Friedrich Friedrichs
Encyclopedia
Leutnant Friedrich Friedrichs was a World War I
fighter ace
credited with 21 victories.
He volunteered for service in Infantry Regiment No. 85 on 14 August 1914. On 9 October, he went to the front. He served with them until seconded to officer training in Munich. Upon graduation on 23 September 1915, he was commissioned a lieutenant in the reserves and posted to Infantry Regiment No. 32. With them, he went into action in Serbia from 8 to 20 October. During this campaign, he was hit by shellfire and wounded so seriously that he was declared unfit for further duty because of permanent damage to his left leg.
. He underwent training from 1 October 1916 through 20 February 1917. He undertook aviation training at Cologne
and Paderborn
before learning artillery observation at Jüterbog
. On 9 June, he was posted to FA(A) 264, an artillery observation squadron. While serving with them, he won the First Class Iron Cross
.
On 4 January 1918, he began a week's Jastashule. Upon completion, he moved up to Royal Prussian Jasta 10
, a part of Jagdgeschwader 1
, to fly a Pfalz D.III
.
His first claim, on 18 March 1918, went unconfirmed. Three days later, he became a balloon buster
, blasting one of the floating observation posts at Ruyalcourt, France, in the vicinity of the Somme
. He scored once more in March, downing a SE.5a
on the 27th.
He had no successes in April. He shot down a D.H.9 on 3 May, and a Sopwith Camel
on the 15th. Three days later, he began a string of six consecutive victories over observation balloons that ended on 8 June 1918. This brought his count to ten. He ran off nine more triumphs that month, including four more balloons.
He had one confirmed win, over a Nieuport 28
on 2 July, and an unconfirmed claim on 8 July.
on fire. Friedrichs jumped out of the conflagration, trusting to his parachute. The parachute harness and lines entangled in the plane's tail and Friedrichs fell to his death.
He had been recommended for the Pour le Merite
. Reportedly, it was awarded on 20 July, five days after his death. However, the rolls of the order do not list him as a recipient.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
credited with 21 victories.
Early life and military service
Friedrich Friedrichs was born in Spork, Westphalia, in western Germany, on 21 February 1895. His father was a customs official. Friedrichs attended Hermann-Tast Gymnasium. He received his diploma in 1914. He was interested in a medical career.He volunteered for service in Infantry Regiment No. 85 on 14 August 1914. On 9 October, he went to the front. He served with them until seconded to officer training in Munich. Upon graduation on 23 September 1915, he was commissioned a lieutenant in the reserves and posted to Infantry Regiment No. 32. With them, he went into action in Serbia from 8 to 20 October. During this campaign, he was hit by shellfire and wounded so seriously that he was declared unfit for further duty because of permanent damage to his left leg.
Aerial service
Friedrichs then transferred to the LuftstreitkräfteLuftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. He underwent training from 1 October 1916 through 20 February 1917. He undertook aviation training at Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
and Paderborn
Paderborn
Paderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
before learning artillery observation at Jüterbog
Jüterbog
Jüterbog is a historic town in north-eastern Germany, located in the Teltow-Fläming district of Brandenburg. It is located on the Nuthe river at the northern slope of the Fläming hill range, about southwest of Berlin.-History:...
. On 9 June, he was posted to FA(A) 264, an artillery observation squadron. While serving with them, he won the First Class Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
.
On 4 January 1918, he began a week's Jastashule. Upon completion, he moved up to Royal Prussian Jasta 10
Jasta 10
Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 10 was a World War I "hunting group" of the Luftstreitkräfte, which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe. Jasta 10, in its brief existence, was credited with 118 enemy planes and 33 enemy observation balloons destroyed...
, a part of Jagdgeschwader 1
Jagdgeschwader 1
Jagdgeschwader 1 may refer to one of two German military units:*Jagdgeschwader 1 , a unit of the Luftstreitkräfte in World War I, commanded by Manfred von Richthofen ; also known as Jagdgeschwader 1 Flying Circus...
, to fly a Pfalz D.III
Pfalz D.III
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam, 1962. ISBN 0-93385-271-1.* Grosz, Peter M. Pfalz D.IIIa . Berkhamsted, Herts, UK: Albatros Publications, 1995. ISBN 0-94841-425-1.* Guttman, Jon. Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1 ...
.
His first claim, on 18 March 1918, went unconfirmed. Three days later, he became a balloon buster
Balloon buster
Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness. Seventy-six fighter pilots in World War I were each credited with destroying five or more balloons, and thus were balloon aces....
, blasting one of the floating observation posts at Ruyalcourt, France, in the vicinity of the Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
. He scored once more in March, downing a SE.5a
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. Although the first examples reached the Western Front before the Sopwith Camel and it had a much better overall performance, problems with its Hispano-Suiza engine, particularly the geared-output H-S...
on the 27th.
He had no successes in April. He shot down a D.H.9 on 3 May, and a Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
on the 15th. Three days later, he began a string of six consecutive victories over observation balloons that ended on 8 June 1918. This brought his count to ten. He ran off nine more triumphs that month, including four more balloons.
He had one confirmed win, over a Nieuport 28
Nieuport 28
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Cheesman E.F. Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Letchworth, UK: Harleyford Publications, 1960, pp. 98–99....
on 2 July, and an unconfirmed claim on 8 July.
Killed in action
On 15 July, one of the unusual hazards of balloon busting caught up with Friedrichs. The incendiary bullets loaded on his airplane spontaneously ignited and set his FokkerFokker
Fokker was a Dutch aircraft manufacturer named after its founder, Anthony Fokker. The company operated under several different names, starting out in 1912 in Schwerin, Germany, moving to the Netherlands in 1919....
on fire. Friedrichs jumped out of the conflagration, trusting to his parachute. The parachute harness and lines entangled in the plane's tail and Friedrichs fell to his death.
He had been recommended for the Pour le Merite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
. Reportedly, it was awarded on 20 July, five days after his death. However, the rolls of the order do not list him as a recipient.