Erich Löwenhardt
Encyclopedia
Erich Löwenhardt was the 3rd highest German
flying ace
with 54 victories during the First World War
, behind only Manfred von Richthofen
and Ernst Udet
.
, Germany
(a son of a Doctor). As a prewar cadet he was 17 when hostilities erupted in August 1914 and saw infantry action in the East with Infantry Regiment Nr 141 of the Imperial German Army
. In October 1914 he was commissioned and by 30 October had been decorated and wounded. He returned to his unit in the Carpathians
. In early 1915 he received the Iron Cross
1st Class for saving five wounded men. He then transferred to the Alpine Corps.
. Löwenhardt qualified as an observer, then completed pilot training in 1916. Following service in two-seaters with FAA 265 he transferred to fighters and joined Jagdstaffel 10 in March 1917. In June 1917 "Jasta" 10 became one of the four squadrons in Manfred von Richthofen's Jagdgeschwader 1 (wing), and the 20-year-old flier soon made a name for himself. By year's end he had eight victories, and upon doubling his score he became the commander of Jasta 10 on 1 April 1918.
Löwenhardt had several close calls in his career as a pilot, including force-landing slightly wounded in September 1917, a near failure with a parachute in June 1918 and an incident on 6 November 1917, in which his Albatros DV sustained severe damage to the lower right wing after a flak shell tore the fabric to pieces and damaged the ribs inside it. Eventually, it was completely wrenched off; he successfully landed at his aerodrome, although his machine did crash after it hit a rabbit hole on the strip (he walked away, badly shaken but not seriously injured).
Oberleutnant
Löwenhardt was an aggressive, skilled fighter whose score grew steadily. At the end of May 1918 he received Prussia's highest honour, the Pour le Mérite
(Blue Max) after 24 kills. Flying the new Fokker D.VII, he added eight more in June and no fewer than 16 in July. His tally climbed to 53 on 9 August.
fighter of No. 56 Squadron RAF
near Chaulnes
(Somme
area of France
). However, he collided with another Fokker D.VII (of Jasta 11
) flown by Leutnant Alfred Wenz, (who bailed out successfully) and though he jumped from his aircraft, his parachute
failed to open, and Löwenhardt plummeted to his death from around 12,000 feet. His body was recovered 4 days later. He was 21.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
flying ace
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...
with 54 victories during the First World War
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...
, behind only Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen , also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I...
and Ernst Udet
Ernst Udet
Colonel General Ernst Udet was the second-highest scoring German flying ace of World War I. He was one of the youngest aces and was the highest scoring German ace to survive the war . His 62 victories were second only to Manfred von Richthofen, his commander in the Flying Circus...
.
Early life and service
Löwenhardt was born in Breslau, SilesiaSilesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(a son of a Doctor). As a prewar cadet he was 17 when hostilities erupted in August 1914 and saw infantry action in the East with Infantry Regiment Nr 141 of the Imperial German Army
German Army (German Empire)
The German Army was the name given the combined land forces of the German Empire, also known as the National Army , Imperial Army or Imperial German Army. The term "Deutsches Heer" is also used for the modern German Army, the land component of the German Bundeswehr...
. In October 1914 he was commissioned and by 30 October had been decorated and wounded. He returned to his unit in the Carpathians
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
. In early 1915 he received the 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....
1st Class for saving five wounded men. He then transferred to the Alpine Corps.
Aerial service
He then volunteered for transfer to the Imperial German Army Air ServiceLuftstreitkräfte
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...
. Löwenhardt qualified as an observer, then completed pilot training in 1916. Following service in two-seaters with FAA 265 he transferred to fighters and joined Jagdstaffel 10 in March 1917. In June 1917 "Jasta" 10 became one of the four squadrons in Manfred von Richthofen's Jagdgeschwader 1 (wing), and the 20-year-old flier soon made a name for himself. By year's end he had eight victories, and upon doubling his score he became the commander of Jasta 10 on 1 April 1918.
Löwenhardt had several close calls in his career as a pilot, including force-landing slightly wounded in September 1917, a near failure with a parachute in June 1918 and an incident on 6 November 1917, in which his Albatros DV sustained severe damage to the lower right wing after a flak shell tore the fabric to pieces and damaged the ribs inside it. Eventually, it was completely wrenched off; he successfully landed at his aerodrome, although his machine did crash after it hit a rabbit hole on the strip (he walked away, badly shaken but not seriously injured).
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
Löwenhardt was an aggressive, skilled fighter whose score grew steadily. At the end of May 1918 he received Prussia's highest honour, the Pour le Mérite
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....
(Blue Max) after 24 kills. Flying the new Fokker D.VII, he added eight more in June and no fewer than 16 in July. His tally climbed to 53 on 9 August.
Death in action
The next day, August 10, 1918, Oblt. Löwenhardt shot down a British SE-5Royal 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...
fighter of No. 56 Squadron RAF
No. 56 Squadron RAF
Number 56 Squadron is one of the oldest and most successful squadrons of the Royal Air Force, with battle honours from many of the significant air campaigns of both World War I and World War II...
near Chaulnes
Chaulnes
Chaulnes is a commune in the Somme department in Picardy in northern France.-Demography:-Culture:Chaulnes is noted for its cultural events, especially the heavy metal music festival "Killer Fest"...
(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....
area of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
). However, he collided with another Fokker D.VII (of 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"...
) flown by Leutnant Alfred Wenz, (who bailed out successfully) and though he jumped from his aircraft, his parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
failed to open, and Löwenhardt plummeted to his death from around 12,000 feet. His body was recovered 4 days later. He was 21.