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Jasta 1
Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 1 (commonly abbreviated as Jasta 1) was a fighter squadron of the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I. Jasta 1 was founded on 22 August 1916, using single seat fighters drawn from First Army. It was one of the first wave of dedicated fighter squadrons founded as a result of Oswald Boelcke's espousal of massing fighter air power. Leopold Reimann scored the first of its 138 aerial victories two days later. It served on the Western Front until September 1917, transferred directly to the Italian Front to serve until March 1918, then returned to France for the rest of the war. Aircraft Jasta 1 was originally equipped with a melange of aircraft, including Fokker D.Is, Albatros D.II fighters, at least one Albatros D.I, a Fokker E.IV, a captured Nieuport 16, Albatros D.IIIs, and Halberstadt D.IIIs. Commanding officers Its eight '' Staffelnführer'' included Hauptmann Martin Zander, Oberleutnant Erich Hah ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
German Empire
The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary empire led by an emperor, although has been used in German to denote the Roman Empire because it had a weak hereditary tradition. In the case of the German Empire, the official name was , which is properly translated as "German Empire" because the official position of head of state in the constitution of the German Empire was officially a "presidency" of a confederation of German states led by the King of Prussia who would assume "the title of German Emperor" as referring to the German people, but was not emperor of Germany as in an emperor of a state. –The German Empire" ''Harper's New Monthly Magazine''. vol. 63, issue 376, pp. 591–603; here p. 593. also referred to as Imperial Germany, the Second Reich, as well as simply Germany ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Erich Hahn
''Oberleutnant'' Erich Hahn (18 October 1891 – 4 September 1917) was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.The Aerodrome webpage on HahRetrieved 29 October 2020 Biography Erich Hahn was born on 18 October 1891 in Leipzig, the Kingdom of Saxony, in the German Empire.Franks et al 1993, pp. 122–123. He joined Saxony's Infantry Regiment Nr. 2 just before World War I. In 1913, he learned to fly at Anthony Fokker's flying school. As one of the very few experienced pilots about, he was serving in ''Flieger-Abteilung'' (Flier Detachment) 64 when the war began. He then moved on to service in ''Flieger-Abteilung'' (Flier Detachment) 23 and then to artillery direction with ''Flieger-Abteilung'' (''Artillerie'') (Flier Detachment (Artillery)) 221. On 10 August 1916, he transferred to fighter aviation with his assignment to ''Kampfeinsitzerkommando'' (Combat Single-Seater Command) Bertincourtt. When '' Jagdstaffel 1'' (Fighter Squadron 1) was founded as one of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Escadrille 3
''Escadrille 3'' ''Les Cigognes'' ('The Storks') was a famous French aviation unit during the World War I. It was often referred to as the 'Stork Escadrille N3' due to its insignia. Pilots from Groupe de Combat 12 adopted the name and placed images of storks in different phases of flying on their planes.Guttman, Jon. Groupe ''De Combat 12, Les Cigognes: France's Ace Fighter Group in World War 1''. Oxford: Osprey, 2004. History Escadrille 3 was formed in July 1912 at Avord as ''Escadrille B13'', equipped with Bleriots. It began World War I with the Bleriots; however, on 18 March 1915, it was re-equipped with Morane-Saulnier machines and redesignated ''Escadrille MS3''. Capitaine Felix Brocard assumed command on 28 April 1915. By 20 September, it had once again re-equipped, this time with Nieuport scouts; its new designation was ''Escadrille N3''.Franks, Bailey 1992, p. 89. On 16 April 1916, the unit had been amalgamated into ''Groupement de Combat de la Somme'', along with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alfred Heurtaux
Alfred Marie-Joseph Heurtaux (20 May 1893 – 30 December 1985) was a French World War I fighter ace credited with 21 victories. Later in his life, he joined the French Resistance during World War II, and survived imprisonment in Buchenwald death camp to become a brigadier general in the post war Armée de l'Air. Early military service Born on 20 May 1893 in Nantes, France, Alfred Heurtaux was the son of an artillery officer. He began his military career with his entry into officer training in 1912. In October, 1912, he began an obligatory preliminary year in the ranks of the 4e Regiment d'Hussards. In October 1913, he entered the military academy at Saint Cyr as an officer cadet (''aspirant''). On 4 August 1914, following the outbreak of World War I, he was commissioned as a sous-lieutenant in the 9e Regiment d'Hussards. In the next three months, he was cited for valor three times. On 6 December 1914, he transferred to aerial service.''Over the Front: The Complete Record of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fokker Eindecker
The Fokker ''Eindecker'' fighters were a series of German World War I monoplane single-seat fighter aircraft designed by Dutch engineer Anthony Fokker.Boyne 1988 Developed in April 1915, the first ''Eindecker'' ("Monoplane") was the first purpose-built German fighter aircraft and the first aircraft to be fitted with a synchronization gear, enabling the pilot to fire a machine gun through the arc of the propeller without striking the blades. The ''Eindecker'' gave the German Army's Air Service (then the ''Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches'') a degree of air superiority from July 1915 until early 1916. This period, during which Allied aviators regarded their poorly armed aircraft as "Fokker Fodder", became known as the " Fokker Scourge". Design and development The ''Eindecker'' was based on Fokker's unarmed Fokker M.5K scout (military designation Fokker A.III) which in turn was based on the design of the French Morane-Saulnier H shoulder-wing monoplane, although it di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leopold Reimann
''Offizierstellvertreter'' Leopold Rudolf Reimann was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.The Aerodrome websitRetrieved 23 September 2020 Biography See also Aerial victory standards of World War I Leopold Rudolf Reimann was born at Oberhohnsdorf, Kingdom of Saxony, Germany on 7 December 1892.''Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918'', p. 185 Reimann joined a pioneer battalion at the start of World War I, winning an Iron Cross Second Class on 30 August 1914. In Spring 1915, he was wounded in action. In June, he was awarded the Silver Military Order of St. Henry. He then transferred to aviation duty. While his training is unknown, he was posted to fly one of the world's original fighter planes, the Fokker Eindekker, as a member of a pioneering fighter organization, ''Kampfeinsitzerkommando B'' (Combat Single-Seater Command B). On 30 June 1916, he was shot down, but ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Walter Höhndorf
Leutnant Walter Höhndorf (1892-1917) was a pioneer aviator, test pilot, airplane designer and constructor, and fighter ace during World War I. He was credited with twelve aerial victories while flying for the Imperial German Air Service. Only one of his victories was achieved with a fighter squadron; the rest were scored while he flew for artillery direction and reconnaissance units. Early life Walter Höhndorf was a schoolteacher's sonThe Aerodrome website http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/hohndorf.php Retrieved on 15 April 2010. who was fascinated with engineering and motors. He learned to fly in Paris in 1913. Upon his return, he qualified for pilot's certificate No. 582 on 3 November at Johannisthal Air Field. He became famous as an early pioneer of aerobatics in his native Germany. He also helped design and produce airplanes at Teltow's Union Flugzeugwerke. World War I Höhndorf volunteered for aviation upon the outbreak of war. He was commissioned on 15 March 1915. He ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gustav Leffers
Gustav Leffers (2 January 1895 –27 December 1916) was a German flying ace in World War I, credited with 9 victories. Background Leffers was born in Wilhelmshaven, the son of a naval engineer. He was educated in Wilhelmshaven and Stettin and went on to join the Holland America Line as an engineer candidate. In July 1914, just prior to the start of the First World War, he returned from a cruise to the United States.van Wyngarden, ''Early German Aces'', p.26 Involvement in World War I Leffers was assigned to a field telegraph battalion but, with his engineering background, was then reassigned to the Fliegertruppen. After pilot training, he was posted to FFA 32 in February 1915, flying over the northern part of the 2. ''Armee'' sector. Starting as a Gefreiter, Leffers rose rapidly through the ranks to become a leutnant der reserve on the basis of his excellent performance in reconnaissance roles flying LVG B type aircraft. On 24 September 1915, Leffers was sent for tra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hans Von Freden
Leutnant Hans von Freden was a German World War I flying ace credited with 20 aerial victories. Early life and service Hans von Freden was born on 18 March 1892 in Berlin. As World War I broke out, he volunteered to serve in Field Artillery Regiment No. 18 of the German army. On 19 October 1914, he went into battle. In March 1915, he was promoted to Vizewachmeister (a non-commissioned officer). He was promoted to Leutnant on 30 July 1915. Beginning in January 1916, he commanded two anti-aircraft batteries, one after another, until transferring to aviation duty.Franks et al 1993, p. 109. Aerial service Later in 1916, Freden began training as an aerial observer with FFA 48 (subsequently redubbed as FA 10 on 2 August 1916). While serving with them, he was wounded on 24 August 1916. Freden went for pilot's training in June 1917. After graduation, he was posted to Italy to join Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 1 on 27 November 1917. He began his string of aerial victories while assigned to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Balloon Buster
Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness, as balloons were stationary targets able to receive heavy defenses, from the ground and the air. Seventy-seven flying aces in World War I were each credited with destroying five or more balloons, and thus were balloon aces. The crucial role of observation balloons An observation balloon was both a vulnerable and a valuable target: the balloon was moored in a stationary position and was lifted by flammable hydrogen gas, whose use was necessitated by the scarcity of helium reserves among European powers. The artillery observer, suspended in the wicker basket beneath, typically had a wireless transmitter, binoculars and/or a long-range camera. His job was to observe actions on the front-line and behind it, to spot enemy troop movements or unusual activity of any sort, and to call down artillery fire onto any worthwhile targets. Balloon observers we ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kurt Wintgens
''Leutnant'' Kurt Wintgens (1 August 1894 – 25 September 1916) was a German World War I fighter ace. He was the first military fighter pilot to score a victory over an opposing aircraft, while piloting an aircraft armed with a synchronized machine gun. Wintgens was the recipient of the Iron Cross and the Pour le Mérite (Blue Max). Background Wintgens was born into a military family in Neustadt in Oberschlesien. His military service commenced when he joined the Telegraphen-Bataillon Nr. 2 in Frankfurt/Oder as a ''Fahnenjunker'' (cadet officer) in 1913. Involvement in First World War Though still in military school when the war began in 1914, Wintgens was sent to the Eastern Front as a leutnant and won the Iron Cross, 2nd Class. On transferring to the German Air Service, Wintgens flew first as an observer, apparently alternating with telegraph duty. However, in early 1915 he entered pilot training at the Fokker school in Schwerin, where ''Leutnant'' Otto Parschau had alread ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hans Von Keudell
Leutnant Hans von Keudell (5 April 1892 – 15 February 1917) was a World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories.The Aerodrome website http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/keudell.php Retrieved on 17 April 2010. Early life and service Keudell was educated in Berlin. In 1904, he joined the cadets at Bensberg. In 1911, he joined the Uhlans. He began World War I with the Uhlans, and went into combat with them in both France and Poland. He was commissioned by April 1915, transferred to aviation and began training on 7 June. On 13 December, he was posted to fly bombing missions, objectives Verdun, Toul, and Dunkirk, for Brieftauben Abteilung Ostende. Service as a fighter pilot By early summer of 1916, Keudell was training as a fighter pilot. On 4 August, he joined KEK B under the command of Hans Bethge. From there, on 22 August, Keudell became a founding member of Jagdstaffel 1, destined to fly successively a Fokker D.I, a Halberstadt D.III and an Albatros D.III f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
