Josef Jacobs
Encyclopedia
Josef Carl Peter Jacobs (May 15, 1894 - July 29, 1978) was a German flying ace
with 48 victories during the First World War. His total tied him with Werner Voss
for fourth place among German aces.
, German Empire
, and learned to fly in 1912, aged 18. As a schoolboy in Bonn
, he had been fascinated by the activities he saw at the nearby flying school in Hangelar. There he learned to fly, under the tutelage of Bruno Werntgen. When war broke out, he joined up for the Imperial German Army Air Service
to train as a pilot
; whereby he was posted to FEA 9.
squadron) for a year, flying long-range sorties over Allied lines, his first flight occurring the evening of his arrival. His first victory over a French
Caudron
occurred in February 1916, however, it was unconfirmed, due to lack of independent witnesses. After leave in April, Jacobs was posted to Fokkerstaffel-West to fly a Fokker E.III
Eindecker and he finally achieved his first official victory, over an enemy aircraft on 12 May when he shot down a two-seater Caudron
crewed only by its pilot. At the end of July, Jacobs and his unit had been pulled back for what became a month's aerial bodyguard duty, protecting General Headquarters at Charleville
. On 1 September, Jacobs left this duty that disgusted him, and returned to a front line assignment flying a Fokker E.III
. On the 19th, he upgraded to a Fokker D.II. His old comrade in arms, Max Ritter von Mulzer
, died in a crash a week later. On the 29th, Jacobs fell ill from dysentery; the sickness waylayed him for several weeks.
Fokker Staffel West became Jasta 12 on 6 October 1916, and Jacobs remained with it, although a month later he transferred to Jasta 22, then under the command of Oberleutnant Erich Hönemanns, who was a personal friend.
.
From early 1918 onwards, Jacobs started flying the Fokker Dr.I
triplane
with Jasta 7, and had his aircraft finished in a distinctive black scheme. The Dr I was his favoured mount until October 1918 and he used its manouevibility to his advantage, becoming the triplane's highest scoring ace, with over 30 confirmed victories.
Jacobs' victory tally slowly rose, until at 24 victories (achieved on July 19, 1918) he was awarded the coveted Pour le Mérite
. Jacobs would remain with Jasta 7 until the armistice; his final victory tally was 48 enemy aircraft and balloons. Jacobs continued to fight against the Bolshevik
forces in the Baltic
in 1919, with Kommando Sachsenberg.
Army, before completely withdrawing from military activity. He became a director in the Alder works and later owned his own aircraft manufacturing company in Erfurt in the 1930s. In addition to aviation, Jacobs was a keen participant in bob sleighing and car and speedboat racing.
When the NSDAP came into power he became a Major in the Reserves, although refused to join the Luftwaffe
after being asked by Hermann Göring
. Jacobs then moved his company to Holland during the World War II and at one stage went into hiding, after refusing to let Göring become a major shareholder in his company.
Jacobs died in Munich
, Bavaria
, Germany in 1978.
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 48 victories during the First World War. His total tied him with Werner Voss
Werner Voss
Werner Voss was a World War I German flying ace, a friend and rival of the famous Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen....
for fourth place among German aces.
Background
Josef Jacobs was born in Kreuzkapelle, RhinelandRhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
, German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
, and learned to fly in 1912, aged 18. As a schoolboy in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, he had been fascinated by the activities he saw at the nearby flying school in Hangelar. There he learned to fly, under the tutelage of Bruno Werntgen. When war broke out, he joined up for the Imperial German Army Air Service
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...
to train as a pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
; whereby he was posted to FEA 9.
1915 - 1916
On 3 July 1915, Jacobs was posted to FA 11 (a reconnaissanceReconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
squadron) for a year, flying long-range sorties over Allied lines, his first flight occurring the evening of his arrival. His first victory over a French
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...
Caudron
Caudron
The Caudron Airplane Company was a French aircraft company founded in 1909 by brothers Gaston Caudron and René Caudron . It was one of the earliest aircraft manufacturers in France and produced planes for the military in both World War I and World War II...
occurred in February 1916, however, it was unconfirmed, due to lack of independent witnesses. After leave in April, Jacobs was posted to Fokkerstaffel-West to fly a Fokker E.III
Fokker E.III
|-See also:...
Eindecker and he finally achieved his first official victory, over an enemy aircraft on 12 May when he shot down a two-seater Caudron
Caudron
The Caudron Airplane Company was a French aircraft company founded in 1909 by brothers Gaston Caudron and René Caudron . It was one of the earliest aircraft manufacturers in France and produced planes for the military in both World War I and World War II...
crewed only by its pilot. At the end of July, Jacobs and his unit had been pulled back for what became a month's aerial bodyguard duty, protecting General Headquarters at Charleville
Charleville
Charleville can refer to:* Charleville, County Cork, a town in Ireland**Charleville railway station**Charleville GAA**Charleville * Charleville, Queensland, a town in Australia...
. On 1 September, Jacobs left this duty that disgusted him, and returned to a front line assignment flying a Fokker E.III
Fokker E.III
|-See also:...
. On the 19th, he upgraded to a Fokker D.II. His old comrade in arms, Max Ritter von Mulzer
Max Ritter von Mulzer
Leutnant Max Ritter von Mulzer was a World War I flying ace credited with ten aerial victories. He was the first Bavarian fighter ace, first Bavarian ace recipient of the Pour le Merite, and first Bavarian knighted for his exploits....
, died in a crash a week later. On the 29th, Jacobs fell ill from dysentery; the sickness waylayed him for several weeks.
Fokker Staffel West became Jasta 12 on 6 October 1916, and Jacobs remained with it, although a month later he transferred to Jasta 22, then under the command of Oberleutnant Erich Hönemanns, who was a personal friend.
1917 - 1918
He achieved his second victory (this time over a Caudron RIV) in January 1917. He achieved three officially claimed and many more unclaimed victories whilst at Jasta 22, where he remained until August 1917, when he transferred to Jasta 7 as its commanderCommander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
.
From early 1918 onwards, Jacobs started flying the Fokker Dr.I
Fokker Dr.I
The Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918...
triplane
Triplane
A triplane is a fixed-wing aircraft equipped with three vertically-stacked wing planes. Tailplanes and canard foreplanes are not normally included in this count, although they may occasionally be.-Design principles:...
with Jasta 7, and had his aircraft finished in a distinctive black scheme. The Dr I was his favoured mount until October 1918 and he used its manouevibility to his advantage, becoming the triplane's highest scoring ace, with over 30 confirmed victories.
Jacobs' victory tally slowly rose, until at 24 victories (achieved on July 19, 1918) he was awarded the coveted 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....
. Jacobs would remain with Jasta 7 until the armistice; his final victory tally was 48 enemy aircraft and balloons. Jacobs continued to fight against the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
forces in the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
in 1919, with Kommando Sachsenberg.
Post World War I
After the war, he briefly became a flying instructor in the TurkishTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
Army, before completely withdrawing from military activity. He became a director in the Alder works and later owned his own aircraft manufacturing company in Erfurt in the 1930s. In addition to aviation, Jacobs was a keen participant in bob sleighing and car and speedboat racing.
When the NSDAP came into power he became a Major in the Reserves, although refused to join the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
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....
after being asked by Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
. Jacobs then moved his company to Holland during the World War II and at one stage went into hiding, after refusing to let Göring become a major shareholder in his company.
Jacobs died in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, 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...
, Germany in 1978.