Date of birth:

April 24th, 1912 (Baden-Baden/Baden-Württemberg, Germany)

Date of death:

February 14th, 1942 (Welikije Luki, Soviet Union)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Franz Eckerle achieved 62 victories in about 295 operational flights. He was the Kommandeur of the I. / Jagdgeschwader 54 from December 21st 1941 till February 14th 1942.

Promotions:
00.00.1936: Oberfähnrich
April 01st, 1937: Leutnant - RDA 01.04.1936
00.00.1939: Oberleutnant
June 01st, 1941: Hauptmann

Career:
00.00.1936: attended JFS Schliessheim
00.00.1938: placed fourth in the German aerobatics championship
00.00.1939: placed second in the German aerobatics championship
00.00.1939: Staka, 3. Staffel, Jagdgeschwader 134
May 01st, 1939: Staka, 3. Staffel, Jagdgeschwader 76
May 15th, 1940: 1st victory, a Spitfire, no known location
July 06th, 1940: Staka, 6. Staffel, Jagdgeschwader 54
July 30th, 1940: 2nd, a Blenheim at Vlissingen
August 01st, 1940: 3rd, a Blenheim 5 km outside Haamstede
November 09th, 1940: 4th, a Spitfire 3 km East of Deal
September 1941: Staka, 6. Staffel, Jagdgeschwader 54, flown Bf 109F-2 Werknummer 9588 coded "Yellow ?"
December 20th, 1941: Kdr., I. Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 54
January 01st, 1942: first known Soviet victory, a triple, two I-16s and an I-153
January 07th, 1942: two P-40s of 158 IAP
January 28th, 1942: another triple, an I-18 and two I-180s
February 07th, 1942: another triple, An I-16, a U-2 and an Il-2
February 14th, 1942: KIA when Bf 109F-2 Werknummer 9728 coded "CH+OP" "Black <<" shot down by ground fire and forced landed in the Welikije Luki area, 27 km southeast of Schüsselburg, near Woronovo, behind enemy lines

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

• Photo 1: François SAEZ
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - OBERMAIER, E., Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe, Hoffmann, 1989.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
  - Kurowski F., Oberleutnant Otto Kittel, Der erfolgreichste Jagdflieger des Jagdgeschwaders 54, Flechsig Verlag, Würzburg, 2007
  - Vorlaufiges Besitszeugnis d.d.19-09-1941
  - Documents for Flugzeugfuhrer and Ehrenpokal via François SAEZ
  - eisernes Kreuz
  - http://ww2.dk/Lw Offz - A-F Apr 2023.pdf