Franz Hrdlicka

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 {{cvt|75|km|mi}} west of Voronezh.{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2006|p=319}}

On 27 September 1944 he was shot down and wounded in combat with Supermarine Spitfires near Arnhem but managed to bail out.{{sfn|Weal|2000|p=116}} Following his 44th aerial victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ({{lang|de|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).{{sfn|Obermaier|1989|p=137}}

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.{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Bock|2018|p=176}}

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.{{sfn|Weal|2000|p=116}} His remains were recovered on 8 September 1951. He had been nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves ({{lang|de|Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub}}) which was not approved.{{sfn|Dixon|2023|p=159}}

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.{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2015|pp=558–559}}

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 83194". The Luftwaffe grid map ({{lang|de|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 {{Convert|360|sqmi|sqkm}}. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area {{Convert|3|x|4|km|mi|abbr=on|sp=us}} in size.{{sfn|Planquadrat}}

• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
• Wound Badge (1939)
• in Black
• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class{{sfn|Dixon|2023|pp=158–159}}
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 13 September 1942 as Leutnant and pilot{{sfn|Patzwall|2008|p=106}}
• German Cross in Gold on 12 July 1943 as Oberleutnant in the II./Jagdgeschwader 77{{sfn|Patzwall|Scherzer|2001|p=200}}
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 August 1944 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 5./Jagdgeschwader 77{{sfn|Fellgiebel|2000|p=236}}{{refn|According to Scherzer on 18 October 1944 as Staffelkapitän in the II./Jagdgeschwader 77.{{sfn|Scherzer|2007|p=406}}|group="Note"}}

{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

{{Reflist|25em}}

{{Refbegin|30em}}

• {{Cite web

|last=Bergström

|first=Christer

|author-link=:sv:Christer Bergström

|work=Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat

|title=Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website

|url=http://www.bergstrombooks.elknet.pl/bc-rs/planquadrat.htm

|access-date=6 February 2024

|ref={{sfnRef|Planquadrat}}

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181222042030/http://www.bergstrombooks.elknet.pl/bc-rs/planquadrat.htm

|archive-date=22 December 2018

|url-status=dead

}}

• {{Cite book

|last=Dixon

|first=Jeremy

|year=2023

|title=Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945

|location=Barnsley

|publisher=Pen and Sword Books

|isbn=978-1-39903-073-1

}}

• {{Cite book

|last=Fellgiebel

|first=Walther-Peer

|author-link=:de:Walther-Peer Fellgiebel

|year=2000

|origyear=1986

|title=Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile

|trans-title=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

|language=de

|location=Friedberg, Germany

|publisher=Podzun-Pallas

|isbn=978-3-7909-0284-6

}}

• {{Cite book

|last1=Mathews

|first1=Andrew Johannes

|last2=Foreman

|first2=John

|year=2015

|title=Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L

|location=Walton on Thames

|publisher=Red Kite

|isbn=978-1-906592-19-6

}}

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|last=Obermaier

|first=Ernst

|year=1989

|title=Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945

|trans-title=The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945

|language=de

|location=Mainz, Germany

|publisher=Verlag Dieter Hoffmann

|isbn=978-3-87341-065-7

}}

• {{Cite book

|last1=Patzwall

|first1=Klaus D.

|last2=Scherzer

|first2=Veit

|year=2001

|title=Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II

|trans-title=The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2

|language=de

|location=Norderstedt, Germany

|publisher=Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall

|isbn=978-3-931533-45-8

}}

• {{Cite book

|last1=Patzwall

|first1=Klaus D.

|year=2008

|title=Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg

|trans-title=The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War

|language=de

|location=Norderstedt, Germany

|publisher=Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall

|isbn=978-3-931533-08-3

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|year=2003

|title=Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/II—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941

|trans-title=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

|language=de

|location=Eutin, Germany

|publisher=Struve-Druck

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|year=2004

|title=Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 8/II—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—November 1941 bis Dezember 1942

|trans-title=The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 8/II—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—November 1941 to December 1942

|language=de

|location=Eutin, Germany

|publisher=Struve-Druck

|isbn=978-3-923457-74-8

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|first3=Peter

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|year=2005

|title=Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/I—Winterkampf im Osten—6 December 1941 bis 30 April 1942

|trans-title=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

|language=de

|location=Eutin, Germany

|publisher=Struve-Druck

|isbn=978-3-923457-76-2

}}

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|last1=Prien

|first1=Jochen

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|year=2006

|title=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

|trans-title=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

|language=de

|location=Eutin, Germany

|publisher=Struve-Druck

|isbn=978-3-923457-78-6

}}

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|last1=Prien

|first1=Jochen

|last2=Stemmer

|first2=Gerhard

|last3=Rodeike

|first3=Peter

|last4=Bock

|first4=Winfried

|year=2011

|title=Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 11/II—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—1.1 bis 31.12.1943

|trans-title=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

|language=de

|location=Eutin, Germany

|publisher=Struve-Druck

|isbn=978-3-942943-00-0

}}

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|last1=Prien

|first1=Jochen

|last2=Stemmer

|first2=Gerhard

|last3=Bock

|first3=Winfried

|year=2018

|title=Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 13/IV—Einsatz im Reichsverteidigung und im Westen—1.1. bis 31.12.1944

|trans-title=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

|language=de

|location=Eutin, Germany

|publisher=Struve-Druck

|isbn=978-3-942943-19-2

}}

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|last1=Prien

|first1=Jochen

|last2=Stemmer

|first2=Gerhard

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|first3=Winfried

|last4=Balke

|first4=Ulf

|year=2021

|title=Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 14—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—1.1. bis 15.9.1944

|trans-title=The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 14—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—1 January to 15 September 1944

|language=de

|location=Eutin, Germany

|publisher=Struve-Druck

|isbn=978-3-942943-24-6

}}

• {{Cite book

|last=Scherzer

|first=Veit

|year=2007

|title=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

|trans-title=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

|language=de

|location=Jena, Germany

|publisher=Scherzers Militaer-Verlag

|isbn=978-3-938845-17-2

}}

• {{Cite book

|last=Weal

|first=John

|year=2000

|title=Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen"

|series=Aviation Elite Units

|volume=1

|location=Oxford, UK

|publisher=Osprey Publishing

|isbn=978-1-84176-046-9

}}

{{Refend}}

{{Knight's Cross recipients of JG 77}}

{{Subject bar

| portal1=Aviation

| portal2=Biography

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hrdlicka, Franz}}

Category:1914 births

Category:1983 deaths

Category:People from Děčín

Category:German Bohemian people

Category:Luftwaffe pilots

Category:German World War II flying aces

Category:Recipients of the Gold German Cross

Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Category:Aviators killed by being shot down

Category:Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II