Stabsfeldwebel Ferdinand Udvardy was a Hungarian

conscript Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it contin ...

into the military of the

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...

who became a

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...

credited with nine aerial victories. Upon the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, Udvardy became a Hungarian citizen, and in the

aftermath of World War I The aftermath of World War I saw far-reaching and wide-ranging cultural, economic, and social change across Europe, Asia, Africa, and in areas outside those that were directly involved. Four empires collapsed due to the war, old countries were a ...

, defended his new nation against invasion.

Before and during World War I

Ferdinand Udvardy was born in what was then

Pozsony Bratislava (German: ''Pressburg'', Hungarian: ''Pozsony'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic and the fourth largest of all List of cities and towns on the river Danube, cities on the river Danube. ...

(today

Bratislava Bratislava (German: ''Pressburg'', Hungarian: ''Pozsony'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic and the fourth largest of all List of cities and towns on the river Danube, cities on the river Danube. ...

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

) in 1895. He was of Hungarian parentage. He joined military service in 1915 and posted to the 72nd Infantry Regiment of the

Austro-Hungarian Army The Austro-Hungarian Army, also known as the Imperial and Royal Army,; was the principal ground force of Austria-Hungary from 1867 to 1918. It consisted of three organisations: the Common Army (, recruited from all parts of Austria-Hungary), ...

. After infantry

basic training Military recruit training, commonly known as basic training or boot camp, refers to the initial instruction of new military personnel. It is a physically and psychologically intensive process, which resocializes its subjects for the unique dema ...

, he volunteered for aviation training, was posted to ''Fliegerersatzkompanie 6'', and graduated a pilot with the rank of

korporal ''Korporal'' is the German and Danish spelling of the English corporal. ''Korporal'' is used in a number of armed forces as the lowest rank of the non-commissioned officers group. However, in the German Bundeswehr, it is considered a high enlis ...

on 21 September 1916. He was assigned to ''Fliegerkompanie 10'' on 1 October 1916, flew six combat missions in their two-seater reconnaissance craft, and promptly requested duty as a fighter pilot. He trained further, as the Hansa-Brandenburg D.I fighter was tricky to fly at lesser speeds and low altitudes, and was transferred to ''Fliegerkompanie 42J'', which was a dedicated fighter unit, in May 1917. ''Flik 42J'' had some eight aces on its rolls:

Johann Risztics ''Stabsfeldwebel'' Johann Risztics (alias Janos Risztics) (1895-1973) was an Austro-Hungarian World War I flying ace credited with seven reliably confirmed aerial victories. After his wounding early in World War I, he switched to aviation duty as ...

, Otto Jaeger,

Karl Teichmann ''Feldwebel'' Karl Teichmann (1897–1927) was a Austro-Hungarian World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. His path to aerial victories began in 1915, when he joined the Austro-Hungarian infantry. His prewar training as an auto ...

Friedrich Hefty Friedrich Hefty (13 December 1894 – 20 January 1965), also referred to as Frigyes Hefty, was a World War I Austro-Hungarian flying ace credited with five confirmed and five unconfirmed aerial victories. His early interest in aviation led him to ...

Ernst Strohschneider Oberleutnant Ernst Strohschneider was an Austro-Hungarian flying ace during World War I. He was credited with 15 confirmed aerial victories during his rise to the simultaneous command of two fighter squadrons. He died in a flying accident on 21 Ma ...

Georg Kenzian Oberleutnant Georg Kenzian Edler von Kenzianshausen followed his father's profession of arms, and served the Austro-Hungarian Empire during World War I. He became a fighter ace, scoring eight aerial victories. After the dissolution of Austria-Hunga ...

, Franz Graeser, and

Karl Patzelt ''Oberleutnant'' Karl Patzelt (1893–1918) was an Austro-Hungarian World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. Entering World War I as an officer in an infantry regiment, he distinguished himself during the first two years of the ...

. Udvardy stayed with ''Flik 42J'' until war's end. The unit's equipment evolved to include Aviatik D.I and Phonix D.I fighters, but Albatros D.IIIs came to predominate. While with the unit, Udvardy won eight aerial victories, and was awarded the Gold Bravery Medal twice and the Silver Bravery Medal First Class thrice. He was wounded once, in the knee on 27 October 1917, and took three months recuperation before he could fly again. He would become close friends, both on the ground and in the air, with two other noncommissioned officers in the squadron; after Hefty and Risztics won their own Gold Bravery Medals, the trio became known as "The Golden Triumvirate". Udvardy would soldier on through being shot down without injury on 27 October 1918. He ended his war promoted to ''Stabsfeldwebel''.

Post World War I

When

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

dissolved, Udvardy became a Hungarian citizen. He served in the 8th Squadron of the Red Air Corps, along with Risztics, Hefty, Alexander Kasza, and Stefan Fejes, when Hungary battled invaders in 1919. Udvardy won his last aerial victory against the Romanians at this time. Udvardy is believed to have survived the Second World War, but died soon thereafter.O'Connor, p. 118.

List of aerial victories

Endnotes

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Udvardy, Ferdinand 1895 births Year of death uncertain Hungarian air force personnel Military personnel from Bratislava 1945 deaths Austro-Hungarian World War I flying aces

Before and during World War I

Post World War I

List of aerial victories

See also

Endnotes

Sources