Fritz Höhn
Encyclopedia
Leutnant Fritz Höhn was a German
World War I
fighter ace
credited with 21 victories.
s. He shot down a Brequet 14 bomber on 1 December 1917 for his first victory.
He then had Pfalz no. 4011/17 painted with diagonal stripes to deceive the aim of anyone shooting at him. However, it is unknown if Höhn and his teddy bear mascot were successful with this particular plane. He did become a balloon buster
for his next win, shooting down a French kite balloon from 33e Compagnie de Aerostiers on 11 April 1918. The next day, he downed a Spad
and a balloon. On 20 April, he shot a double on balloons—one each from the 45e and 75e Compagnies—making him an ace. In the process, he was severely wounded in the knee.
Upon his return in August, he added two more enemy aircraft and two more observation balloons to his tally. That made him a double ace, with ten triumphs, and a balloon ace, with six wins.
Towards the end of the month, he had a fleeting assignment as commander of Jasta 60 that lasted until 3 September. For the rest of the month of September 1918, Höhn was the acting commander of Jasta 81. While with them, he scored four Spads and four more balloons.
He then was given command of Jasta 41. He scored each of the first three days of October 1918, running his total to 21. He was killed in action on 3 October 1918. His Fokker D.VII
was downed by a member of French squadron Spa67. Neither his dual rear view mirrors nor his teddy bear wired to the top of the fuselage looking rearwards saved him.
Höhn's final victory total was ten balloons and eleven airplanes.
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...
World War I
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...
fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
credited with 21 victories.
Early life and service
Fritz Höhn began his military service in the elite 7th Guards Infantry Regiment.Aerial service
Höhn began aerial duty as an artillery spotter in two-seated reconnaissance planes, flying for FA(A) 227. He was seconded to Jastaschule II and graduated as a fighter pilot. He joined Royal Saxon Jasta 21 on 15 November 1917, just as they received new Pfalz D.IIIPfalz D.III
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam, 1962. ISBN 0-93385-271-1.* Grosz, Peter M. Pfalz D.IIIa . Berkhamsted, Herts, UK: Albatros Publications, 1995. ISBN 0-94841-425-1.* Guttman, Jon. Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1 ...
s. He shot down a Brequet 14 bomber on 1 December 1917 for his first victory.
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....
for his next win, shooting down a French kite balloon from 33e Compagnie de Aerostiers on 11 April 1918. The next day, he downed a Spad
Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés
SPAD was a French aircraft manufacturer between 1911 and 1921. Its SPAD S.XIII biplane was the most popular French fighter airplane in World War I.-Deperdussin:...
and a balloon. On 20 April, he shot a double on balloons—one each from the 45e and 75e Compagnies—making him an ace. In the process, he was severely wounded in the knee.
Upon his return in August, he added two more enemy aircraft and two more observation balloons to his tally. That made him a double ace, with ten triumphs, and a balloon ace, with six wins.
Towards the end of the month, he had a fleeting assignment as commander of Jasta 60 that lasted until 3 September. For the rest of the month of September 1918, Höhn was the acting commander of Jasta 81. While with them, he scored four Spads and four more balloons.
He then was given command of Jasta 41. He scored each of the first three days of October 1918, running his total to 21. He was killed in action on 3 October 1918. His Fokker D.VII
Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft...
was downed by a member of French squadron Spa67. Neither his dual rear view mirrors nor his teddy bear wired to the top of the fuselage looking rearwards saved him.
Höhn's final victory total was ten balloons and eleven airplanes.