Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 5, commonly abbreviated toJasta 5, was created on 21 January 1916,^[1] and mobilized on 21 August 1916, as one of the first fighter units of theLuftstreitkräfte, the air arm of theImperial German Army duringWorld War I. Many of the first pilots of the Jasta came out of KEK Avillers, itself an early attempt to organize and utilize fighter planes as winged weapons.Jasta 5 began its service career at Bechamp near Verdun, in support of5 Armee. On 29 September 1916, it moved to the Somme to the1 Armee area of operations. On 11 March 1917, Jasta 5 moved into Boistrancourt; it spent the next year operating from there, in support of the2 Armee. In March 1918, the Jasta was joined byJasta 46 thus forming the beginning of Jagdgruppe 2; the new JG was commanded by Flashar, along with his command of the Jasta. In July, command passed to Otto Schmidt; in August, it was joined in the JG byJasta 34 andJasta 37. With approximately 253 victories at war's end,^[2] Jasta 5 had the third-highest victory total of any squadron in theLuftstreitkräfte. Its casualties came to 19 pilots killed in action, 3 killed in flying accidents, 8 wounded in action, and 1 injured in an accident.^[3]

• Hans Berr: 21 August 1916 – 2 January 1917
• Ludwig Dornheim: 2 January 1917 – 5 February 1917
• Hans Berr: 5 February 1917 – 6 April 1917 (KIA)
• Hans von Hünerbein: 7 April 1917 – 4 May 1917 (KIA)
• Kurt Schneider: 6 May 1917 – 5 June 1917 (WIA)
• Richard Flashar: 10 June 1917 – 31 December 1917
• Wilhelm Lehmann: 31 December 1917 – 14 January 1918
• Richard Flashar: 14 January 1918 – 12 May 1918
• Wilhelm Lehmann: 12 May 1918 – 26 June 1918 (KIA)
• Otto Schmidt: 3 July 1918 – 11 November 1918^[1]

• Bechamp: 21 August 1916 – 25 September 1916
• Bellevue Ferme, Senon: 26 September 1916 – 29 September 1916
• Gonnelieu: 30 September 1916 – 10 March 1917
• Boistrancourt: 11 March 1917 – 25 March 1918
• Lieramont: 25 March 1918 – 23 April 1918
• Cappy-sur-Somme: 23 April 1918 – 27 July 1918
• Moislains: 27 July 1918 – 24 August 1918
• Nurlu: 24 August 1918 – 30 September 1918
• Neuville: 30 September 1918 – 7 October 1918
• Escarmain by Capelle: 7 October 1918 – 10 October 1918
• Villers-Sire-Nicole: 10 October 1918 – 11 November 1918^[1]

There were several notable pilots andflying aces who served and scored with Jasta 5. Pilots earning Prussia's highest decoration for valor, thePour le Mèrite ("Blue Max") who served at one time or another in Jasta 5 included (alphabetically):^[2]

• Paul Bäumer
• Hans Berr
• Heinrich Gontermann
• Hermann Göring
• Otto Könnecke
• Bruno Loerzer
• Fritz Rumey
• Werner Voss^[3]

Könnecke and Rumey were two of the three members of the "golden triumvirate", who were responsible for 40% of the total victories of the Jasta. The third member of the triumvirate not listed isJosef Mai, who although nominated and eligible for the award, was not officially awarded thePour le Mèrite prior to the end of hostilities.

One member of Jasta 5 was rocket expertRudolf Nebel.^{[citation needed]}

The squadron was originally equipped withFokker Eindeckers. It progressed to use ofAlbatros D.IIs andHalberstadt D.IIs. In 1917, it was usingAlbatros D.IIIs andAlbatros D.Vs. In 1918, it used both theFokker D.VII and theFokker Triplane. At one time, theJasta was one of only three squadrons not belonging to aJagdgeschwader (fighter wing) that was totally equipped with the Triplane.^[3] It also reputedly operated thePfalz D.XII,^[1] which entered service in July 1918.^[4]

Bibliography

• Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank W. & Guest, Russell F. (1993).Above The Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service, and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918. London, UK: Grub Street.ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1.
• Merrill, G. K. (2004).Jagdstaffel 5 (Volume 1).Berkhamsted, UK: Albatros Productions.ISBN 978-1-902207-67-4.

• Bäumer, Paul."Jagdstaffel 5 "Green Tails" in 1917".jasta5.org.