JASTA PILOTS: Detailed listings and histories August 1916 - November 1918 - Hardcover

Bailey, Frank; Duiven, Rick; Franks, Norman

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1898697477 ISBN 13: 9781898697473

Publisher: Grub Street Publishing, 2008

Synopsis

The German Jastas were formed in the late summer of 1916, the brain-child of Oswald Boelcke, Germany's leading fighter ace of the period. Prior to this, single-seater fighter aircraft were attached piecemeal to the various two-seater Abteilung, or formed into small Kampfeinsitzer Kommando detachments (Keks). The new formation had two basic roles. The first, as dedicated hunting units - Jagdstaffeln - whose pilots attacked British and French aircraft which came across the front-line trenches: the second, to protect their own two-seater aircraft carrying out similar tasks to the opposing air forces.
Here, for the first time, is as complete a list of all Jasta pilots who served in these front-line units from August 1916 until November 1918 as can be found. In addition, known pilots who served in the Marinefeldjagdstaffeln, operating mainly along the North Sea coast, and the Kests (Kampfeinsitzerstaffeln), similar to Jastas but whose job was home defence for certain German cities within range of Allied bombers, notably the IAF. There are also detailed histories of each of the Jastas and Marine Jastas, listing commanding officers and bases.
Other sections cover the units which formed the four German Jagdgeschwadern and the various Jagdgruppen, with their commanders and dates of formation; a list of the fighter 'G' numbers giving details of those aircraft brought down inside Allied lines which were given the RFC/RAF 'G'-number; and a full list of all Jasta, Marine and Kest pilot casualties in date order.
In addition there is a section on the colour markings of the Jastas, along with side drawings by Greg Van Wyngarden, showing how these markings were depicted. There is also a list of German WWI air aces and their scores.
Despite the span of nearly 80 years since WWI ended, this is the first book of its kind with a mass of information for the would-be air historian or air enthusiast, which will keep him or her occupied for hours and provide much interesting information on the Jastas of WWI.

About this title

About the Author:

Norman Franks is a respected historian and author. Previous titles for Pen and Sword include InThe Footsteps of the Red Baron (co-authored with Mike OConnor), The Fighting Cocks, RAF Fighter Pilots Over Burma, Dogfight, The Fallen Few of the Battle of Britain (with Nigel McCrery) and Dowdings Eagles. Over the course of his career, Frank has published some of the most compelling works on First World War fighter aviation, being one of the worlds leading authorities on the subject. He lives in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex.

About this edition

• Publisher: Grub Street Publishing
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1898697477
• ISBN 13: 9781898697473
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 362