Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 9 was a "hunting group" (fighter squadron) of the ''

Luftstreitkräfte The ''Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte'' (, German Air Force)—known before October 1916 as (Flyer Troops)—was the air arm of the Imperial German Army. In English-language sources it is usually referred to as the Imperial German Air Service, alt ...

'', 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 World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Although the squadron, and the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', were short-lived, they had great influence on the Nazi ''

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

'', as can be seen by the later careers of the unit's ''

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 ...

''. It was founded on 28 September 1916, and by the time it disbanded on 15 January 1919, it was credited with 107 aerial victories. In turn, it had suffered thirteen pilots killed in combat, three wounded, five non-combat deaths, and three injuries.

History

When Jagdstaffel 9 was founded, it absorbed the pre-existing Fokkerstaffel attached to 3 Armee. This ad hoc Fokkerstaffel had been formed under Oberleutnant Ascheberg on 16 June 1916. He relinquished this unit to Oberleutnant Kurt Student on 23 September. The unit was officially founded five days later; it mobilized a week later, and moved to Leffincourt. It remained operational at that field for the next year and a half under Student. The Jasta then underwent the turmoil of shifting airfields eight times during the last eight months of war. When it shifted to Chéry-les-Pouilly, it also shifted to support of the 7 Armee. In July 1918, it joined Jagdgruppe 5 at Maizy; this oversized wing also contained

Jasta 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 ...

, Jasta 41, Jasta 45,

Jasta 50 Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 50, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 50, 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 45 aerial victo ...

, and

Jasta 66 Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 66, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 66, 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 97 aerial vict ...

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

Kurt Student Kurt Arthur Benno Student (12 May 1890 – 1 July 1978) was a German general in the Luftwaffe during World War II. An early pioneer of airborne forces, Student was in overall command of developing a paratrooper force to be known as the ''Fallschi ...

: 5 October 1916 – 14 March 1918 # Leutnant Walter Blume: 14 March 1918 – 11 November 1918

Duty stations (airfields)

Leffincourt Leffincourt () is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. Population See also * Mazagran *Communes of the Ardennes department The following is a list of the 449 communes of the Ardennes department of France. The comm ...

: 5 October 1916 – 23 March 1918 # Chéry-lès-Pouilly: 24 March 1918 – 6 June 1918 # Montceau-le-West: 6 June 1918 – 11 July 1918 # Fonfry: 11 July 1918 – 20 July 1918 #

Rocourt-Saint-Martin Rocourt-Saint-Martin is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Population See also *Communes of the Aisne department The following is a list of the 799 communes in the French department of Aisne. ...

: 20 July 1918 – 23 July 1918 #

Bazoches Bazoches () is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France. Population Personalities * The Marquis de Vauban, Marshal of France and famous military engineer, bought the Château de Bazoches in 1675.Château de BazocheOfficial webs ...

: 23 July 1918 – 26 July 1918 #

Maizy Maizy () is a commune in the Aisne department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. Population See also *Communes of the Aisne department The following is a list of the 799 communes in the French department of Aisne. Th ...

: 27 July 1918 – 31 July 1918 #

Sissonne Sissonne () is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. It is about 20 km east of Laon, close to the source of the river Souche. The community dates back to the 12th century with the first church built c.1107 ...

: 1 August 1918 – 11 October 1918 # Plounion: 11 October 1918 – 11 November 1918

Personnel

The squadron's commanders were not the only notable fliers serving in the unit. Other pilots, such as

Hartmuth Baldamus Leutnant Hartmuth Baldamus (first name sometimes rendered Hartmut) (10 August 1891 – 14 April 1917) was a German World War I flying ace credited with 18 aerial victories. Early life Hartmuth Baldamus was born in Dresden on 10 August 1891.Franks ...

Fritz Pütter ''Leutnant'' Fritz Pütter (14 January 1895 – 10 August 1918) ''Pour le Mérite'', Iron Cross, was a German World War I ace fighter pilot credited with victories over eight enemy observation balloons and 17 airplanes.The Aerodrome website page ...

Erich Thomas Leutnant Erich Thomas was a World War I German flying ace credited with ten aerial victories. Nine of these were observation balloons he destroyed.The Aerodrome website http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/thomas1.php Retrieved on 19 April 201 ...

Hermann Pfeiffer ''Leutnant'' Hermann Pfeiffer (24 July 1890 – 20 May 1917) IC was a German World War I flying ace credited with eleven aerial victories.The Aerodrome website http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/pfeiffer.php Retrieved on 15 April 2010. Wor ...

, and

Heinrich Kroll ''Oberleutnant'' Henrich Claudius Kroll (3 November 1894 – 21 February 1930) Pour le Merite, Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Saxony's Albert Order Knight Second Class with Swords, Iron Cross First and Second Class, was ...

also served with distinction.

Aircraft and operations

Fokker EIII Oblt Schildknecht Landing 01 Dawn Patrol NMUSAF 26Sept09 (14413266780)

The unit was founded using

Fokker E.III The Fokker E.III was the main variant of the ''Eindecker'' (literally meaning "one deck") fighter aircraft of World War I. It entered service on the Western Front in December 1915 and was also supplied to Austria-Hungary and Turkey. Design and ...

s and

Fokker E.IV The Fokker E.IV was the final variant of the Fokker Eindecker, ''Eindecker'' fighter aircraft that was operated by Germany during World War I. Design and development Given the Fokker designation of M.15, the E.IV was essentially a lengthened F ...

s that were forwarded from the previous Fokkerstaffel.

Albatros D.II The Albatros D.II was a German fighter aircraft used during World War I. After a successful combat career in the early '' Jagdstaffeln'', it was gradually superseded by the Albatros D.III. Design and development Albatros designers Robert Thelen ...

s were assigned in early 1917. The unit later progressed to

Fokker D.VII The Fokker D.VII was 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 qui ...

s in summer 1918, probably in May.

References