Wilhelm Frickart
Encyclopedia
Leutnant Wilhelm Frickart was a World War I flying ace
credited with twelve aerial victories. He is the only known German observer to become an ace balloon buster
.
Frickart was originally assigned to duty as an observer/gunner on the Russian Front
with FA 24 (later redubbed FA 242). He scored his first victory on 12 April, teaming with Leopold Anslinger
to shoot down a Voisin. He followed up for a second one on 27 April. The latter half of June, from the 15th through the 28th, he shot down five Russian observation balloons.
Frickart then went for pilot training, and was consequently assigned to FA 20 on the Western Front
. He had three wins there, only one of which, scored on 17 March 1918, was confirmed. From there, he progressed to flying fighters for Jasta 64 in mid-1918. He then moved to Jasta 65 on 19 August 1918 as deputy commander under fellow ace Otto Fitzner, and intermittently commanded the squadron while scoring his last four wins between 30 August and 4 October 1918.
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...
credited with twelve aerial victories. He is the only known German observer to become an ace 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....
.
Frickart was originally assigned to duty as an observer/gunner on the Russian Front
Eastern Front (World War I)
The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and, primarily, Eastern Europe. The term is in contrast to the Western Front. Despite the geographical separation, the events in the two theatres strongly influenced each other...
with FA 24 (later redubbed FA 242). He scored his first victory on 12 April, teaming with Leopold Anslinger
Leopold Anslinger
Leutnant Leopold Anslinger was a World War I flying ace credited with ten aerial victories.Anslinger learned to fly pre-World War I, earning pilot certificate No. 566 on 14 October 1913. When the war began, he was a corporal pilot. Promoted to Feldwebel, he was posted to FA 54 on the Russian Front....
to shoot down a Voisin. He followed up for a second one on 27 April. The latter half of June, from the 15th through the 28th, he shot down five Russian observation balloons.
Frickart then went for pilot training, and was consequently assigned to FA 20 on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. He had three wins there, only one of which, scored on 17 March 1918, was confirmed. From there, he progressed to flying fighters for Jasta 64 in mid-1918. He then moved to Jasta 65 on 19 August 1918 as deputy commander under fellow ace Otto Fitzner, and intermittently commanded the squadron while scoring his last four wins between 30 August and 4 October 1918.