Boelcke’s Dicta and World War I Air Combat
by
Daniel
In June 1916, air combat pioneer Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke penned the Dicta Boelcke, an air combat treatise that would become famous as the first published set of fighter tactics. During 1914, fighter missions had not been invented, and consequently no fighter aircraft had been developed. As the war went on, aircraft continued to get more advanced, and were used in more roles, so consequently air combat began to come into existence. [1] The Dicta Boelcke had a significant impact on the development of air combat, as it was the first set of air combat tactics published by a combat pilot, and is continued to be implemented today in training combat pilots.[2]
Oswald Max Boelcke was born on May 19, 1891 in Giebichstein, Germany, a suburb of Halle. When he was three years old, he caught whooping cough, which resulted in his development of asthma, which plagued him throughout his life. His asthma did not discourage him from physical activity, and he pushed himself to overcome it. He learned to swim in the Mulde River at an early age, and would frequently go on long walks or bike rides. When Boelcke was 4 ½, his family, moved to the small town of Dessau, which was near enough to the Junkers aircraft factory to hear the aircraft flying above. Boelcke became interested in the military at a young age, and when he was about ten years old, he wrote directly to Kaiser Wilhelm II and requested a cadetship in the army, without telling his parents. Many months later, he received a letter from Lieutenant General von Schwartzkoppen, the commander of the cadet corps at Metz, the military academy, informing Boelcke that the Kaiser had granted his request. His parents refused, however, as they wanted him to complete the gymnasium curriculum, which is the equivalent of high school. He continued to pursue athletics, and many considered him a born leader. Other boys called him ‘a real good sport’, and respected his leadership. After he graduated, he joined the Prussian cadet corps as an aspirant on March 11, 1911.[3]
On May 29, 1914, he was accepted for pilot training at Halberstadter Fliegerschule, and his training began on June 2. The school had four aircraft, all Bristol Taube, three with 70hp engines and one with a 100hp engine. He started off flying the 70hp Taube, which were often unable to fly above 15-30 feet off the ground when carrying two people. When they were able to reach altitude, they would usually fly a six-minute pattern and then perform one landing from about 300 feet. When Boelcke finally got a flight in the 100hp machine, he stayed airborne for 40 minutes, and had a record altitude of 4,500 feet. By July 3, he had only logged 3 hours, 51 minutes, with a total of 30 flights, for an average of 8 minutes per flight. His instructor then let him solo. On his first solo flight, the engine turned at the required 1,400 rpm for take-off, but gradually lost power. With 50 feet of altitude, he did not have enough height for a turn, and was forced to fly straight forward and land in a cornfield. This procedure is still done today by pilots when an engine is lost on takeoff. On July 31, 1914, he flew for one hour and eight minutes on a cross-country flight, with a maximum altitude of 4,000 feet. After this he was scheduled to graduate in two weeks with his pilot’s wings and the rank of Leutnant (lieutenant).[4]
In the summer of 1915, Boelcke was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) while with the fighter squadron Kampfeinsitzerkommando 3, also known as KEK Douai. On July 4, he and his gunner got their first kill while flying the LVG C-I. The picture shows an LVG C-II, which was nearly identical to the C-I.
[Image pending permission for use]
Fig. 1. LVG C-II, Bundesarchiv, Bild 104-00321 / CC-BY-SA 3.0
On July 7, 1915, Boelcke started flying the Fokker E.I Eindecker, and Max Immelmann began flying the same LVG that Boelcke had flown. A few days after he started flying the Eindecker, Boelcke gave Immelmann his first flying lesson in an Eindecker. Two days later, Immelmann soloed in it, but had trouble landing. On August 1, 1915, Immelmann scored his first victory, against a B.E.2C.
[Image pending permission for use]
Fig. 2. Fokker E.III, Military Aviation Museum
The E.III and E.II were nearly identical to E.I This plane uses a metal propeller, wood would have been used in WW1
This plane is in flying condition, so the original rotary was not used for safety
[Image pending permission for use]
Fig. 3. Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2C
This was the beginning of the ace race, with Boelcke and Immelmann each having one victory. For the majority of the ace race, Boelcke was leading Immelmann, but there were weeks that Immelmann led Boelcke. The ace race came to an end when on July 18, 1916, Max Immelmann scored two victories, but was killed when his E.III Eindecker crashed. There are multiple accounts of the cause of the crash that disagree with each other. Boelcke’s explanation was that a piece of Immelmann’s propeller flew off, and the resulting vibrations from the unbalanced propeller broke the restraining wires, and then the fuselage broke apart. Immelmann was only 25 when he died. The ace race was 50 weeks long, and of the 50 weeks, Boelcke led 30; Immelmann led 4; and there were 16 weeks where they were tied. Following Immelmann’s death, Boelcke was grounded by both the Kaiser and the Crown Prince, who did this to avoid losing their two most famous aces of the war, as it would have impacted the morale of the country.[5]
Immelmann had been an aggressive and risky flier, and it should not have been a great surprise when he was killed. He had invented the original Immelmann Turn, which is now known as either a wingover or a hammerhead, which involves pitching the aircraft steeply up, and using the rudder to turn it about its wingtip. Even after Boelcke was grounded, he was determined to continue flying no matter what. It wasn’t until August 11, 1916, that Boelcke returned to active duty, as the first commander of the new fighter group, Jasta 2. At the beginning of his military career, Boelcke sought out kills. He disobeyed the order to not fly Eindeckers past German lines. The term ‘Jagdflieger’, or scout flier, would come from this habit of his.[6] As he matured, he began to fly smarter and more methodically in order preserve his life, but even by flying smarter, he could not live forever as a pilot, and what happened to Immelmann reminded him that flying is dangerous in many ways, and flying smarter would only extend his life, not secure it permanently. This strong reminder led to him writing down his knowledge as the Dicta Boelcke.[7]
The Dicta Boelcke was a list of tactics that Boelcke had thought about developing since he became a combat pilot, but did not write down until June 1916, while he was grounded. He had discussed his ideas with Immelmann and other pilots, but Immelmann did not share Boelcke’s views. In 1911, Immelmann wrote to his mother, ‘The study of military tactics, which are the basis of an officer’s career, leave me completely cold.’ There were many versions of the Dicta Boelcke, as it has been modified both during and after the First World War, to accommodate for changing circumstances. These are the two versions which I have found.
Dicta Boelcke[8]
Boelcke used the Dicta Boelcke in mentoring pilots, including Manfred von Richthofen, who expanded upon the Dicta Boelcke sometime between April 8, 1918, and his death on April 21, 1918. The fundamental components of his version were ‘(1) unit organization; ‘(2) rules for the employment of single and multiple squadrons and (3) techniques for combat with emphasis on the leader’s signals.’[10] (Appendix A)
Boelcke’s Death
At 7:00 am on October 28, 1916, Boelcke scrambled his squadron to engage British aircraft flying overhead. It was dismal day, the sky was dark, mist and clouds hung over the Staffel at Lagnicourt. Boelcke came back from his flight an hour later, having had a firing engagement, and then flew three more times that morning. The Battle of the Somme was being fought, and the Staffel was operating at near full capacity. Later that day, the pilots were resting from an intense day of flying. Leutnant Erwin Böhme states that ‘I had just begun a game of chess with Boelcke - then, about 4:30 pm, we were called to the front because there was an attack going on.’ Boelcke was leading a flight of six, including Richthofen and Böhme, into the engagement that would be his last. Boelcke and Böhme were both chasing and shooting at a British aircraft when a wheel from Böhme’s landing gear and Boelcke’s left wingtip made contact. Böhme describes the event as ‘It was only just the faintest touch, but at the terrific speed at which we were going made it into a violent impact. Destiny is generally cruelly stupid in her choices; I only had a bit of my undercarriage ripped, but the extreme tip of his left wing was torn away.’[11] Böhme regained control of his aircraft and followed Boelcke until he descended into a cloud. Boelcke reemerged from the clouds with his top wing ripped off before crashing into German lines near Bapaume, a French village. Boelcke was killed on impact. His seat belt was found unfastened.[12]
Boelcke’s death was tragic loss for both Germany and the Allies, as pilots viewed themselves all as brothers, who were simply fighting for a different nation. Representing the RFC, Second Lieutenant Thomas Green flew across German lines and dropped wreath of forget-me-nots with an envelope containing a message written on a Royal Flying Corps letterhead, honoring Boelcke (Appendix B). After Boelcke died, combat flying was not the same as it was before, but his teachings remained with his comrades who would continue to fight in accordance with them. Jasta 2 ended the war as the second highest scoring fighter squadron, behind Jasta 11, with 25 aces as either current or prior members, of which 20 became aces while in Jasta 2;[13] and a total of 336 victories, with only 49 losses.[14] Oberleutnant Stefan Kirmaier was promoted to hauptmann in order to command Jasta 2 on October 30, 1916, and would lead it until November 22 of that year when he was shot down in his Albatros D.II by D.H.2s.
[Image pending permission for use]
Fig. 4. Albatros D.II, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1325359
The command of Jasta 2 was given to Oberleutnant Karl Bodenschatz, Jasta 2’s administrative officer, for one week until a new commander could arrive. Command of Jasta 2 was never given to Richthofen, and instead was passed to non-flying officers. Richthofen would become the de facto leader of Jasta 2 in the air, and would score a total of 16 kills in Jasta Boelcke before leaving to command Jasta 11. On December 17, 1916, six weeks after Boelcke’s death, Jasta 2 was renamed Jasta Boelcke by the Kaiser to honor Boelcke.[15]
Boelcke was an exceptional man. He was a born leader, an excellent athlete, a tactical and organizational genius, a highly skilled pilot, and chivalrous. Boelcke taught all of the top German aces of the war, and personally mentored Richthofen, among a few other aces. Without Boelcke, Richthofen would never have become the Red Baron. Boelcke was a vital figure in the development of aerial tactics, and the elements of the Dicta Boelcke continue to be used for instruction in aerial combat today. [16]
Appendix A: The Message on The Wreath[18]
‘On His Majesty's Service
To the Officers of the German Air Corps
‘To the officers of the German Air Corps on this front. We hope that you will find this wreath and we are sorry to be so late, but the weather has prevented us to be earlier. We sympathise with his relatives and friends. We all pay tribute to his bravery.
‘IN COMMEMORATION OF CAPTAIN BOELCKE, OUR BRAVE AND CHIVALROUS OPPONENT.
FROM THE ENGLISH AIR CORPS’
Sources
Footnotes
[1] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke's Dicta.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 97–102.
[2] Nicholson, John. “Gas! Gas! Quick, Boys!” , Smithsonian Institution, www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/fighter-pilots-survival-guide-180951411/.
[3] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke's Early Life and Entry Into The Army.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 38–47.
[4] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke's Early Life and Entry Into The Army.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 38–47.
[5] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke and The Blue Max - 1916.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 81–96.
[6] Werner, Johannes. “The Development of War and Scout Flying: Retrospects and Prospects.” Knight of Germany: Oswald Boelcke German Ace, Casemate, 2009, pp. 107–118.
[7] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke's Dicta.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 97–102.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Werner, Johannes. “The Master of Aerial Warfare.” Knight of Germany: Oswald Boelcke German Ace, Casemate, 2009, pp. 148–212.
[10] Head, Richard G. “Air Combat After Boelcke.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 148–163.
[11] Werner, Johannes. “The End and Inheritance.” Knight of Germany: Oswald Boelcke German Ace, Casemate, 2009, pp. 256–271.
[12] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke's Last Flight.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 138–147.
[13] Head, Richard G. “Appendix C: Jasta Boelcke Aces.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, p. 198.
[14] Head, Richard G. “Appendix D: Jasta Boelcke’s Record of Victories & Losses.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, p. 199.
[15] Head, Richard G. “Air Combat After Boelcke.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 148–163.
[16] Head, Richard G. “Conclusions.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 178–186.
[17] Head, Richard G. “Appendix F: Four Views on Aerial Tactics.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 207-2011.
[18] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke's Last Flight.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, p. 144.
Oswald Max Boelcke was born on May 19, 1891 in Giebichstein, Germany, a suburb of Halle. When he was three years old, he caught whooping cough, which resulted in his development of asthma, which plagued him throughout his life. His asthma did not discourage him from physical activity, and he pushed himself to overcome it. He learned to swim in the Mulde River at an early age, and would frequently go on long walks or bike rides. When Boelcke was 4 ½, his family, moved to the small town of Dessau, which was near enough to the Junkers aircraft factory to hear the aircraft flying above. Boelcke became interested in the military at a young age, and when he was about ten years old, he wrote directly to Kaiser Wilhelm II and requested a cadetship in the army, without telling his parents. Many months later, he received a letter from Lieutenant General von Schwartzkoppen, the commander of the cadet corps at Metz, the military academy, informing Boelcke that the Kaiser had granted his request. His parents refused, however, as they wanted him to complete the gymnasium curriculum, which is the equivalent of high school. He continued to pursue athletics, and many considered him a born leader. Other boys called him ‘a real good sport’, and respected his leadership. After he graduated, he joined the Prussian cadet corps as an aspirant on March 11, 1911.[3]
On May 29, 1914, he was accepted for pilot training at Halberstadter Fliegerschule, and his training began on June 2. The school had four aircraft, all Bristol Taube, three with 70hp engines and one with a 100hp engine. He started off flying the 70hp Taube, which were often unable to fly above 15-30 feet off the ground when carrying two people. When they were able to reach altitude, they would usually fly a six-minute pattern and then perform one landing from about 300 feet. When Boelcke finally got a flight in the 100hp machine, he stayed airborne for 40 minutes, and had a record altitude of 4,500 feet. By July 3, he had only logged 3 hours, 51 minutes, with a total of 30 flights, for an average of 8 minutes per flight. His instructor then let him solo. On his first solo flight, the engine turned at the required 1,400 rpm for take-off, but gradually lost power. With 50 feet of altitude, he did not have enough height for a turn, and was forced to fly straight forward and land in a cornfield. This procedure is still done today by pilots when an engine is lost on takeoff. On July 31, 1914, he flew for one hour and eight minutes on a cross-country flight, with a maximum altitude of 4,000 feet. After this he was scheduled to graduate in two weeks with his pilot’s wings and the rank of Leutnant (lieutenant).[4]
In the summer of 1915, Boelcke was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) while with the fighter squadron Kampfeinsitzerkommando 3, also known as KEK Douai. On July 4, he and his gunner got their first kill while flying the LVG C-I. The picture shows an LVG C-II, which was nearly identical to the C-I.
[Image pending permission for use]
Fig. 1. LVG C-II, Bundesarchiv, Bild 104-00321 / CC-BY-SA 3.0
On July 7, 1915, Boelcke started flying the Fokker E.I Eindecker, and Max Immelmann began flying the same LVG that Boelcke had flown. A few days after he started flying the Eindecker, Boelcke gave Immelmann his first flying lesson in an Eindecker. Two days later, Immelmann soloed in it, but had trouble landing. On August 1, 1915, Immelmann scored his first victory, against a B.E.2C.
[Image pending permission for use]
Fig. 2. Fokker E.III, Military Aviation Museum
The E.III and E.II were nearly identical to E.I This plane uses a metal propeller, wood would have been used in WW1
This plane is in flying condition, so the original rotary was not used for safety
[Image pending permission for use]
Fig. 3. Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2C
This was the beginning of the ace race, with Boelcke and Immelmann each having one victory. For the majority of the ace race, Boelcke was leading Immelmann, but there were weeks that Immelmann led Boelcke. The ace race came to an end when on July 18, 1916, Max Immelmann scored two victories, but was killed when his E.III Eindecker crashed. There are multiple accounts of the cause of the crash that disagree with each other. Boelcke’s explanation was that a piece of Immelmann’s propeller flew off, and the resulting vibrations from the unbalanced propeller broke the restraining wires, and then the fuselage broke apart. Immelmann was only 25 when he died. The ace race was 50 weeks long, and of the 50 weeks, Boelcke led 30; Immelmann led 4; and there were 16 weeks where they were tied. Following Immelmann’s death, Boelcke was grounded by both the Kaiser and the Crown Prince, who did this to avoid losing their two most famous aces of the war, as it would have impacted the morale of the country.[5]
Immelmann had been an aggressive and risky flier, and it should not have been a great surprise when he was killed. He had invented the original Immelmann Turn, which is now known as either a wingover or a hammerhead, which involves pitching the aircraft steeply up, and using the rudder to turn it about its wingtip. Even after Boelcke was grounded, he was determined to continue flying no matter what. It wasn’t until August 11, 1916, that Boelcke returned to active duty, as the first commander of the new fighter group, Jasta 2. At the beginning of his military career, Boelcke sought out kills. He disobeyed the order to not fly Eindeckers past German lines. The term ‘Jagdflieger’, or scout flier, would come from this habit of his.[6] As he matured, he began to fly smarter and more methodically in order preserve his life, but even by flying smarter, he could not live forever as a pilot, and what happened to Immelmann reminded him that flying is dangerous in many ways, and flying smarter would only extend his life, not secure it permanently. This strong reminder led to him writing down his knowledge as the Dicta Boelcke.[7]
The Dicta Boelcke was a list of tactics that Boelcke had thought about developing since he became a combat pilot, but did not write down until June 1916, while he was grounded. He had discussed his ideas with Immelmann and other pilots, but Immelmann did not share Boelcke’s views. In 1911, Immelmann wrote to his mother, ‘The study of military tactics, which are the basis of an officer’s career, leave me completely cold.’ There were many versions of the Dicta Boelcke, as it has been modified both during and after the First World War, to accommodate for changing circumstances. These are the two versions which I have found.
Dicta Boelcke[8]
- Always try to secure an advantageous position before attacking. Climb before and during the approach in order to surprise the enemy from above, and dive on him swiftly from the rear when the moment to attack is at hand.
- Try to place yourself between the sun and the enemy. This puts the glare of the sun in the enemy’s eyes and makes it difficult to see you and impossible for him to shoot with accuracy.
- Do not fire the machine guns until the enemy is within range and you have him squarely within your sights.
- Attack when the enemy least expects it or when he is pre-occupied with other duties such as observation, photography, or bombing.
- Never turn your back and try to run away from an enemy fighter. If you are suprised by an attack on your tail, turn and face the enemy with your guns.
- Keep your eye on the enemy and do not let him deceive you with tricks. If your opponent appears damaged follow him down until he crashes to be sure he is not faking.
- Foolish acts of bravery only bring death. The Jasta must fight as a unit with close teamwork between all pilots. The signals of its leaders must be obeyed.
- For the Staffel: Attack in principle in groups of four or six. When the fight breaks up into a series of single combats, take care that several do not go for one opponent.
- Try to secure advantages before attacking. If possible, keep the sun behind you.
- Always carry through and attack when you have started it.
- Fire only at close range and only when your opponent is properly in your sights.
- Always keep your eye on your opponent, and never let yourself be deceived by ruses.
- In any form of attack it is essential to assail your opponent from behind.
- If your opponent dives on you, do not try to evade his onslaught, but fly to meet it.
- When over the enemy’s lines never forget your own line of retreat.[9]
Boelcke used the Dicta Boelcke in mentoring pilots, including Manfred von Richthofen, who expanded upon the Dicta Boelcke sometime between April 8, 1918, and his death on April 21, 1918. The fundamental components of his version were ‘(1) unit organization; ‘(2) rules for the employment of single and multiple squadrons and (3) techniques for combat with emphasis on the leader’s signals.’[10] (Appendix A)
Boelcke’s Death
At 7:00 am on October 28, 1916, Boelcke scrambled his squadron to engage British aircraft flying overhead. It was dismal day, the sky was dark, mist and clouds hung over the Staffel at Lagnicourt. Boelcke came back from his flight an hour later, having had a firing engagement, and then flew three more times that morning. The Battle of the Somme was being fought, and the Staffel was operating at near full capacity. Later that day, the pilots were resting from an intense day of flying. Leutnant Erwin Böhme states that ‘I had just begun a game of chess with Boelcke - then, about 4:30 pm, we were called to the front because there was an attack going on.’ Boelcke was leading a flight of six, including Richthofen and Böhme, into the engagement that would be his last. Boelcke and Böhme were both chasing and shooting at a British aircraft when a wheel from Böhme’s landing gear and Boelcke’s left wingtip made contact. Böhme describes the event as ‘It was only just the faintest touch, but at the terrific speed at which we were going made it into a violent impact. Destiny is generally cruelly stupid in her choices; I only had a bit of my undercarriage ripped, but the extreme tip of his left wing was torn away.’[11] Böhme regained control of his aircraft and followed Boelcke until he descended into a cloud. Boelcke reemerged from the clouds with his top wing ripped off before crashing into German lines near Bapaume, a French village. Boelcke was killed on impact. His seat belt was found unfastened.[12]
Boelcke’s death was tragic loss for both Germany and the Allies, as pilots viewed themselves all as brothers, who were simply fighting for a different nation. Representing the RFC, Second Lieutenant Thomas Green flew across German lines and dropped wreath of forget-me-nots with an envelope containing a message written on a Royal Flying Corps letterhead, honoring Boelcke (Appendix B). After Boelcke died, combat flying was not the same as it was before, but his teachings remained with his comrades who would continue to fight in accordance with them. Jasta 2 ended the war as the second highest scoring fighter squadron, behind Jasta 11, with 25 aces as either current or prior members, of which 20 became aces while in Jasta 2;[13] and a total of 336 victories, with only 49 losses.[14] Oberleutnant Stefan Kirmaier was promoted to hauptmann in order to command Jasta 2 on October 30, 1916, and would lead it until November 22 of that year when he was shot down in his Albatros D.II by D.H.2s.
[Image pending permission for use]
Fig. 4. Albatros D.II, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1325359
The command of Jasta 2 was given to Oberleutnant Karl Bodenschatz, Jasta 2’s administrative officer, for one week until a new commander could arrive. Command of Jasta 2 was never given to Richthofen, and instead was passed to non-flying officers. Richthofen would become the de facto leader of Jasta 2 in the air, and would score a total of 16 kills in Jasta Boelcke before leaving to command Jasta 11. On December 17, 1916, six weeks after Boelcke’s death, Jasta 2 was renamed Jasta Boelcke by the Kaiser to honor Boelcke.[15]
Boelcke was an exceptional man. He was a born leader, an excellent athlete, a tactical and organizational genius, a highly skilled pilot, and chivalrous. Boelcke taught all of the top German aces of the war, and personally mentored Richthofen, among a few other aces. Without Boelcke, Richthofen would never have become the Red Baron. Boelcke was a vital figure in the development of aerial tactics, and the elements of the Dicta Boelcke continue to be used for instruction in aerial combat today. [16]
Appendix A: The Message on The Wreath[18]
‘On His Majesty's Service
To the Officers of the German Air Corps
‘To the officers of the German Air Corps on this front. We hope that you will find this wreath and we are sorry to be so late, but the weather has prevented us to be earlier. We sympathise with his relatives and friends. We all pay tribute to his bravery.
‘IN COMMEMORATION OF CAPTAIN BOELCKE, OUR BRAVE AND CHIVALROUS OPPONENT.
FROM THE ENGLISH AIR CORPS’
Sources
- Head, Richard G. Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat. Grub Street, 2016.
- “Military Aviation Museum | WWI Aircraft.” Military Aviation Museum l WWI Aircraft, Military Aviation Museum, www.militaryaviationmuseum.org/ww1-aircraft.html.
- Sotham, John. “The Fighter Pilot.” Air & Space Magazine, Smithsonian Institution, www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/fighter-pilots-survival-guide-180951411/.
- Werner, Johannes. Knight of Germany: Oswald Boelcke German Ace. Casemate, 2009.
Footnotes
[1] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke's Dicta.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 97–102.
[2] Nicholson, John. “Gas! Gas! Quick, Boys!” , Smithsonian Institution, www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/fighter-pilots-survival-guide-180951411/.
[3] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke's Early Life and Entry Into The Army.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 38–47.
[4] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke's Early Life and Entry Into The Army.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 38–47.
[5] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke and The Blue Max - 1916.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 81–96.
[6] Werner, Johannes. “The Development of War and Scout Flying: Retrospects and Prospects.” Knight of Germany: Oswald Boelcke German Ace, Casemate, 2009, pp. 107–118.
[7] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke's Dicta.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 97–102.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Werner, Johannes. “The Master of Aerial Warfare.” Knight of Germany: Oswald Boelcke German Ace, Casemate, 2009, pp. 148–212.
[10] Head, Richard G. “Air Combat After Boelcke.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 148–163.
[11] Werner, Johannes. “The End and Inheritance.” Knight of Germany: Oswald Boelcke German Ace, Casemate, 2009, pp. 256–271.
[12] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke's Last Flight.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 138–147.
[13] Head, Richard G. “Appendix C: Jasta Boelcke Aces.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, p. 198.
[14] Head, Richard G. “Appendix D: Jasta Boelcke’s Record of Victories & Losses.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, p. 199.
[15] Head, Richard G. “Air Combat After Boelcke.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 148–163.
[16] Head, Richard G. “Conclusions.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 178–186.
[17] Head, Richard G. “Appendix F: Four Views on Aerial Tactics.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, pp. 207-2011.
[18] Head, Richard G. “Boelcke's Last Flight.” Oswald Boelcke: Germany's First Fighter Ace and Father of Air Combat, Grub Street, 2016, p. 144.