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Franz Kieslich

Name : Franz Kieslich Died : 31st August 2012 Awards : Knights Cross Oak Leaves to the Knights Cross

Franz Kieslich born in Bochum ion 12th March 1913 and served with 7./St.G. 77 in France in 1940, and later serving in Yugoslavia. Transferring to the Russian Front he was promoted Gruppenadjutant III./St.G. 77. And in October 1942 became Staffelkapitan 7./St.G. 77. In February 1944 he was promoted Kommandeur III./SG 77. He fought at Stalingrad, Kursk, Kiev and most of the other major engagements on the Eastern Front. In February 1945 he became Kommodore erganzungs-SG148. Awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, he flew over 1000 combat missions, and had been shot down twenty times. His wards were awarded Ritterkreuz on 05.01.1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän 7./StukaG 77 and ( 619 ). Eichenlaub on 10.10.1944 as Hauptmann and Kommandeur III./StukaG 77.

Known Service Details :
Squadron	Rank	Start of Service	End of Service	Known Dates	Aircraft	Airframes	Notes
SG77		unknown	February 1945	1940	Ju87
SG148		February 1945	unknown

Artwork signed by this Pilot or Aircrew

Clipped Signature - Franz Kieslich.

Dawn Raiders by Ivan Berryman. (C)

Stuka by Robert Taylor.

Stukas over England, South Coast, July 1940 by David Pentland. (P)

The Stukas Prey, Crete, May 1941 by David Pentland. (P)

Target ahead, Kursk, Central Russia, July 1943 by David Pentland. (P)

Artwork featuring the mounted signature of this Pilot or Aircrew

Stuka - Tribute to Hans Rudel by Ivan Berryman. (P)

Bombing Up - Stuka of Hans Rudel by Ivan Berryman. (B)

Artwork with companion print(s) featuring the mounted signature of this Pilot or Aircrew

Open Assault by Robert Taylor. (D)

Aircraft for : Franz Kieslich
A list of all aircraft associated with Franz Kieslich. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
Aircraft	Info
Ju87 Click the name above to see prints featuring Ju87 aircraft. Manufacturer : Junkers Production Began : 1936 Retired : 1945 Number Built : 6500	Ju87 By 1935 the German Luftwaffe was developing its first monoplane divebomber which entered production in 1936 as the Ju87 Stuka. The Stuka was to evolve into arguably the most successful single engine Axis divebomber of WW II. Utilizing a nearly vertical dive position the Stuka was stunningly accurate in the days when horizontal bombing was a relatively inaccurate science. The Ju87 was built for functionality and ruggedness. A fixed landing gear and exceptionally strong wing design were incorporated and no attempt was made to minimize protrusions. The Stuka was not designed for speed; it was an aerodynamic nightmare. The Stuka also incorporated a siren which when activated during a dive was designed to inflict psychological damage on the enemy below. The Ju87 was used with tremendous success in the Blitzkrieg attacks on Norway, Poland, Belgium, France, Holland, Yugoslavia, and Greece. Virtually unchallenged in the air during these Blitzkriegs the Stukas took a devastating toll on Allied ground and mechanized forces. Shipping was also vulnerable to the pinpoint attacks of the Stuka, and the Ju87 destroyed more Allied shipping than all other German aircraft put together during WW II. During Hitlers air attacks on Britain the Stukas reputation for invulnerability was shattered. Facing British Hurricanes and Spitfires the slower and less maneuverable Ju87s were destroyed in large numbers, eventually forcing their withdrawal from that conflict. Germanys attempt to develop an improved twin engine divebomber resulted in the introduction of the Messerschmitt 210 which was an unmitigated disaster. As a result, the Stuka remained in production longer than expected and the aircraft played a major role in Germanys surprise attack on Russia. In the first day of combat alone Stukas were credited with the destruction of over 700 Russian aircraft with minimal losses. One of Germanys top aces of WW II was Hans-Ulrich Rudel. Rudel flew over 2,500 combat missions in Ju87s, and was shot down on twelve occasions. Rudel was credited with destroying 519 tanks, 800 vehicles, 150 artillery pieces, one Russian battleship, one cruiser and one destroyer. Rudel was also credited with shooting down nine Russian aircraft in air-to-air combat.

Squadrons for : Franz Kieslich
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Franz Kieslich. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
Squadron	Info
SG148 Country : Germany Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of SG148	SG148 Full profile not yet available.
SG77 Country : Germany Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of SG77	SG77 On the Eatsern Front StG 77 finished the campaign as the most effective Sturzkampfgeschwader. It had destroyed 2,401 vehicles, 234 tanks, 92 artillery batteries and 21 trains for the loss of 25 Ju 87s to hostile action

Last edited : 15:38, October 26, 2012
Last editor : kc

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