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The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte – known before October 1916 as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches – was the air arm of the Imperial German Army. In English-language sources it is usually referred to as the Imperial German Air Service, although that is not a literal translation of either name. German naval aviators of the Marine-Fliegerabteilung were an integral part of the Imperial German Navy. Both military branches operated aeroplanes, observation balloons and airships.
Hauptmann Wilhelm "Willi" Reinhard was a German pilot during World War I. Reinhard became a flying ace during the war, credited with 20 confirmed aerial victories. After commanding two successive fighter squadrons, he was picked to replace Manfred von Richthofen as commander of Jagdgeschwader 1 when the Red Baron fell in combat. Reinhard died on 3 July 1918 while testing a prototype fighter.
Leutnant Georg Meyer was a German World War I fighter ace credited with confirmed victories over six enemy observation balloons and 18 enemy aircraft.
Hans Klein was a German World War I fighter ace credited with 22 aerial victories.
LeutnantHans Martin Pippart Iron Cross was a pioneer aircraft manufacturer and early pilot. As a World War I German fighter ace he was credited with 22 victories.
Doctor OberleutnantOtto Schmidt HOH, IC was a German World War I fighter ace credited with 20 aerial victories, including eight against enemy observation balloons. He commanded three different jagdstaffeln (squadrons) as well as a jagdgruppe.
StandartenführerLudwig Gaim was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. He ended the war as a Vizefeldwebel.
Oberleutnant Hasso von Wedel IC began his career as a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. He served as a fighter pilot during World War II; in the Battle of Britain, after a spell as a prisoner of war, he was repatriated and fought in the Battle of Berlin.
OberleutnantErich Hahn was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.
Major Hermann Gilly was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories. He came to aviation service after two years infantry combat service, which saw him promoted to Leutnant in March 1916 while in Russia. He would not begin his flying career until November 1916. He served as an artillery cooperation pilot in Italy from November 1917 to March 1918. He was reassigned to a fighter unit, Jagdstaffel 40, effective 14 April 1918. Gilly scored seven aerial victories from 24 May 1918 through war's end. He was discharged on 22 January 1919.
VizefeldwebelGustav Schneidewind was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.
Major General Carl-August von Schoenebeck began his career in the Baden Leib-Grenadier Regiment in 1915. He transferred to the Luftstreitkräfte in 1916. After training, he served with the artillery cooperation unit FA (A) 203. His subsequent service in fighters (e. g. Jasta 11 earned him credit for eight confirmed aerial victories and a number of decorations, as well as the command of Jasta 33 while still a leutnant.
Leutnant Viktor Schobinger was a World War I flying ace credited with eight confirmed victories. Victory number two was confirmed over Charles Dawson Booker.
LeutnantRudolf Klimke IC was a German World War flying ace credited with 17 confirmed and two unconfirmed aerial victories. Serving initially as a bomber pilot, his aggressiveness in bombing England, and in shooting down a couple of enemy airplanes got him reassigned to a fighter squadron. After a string of a dozen victories during 1918, he was wounded in action on 21 September 1918.
Major Theodor Quandt was a World War I German flying ace credited with 15 aerial victories. He would return to his nation's service for World War II, being killed on 6 June 1940 during the Fall of France.
Leutnant Walter Göttsch HoH, IC was a German World War I flying ace credited with 20 aerial victories. His final combat assignment was commanding Jagdstaffel 19 in Jagdgeschwader II.
OberleutnantHans Berr was a German professional soldier and World War I flying ace. At the start of the First World War, he served in a scout regiment until severely wounded; he then transferred to aviation duty. Once trained as a pilot, he helped pioneer the world's first dedicated fighter airplane, the Fokker Eindecker "flying gun". Flying one, Berr shot down two enemy airplanes in March 1916 as his contribution to the Fokker Scourge. Berr was then chosen to command one of the world's original fighter squadrons, Jagdstaffel 5. Leading his pilots by example, Berr scored eight more victories in a four week span in October - November 1916 while his pilots began to compile their own victories. Hans Berr was awarded Germany's highest military honor, the Pour le Merite, on 4 December 1916. During a 6 April 1917 dogfight, Berr and his wingman mortally collided.
Oberleutnant Walter Ewers was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.
General-major Hans-Eberhardt Gandert was a German professional soldier who began his 33-year military career in 1912. He learned to fly in the early days of World War I, went on to become a flying ace credited with eight aerial victories, including killing British ace Edwin Benbow, and ended the war in command of a fighter group. In the wake of Germany's defeat, he would serve in the German Army until 1934. He would then transfer into the newly established Luftwaffe and serve in increasingly responsible posts until mid-World War II. He retired on 28 February 1945.
Generalleutnant Theodor Hermann Dahlmann, usually referred to as Hermann Dahlmann, was an influential aviation administrator during the Third Reich. His rise to power was linked to his World War I experience of knowing both Hermann Göring and Bruno Loerzer.
References
- Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank W.; Guest, Russell. Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918. Grub Street, 1993. ISBN 0-948817-73-9, ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1.