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The following are lists of World War I flying aces. Historically, a flying ace was defined as a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The term was first used by French newspapers, describing Adolphe Pégoud as l'as, after he downed seven German aircraft.
StabfeldwebelJohann Lasi was a World War I Austro-Hungarian flying ace, a Croat by ethnicity, credited with five aerial victories on 22 Aug 1916, while acting as an unauthorized rear gunner for Julius Arigi.
Augustin Novák, sometimes referred to as Novak or Nowak was an Austro-Hungarian World War I flying ace credited with five or seven aerial victories. A prewar soldier, who had joined the horse artillery in 1911, he participated in the early Battle of Krasnik against the Russians, winning a Silver Medal for Bravery. After transferring to aviation service in January 1916, he became a two-seater pilot on the Russian, Romanian, and Italian Fronts. His aerial victories earned him two more awards of the Medal for Bravery, both First Class. He was then removed from combat to become an instructor in January 1918.
OberleutnantKarl 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 war. Decorated twice for valor, he was also honored by a rare early promotion in rank. A serious wound inflicted on 16 June 1916 hospitalized him. While recuperating, he transferred to aviation service. Trained and posted as a technical officer for Flik 29J in Romania, he volunteered to fly as an observer with Andreas Dombrowski. On their missions, Patzelt would benefit from Dombrowski's tuition as a pilot, while downing two enemy aircraft with the observer's gun. In October, Patzelt was transferred to the Italian Front to observe at the Battle of Caporetto. By mid-November 1917, he was flying with a fighter squadron, Flik 42J. He would score three more victories before being killed in action on 4 May 1918.
Lieutenant Alois Rodlauer (1897-1975) was a Austro-Hungarian World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. Originally a valorous infantry officer in 1915, 1916 and 1917, he turned to aviation in mid-1917. After pilot training, he managed to score five aerial victories between March and October 1918, despite two spells in hospital. Rodlauer returned to civilian life postwar, but returned to serve in the Luftwaffe from 1939 to 1945. He died a natural death in 1975. In 1983, aviation historians pieced together Rodlauer's combat record and realized he was an ace.
Karl Urban was an Austro-Hungarian World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.
Oberleutnant Josef Pürer (1894-1918) was an Austro-Hungarian World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories. A volunteer for the artillery when the war began, he fought for two years on the Russian Front. He was commissioned as an officer on 1 January 1916; later that year he transferred to the Austro-Hungarian Aviation Troops. He served as an aerial observer in northern Italy until early 1918. After scoring six aerial victories, he was trained as a fighter pilot by 11 July 1918. He was killed in action by Sidney Cottle on 31 August 1918.
Roman Oto Kažimir Schmidt or Roman Šmidt (1893-1959) was a World War I flying ace of the Austro-Hungarian Aviation Troops, credited with six aerial victories.
Hauptmann Josef von Maier was an Austro-Hungarian World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories. József Modory
OberleutnantAlexander Tahy was a Hungarian World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories while serving with the Austro-Hungarian Aviation Troops. He began the war as an artilleryman, winning the Silver Medal for Bravery in May 1915. In early 1916, he transferred to aviation duty as an aerial observer. Between 3 December 1916 and 26 June 1917, he was credited with five aerial victories for Fliegerkompanie 19, earning another three decorations. Having taught himself to fly, he transferred to a fighter unit, Fliegerkompanie 51J for his last three victories. On 7 March 1918, Tahy died in a flying accident. His greatest honor came after his death, when he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Leopold with War Decorations and Swords.
Hauptmann Heinrich (Jindřich) Kostrba was an Austro-Hungarian aviator, the first which to score three victories in a single day, on 18 February 1916, and three more on 29 June 1916. He went on to amass eight aerial victories and become a squadron leader and flying ace.
References
- Notes
- 1 2 3 Safarik, Jan J. (2011). "Austria-Hungary: Airmen of Croatian origin who flew during WWI". Air Aces Home Page. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
- ↑ Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 194.
- ↑ Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 199–200.
- ↑ "Roman Schmidt". The Aerodrome. 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
- ↑ Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 198–199.
- ↑ Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 190–191.
- Bibliography
- Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell F. & Alegi, Gregory (1997). Above the War Fronts: The British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914–1918. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-898697-56-5.