C72-06 GERMAN PILOTS 1915-1918

The German air force was organized in 1913 under the name of die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches, to change its name to in 1916 Luftstreitkräfte. At the time of the outbreak of World War I, they played a decisively subordinate role to the ground forces and were, moreover, quite strictly subordinated to them. It is worth adding that each German infantry division included a reconnaissance company of 6 aircraft in August 1914. However, very quickly the German air force began to expand and play an increasingly important role over the battlefield. In 1918, they had a total of about 2,700 aircraft and about 240 other aircraft. This significant quantitative development was possible, among others, thanks to a strong industrial base and a well-developed aviation industry with such factories as: Albatros Flugzeugwerke, Fokker, Pfalz Flugzeugwerke or Siemens-Schukert. The German air force also introduced many successful aircraft in the years 1914-1918, including the great Fokker Dr.I or Gotha G.IV or GV fighter, but also such unusual designs as the Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI. The German air force was also able to undergo organizational changes during the Great War, as evidenced by the establishment of specialized fighter units (German: Jagdstaffeln) in 1916. Manfred von Richthofen, known as the red baron, was undoubtedly one of the greatest Luftstreitkräfte aces, but it is also worth remembering about such pilots as: Max Immelmann, Wilhelm Frank, Oswald Boelcke, Ernst Udet or later Luftwaffe commander Herman Göring.