| Jasta 11 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1916–1918 |
| Country |  German Empire |
| Branch | Luftstreitkräfte |
| Type | Fighter squadron |
| Part of | Jagdgeschwader 1 |
| Engagements | World War I |
Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 11 ("No 11 Fighter Squadron"; commonly abbreviated toJasta 11 and most known asThe Flying Circus) was founded on 28 September 1916 from elements of4 Armee'sKampfeinsitzerkommandos (or KEKs) 1, 2 and 3 and mobilized on 11 October as part of theGerman Air Service's expansion program, forming permanent specialised fighter squadrons, or "Jastas". It became the most successful fighter squadron in theLuftstreitkräfte.
Jasta 11's first commander wasFirst Lieutenant (Oberleutnant) Rudolf Lang, from its mobilization at Brayelles, until 14 January 1917.Jasta 11's first months of operations were very undistinguished.[1]
It was not until the appointment of 24-year-old Cavalry Captain (Rittmeister)Manfred von Richthofen on 16 January 1917 as Commanding Officer that the unit commenced its path to fame and immortality. Von Richthofen, later known as theRed Baron (due to the practice of painting his aircraft red for easy identification during combat) was already an able tactical pilot and ace following several months of service inJasta 2 and became a highly effective unit commander who led his pilots by example. He already had 16 victories[2][better source needed] and was awarded thePour le Merite just before he assumed his command.[3]
The unit was first based atDouai-Brayelles and thenRoucourt for operations over the6 Armee on theArras front, the Jasta were equipped with various models of the excellentAlbatros D.IIIsesquiplane fighter. Between 22 January 1917 and the end of March the Jasta claimed some 36 victories. The beginning of theBattle of Arras in early April meant a higher number of targets, with Jasta 11 logging 89 claims for aircraft destroyed in April (from a total of 298 made by all German fighter units for the month.) This decimation of theRoyal Flying Corps became termed "Bloody April".
TheJasta's performance is all the more extraordinary as the unit usually flew in small flights of six or fewer. Significant 'scorers' in the unit that April wereManfred von Richthofen (21 claims), Lt.Kurt Wolff (22), Lt.Karl Schäfer (15), Manfred's brotherLothar (15) and NCO pilotSebastian Festner (10).[4]
On 26 July 1917,Jasta 11 became part ofJagdgeschwader 1 - a collection of fourJastas into one administrative and highly mobile tactical force. Richthofen was promoted to command JG I, which was the second fighter wing in the history of military aviation.[citation needed] It was dubbed 'Richthofen's Flying Circus' because it mimicked a circus's logistics by using dedicated railway trains to transport it toforward airfields, and because of its vividly painted aircraft.
In September 1917, Jasta 11 would be equipped withFokker Dr.I triplanes. It would operate these until April–May 1918, when it received theFokker D.VIIs it would use until war's end.
Manfred von Richthofen remained Jasta commander until 26 June 1917, when his deputy, LeutnantKarl Allmenroeder took over. Following the latter's death the next day, former Jasta 11 pilot Leutnant Kurt Wolff took over after his transfer back from Jasta 29. After Wolff was wounded in September, Oberlt.Wilhelm Reinhard took charge until Wolff returned. Soon after Wolff was killed in action on 15 September, thereafterLothar took command. Jasta 11 would then have a bewildering succession of other temporary commanding officers, especially when Lothar was frequently away from the front recovering from wounds.OberleutnantErich Rüdiger von Wedel was the lastStaffelführer, from September 1918 until the end of the war. The Jasta was demobilised atDarmstadt on 16 November 1918.
Jasta 11 eventually became the highest scoring German Jasta of World War I, with 350 claims. The first was scored on 23 January 1917, the 100th on 23 April, the 200th on 17 August, the 250th on 2 April 1918, the 300th on 28 June 1918; the 350th was on 19th Sept 1918 (the Jasta 11 last victory) was the shooting down of aRoyal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 ofNo. 3 Squadron RAAF [Pilot Lt. Clifford Peel and Observer Lt. J. P.Jeffers (both killed)] by Leutnant Julius Schulte-Frohlinde.[7][4 Victory claims]
It numbered no fewer than twenty aces among its ranks, and "graduated" pilots to command numerous other Jastas in theGerman Air force. In return it suffered 17 pilots killed, 2 captured as prisoners, and 2 killed in flying accidents. Its loss rate was thus less than one-tenth of its opponents, although it also suffered 19 wounded in action.
Media related toJagdstaffel 11 at Wikimedia Commons