Hans-Joachim Buddecke was a German flying ace in World War I, credited with thirteen victories. He was the third ace, after Max Immelmann and Oswald Boelcke, to earn the Blue Max. He saw combat in three theaters during the First World War: Bulgaria, Turkey, and the Western Front. His exploits at Gallipoli arena won him the nickname El-Schahin, "hunter falcon".
Hans-Joachim Buddecke, in Turkish uniform, with the Pour le Mérite at his neck
Hans-Joachim Buddecke, Otto Liman von Sanders and Oswald Boelcke in Turkey, 1916
On 6 September 1916, Buddecke forced down this FE2b and captured it for his eighth victory.
Grave of Hans Joachim Buddecke (1918) on the Invalidenfriedhof Berlin
Oswald Boelcke PlM was a World War I German professional soldier and pioneering flying ace credited with 40 aerial victories. Boelcke is honored as the father of the German fighter air force, and of air combat as a whole. He was a highly influential mentor, patrol leader, and tactician in the first years of air combat, 1915 and 1916.
Oswald Boelcke wearing his Pour le Mérite
Boelcke's instructional aircraft was an Aviatik B.I
A propaganda postcard portrait of Oswald Boelcke
A Fokker E.III draws a crowd of curious soldiers.
