Sebastian Festner
Encyclopedia
Sebastian Festner was an air ace
of the Luftstreitkräfte
(German Air Force) during World War I, with 12 victories. He reached the rank of Vizefeldwebel.
Festner was born in Holzkirchen
, Bavaria
on 30 June 1894. He originally served with, and was wounded with, the infantry before switching to aviation. He was a mechanic with Flieger Abtleilung Nr. 1 in October 1914. Posted to FA 7b in February 1915 as a Gefreiter
, Festner learned to fly unofficially, and then underwent training with FEA 2b and FEA 5b.
He served briefly with two seater units FA 18 and FA 5b, arriving at FA 18 on 10 September 1916 and FA 5b five days later. His next posting was to Jasta 11
on 10 November 1916.
Under the command of Manfred von Richtofen, Festner quickly claimed 2 victories in February 1917 before claiming another 10 during 'Bloody April
'.
on 2 April resulted in Festner claiming a FE-2d, (two were lost) but returning with his aircraft badly shot up. On 5 April, during a combat between five Jasta 11 aircraft and six aircraft of No. 48 Squadron, he forced down in captivity the Bristol Fighter BF-2a of Captain Leefe Robinson
,a Victoria Cross
holder, holing his engine. A 'Sopwith' was claimed on 7 April (actually a Bristol Fighter of No. 48 Sqn which force-landed with a dead gunner) while on 8 April Festner himself force-landed his D.II (serial 223/16) with a cracked wing spar, which occurred while in combat with Nieuport 17
s of No. 60 Squadron, including future ace Lt. William 'Billy' Bishop. Von Richtofen had the damaged fighter written off strength. On 13 April he shot down an RE-8 of No. 59 Squadron (crew- 2/Lt.A.Watson and 2/Lt. E.R. Law, both POW) and an FE-2b of No. 25 Squadron (one of three lost)
A Nieuport 17
of No. 60 Squadron was claimed both on 14 April (Lt. L.C.Chapman, killed, one of four lost to Jasta 11) and 16 April (one of four shot down).
. Exact details are unknown, and he was either struck by ground fire or shot down attacking a Sopwith Strutter crewed by Lt.C.R. O'Brien & gunner 2/Lt. J.L. Dickson of No. 43 Squadron, who claimed a red Albatros as their 3rd and 2nd victories respectively. He crashed behind the British lines, between Gavrelle
and Bailleul
and the crash designated by the RFC as G.26. With the area under German artillery fire there was no attempt to recover either plane or body, therefore Festner is missing in action
with no known grave.
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
of the Luftstreitkräfte
Luftstreitkräfte
The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte , known before October 1916 as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches , or simply Die Fliegertruppen, was the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I...
(German Air Force) during World War I, with 12 victories. He reached the rank of Vizefeldwebel.
Festner was born in Holzkirchen
Holzkirchen
Holzkirchen is a market town in Bavaria, Germany. With a population of over 16,000 it is the largest town in the Miesbach district.Holzkirchen is located on the Alpenvorland in the county of Miesbach. It was established as a Markt in the 13th century....
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
on 30 June 1894. He originally served with, and was wounded with, the infantry before switching to aviation. He was a mechanic with Flieger Abtleilung Nr. 1 in October 1914. Posted to FA 7b in February 1915 as a Gefreiter
Gefreiter
Gefreiter is the German, Swiss and Austrian equivalent for the military rank Private . Gefreiter was the lowest rank to which an ordinary soldier could be promoted. As a military rank it has existed since at least the 16th century...
, Festner learned to fly unofficially, and then underwent training with FEA 2b and FEA 5b.
He served briefly with two seater units FA 18 and FA 5b, arriving at FA 18 on 10 September 1916 and FA 5b five days later. His next posting was to Jasta 11
Jasta 11
Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 11 was founded on 28 September 1916 from elements of 4 armee's Keks 1, 2 and 3 and mobilized on 11 October as part of the German Air Service's expansion program, forming permanent specialised fighter squadrons, or "Jastas"...
on 10 November 1916.
Under the command of Manfred von Richtofen, Festner quickly claimed 2 victories in February 1917 before claiming another 10 during 'Bloody April
Bloody April
During the First World War, the month of April 1917 was known as Bloody April by the Royal Flying Corps . The RFC suffered particularly severe losses — about three times as many as the Imperial German Army Air Service over the same period — but continued its primary role in support of the ground...
'.
'Bloody April'
A combat with 57 Squadron FE-2d's over NeuvilleNeuville
-Communes in France:*Neuville, Corrèze, in the Corrèze département*Neuville, Puy-de-Dôme, in the Puy-de-Dôme département*Neuville-au-Bois, in the Somme département*Neuville-au-Cornet, in the Pas-de-Calais département...
on 2 April resulted in Festner claiming a FE-2d, (two were lost) but returning with his aircraft badly shot up. On 5 April, during a combat between five Jasta 11 aircraft and six aircraft of No. 48 Squadron, he forced down in captivity the Bristol Fighter BF-2a of Captain Leefe Robinson
Leefe Robinson
William Leefe Robinson VC was the first British pilot to shoot down a German airship over Britain during the First World War. For this he was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
,a Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
holder, holing his engine. A 'Sopwith' was claimed on 7 April (actually a Bristol Fighter of No. 48 Sqn which force-landed with a dead gunner) while on 8 April Festner himself force-landed his D.II (serial 223/16) with a cracked wing spar, which occurred while in combat with Nieuport 17
Nieuport 17
|-Specifications :-See also:-Bibliography:* Bruce, Jack. "Those Classic Nieuports". Air Enthusiast Quarterly. Number Two, 1976. Bromley, UK:Pilot Press. pp. 137–153....
s of No. 60 Squadron, including future ace Lt. William 'Billy' Bishop. Von Richtofen had the damaged fighter written off strength. On 13 April he shot down an RE-8 of No. 59 Squadron (crew- 2/Lt.A.Watson and 2/Lt. E.R. Law, both POW) and an FE-2b of No. 25 Squadron (one of three lost)
A Nieuport 17
Nieuport 17
|-Specifications :-See also:-Bibliography:* Bruce, Jack. "Those Classic Nieuports". Air Enthusiast Quarterly. Number Two, 1976. Bromley, UK:Pilot Press. pp. 137–153....
of No. 60 Squadron was claimed both on 14 April (Lt. L.C.Chapman, killed, one of four lost to Jasta 11) and 16 April (one of four shot down).
Death in action
Flying Albatros D.III (serial 2251/17), Festner was killed in action at 9-15 am German time on 25 April 1917, near OppyOppy
Oppy may refer to:* the nickname of Opportunity rover, a Mars rover landed on planet Mars in 2004* a nickname for J. Robert Oppenheimer , the Manhattan Project leader...
. Exact details are unknown, and he was either struck by ground fire or shot down attacking a Sopwith Strutter crewed by Lt.C.R. O'Brien & gunner 2/Lt. J.L. Dickson of No. 43 Squadron, who claimed a red Albatros as their 3rd and 2nd victories respectively. He crashed behind the British lines, between Gavrelle
Gavrelle
Gavrelle is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village situated northeast of Arras, at the junction of the N50 and the D33 roads...
and Bailleul
Bailleul
- France :*Bailleul, Nord, in the Nord département*Bailleul, Orne, in the Orne département*Bailleul, Somme, in the Somme département*Bailleul-aux-Cornailles, in the Pas-de-Calais département*Bailleul-la-Vallée, in the Eure département...
and the crash designated by the RFC as G.26. With the area under German artillery fire there was no attempt to recover either plane or body, therefore Festner is missing in action
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
with no known grave.