signed ace photo courtesy Lacy Sutton
Fritz Karch was born on 17th January 1920 in Munich.
In Sept 1942 he was a Feldwebel with 6./JG 2 on the Channel Front.
During the Tunisian Campaign he scored his first 3 victories beginning on 28th November 1942 with a Spitfire.
In January 1943 he was promoted Leutnant. He became Staffelführer of 6./JG 2. During July 1943 he claimed at least two B-17s shot down over France including B-17 42-29928 on 4 July 1943 near La Coulonche during a raid on Le Mans (381st BG, 533 BS)
OKL fighter claims
10.7.1943 - Ltn Fritz KARCH - 6 / JG 2 - B-17 -15 km N.W. Evreux - 2500 m. - 08.12 (heure) - Film : C/2027/1 Anek : Nr __"
On 17 August 1943 over Dieppe he achieved his 10th victory and his 15th on 31st December 1943.
In January 1944 he had raised his total to 20 and by August to 30. In March 1944 he was named Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 2. He shot down two P-47s in December 1944 and by January 1945 his total had increased to 40.
On 2 January 1945 he was promoted to Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 2. He achieved his final victory on 28th March 1945, a P-51.
Awarded the Knight's Cross on 20 April 1945, he ended the war with a total of 47 victories, 21 of which were four-engined bombers
This brief biography was taken from Ernst Obermaier's Die Ritterkreuzträger
Below; Karch at the controls of Hs 123 "S13+A46" in Gutenfeld 1940 where he served as a Fluglehrer or instructor Sch/FAR 53...
