Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 52, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 52, was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) 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 ...
'', the air arm of the
Imperial German Army
The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the leadership of Kingdom o ...
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 ...
. The squadron would score over 42 aerial victories during the war. The unit's victories came at the expense of eight killed in action, one injured in a flying accident, one wounded in action, and one taken prisoner of war.
History
Jasta 52 was founded at ''Flieger-Abteilung'' (Flier Detachment) 7, at
Braunschweig
Braunschweig () or Brunswick ( ; from Low German , local dialect: ) is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Lower Saxony, Germany, north of the Harz Mountains at the farthest navigable point of the river Oker, which connects it to the ...
, Germany on 27 December 1917. It became operational on 9 January 1918. On 14 January, it was moved to support ''
6 Armee''. The new squadron flew its first combat missions 30 January.
Paul Billik would score the unit's first aerial victories on 9 March 1918, and would go on to score about half his squadron's total. Jasta 52 would support ''6 Armee'' for the remainder of the war.
Commanding officers (''
Staffelführer
''Staffelführer'' (, " Formation leader") was one of the first paramilitary ranks used by the German ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) in the early years of that group's existence. The later SS rank of ''Staffelführer'' traces its origins to the First ...
'')
*
Leutnant
() is the lowest junior officer rank in the armed forces of Germany ( Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the military of Switzerland.
History
The German noun (with the meaning "" (in English "deputy") from Middle High German «locum ...
Paul Billik: 27 December 1917 - 10 August 1918
*
Oberleutnant
(English: First Lieutenant) is a senior lieutenant Officer (armed forces), officer rank in the German (language), German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. In Austria, ''Oberle ...
Berendonck: 10 August 1918 - November 1918
Duty stations
*
Pecq, Belgium: 14 January 1918
*
Bersée
Bersée () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in S ...
, France
*
Provin, France
*
Gondecourt, France
* Auchy, France
*
Tourpes, Belgium
*
Hove, Belgium
Notable personnel
* Paul Billik
*
Hermann Juhnke
References
;Bibliography
*
52
Military units and formations established in 1917
1917 establishments in Germany
Military units and formations disestablished in 1918
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