Franz Beyer (pilot)

Franz Beyer (22 April 1918 – 11 February 1944) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Beyer was killed on 11 February near Venlo, the Netherlands after dog-fighting with British Spitfires. During his career he was credited with 81 aerial victories, 4 on the Western Front and 77 on the Eastern Front. On 1 June 1943, Beyer was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of IV. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3.[1]

Franz Beyer
Born	22 April 1918 Berlin
Died	11 February 1944(1944-02-11) (aged 25) near Venlo, Netherlands
Buried	Ysselsteyn German war cemetery Plot L-row 11-grave 263
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1940–44
Rank	Major
Unit	JG 3
Battles/wars	See battles World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain Operation Barbarossa Italian Campaign Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 84 aerial victory claims. This figure includes 76 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and six on the Western Front, including two four-engined bombers.[2]

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 August 1941 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 8./Jagdgeschwader 3.[3][Note 1]
• German Cross in Gold on 19 September 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 3[5]

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as pilot in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 3.[4]

References

Citations

1. Prien & Stemmer 1996, p. 442.
2. Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 98–99.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 112.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 220.
5. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 41.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Matthews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-18-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard (1996). Messerschmitt BF 109 im Einsatz bei der III./Jagdgeschwader 3 in 1940 – 1945 [Messerschmidt Bf 109 in Action with the III./Jagdgeschwader 3 in 1940 – 1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-33-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.

Military offices
Preceded by None	Commander of IV./Jagdgeschwader 3 1 June 1943 – 11 February 1944	Succeeded by Hauptmann Heinz Lang