Feldwebel Friedrich Huffzky was a German

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 ...

during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. He was the pilot of the most successful two-seater German fighter crew of the war, scoring nine confirmed aerial victories.

World War I service

Friedrich Huffzky is known to have been assigned to Schlachtstaffel 15 of the ''

Luftstreitkräfte The ''Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte'' (, German Air Combat Forces)known before October 1916 as (The Imperial German Air Service, lit. "The flying troops of the German Kaiser’s Reich")was the air arm of the Imperial German Army. In English-langu ...

'' in early 1918 as a

Vizefeldwebel '' '' (Fw or F, ) is a non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in several countries. The rank originated in Germany, and is also used in Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia. The rank has also been used in Russia, Austria-Hungary, occupied Serbia ...

. He piloted a Halberstadt CL.II

escort fighter The escort fighter was a concept for a fighter aircraft designed to escort bombers to and from their targets. An escort fighter needed range long enough to reach the target, loiter over it for the duration of the raid to defend the bombers, a ...

. Teamed with

Gottfried Ehmann ''Vizefeldwebel'' Gottfried Ehmann was a German World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories. Franks et al 1993, p. 103The Aerodrome website's page on Ehmann http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/ehmann2.php Retrieved on 13 April ...

, an experienced gunner who already had three victories verified, Huffzky began his victory streak on 4 June 1918. By 29 July 1918, he had run his string to nine confirmed victories; in the process, Ehmann was credited with a total of 12 wins and became the most successful German gunner of the war. Huffzky was awarded both classes of the Iron Cross for his efforts, as well as a promotion to Feldwebel.

Endnotes

References

* ''Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914-1918''. Norman L. R. Franks, Frank W. Bailey, Russell Guest. Grub Street, 1993. , . German World War I flying aces Recipients of the Iron Cross (1914), 1st class Luftstreitkräfte personnel {{germany-airforce-bio-stub