Josef Mai
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Major Josef Mai (3 March 1887 – 18 January 1982)
Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...
First and Second Class, was a World War I fighter pilot credited with 30 victories.


Early life

Josef Mai was born in Ottorowo,
Province of Posen The Province of Posen (; ) was a Provinces of Prussia, province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1848 to 1920, occupying most of the historical Greater Poland. The province was established following the Greater Poland Uprising (1848), Poznań Uprisi ...
. His original military service began on 3 October 1907 with the 10th Lancers. When World War I began Mai was part of the offensive aimed at the French capital of
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. He later took part in the fighting around
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,
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. In 1915 he campaigned along the
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. He also served at the battles of
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and the
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.http://www.Flieger-Album.de websit

Retrieved 21 October 2017.


Aerial service

Mai joined the German air service in 1915; he trained at the Fokker plant at
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. He earned his pilot's brevet on 28 July 1916,''Above the Lines: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914-1918'', pp. 160–161 and flew reconnaissance aircraft for Kasta 29. He then underwent fighter training and joined
Jagdstaffel A ''Jagdstaffel'' (plural ''Jagdstaffeln'', abbreviated to Jasta) was a fighter ''Staffel'' (squadron) of the German Imperial ''Luftstreitkräfte'' during World War I. Background Before April 1916, ''Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaise ...
5 in March 1917. 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 was one of three non-commissioned pilots (along with Fritz Rumey and Otto Koennecke) who flew together so successfully they ended up claiming 40% of the Jasta's victories between them, and making Jasta 5 the third highest scoring unit of the war. The trio was nicknamed "The Golden Triumvirate". Mai scored his first victory on 20 August 1917, flying an Albatros D.V, and downing a Sopwith Camel of No. 70 Squadron. His fifth victory, over a
RAF SE.5a The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 is a British biplane fighter aircraft of the World War I, First World War. It was developed at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Royal Aircraft Factory by a team consisting of Henry Folland, John Kenworthy and ...
, was on 30 November. Mai did not score again until 13 January 1918. On 25 April 1918 he forced down British ace Lt Maurice Newnham of No. 65 Squadron, for his tenth victory. By May 1918 Jasta 5 was sharing an airstrip with Jagdgeschwader 1, and as the "Flying Circus" re-equipped with new
Fokker D.VII The Fokker D.VII is a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the '' Fokker-Flugzeugwerke''. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the second half of 1918. In service with the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', the D.VII ...
s, Mai started flying a cast-off Fokker Dr.I triplane. He flew this triplane (Serial No. 139/17) for his next victory, over a pair of aces in a No. 11 Squadron Bristol F.2B. Pilot Lt Herbert Sellars was killed although Observer Lt. Charles Robson survived and taken prisoner. He claimed three victories with the Triplane. Mai was prone to paint his planes in a "zebra stripe" pattern, with black and white striping on the fuselage angled to the left viewed from the starboard side. his theory being the optical illusion would help to throw off an enemy pilot's aim. Painted on this background was his insignia of a star and crescent. His Albatros and D.VII were known to bear this paint scheme although his Dr.l paint scheme is uncertain. On 19 August 1918 he had his most successful day. He attacked two Bristol F.2B fighters from No. 48 Squadron,
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
. As he hit one Brisfit with incendiary ammunition, the other swerved away from the incoming fire and collided with his wrecked companion. Mai followed up this double kill by downing a 56 Squadron SE.5a later. On 3 September he was wounded in action in the left thigh. Nevertheless, he scored again two days later, and added five more victories during September. Mai's 26th victory was a No. 64 Squadron SE5a on 5 September 1918. On 27 September 1918, the day of his 29th success, Mai was promoted to Leutnant. His friend Fritz Rumey was also killed in action on that day.''Above the Lines: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914-1918'', p. 193. Mai claimed his 30th and last score, a Bristol F.2B of 20 Squadron, killing the ace crew of Lt. Nicholson Boulton and 2/Lt. C.H. Chase on 29 September 1918. 15 had been claimed with the Fokker D.VII, 12 with the Albatros and 3 with the Fokker Dr.I. Mai was nominated for Germany's highest honor, the
Pour le Merite Pour is a name which can be used as a surname and a given name: * Kour Pour (born 1987), American artist of Iranian and British descent * Mehdi Niyayesh Pour (born 1992), Iranian footballer * Mojtaba Mobini Pour (born 1991), Iranian footballer * P ...
, or Blue Max. Before it could be approved the war ended with Germany's loss.


Postwar life

Mai is believed to have become a flying instructor for the
Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
during World War II. He died at the age of 94 in January 1982.


References


Bibliography

* Franks, Norman, et al. (2004) ''Fokker D VII Aces of World War I: Part 2''. Osprey Publishing. , . * Franks, Norman, et al. (2001) ''Fokker Dr I Aces of World War I''. Osprey Publishing. , . * Franks, Norman. (2000)''Albatros Aces of World War I''. Osprey Publishing. , . * Franks, Norman, et al. (2008). ''Above the Lines: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914-1918''. {{DEFAULTSORT:Mai, Josef German World War I flying aces Recipients of the Iron Cross (1914), 1st class 1887 births 1982 deaths Luftwaffe personnel of World War II