, JG 53 was operating over Tunisia. Schieß continued his success, gaining a further 13 victories, including his first four-engine bomber, a USAAF B-17 shot down near Bizerte on 29 January 1943 for his 36th victory. On 16 February 1943, Schieß was appointed Staffelkapitän of 8./JG 53. He successfully led the unit through the campaigns in Tunisia, Sicily and Italy. He recorded his 50th victory, a USAAF P-38 twin-engine fighter near Pantelleria, on 21 May. Oberleutnant Schieß was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 21 June for 55 victories. He was then sent on a lengthy leave. Returning to the front in August, Schieß shot down 12 enemy aircraft in 11 days of which seven were P-38 twin-engine fighters. Schieß failed to return from a mission on 2 September 1943. He led a scramble against a USAAF bomber formation over Mt Vesuvius. Schieß attacked the fighter escort and a dogfight developed extending over the sea to the island of Ischia. It is thought that Schieß, in Bf 109 G-6 (W.Nr. 160 022) “Black 1”, fell victim to the USAAF P-38 twin-engine fighter escort.
    “Nawratil” Schieß was credited with 67 victories in 657 missions. He recorded 14 victories over the Eastern front. Of his 53 victories recorded over the Western front, three were four-engine bombers, 17 were P-38 twin-engine fighters and 18 were Spitfire fighters.
 
No
Date
Time
A/c Type
Unit
Location / Comments
1
22.6.1941
7:25
 I-153 Stab/JG 53 NW Kobryn
2
22.6.1941
16:35
 DB-3 Stab/JG 53 Biala Podlaska
3
24.6.1941
10:00
 SB-2 Stab/JG 53 NW Kobryn
4
24.6.1941
10:10
 SB-2 Stab/JG 53 Kobryn area
5
29.6.1941
19:55
 SB-3 Stab/JG 53 Bobruisk
6
6.7.1941
14:05
 DB-3 Stab/JG 53 E Polonnoje
7
7.7.1941
6:15
 SB-3 Stab/JG 53 E Polonnoye
8
14.7.1941
11:00
 SB-3 Stab/JG 53 -
9
20.7.1941
17:52
 I-15 Stab/JG 53 Uman area
10
23.7.1941
6:33
 I-16 Stab/JG 53 Uman area
11
24.7.1941
11:45
 I-16 Stab/JG 53 Uman area
12
25.7.1941
18:14
 I-15 Stab/JG 53 NE Belaja-Zerkow
13
26.7.1941
11:00
 V-11 Stab/JG 53 Il-2
14
29.7.1941
17:02
 SB-3 Stab/JG 53 -
-
25.1.1942
10:49
 Hurricane Stab/JG 53 S La Valetta, Malta / not confirmed
15
24.2.1942
16:00
 Hurricane Stab/JG 53 Malta / Hurricane (BG771) of 126 Sqn, RAF flown P/O D Tedford, killed
16
15.6.1942
15:15
 Beaufighter Stab/JG 53 Linosa Island / Baltimore (AG699) of 69 Sqn, RAF flown by Sgt FW Baun, 2 crew POW
17
7.7.1942
10:47
 Spitfire Stab/JG 53 Malta
18
9.7.1942
12:20
 Spitfire Stab/JG 53 Malta
19
14.7.1942
10:32
 Spitfire Stab/JG 53 5km ENE Zonker Point, Malta
20
18.7.1942
14:33
 Spitfire Stab/JG 53 5km NE Comiso
21
26.8.1942
13:17
 Spitfire Stab/JG 53 12km N La Valetta, Malta / Spitfire V (EP190) of 229 Sqn, RAF flown by F/O DG Newman, killed
22
11.10.1942
11:24
 Spitfire Stab/JG 53 -
23
11.10.1942
14:35
 Spitfire Stab/JG 53 Malta
24
17.10.1942
13:40
 Spitfire Stab/JG 53 5km N La Valetta, Malta
-
17.11.1942
13:37
 Spitfire Stab/JG 53 Bone / not confirmed
25
25.11.1942
12:00
 Spitfire Stab/JG 53 5-10km NNW Medjez el Bab
26
3.12.1942
11:41
 P-38 Stab/JG 53 S Garaet Achkil
27
4.12.1942
16:04
 Boston Stab/JG 53 6km S Jeffna / Bisley of 18 or 614 Sqn, RAF
28
5.12.1942
15:40
 P-38 Stab/JG 53 5km NW Djebel Obeid
29
5.12.1942
15:42
 P-38 Stab/JG 53 -
30
6.12.1942
15:58
 Dragonfly Stab/JG 53 18km S Djebel Obeid
31
18.12.1942
11:08
 Spitfire Stab/JG 53 20km W Jaffna
32
2.1.1943
9:07
 Spitfire Stab/JG 53 20km E Bone
33
4.1.1943
12:23
 P-40 Stab/JG 53 2km NW Protville
34
16.1.1943
13:48
 Hurricane Stab/JG 53 35km SW Mateur
35
17.1.1943
14:00
 P-38 Stab/JG 53 28km NE Beja
36
29.1.1943
11:10
 B-17 Stab/JG 53 15km NE Beja
37
29.1.1943
11:30
 P-38 Stab/JG 53 12km SW Mateur
38
26.2.1943
17:02
 Spitfire 8./JG 53 40km N La Valetta, Malta
39
25.3.1943
9:44
 Spitfire 8./JG 53 NE La Jabatte
40
5.4.1943
19:00
 Spitfire 8./JG 53 SW Beja / 800th of III./JG 53
41
11.4.1943
9:59
 Spitfire 8./JG 53 3km N Mateur
42
17.4.1943
19:14
 Spitfire 8./JG 53 18km N Medjez el Bab
43
18.4.1943
18:07
 Spitfire 8./JG 53 24km SW Mateur
44
29.4.1943
16:02
 P-38 8./JG 53 3km N Cap Farina
45
8.5.1943
18:45
 P-40 8./JG 53 5km E Cape Bon
46
8.5.1943
19:00
 P-40 8./JG 53 18km E Kelebia
47
11.5.1943
12:25
 B-25 8./JG 53 10km SW Marsala
48
18.5.1943
13:15
 P-38 8./JG 53 NW Trapani
49
19.5.1943
13:47
 P-38 8./JG 53 36km SW Maréttimo
50
21.5.1943
11:24
 P-38 8./JG 53 40km N Pantellaria
51
25.5.1943
11:05
 P-38 8./JG 53 30km NW Trapani
52
6.6.1943
6:42
 Boston 8./JG 53 20km NW Pantellaria
53
10.6.1943
15:50
 P-40 8./JG 53 1km W Pantellaria
54
11.6.1943
15:37
 Spitfire 8./JG 53 20km NW Pantellaria
55
25.6.1943
12:13
 B-17 8./JG 53 30km S Stromboli
56
19.8.1943
12:20
 B-17 8./JG 53 40km SW Benevento
57
20.8.1943
12:43
 P-38 8./JG 53 12km S Grazzanise
58
21.8.1943
13:04
 B-26 8./JG 53 12km W Capri
59
22.8.1943
12:17
 B-26 8./JG 53 50km SW Capri
60
23.8.1943
11:30
 Catalina 8./JG 53 40km S Capri
61
26.8.1943
12:52
 B-26 8./JG 53 20km NW Palmi
62
26.8.1943
13:37
 P-38 8./JG 53 2km W Grazzanise
-
27.8.1943
12:57
 B-25 8./JG 53 10km N Benevento / not confirmed
63
27.8.1943
13:11
 P-38 8./JG 53 40km S Capua
64
28.8.1943
15:43
 P-38 8./JG 53 2km E Albaccora
65
28.8.1943
15:51
 P-38 8./JG 53 E Castel Ruggero
66
30.8.1943
12:06
 P-38 8./JG 53 SW Castel Volturno
67
30.8.1943
12:15
 P-38 8./JG 53 SW Castel Volturno

Victories : 67
Awards : Ehrenpokal (7 September 1942)
                Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (23 January 1943)
                Ritterkreuz (21 June 1943)
Units : JG 53

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