Royal Saxon Jagdstaffel 40, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 40, was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the '' Luftstreitkräfte'', the air arm of the

Imperial German Army The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (german: Deutsches Heer), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the l ...

during World War I. The unit would score over 54 aerial victories during the war, including three observation balloons downed. The squadron's victories came at the expense of five killed in action, one killed in a flying accident, and six wounded in action.

History

Jasta 40 was founded on 30 June 1917 at ''Fliegerersatz-Abteilung'' ("Replacement Detachment") 6, Grossenhain, Germany. It became operational on 15 August 1917. It scored its first air-to-air victory on 25 September 1917. It would serve until war's end.

Commanding officers (''
Staffelführer ''Staffelführer'' 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 World War, where the tit ...
'')

Oberleutnant () is the highest lieutenant officer rank in the German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. Austria Germany In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Trans ...

Eilers *

Helmut Dilthey Leutnant Helmut Dilthey IC (9 February 1894 – 9 July 1918) was a German pilot who became a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories. Dilthey was one of the first German military aviators, joining its military aviation in Nov ...

: Early April 1918 *

Carl Degelow Carl "Charly" Degelow (5 January 1891 – 9 November 1970) '' Pour le Merite'', Royal House Order of Hohenzollern,The Aerodrome websites' page on the Hohenzollern OrdeRetrieved 26 November 2012. Iron Cross, was a German fighter pilot during Worl ...

: circa 9 July 1918

Duty stations

* Möntingen/ Metz: 15 August 1917 * Mars-la-Tour: 14 September 1917 *

Masny Masny () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Heraldry See also *Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 648 communes of the Nord department of the French Republic. The communes cooperate in the ...

: 15 March 1918 * Roubaix * Meuines * Wynghene * Gontrode

Notable personnel

* Carl Degelow * Helmut Dilthey *

Willi Rosenstein Willy Rosenstein (28 January 1892 – 23 May 1949), Iron Cross, was a German flying ace in World War I, credited with 9 victories. Background Willy Rosenstein was born on 28 January 1892 in Stuttgart, Germany.Franks et al 1993, pp. 191-192. R ...

* Hermann Gilly * Hans Jeschonnek

Operations

Jasta 40 began its combat operations on 15 August 1917, in support of '' Armee-Abteilung A''. However, on 14 September 1917, it moved to support of ''

Armee-Abteilung C Armee-Abteilung Strantz / Armee-Abteilung C (Army Detachment C) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the Western Front throughout its existence. History ''Armee-Abteilung'' C was formed on 18 September 191 ...

''. On 15 March 1918, it shifted again, to support '' 17 Armee''. The following month, it was assigned to the '' 4 Armee'' Front, supporting this formation from various French aerodromes until the Armistice.

References