German Aces of World War I

Although the airplane was still young at the outset of the war it was an important tool in the fighting of the First World War. During the war Germany used airplanes for several reasons. The first was to spy on opposing troops while on reconnaissance missions. Another reason in which Germany utilized the new flying machines was in combat against opposing Allied airplanes. The men who piloted these planes well became the first aces, these men were important in fighting the enemy and also helped boost German moral during the war. Thus the German ace was important for his fighting abilities and tactics, and moral boost on the country.

Invention

Anthony Fokker from WFA

At the outset of the war the airplane was very similar to the original model flown by the Wright brothers on their first flight in North Carolina. It was because of the limits of their technologies that the two sides at first sent pilots up unarmed. Originally the planes only function in the war was to do reconnaissance work, which is a topic that we will get into later. However it was almost immediate that the people in charge saw the potential to use the airplane as a fighting machine. One of the earliest advances used in weaponry used in World War I was to send the pilots up with hand guns and spears. However firing handheld weapons in the air proved to be very ineffective so a mechanized system needed to be developed so that the pilots could shoot as they were flying. The first revolutionary invention that helped Germany wage war in the war was the synchronization gear which allowed bullets to be fired through the propeller without striking the blades. It was Swiss engineer Franz Schneider that first patented the invention near the outset of the war but it was Dutch engineer Anthony Fokker that made the invention a huge success as he timed the device perfectly. Early on only Germany had this technology and they were dominating the Western skies. Their reign in the West was so dominant that the time before France developed the synchronized gun was called the Fokker Scourge. An important inventor who helped push the synchronization movement forward was Frenchman Roland Garros who also had the idea for the synchronized gun. Garros was a French pilot who shot down three German planes before he was shot down behind enemy lines. It was his time here that led to his discoveries and is where he met Anthony Fokker. Another invention which led to German aerial success was the continuous updating of their planes during the war. Several of the important planes in the war were the German tri-plane which was not as fast as some of the other planes in the air but much more maneuverable which was important in combat. Another important German plane was the Albatros which was a quicker plane used by many of the famous German pilots in the war. In the autumn of 1916 the Germans introduced a new plane called the Gotha Bomber as a plane which was used for the purpose of bombing cities. The plane was slower and heavier than many before it but it was effective at carrying ammunition over the targets and dropping bombs as long as it was accompanied by fighter planes. However none of these inventions were enough to keep Germany from losing the war and by 1918 most of the German aircrafts had been grounded as the war came to a close.

Reconnaissance

Fokker EI from LWS

As the number of troops fighting the bloody war in the trenches continued to increase it became important for the Generals on each side to know about troop movement behind enemy lines. Thus early plane usage was specifically used for spying on ground troops. During the war reconnaissance was inconsistent at best. Often times pilots would exaggerate what they saw, or commonly report movement of their own sides troops moving. Another problem with reconnaissance was that communication with commanders on the ground was difficult. The major problem during World War I was the inability of troops to communicate with officers what they needed to get across. Reconnaissance planes would often times not be able to land near the commander and report what they saw so many crude attempts were used to try and convey the message. One strategy that was ineffective was dropping packages from the plane because a good amount of time the message would blow away or get lost in a tree. Another system that was hit or miss was signaling with the plane different terms, but a good amount of time the signals got misinterpreted. There was also the usage of Morse code in the plane but this required a good amount of time to convey even a simple message. Eventually the armies had the idea to equip the planes with cameras so that they could take pictures. This was actually a useful way to gather data but with all of the information that could be stolen it was not long before pilots began to go up into the air armed so that the opposing pilots could not come back with information about enemy movement. This counter to reconnaissance was essentially the beginning of fighter planes and fighter pilots. Another important contribution of reconnaissance pilots was that they were the first bombers during the war. Early in the war before sophisticated fighter planes were developed the scout planes would fly over enemy targets and bomb strategic food and ammunition supply centers. Bombing would continue throughout the war but more and more the sides would rely more on zeppelins and specifically designed bombing planes. Because of the lack of speed associated with the zeppelins however fighter planes had to accompany the German bombers, and this was one of the reasons that gave rise to the fighter pilot and the highly skilled ace.

Fighters

Wilhelm Frankl of Jasta 4 from OPM

The fighter pilot was important for many reasons during the war, these reasons included moral for the ground troops, and supremacy over the skies which allowed for better reconnaissance and the opportunities to bomb strategic points on the ground. It was after the Allies countered the Fokker scourge that the fighter pilot began to play an important role in the war. During 1916 fighters from both sides would fly over the battles and reinforce the ground troops. At the battle of the Somme the Germans became spooked by the sight of Allied planes and began to panic, even when their own planes came to help fight the battle the damage the Allied planes had caused on the German troops caused the Germans to run for cover. After the battle German morale sunk, and it was in large part because of the allied planes. It was at this time that the Germans came up with the idea of forming Jasta units which would fly independently of the ground troops. It was because of this idea and because of the opportunity that many of the German Aces got their shot at fame and glory in battle. A flying ace was a pilot who shot down five or more planes in aerial combat. These skilled pilots quickly gained a reputation in the air and often times they became national heroes.

Manfred von Richthofen

M. Richtohofen from WFA

The most prolific, and famous ace of the war was German Manfred von Richthofen who was given the nickname The Red Baron. Richtofen shot down 80 enemy planes before his death on April 21, 1918. Richtofen was born May 2, 1892 in Breslau and briefly served in the trenches before he moved on to the German Air Service. Within his first month of service in the Air Service Richtofen had accumulated six victories. As his reputation as a pilot spread he painted his plane red and was given the nickname The Red Baron. Richtofen was selected by another skilled pilot Oswald Boelcke to join the elite Jasta group Jasta 2. It was in Jasta 2 that Richtofen acquired much of his fame but it was in the Bloody April of 1917 that he scored a good amount of his kills. In that one month alone The Red Baron shot down 22 enemy aircrafts. In the air Richtofen engaged in many different aerobatic moves in order to give his squadron and himself the greatest chance of victory. When he went into battle Richtofen preferred to go up in the German tri planes because of their increased maneuverability. While the tri plane was not as fast as other planes in the sky it was good in combat because it could turn quickly which was important in the dogfights that pilots would fight in. In January of 1917 Richtofen assumed command of Jasta 11 an elite group of pilots, many of whom had studied under Richtofen himself. Because of his continued success The Red Baron was given a larger unit to lead. This unit became known as The Flying Circus and it consisted of four Jasta groups, including his original eleventh unit. Of all the aces in the war Richtofen was often considered to be the most complex and troubled. It was said that he battled from headaches and bouts of depression, and he would often land next to the remains of a shot down plane and take mementos. By 1918 Richtofen had become such a legend in Germany that the government feared that his death may cause moral to plummet. He was told several times to retire and enjoy his success after the war but he refused and instead continued to shoot down planes. The end for The Red Baron came on April 21, 1918 and to this day is a matter that has not been conclusively resolved. What is certain is that on this day The Red Baron was in pursuit of an Allied pilot near Morlancourt Ridge when he was fatally struck by a bullet. The man that was initially given credit for the kill was pilot Roy Brown, but the bullet that struck The Red Baron was not the same kind that Brown was firing. Today historians believe that the bullet that killed Richtofen was fired from an anti aircraft gun, but all of the details are still unclear.

Udet

Udet Spartacus

Another famous ace in the war was Ernst Udet who served under The Red Baron in The Flying Circus. Udet ended the war as the second highest scoring German ace behind only Richtofen with an official total of 62 victories. Udet was one of the younger pilots in the war, when the armistice was signed in 1918 Udet was only 22 years old. Because of his skill Richtofen gave Udet control of Jasta 11 the unit that Richtofen had once commanded. Udet admired Richtofen a great deal, he respected his flying skill and was in awe of his cool demeanor in the air. Udet would ultimately commit suicide in 1941 because of lingering depression problems. It is believed that there was trouble between Udet and Hermann Goring and the Nazi Gestapo which may have been a factor in his suicide. Udet was not interested in politics during World War I, or in the days after the war. He only joined the Nazi party in 1933 so that he could get another shot at flying planes which was his passion in life.

Boelcke

Boelcke from WFA

The first German Ace was renowned pilot Oswald Boelcke who died in 1916 with a total of 40 aerial kills. He was important for two reasons the first of which being the book that he came out with which talked about tactics in aerial combat. Many of the tactics that he outlined in the book were used by the leading aces in the war, including The Red Baron. Two of the most important points were to always secure an advantageous position before you started attacking, and try to place yourself between the sun and the enemy so that your opponent would not be able to see you as well. The other reason that Boelcke was important was that he was a great pilot and the original leader of Jasta 2 the unit where both he and Manfred von Richtofen earned a good deal of their fame.

Lothar von Richtofen

L. Richtofen from WFA

Another famous pilot who ended the war with 40 kills was Lothar von Richtofen, younger brother of top scoring ace Manfred von Richtofen. Lothar was an excellent shooter and was known for his unique and sometimes reckless flying style. His aggressive style led his brother Manfred to comment that Lothar was more of a shooter than a hunter. Lothar achieved his greatest victory when he defeated renowned Allied ace Arthur Ball in an aerial duel. Lothar was wounded several times during the war and was in the hospital when he received word that his brother had been killed in battle. Lothar died in 1922 when he was flying a commercial plane and it crashed en route to Hamburg. The cause of the crash was apparent engine failure, there were no survivors from the crash.

Immelman

Immelman from WFA

One early ace that is often forgotten because of his early death in the war was Max Immelman who scored 17 kills before his own death in June of 1916. Immelman was famous for a roll that he invented and perfected which was later named the Immelman roll. The roll turns the plane upside down but the momentum rights the craft and puts the pilot in better position to attack. Immelman was the first German pilot in the war to be decorated with the prestigious Blue Max award for bravery in combat.

Goering

Goering from WFA

One of the most famous figures of the Second World War who got his start in World War I was future Luftwaffe commander Hermann Goering. He ended the war with 22 kills and continued on within the German military and Government after the war. Goering initially started the war in the infantry but became sick and was hospitalized. Upon his return he transferred to the Air Services and eventually worked his way up to the status of ace. Goering was posted with Jasta 5 and eventually became commander of a larger force. It was in 1918 after the death of Manfred von Richtofen that Goering took control of the prestigious unit once controlled by Richtofen. When Germany surrendered the war Goering felt angry and betrayed by the Kaiser and he continued to fight as long as he could and held resentment after the war. Goering unlike many of the other commanders in the Jasta units was quite unpopular among his men. His men believed that Goering unfairly and undeservedly took control of the units. Among his harshest critics was Ernst Udet who believed that Goering was an unfit ruler. The two would eventually clash again during the Second World War which would lead to the suicide of Udet. In my research the one thing that spoke the most to me was the fact that Goering was the only veteran of Jagdgeschwaser 1 that was never invited to the post-war reunions.

Although Germany would eventually go on to lose World War I because of many factors which included a lack of troops, supplies, and communication they proved themselves to be very capable and brave fighters both on the ground and in the air. During World War I technology on planes advanced very quickly as the importance of the skies was seen. The tactics used during the war also advanced and changed as the war raged on. Although many of the tactics that were used have long since been replaced and forgotten we should not forget the bravery of the flying aces of the First World War.

Written by Alexander Chapman Dec. 14, 2006 | Sources | World War I Timeline