Franz Woidich

Franz-Walter Woidich (2 January 1921 – 5 July 2004) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. He was credited with 110 aerial victories claimed in roughly 1000 combat missions.

Born in Znojmo, present-day in the Czech Republic, Woidich joined the Luftwaffe in early 1940. After flight and fighter pilot training was posted to 5. Staffel (5th Squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27–27th Fighter Wing) in July 1941. Woidich claimed his first aerial victories over North Africa in late 1941. In April 1942, he was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52–52nd Fighter Wing) which fought on Eastern Front. On 11 June 1943, Woidich was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of JG 52. A year later, he received the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. On 20 July, Woidich was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was then transferred to Jagdgeschwader 400 (JG 400–400th Fighter Wing), flying the Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket powered aircraft.

Following World War II, Woidich became an engineer and founded an automotive technical engineering bureau, in Mainz-Kastel. He died on 27 July 1984 at the age of in Mainz, Germany.

Early life and career Woidich was born on 2 January 1921 in Znojmo , present-day in the Czech Republic, at the time in the bilingual region of southern Moravia of the First Czechoslovak Republic. He joined the Luftwaffe in early 1940 and following flight and fighter pilot training, Woidich was posted to 5. Staffel (5th Squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27–27th Fighter Wing) on 11 July 1941. In July 1941, 5. Staffel was commanded by Hauptmann Ernst Düllberg and subordinated to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 27 headed by Hauptmann Wolfgang Lippert. The Gruppe had just been withdrawn from combat operations on the Eastern Front and was based at Vilna. On 24 July, the Gruppe arrived at Döberitz, located approximately west of Staaken, for a period of rest and replenishment.

World War II On Friday 1 September 1939 German forces had invaded Poland which marked the beginning of World War II. Based at Döberitz, II. Gruppe began conversion training to the Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 on 18 August 1941 and prepared for combat in North Africa to support a German contingent, the Deutsche Afrika Korps under the command of Erwin Rommel. On 24 September, 5. Staffel under command of Düllberg began the relocation, arriving at Ayn al-Ġazāla on 1 October. On 21 November during the Siege of Tobruk, Woidich filed his first aerial victory claim which was not approved. In combat with the Royal Air Force (RAF) No. 250 Squadron, each side claimed one victory but no aircraft were lost in this engagement. Woidich had claimed a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter shot down south of Ain el Gazala.

The next day, he was credited with his aerial victory when he shot down a Royal Australian Air Force P-40 northwest of Bir Hakeim. On 12 December, Woidich lost his Bf 109 F-4 trop (Werknummer 8427—factory number) when the engine caught fire during start procedure. The aircraft was severely damaged and had to be blown up at Derna. On 12 February 1942, Woidich engaged in combat with Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk fighters from No. 73 and No. 274 Squadron from the RAF in the vicinity of Tobruk on a Junkers Ju 87 dive-bomber escort mission. In this aerial encounter, he claimed a P-40 shot down southwest of Fort Acroma. On 15 March 1942, Woidich claimed a P-40 shot down in combat with No. 450 Squadron RAAF, No. 260 Squadron RAF and 2 Squadron SAAF. The combat occurred southeast of Ain el Gazala. This was his second confirmed aerial victory.

Eastern Front Woidich was transferred to the 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52–52nd Fighter Wing) on 1 April 1942. The Staffel was under command of Oberleutnant Helmut Bennemann and subordinated to I. Gruppe of JG 52 led by Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Leesmann. The Gruppe had been withdrawn from combat operations on 1 February 1942, and following a period of recuperation and replenishment at Jesau near Königsberg, present-day Kaliningrad in Russia, had moved to Olmütz, present-day Olomouc in Czech Republic, on 11 April. On 17 May, I. Gruppe was ordered back to the Eastern Front and relocated to Artyomovsk, present-day Bakhmut.

Here on the Eastern Front, Woidich claimed seven further aerial victories, taking his total to nine by the end of 1942. For this, he had been awarded both classes of the Iron Cross . Following the German defeat at Stalingrad and Soviet advance in Voronezh–Kharkov offensive, I. Gruppe was moved to Anapa located on the northern coast of the Black Sea near the Sea of Azov on 16 May 1943. On 24 May, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Gostagaevskaya located approximately northeast Anapa. Here on 11 June, Woidich succeeded Oberleutnant Rudolf Miethig who was killed in action the day before as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of JG 52. At the time, his score had increased to 16 aerial victories. In preparation for Operation Citadel, I. Gruppe was moved to Bessonovka, a makeshift airfield located approximately west of Belgorod on 4 July. On 13 July during the Battle of Kursk, Woidich, accompanied by his wingman Leutnant Franz Schall, claimed two Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack aircraft shot down. On 17 October, Woidich was awarded the German Cross in Gold and by end October was credited with 51 aerial victories. His score of enemy aircraft shot down had increased to 56 by the end of 1943. He had claimed four aircraft shot down on both 7 and 13 July 1943.

On 5 April 1944, I. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Leipzig, present-day Serpneve. Here Woidich claimed his 80th aerial victory on 3 June. For this, Woidich was awarded with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 11 June. At the time, behind Leutnant Walter Wolfrum, he was the second most successful active fighter pilot of the Gruppe. A noteworthy achievement was made on 11 January 1944 when he claimed his 57th to 60th aerial victory. He became an "ace-in-a-day" on 17 January 1944 when he shot down his 62nd to 66th enemy aircraft. He again claimed four aircraft shot down on 16 April 1944 for victories 72 to 75. His most successful month was July 1944 with 29 aircraft shot down. On 20 July 1944, Woidich was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 84th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. On 10 August, he transferred command of 3. Staffel to Leutnant Leonhard Färber. The Gruppe had reached Grabowiec in eastern Poland on 27 July and Kraków on 1 August. On 12 August they were again relocated and moved to Mzurowa.

Flying the Messerschmitt Me 163

Woidich was transferred to Ergänzungsstaffel (Training/Supplement Squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 400 (JG 400–400th Fighter Wing) for conversion training to the Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket powered aircraft on 11 August 1944. On 12 November, he was appointed the first Staffelkapitän of the 7. Staffel of JG 400. The Staffel was subordinated to II. Gruppe of JG 400 headed by Hauptmann Rudolf Opitz. Alternatively, according to Ransom and Cammann, Woidich was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) and appointed commander of 4. Staffel, which on 12 November became 6. Staffel. Ransom and Cammann then state that Woidich transferred command of 4. Staffel to Leutnant Peter Gerth in October 1944. Woidich then succeeded Hauptmann Jochen Langen as Staffelkapitän of 5. Staffel. On 22 April 1945, Woidich claimed one of the very rare aerial victories while flying the Me 163 rocket fighter.

Later life After World War II in 1953, Ing.-grad. Woidich together with Dipl.-Ing. Karl Thress opened the Ingenieurbüro Woidich (Engineering Office Woidich), an automotive technical engineering bureau, in Mainz-Kastel. Woidich's son, Dipl.-Bw. Gerd Woidich, joined the firm in 1981. Woidich died on 27 July 1984 at the age of in Mainz, Germany.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Woidich was credited with 110 aerial victories. Spick also lists him with 110 aerial victories claimed in approximately 1,000 combat missions and a mission-to-claim ratio of 9.09. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 82 aerial victory claims, plus thirty further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 78 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and three on the Western Front, including one four-engined bomber flying the Me 163 rocket fighter.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 82191". The Luftwaffe grid map covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location – 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 –North Africa — 22 September 1941 – 6 December 1942 21 November 1941 15:00 P-40 south of Ain el Gazala 12 February 1942 P-40 southwest of Fort Acroma 1 22 November 1941 16:35 P-40 northwest of Bir Hakeim 2 15 March 1942 11:25 P-40 southeast of Ain el Gazala – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — 19 May 1942 – 3 February 1943 3 10 July 1942 10:12 MiG-1 southeast of Putilin 8 3 September 1942 14:30 Il-2 north of Djatlicka 4 23 August 1942 13:10 LaGG-3 east of Kirejewskoje 9 28 October 1942 15:05 Yak-1 northwest of Akhtuba 5 2 September 1942 05:36 Pe-2 northeast of Kopetowka 10 29 January 1943 07:06 Il-2 PQ 82191, west of Archangelskoje 6 2 September 1942 16:42 LaGG-3 north of Garetewo 11 1 February 1943 08:06 R-5 PQ 72 654, northeast of Kolpna 7 3 September 1942 14:20 Pe-2 northeast of Sokolowo – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943 12 29 March 1943 09:02 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 61873, south of Nepokrytoje 35 5 August 1943 18:20 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 61641, north of Pogarrowskij 13 16 April 1943 10:52 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 85742southeast of Krymsk 36 15 August 1943 07:30 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 60158, south of Bezliudivka 14 18 April 1943 16:21 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 75452 south of Novorossiysk 37 21 August 1943 16:55 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 88228, south of Pervomaisk 15 27 April 1943 17:15 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 85114, east of Krymskaya vicinity of Mertschanskaja 38 22 August 1943 09:55 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 70789, west Dolynska 16 6 May 1943 13:15 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 61272, north of Belgorod 39 22 August 1943 10:01 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 70797, east Dolynska 17 5 July 1943 07:58 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 61192, northeast of Kowowino 40 24 August 1943 13:58 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 79123, southwest Dolynska 18 5 July 1943 15:25 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61481, vicinity of Belgorod wesr of Helewoje 41 20 September 1943 15:50 Yak PQ 34 Ost 76884, east of Gostagejewskaja east of Dolynska 19 7 July 1943 03:38 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 61642, east of Rshewez 42 22 September 1943 07:08 Pe-2 PQ 34 Ost 66663, southwest of Fontalowskaja 20 7 July 1943 14:50 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61463, northeast of Schechtelkino east of Belgorod 43 27 September 1943 05:50 Boston PQ 34 Ost 76534, southwest of Starotitarovskaya 21 7 July 1943 17:30 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 61243, southwest of Luchki 44 22 October 1943 05:45 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 58564, south of Kalinowka 22 8 July 1943 03:48 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 61484, east of Belgorod southeast of Belgorod 45 23 October 1943 07:20 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 58671, east of Nowo-Nuntal 23 12 July 1943 14:50 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 62796, west of Kotschetowka 46 23 October 1943 07:20 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 58671, northwest of Jantschebrak 24 13 July 1943 08:56 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61413, west of Schepino 47 23 October 1943 07:28 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 58533, east of Vasilyevka 25 13 July 1943 08:58 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61432, east of Grenijatschet 48 24 October 1943 06:55 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 59751, south of Grossa 26 13 July 1943 13:59 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61433, west of Schekino 49 24 October 1943 13:51 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 57173, north of Nowo-Nikolajewka 27 13 July 1943 14:01 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 61227, northwest of Winogredowka 50 27 October 1943 10:32 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 57362, northeast of Girsowka 28 15 July 1943 12:36 Il-4 PQ 35 Ost 61225, north of Winogredowka 51 27 October 1943 10:33 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 57381, south of Ternowka 29 18 July 1943 06:51 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 88432, east of Marienheim (Perekrestovo) 52 6 November 1943 10:55 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 46114, east of Tomaschewka 30 26 July 1943 18:10 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 88283, south of Jalizwechino 53 28 November 1943 09:30 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 29491, west of Nowaja Praga 31 31 July 1943 16:57 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 88263, east of Marinowka 54 29 November 1943 14:28 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 39173, south of Kossowka 32 1 August 1943 10:32 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 88258, north of Kalinowka 55 15 December 1943 10:30 Yak-9 northwest of Nowgorodka 33 1 August 1943 10:35 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 88253, south of Stepanowka 56 17 December 1943 12:27 P-39 north of Nowgorodka north of Nowgorodka 34 4 August 1943 14:10 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 61683, north of Starja Stavolz – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — January – July 1944 57 11 January 1944 08:25 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 29379, west of Kirovograd 84? 17 July 1944 La-5 58 11 January 1944 15:05 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 29533, southeast of Kirovograd 85? 17 July 1944 La-5 59 11 January 1944 15:05 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 29533, southeast of Kirovograd 86? 17 July 1944 La-5 60 11 January 1944 15:06 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 29522, southwest of Kirovograd 87? 18 July 1944 Yak-9 61 12 January 1944 14:35 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 29512, southeast of Gruškovje 88? 18 July 1944 Yak-9 62♠ 17 January 1944 14:35 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 29512, southeast of Gruškovje 89? 18 July 1944 P-39 63♠ 17 January 1944 14:50 R-5 PQ 34 Ost 29183, south of Fedwa 90? 18 July 1944 P-39 64♠ 17 January 1944 14:51 R-5 PQ 34 Ost 29322, south of Fedwa 91? 18 July 1944 Il-2 65♠ 17 January 1944 14:52 R-5 PQ 34 Ost 29322, south of Fedwa 92? 18 July 1944 P-39 66♠ 17 January 1944 14:53 R-5 PQ 34 Ost 29331, south of Fedwa 93? 19 July 1944 Il-2 67 28 March 1944 16:42 Il-2 PQ 24 Ost 98181, west of Domniza 94? 19 July 1944 Il-2 68 30 March 1944 17:00 P-39 PQ 24 Ost 78634, north of Tesanrani 95? 19 July 1944 Yak-9 69 30 March 1944 17:00? P-39 PQ 24 Ost 78632, east of Slobozia 96? 19 July 1944 Yak-9 70 14 April 1944 11:40 R-5 PQ 24 Ost 78622, north of Soltozia 97? 19 July 1944 P-39 71 14 April 1944 11:41 R-5 PQ 24 Ost 78484, east of Făleștieast of Fălești railroad 98? 19 July 1944 P-39 72 16 April 1944 11:10 B-25 PQ 24 Ost 78524, south of Hallemivicinity of Hallemi 99? 20 July 1944 P-39 73 16 April 1944 12:40 P-39 PQ 24 Ost 78584, east of Românești 100? 20 July 1944 P-39 74 16 April 1944 12:41 Il-2 m.H. PQ 24 Ost 78632, north of Gropmitz 101? 20 July 1944 La-5 75 16 April 1944 12:42 Il-2 m.H. PQ 24 Ost 78552, north of Singeri 102? 20 July 1944 La-5 76 3 May 1944 09:24 P-39 southwest of Targul Frumos 103? 21 July 1944 Il-2 77 11 May 1944 11:17 P-39 PQ 24 Ost 98723, northwest of Grigoriopol 104? 21 July 1944 Il-2 78 11 May 1944 11:21 Pe-2 south of Tiraspol 105? 22 July 1944 Yak-9 79 15 May 1944 13:16 La-5 PQ 24 Ost 98723, northwest of Grigoriopol 106? 22 July 1944 Yak-9 80 3 June 1944 10:20 La-5 PQ 24 Ost 78674, north of Iași 107? 22 July 1944 Yak-9 81 16 July 1944 16:00? Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 41822, south of Slotschuwvicinity of Zolochiv 108? 24 July 1944 La-5 82? 17 July 1944 P-39 109? 24 July 1944 La-5 83? 17 July 1944 P-39 – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 400 –Defense of the Reich — 1945 110 22 April 1945 four-engined bomber

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 13 September 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot German Cross in Gold on 17 October 1943 as Oberfeldwebel in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 52 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 11 June 1944 as pilot and Leutnant of the Reserves in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 52