Fritz Losigkeit was a World War II German fighter pilot with 68 aerial victories. He joined the Prussian State Police Academy and was eventually selected for flight training. After graduation, he was assigned to JG (Fighter Wing) 132, the famous Richtofen Wing. In March 1938, he was assigned to JG 88 Condor Legion flying the Heinkel 51 during the Spanish Civil War. Shot down by 20-mm. antiaircraft artillery on 31 May 1938, he was captured and held prisoner of war until he escaped in February 1939. For his actions during the Civil War, he was awarded the Spanish Cross in silver with swords. Subsequently assigned to JG 26 flying the Messerschmitt 109, Losigkeit scored his first victory on 28 May 1940 during the Battle of France.
As the air war turned to England, he achieved four more victories to become an ace in September 1940. For the next 8 months, Losigkeit commanded 2nd Staffel of JG 26 and flew more than 100 combat missions. In May 1941, he was assigned as a diplomatic courier to Japan. During this time and until January 1942, he practiced German air combat tactics with Japanese pilots flying the Mitsubishi 96 and the Me-109. Wanting to rejoin the European war, he made the treacherous voyage back to Germany via the German blockade-runner MSS Elsa Essberger. Travelling 23,300 nautical miles, Losigkeit arrived in time to form up Special Command Losigkeit at the orders of General Adolf Galland. Command Losigkeit conducted fighter operations in Norway to support the Navy and the heavy battle cruiser Scharnhorst.
After completing this special operation, he took command of IV/JG 1 (Group IV of JG 1) at Berlin-Werneuchen, which later became I/JG 1. Deployed to bases in the West, his unit flew missions against Mosquito reconnaissance aircraft and B-17s bound for targets in Germany. In June 1943, Major Losigkeit commanded III/JG 51 Moelders flying the Me-109 in the Orel area on the Eastern Front. Fighting many severe battles during the Battle of Kursk, his unit covered the retreat of the German Army. On 1 April 1944, he became the Wing Commander of JG 51 and continued to fight against ever increasing odds as the Russians advanced.
Awarded the Knight’s Cross in April 1945, he completed the war as Wing Commander of JG 77 in Czechoslovakia. After the war, Losigkeit returned to civilian life, turning his attention to politics and business. He was a secretary in the administration of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) in 1946. From 1946 until 1978, he served as a business representative and a marketing manager in a utilities company.
