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Jagdstaffel
A ''Jagdstaffel'' (plural ''Jagdstaffeln'', abbreviated to Jasta) was a fighter ''Staffel'' (squadron) of the German Imperial ''Luftstreitkräfte'' during World War I. Background Before April 1916, ''Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches'', which had been established in 1912 as the aviation service of the Imperial German Army The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the leadership of Kingdom o ..., was largely organised in small general purpose units ('' Feldfliegerabteilungen, FFA'' Field Flyer Detachments). The first specialist bombing and close support units began forming during 1915. The ''FFA'' were subordinate to the Army command to which they were attached. By the end of the spring of 1915, the first German fighter aircraft were being issued in small numbers to the ''FFA''. At th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oswald Boelcke
Oswald Boelcke PlM (; 19 May 1891 – 28 October 1916) was a World War I German professional soldier and pioneering flying ace credited with 40 aerial victories. Boelcke is honored as the father of the German fighter air force, and of air combat as a whole. He was a highly influential mentor, patrol leader, and tactician in the first years of air combat, 1915 and 1916. Boelcke fulfilled his childhood dream of a military career by joining the Imperial German Army on 15 March 1911. He pursued an early interest in aviation, learning to fly as World War I began. After duty as an aerial observer during 1914, he became one of the original fighter pilots during mid-1915. Flying the first true fighters, Boelcke, Max Immelmann, and several other early aces began shooting down enemy airplanes. Boelcke and Immelmann were the first German fighter pilots awarded Prussia's highest honor, the ''Pour le Mérite''. The German high command reassigned Boelcke after his 19th victory. Durin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
