• Messerschmitt Bf 109

Date of birth:

November 17th, 1913 (Berlin-Tegel/Brandenburg, Germany)

Date of death:

January 14th, 1994 (Hünxe/Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Fritz Losigkeit was born in Berlin-Tegel on 17th November 1913. After his school he choose for the Prussian Police School but later was chosen tob e trained as a pilot. After his pilot training he was stationed with the Jagdgeschwader 132. In March 1938 he was send to Spain to join Jagdgruppe 88 and gain combat experience in the Heinkel He 51. He was shot down by anit-aircraft artillery on 31st May 1938 and taken prisoner of war. He managed to escape in February 1939. After his Spanish ordeal, Fritz Losigkeit was placed with Jagdgeschwader 26, flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.

During the Battle for France he scored his first kill on 28th May 1940. On 15th September he became an ace after scoring his fifth kill. Now Losigkeit was given command of 2. / Jagdgeschwader 26. From September 1939 until May 1941 Losigkeit flew with Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 “Red 1" W.Nr.2767.
He was send to Japan as a Military Attachee in May 1941. Until January 1942 he tought German air battle tactics to Japanese pilots. After his return he formed the Sonderkommando Losigkeit in Norway to support the Krigsmarine and specific the operations of the heavy cruiser Scharnhorst. This Sonderkommando was ordered by Adolf Galland. After this, Losigkeit took over comand of the IV. / Jagdgeschwader 1 at Berlin-Werneuchen. The Gruppe was later transformed to the I. / Jagdgeschwader 1, operating from several airfields in the West. After this he briefly commanded I. / Jagdgeschwader 26.
In June 1943, Losigkeit was transferred to the Eastern front and took over command of III. / Jagdgeschwader 51, also flying with the Messerschmitt Bf 109. In April 1944, Losigkeit became Kommodore of Jagdgeschwader 51. His last warposting was Kommodore of Jagdgeschwader 77 in Czechoslowakia.
In over 750 sorties he achieved 68 air victories.

After the Second World War, Fritz Losigkeit held several functions in buisiness and politics. In 1946 he becam Secretary in the FDP (Freie Demokratische Partei). Between 1946 and 1978 he held several posts as buisiness representative and Marketing Manager. Fritz Losigkeit died on 14th January 1994 at Hünxe, Norther-Rhineland-Westphalia, Germany.

Career:
until March 1938: Flugzeugführer Jagdgeschwader 132;
March 1938 – 31st May 1938: Flugzeugführer Jagdgruppe 88;
31st May 1938 – February 1939: krijgsgevangene;
September 1939 – September 1940: Flugzeugführer Jagdgeschwader 26;
September 1940 – May 1941: Staffelführer 2. / Jagdgeschwader 26;
May 1941 – January 1942: Militair Attachee in Japan
January 1942 - March 1942: Sonderkommando Losigkeit
March 1942 – 1st April 1943: Kommandeur IV. / Jagdgeschwader 1;
1st April 1943 – May 1943: Kommandeur I. / Jagdgeschwader 1;
1st June 1943 – 22nd June 1943: Kommandeur I. / Jagdgeschwader 26;
26th June 1943 – 30th April 1944: Kommandant III. / Jagdgeschwader 51;
1st April 1944 – 31st March 1945: Kommodore Jagdgeschwader 51;
1st April: Kommodore Jagdgeschwader 77.

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• Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
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