JAGDSTAFFEL BOELCKE

BAND VIII
1914-1918

AUS DEM BOELCKE-ARCHIV

STEFFEN GASTREICH/WALTER WAISS

HELIOS VERLAGS
2015

German/English text.
Photographs and documents relating to the World War 1 Ace Oswald Boeckle, mentor of Manfred von Richthofen, The Red Baron.

During wars, very few people are revered by both sides. Oswald Boelcke was one such person during World War I. He entered the army at the advent of the war in 1914 as an observer with his brother, Wilhelm. He soon transferred to a fighter squadron, Section 62, where he scored his first kill in August 1915. He became friends with Max Immelmann, and they formed a fruitful rivalry.In January 1916, Boelcke scored his eighth victory on the same day as Immelmann, becoming Germany’s second ace.
Preaching the use of formation fighting instead of individual efforts, Boelcke inspired the establishment of the Jasta squadrons. As the leader of the newly established Jasta 2, he picked the trio of Manfred von Richthofen, Hans Reimann, and Erwin Boehme as his underlings.
Boelcke lost his life on October 28, 1916, when his plane collided with Boehme’s. At the time of his death, the 25-year-old was the leading ace with 40 dogfight victories. Boelcke’s legacy, aside from being the father of the German air force, included writing Dicta Boelcke, the first book to contain the basic rules of air combat. Even long after his death, his proteges, especially the Red Baron, held him in high regard.

29 x 21 cm. 308 pp.

Very good + condition. Lightly bumped at the foot of the spine. Bottom corner of the rear board worn, otherwise as new.