Leutnant Gustav Frädrich (born 29 November 1892, date of death unknown) was a German World War I
flying ace credited with six aerial victories.
Aerial service
Frädrich began his military aviation service for the
German Empire
The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
when assigned to ''Flieger-Abteilung'' (Flier Detachment) 30 in Macedonia. He was credited with his first aerial victory on 16 May 1917, over Huxa, apparently flying a single-seater scout attached to the reconnaissance unit. Frädrich was transferred to
Jagdstaffel 39 later in the year, this returning to the
Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to:
Military frontiers
*Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...
. In January 1918, he was transferred to
Jagdstaffel 1
Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 1 (commonly abbreviated as Jasta 1) was a fighter squadron of the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I. Jasta 1 was founded on 22 August 1916, using single seat fighters drawn ...
On 26 March 1918, he received his final transfer, to
Jagdstaffel 72
Royal Saxon Jagdstaffel 72, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 72, was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the '' Luftstreitkräfte'', the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I. The squadron would score over 58 aerial victo ...
. He scored his second confirmed aerial victory with them, on 18 July 1918. His victories mounted; on 23 September 1918, he became an ace. On 23 October, he was appointed
Staffelfuhrer, and would command ''Jasta 72'' through war's end. He was known to have won the First Class
Iron Cross for his service. He seems to have survived the war; however, there is no postwar information available on him.
[Note: German regulations called for award of the Second Class Iron Cross as a prerequisite for award of the First Class Iron Cross.][Franks et al 1993, p. 108.]
Endnotes
Footnotes
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. , .
1892 births
Year of death missing
German World War I flying aces
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