KITS 04/2021

Maj. Ludwig Franzisket, CO of I./JG 27, Fels am Wagram, Austria, early 1944

Lugwig Franzisket achieved his first victiory in May 1940 over the Netherlands as a member of 1./JG 1. He took part in the battle of France

and fought in North Africa with JG 27. He was awarded the Ritterkreuz (Knight´s Cross) on July 23rd, 1941 for 22 victories. In the summer of

1943, he became the CO of I./JG 27. His unit was tasked with the opposing of Allied raids over Germany. Among other victories, Franzisket

added two B-17s downed over Schweinfurt to his score on October 14th, 1943. By the end of the war, Franzisket managed to shoot down 43

enemy airplanes including four B-17s. The wide green tail band identifies aircraft flown by JG 27 as part of the Defence of the Reich. The JG

27 badge, painted on both sides of the cowling, refers to the geschwader´s combat deployment in Africa. The double chevron was painted

on airplanes flown by Gruppe leaders and the white rudder is a marking of formation leaders.

Maj. Kurt Ubben, CO of III./JG 77, Foggia, Italy, May 1943

The aircraft was manufactured by Messerschmitt GmbH and had the typical camouflage applied by this plant. The crest with a wolf's head

and the inscription Wander-Zirkus Ubben (Ubben's Wandering Circus) is the emblem of III./JG 77. This nickname was given to the unit during

the retreat in North Africa. "Kuddel" Ubben joined the Navy in 1931 and served in several naval air units, including the 5.(Jagd)/186 T designated for the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin. He achieved his first victory, the Fokker D.XXI, in May 1940. The unit was redesignated 8./JG 77 and in

July 1940 Ubben became its commander. He went through campaigns in Norway, the Balkans and Crete. During the campaign in Russia at the

beginning of September 1941 he was appointed commander of III./JG 77 and was awarded with the Knight's Cross. In March 1942 he received an Oak Leaves. Ubben achieved a total of 110 victories, of which 90 on the Eastern Front. In March 1944 he was appointed Kommodore

JG 2 and died on April 27th while fighting American fighters.

30 eduard

INFO Eduard - April 2021