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Franz Hrdlicka
Born	15 October 1920 Maxdorf, Czechoslovakia
Died	25 March 1945(1945-03-25) (aged 24) Betzenrod, Germany
Cause of death	Killed in action
Buried	Tutzing, New Cemetery
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1939–1945
Rank	Hauptmann (captain)
Unit	JG 77 JG 2
Commands	I./JG 2
Battles / wars	World War II Eastern Front Mediterranean Campaign Defence of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Franz Hrdlicka (15 October 1920 – 25 March 1945) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. During his career Franz Hrdlicka was credited with 60 aerial victories.

Career

Hrdlicka was born on 15 October 1920 in Maxdorf in Mähren, present-day the suburb Dvorska of Brno in the Czech Republic. He volunteered for service in the Luftwaffe in late 1939.

On 6 August 1942, Hrdlicka was shot down and wounded in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 (Werknummer 7021—factory number) near the airfield at Kastornoje, approximately 75 km (47 mi) west of Voronezh.

On 27 September 1944 he was shot down and wounded in combat with Supermarine Spitfires near Arnhem but managed to bail out. Following his 44th aerial victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 9 August 1944. He was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing) in mid-October 1944. There he first commanded the 1. Staffel as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader).

Group commander and death

On 18 December 1944, Hrdlicka was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the I. Gruppe of JG 2 "Richthofen". He succeeded Hauptmann Kurt Hoffmann who temporarily had led the Gruppe after its former commander, Major Walter Matoni had been injured on 5 December.

Hrdlicka was shot down by United States Army Air Forces fighters and killed in action on 25 March 1945 near Betzenrod, present-day a suburb of Schotten, Hesse. His remains were recovered on 8 September 1951. He had been nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) which was not approved.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that he claimed at least 44 aerial victories. This figure includes 24 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and at least 20 over the Western Allies, including three four-engined heavy bombers.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 83194". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.

Awards and decorations

• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 13 September 1942 as Leutnant and pilot
• German Cross in Gold on 12 July 1943 as Oberleutnant in the II./Jagdgeschwader 77
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 August 1944 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 5./Jagdgeschwader 77

Notes

1. Alternative spelling is Herdlicka.
2. This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.
3. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Martin Baltimore.
4. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 10:37.
5. According to Scherzer on 18 October 1944 as Staffelkapitän in the II./Jagdgeschwader 77.

References

Citations

1. Prien et al. 2006, p. 319.
2. ^ Weal 2000, p. 116.
3. Obermaier 1989, p. 137.
4. Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, p. 176.
5. Dixon 2023, p. 159.
6. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 558–559.
7. Planquadrat.
8. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 559.
9. Prien et al. 2003, p. 325.
10. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 330.
11. Prien et al. 2003, p. 326.
12. Prien et al. 2003, p. 331.
13. Prien et al. 2003, p. 327.
14. Prien et al. 2003, p. 332.
15. ^ Prien et al. 2005, p. 300.
16. Prien et al. 2006, p. 296.
17. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 306.
18. Prien et al. 2006, p. 297.
19. Prien et al. 2006, p. 301.
20. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 307.
21. Prien et al. 2006, p. 303.
22. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 305.
23. Prien et al. 2006, p. 308.
24. Prien et al. 2006, p. 309.
25. Prien et al. 2004, p. 314.
26. ^ Prien et al. 2011, p. 456.
27. ^ Prien et al. 2011, p. 457.
28. ^ Prien et al. 2011, p. 458.
29. ^ Prien et al. 2011, p. 459.
30. ^ Prien et al. 2021, p. 372.
31. Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, p. 182.
32. Dixon 2023, pp. 158–159.
33. Patzwall 2008, p. 106.
34. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 200.
35. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 236.
36. Scherzer 2007, p. 406.

Bibliography

• Bergström, Christer . "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
• Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) . 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.
• Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
• 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.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/II—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/II—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-70-0.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2004). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 8/II—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—November 1941 bis Dezember 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 8/II—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—November 1941 to December 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-74-8.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2005). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/I—Winterkampf im Osten—6 December 1941 bis 30 April 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/I—Winter War in the East—6 December 1941 to 30 April 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-76-2.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/III—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1 May 1942 bis 3 February 1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/III—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-78-6.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2011). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 11/II—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—1.1 bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 11/II—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—1 January to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-942943-00-0.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Bock, Winfried (2018). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 13/IV—Einsatz im Reichsverteidigung und im Westen—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 13/IV—Action in the Defense of the Reich and in the West—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-942943-19-2.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Bock, Winfried; Balke, Ulf (2021). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 14—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—1.1. bis 15.9.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 14—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—1 January to 15 September 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-942943-24-6.
• 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.
• Weal, John (2000). Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen". Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 1. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-046-9.

v t e Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients of Jagdgeschwader 77
Johann Badum Heinz-Edgar Berres Walter Brandt Jürgen Brocke Lutz-Wilhelm Burckhardt Erwin Clausen (Oak Leaves) Siegfried Freytag Friedrich Geisshardt (Oak Leaves) Gordon Gollob (Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds) Anton Hackl (Oak Leaves & Swords) Heinz Hackler Günther Hannak Jürgen Harang Franz Hrdlicka Wolf-Dietrich Huy (Oak Leaves) Herbert Ihlefeld (Oak Leaves & Swords) Herbert Kaiser Armin Köhler Kurt Lasse Anton Mader Emil Omert Johann Pichler Alexander Preinfalk Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert (Oak Leaves & Swords) Rudolf Schmidt Franz Schulte Heinrich Setz (Oak Leaves) Johannes Steinhoff (Oak Leaves & Swords) Kurt Ubben (Oak Leaves) Alexander von Winterfeldt Bernhard Woldenga
Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves with JG 3. Swords with JG 11. Swords with JG 27. Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves with JG 52

• Aviation
• Biography

• 1914 births
• 1983 deaths
• People from Děčín
• German Bohemian people
• Luftwaffe pilots
• German World War II flying aces
• Recipients of the Gold German Cross
• Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
• Aviators killed by being shot down
• Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II