Jagdstaffel 11
The Royal Prussian Fighter Squadron No. 11 ( Jasta 11 for short ) was a squadron of German aviation troops equipped with single-seat fighter planes during the First World War .
history
The squadron was set up on September 28, 1916 by the commander of the fliers (Kofl) of the 6th Army . From mid-January 1917 Lieutenant Manfred von Richthofen was the leader of this previously unsuccessful squadron. He applied the tactical knowledge of aerial warfare developed by Oswald Boelcke with great success. In the three months that followed, the squadron's aircraft had over 100 kills - with only two losses. To make it easier to identify in the air, some of the squadron's machines (e.g. fuselage, tail unit) were painted in color.
In December 1916, von Richthofen's fighter plane was the first to be painted red. A little later, other season members follow.
On January 16, 1917 Manfred von Richthofen was awarded the Pour le Mérite next to the first bearer Max Immelmann after his 16th recognized kill . This makes him the most successful fighter pilot in Germany . On January 27, 1917, v. Richthofen squadron leader of Jagdstaffel 11 at the new air base in Douai . After three months of use at the front, Jagdstaffel 11 has not yet been able to achieve a kill. After taking over the command by v. Richthofen, the squadron's shooting rate rose to 125 within just three months, with only two machines as own losses.
In March 1917, Manfred's younger brother Lothar von Richthofen was transferred to Jasta 11. Both develop completely different combat tactics. Despite bad weather, Manfred von Richthofen improved his shooting statistics to 31 aerial victories by March 1917.
April 1917 is referred to as " Bloody April " due to a devastating loss rate of 5 British aircraft on a German fighter plane . Manfred von Richthofen scored 21 aerial victories in April, including four enemy machines in one day on one occasion. Due to the fact that the Jasta 11 destroyed 69 enemy planes this month, General Ludendorff said from that time that the " Rote Kampfflieger " (an allusion to von Richthofen's autobiography Der Rote Kampfflieger from 1917) was two whole divisions could replace what, however, indicates a certain ignorance of high commanders in view of the death of the ground troops.
While Manfred is on leave from the front, his brother Lothar is shot down over Vimy Ridge and wounded in the hip.
In June 1917, Jagdgeschwader 1 was formed from Fighter Squadrons 4, 6, 10 and 11 . Took the lead Captain Manfred von Richthofen. Because of the brightly painted aircraft and the high mobility of tents that allowed a quick laying to respective focal points, they spoke on the Allied side soon from the Flying Circus , the Flying Circus .
Manfred von Richthofen on his 66th victory in the air on March 18, 1918:
“ I started with 30 aircraft from my squadron and flew closed, leading all 3 squadrons, at an altitude of 5,300 m against the enemy. As we approached the front, I saw several English squadrons that were just passing our lines, for example towards Le Cateau. The first squadron I met was about 5,500 m above sea level. I shot with Lt. Gussmann, Jasta 11, put together the last of the opponents, a Bristol Fighter. He lost the wings and Lt. Gussmann brought him down at Joncourt. I then collected my 30 aircraft, climbed to 5,300 m and followed two squadrons that broke through to Le Cateau. When the enemy tried to turn and come back to the front, I attacked. The plane closest to me, apparently a Breguet or Bristol fighter, was picked up by me and Lt. Loewenhardt, Jasta 10 shot at, whereupon the opponent's gas tank was shot to pieces, and I saw the plane crash vertically. According to Loewenhardt, it crashed. I attacked a plane with flags from two English single-seat squadrons (Sopwith Camel) and forced the enemy to land at Molain . "
On the orders of the commander of the aviators of the 5th Army , the squadron was moved to Darmstadt on November 10, 1918 . The machines that were still ready for use flew there on November 12, 1918. On the instructions of the Allies , the aircraft had to be delivered and so they were brought to Strasbourg by air on November 16, 1918 . Most of it was scrapped and scrapped.
By the end of the war the Jasta had achieved 350 recognized aerial victories; 17 members of the squadron fell, two became prisoners of war , 19 were wounded and two died in (air) accidents.
Single-seat fighter planes such as B. Albatros D.III , Albatros DV , Fokker Dr.I , Fokker D.VII and Fokker D.VIII use.
Commanding officers
| Rank | Surname | Period according to | Different period according to |
|---|---|---|---|
| First lieutenant | Rudolf Emil Lang | October 11, 1916 to January 14, 1917 | |
| Lieutenant / First Lieutenant / Rittmeister |
Manfred von Richthofen | January 16 to May 1, 1917 | January 15 to March 1, 1917 |
| lieutenant | Lothar von Richthofen | May 1st to 13th, 1917 | |
| lieutenant | Karl Allmenröder | May 13 to June 15, 1917 | |
| Rittmeister | Manfred von Richthofen | June 15 to 24, 1917 | June 15-26, 1917 |
| lieutenant | Karl Allmenröder | June 24-27, 1917 | June 26-27, 1917 |
| lieutenant | Kurt Wolff | June 28 to July 11, 1917 | |
| First lieutenant | Wilhelm Reinhard | June 12 to August 4, 1917 | July 11 to September 4, 1917 |
| lieutenant | Gisbert-Wilhelm Groos | September 6-11, 1917 | September 4-11, 1917 |
| First lieutenant | Kurt Wolff | September 11-15, 1917 | |
| lieutenant | Gisbert-Wilhelm Groos | September 16-25, 1917 | September 15-25, 1917 |
| lieutenant | Lothar von Richthofen | September 25, 1917 to January 19, 1918 | |
| lieutenant | Hans-Carl von Linsingen | November 27, 1917 to January 24, 1918 | |
| lieutenant | Hans-Georg from the East | January 19 to February 16, 1918 | |
| lieutenant | Lothar von Richthofen | February 16 to March 13, 1918 | |
| lieutenant | Otto von Breiten-Landenberg | March 16-25, 1918 | March 13-25, 1918 |
| lieutenant | Ernst Udet | March 25 to April 8, 1918 | |
| lieutenant | Hans Weiss | April 8 to May 2, 1918 | |
| lieutenant | Eberhard Mohnicke | May 2 to July 19, 1918 | |
| lieutenant | Lothar von Richthofen | July 19-26, 1918 | |
| First lieutenant | Erich Rüdiger von Wedel | July 26th to August 14th, 1918 | |
| lieutenant | Eberhardt Mohnicke | August 14-26, 1918 | |
| lieutenant | Wolfram von Richthofen | August 26-30, 1918 | |
| First lieutenant | Erich Rüdiger von Wedel | August 31 to September 2, 1918 | |
| lieutenant | Eberhardt Mohnicke | September 2nd to 4th | |
| First lieutenant | Erich Rüdiger von Wedel | September 4 to October 22, 1918 | |
| lieutenant | Egon Koepsch | October 22 to November 4, 1918 | |
| First lieutenant | Erich Rüdiger von Wedel | November 4-11, 1918 |
Kills of the Jagdgeschwader 1
In 1917, 89 kills were attributed to the Jasta 11. The following aces achieved during their time with the Jasta 11, the following launches of enemy planes:
- Manfred von Richthofen (fighter plane painted red) 64
- Ernst Udet 62
- Lothar von Richthofen (yellow-painted fighter plane) 40
- Kurt Wolff 31 (green painted fighter plane)
- Ulrich Neckel
- Karl Allmenröder 30 † June 27, 1917
- Karl Emil Schäfer 22 (black painted fighter plane)
- Erich von Wedel 13
- Sebastian Festner 12
- Wilhelm Reinhard 11
- Willi Gabriel 10
- Hans Wolff 10
- Werner Steinhäuser 9
- Eberhard Mohnicke 8
- Wolfram von Richthofen 8
- Gisbert-Wilhelm Groos 6
- Erich Just 6
- Friedrich Noltenius 6
- Alfred Niederhoff 5
Others
In the Wehrmacht , Jagdgeschwader 2 took over the traditions of Jagdstaffel 11 as well as the additional designation "Richthofen" in honor of Manfred von Richthofen. In the Bundeswehr leading Tactical Air Force Group "Richthofen" continues this tradition.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l Richthofens Jagdgeschwader 1 at www.flug-linien.de
- ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/services/germany/jasta/jasta11.php
- ↑ luftfahrtarchiv.eu
- ↑ Wolfgang Brose: Die Garrison Pasewalk, Pasewalk: Maaß, 2008, p. 236
- ^ Jan Hayzlett: Hunting with Richthofen. Hunting in the sky of Flanders. The Bodenschatz Diaries: Sixteen Months of Battle with JG Freiherr von Richthofen No. 1. Foreword by Hermann Göring, Havertown: Grub Street Publishing, 2008, p. 160 u. 165.
- ↑ Die Front im Himmel on epublikationen.bundeswehr