Career
The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. Stotz was officially credited with shooting down 189 enemy aircraft claimed in more than 700 combat missions.
Max Stotz joined the Bundesheer (Austrian Army) in 1933.
In 1935 he was transferred to the Austrian Air Force and was trained as a pilot. After the Anschluss, Austria"s annexation into the German Third Reich on 12 March 1938, Stotz was accepted into the German Luftwaffe.
On 29 October 1942, Stotz was credited with his 100th aerial victory. On 30 December 1942 Stotz claimed 10 aerial victories bring his total to 129.
Following aerial combat on 19 August 1943 with a large formation of Yakovlev fighters Stotz bailed out and was not seen again.
He was last seen drifting down over Soviet held territory. Bibliography.