Gustav Leffers
Encyclopedia
Gustav Leffers was a German flying ace
in World War I, credited with 9 victories.
, the son of a naval engineer. He was educated in Wilhelmshaven and Stettin and went on to join the Holland America Line
as an engineer candidate. In July 1914, just prior to the start of the First World War, he returned from a cruise to the United States.
. After pilot training, he was posted to FFA
32 in February 1915, flying over the northern part of the 2. Armee sector. Starting as a Gefreiter
, Leffers rose rapidly through the ranks to become a leutnant der reserve on the basis of his excellent performance in reconnaissance
roles flying LVG B type
aircraft.
On 24 September 1915, Leffers was sent for training on single-seater aircraft at Mannheim
. He returned to his unit on 5 November of that year in a Fokker Eindecker
EIII (No. 86/15), the first to be attached to FFA 32. The aircraft was destroyed on landing due to a mechanical systems fault; however Leffers ferried in No. 84/15 of the same type onto the unit's strength by 11 November. He scored his first aircraft destroyed on 5 December 1915, a BE-2c of No.13 Squadron.
By March 1916 Leffers had four air victories. His fourth, on 13 March, was especially hair-raising. He barely escaped a midair collision, scraping his plane's landing wheels across a Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2
c's upper wing before turning onto its tail and incinerating both the British plane and its crew.
FFA 32's fighter element eventually became Jasta 1, and Leffers scored another 4 times with the Jasta. He received the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern after his sixth victory on 31 August 1916, and the Pour le Merite
in November 1916 after his eighth win. Interestingly enough, Leffers' seventh victim insists he was shot down by a Nieuport; it seems Leffers used his captured French plane for this victory.
On 27 December Lt. Leffers was shot down and killed in combat with FE-2b's of No 11 Squadron RFC, the most likely victors being the crew of Capt. John Quested
and Lt. H. J. H. Dicksee. He was flying the captured Nieuport when he was killed.
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...
in World War I, credited with 9 victories.
Background
Leffers was born in WilhelmshavenWilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
, the son of a naval engineer. He was educated in Wilhelmshaven and Stettin and went on to join the Holland America Line
Holland America Line
The Holland America Line is a cruise shipping company. It was founded in 1873 as the Netherlands-America Steamship Company , a shipping and passenger line. Headquartered in Rotterdam and providing service to the Americas, it became known as Holland America Line...
as an engineer candidate. In July 1914, just prior to the start of the First World War, he returned from a cruise to the United States.
Involvement in World War I
Leffers was assigned to a field telegraph battalion but, with his engineering background, was then re-assigned to the FliegertruppenLuftstreitkräfte
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...
. After pilot training, he was posted to FFA
Feldflieger Abteilung
Feldflieger Abteilung or Field Flying Companies were the pioneering field aviation units of the Luftstreitkräfte in World War I.-Composition:...
32 in February 1915, flying over the northern part of the 2. Armee sector. Starting as a Gefreiter
Gefreiter
Gefreiter is the German, Swiss and Austrian equivalent for the military rank Private . Gefreiter was the lowest rank to which an ordinary soldier could be promoted. As a military rank it has existed since at least the 16th century...
, Leffers rose rapidly through the ranks to become a leutnant der reserve on the basis of his excellent performance in reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
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....
roles flying LVG B type
LVG B.I
|-See also:-References:...
aircraft.
On 24 September 1915, Leffers was sent for training on single-seater aircraft at Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
. He returned to his unit on 5 November of that year in a Fokker Eindecker
Fokker Eindecker
The Fokker Eindecker was a German World War I monoplane single-seat fighter aircraft designed by Dutch engineer Anthony Fokker. Developed in April 1915, the Eindecker was the first purpose-built German fighter aircraft and the first aircraft to be fitted with synchronizer gear, enabling the pilot...
EIII (No. 86/15), the first to be attached to FFA 32. The aircraft was destroyed on landing due to a mechanical systems fault; however Leffers ferried in No. 84/15 of the same type onto the unit's strength by 11 November. He scored his first aircraft destroyed on 5 December 1915, a BE-2c of No.13 Squadron.
By March 1916 Leffers had four air victories. His fourth, on 13 March, was especially hair-raising. He barely escaped a midair collision, scraping his plane's landing wheels across a Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2
Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2
The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine two-seat biplane which was in service with the Royal Flying Corps from 1912 until the end of World War I. The "Bleriot" in its designation refers to the fact that, like the Bleriot types it was of tractor configuration, with the...
c's upper wing before turning onto its tail and incinerating both the British plane and its crew.
FFA 32's fighter element eventually became Jasta 1, and Leffers scored another 4 times with the Jasta. He received the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern after his sixth victory on 31 August 1916, and the Pour le Merite
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....
in November 1916 after his eighth win. Interestingly enough, Leffers' seventh victim insists he was shot down by a Nieuport; it seems Leffers used his captured French plane for this victory.
On 27 December Lt. Leffers was shot down and killed in combat with FE-2b's of No 11 Squadron RFC, the most likely victors being the crew of Capt. John Quested
John Quested (aviator)
Major John Bowley Quested was an English World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories, the most notable of which was over Gustav Leffers.-World War I service:Quested was commissioned in November 1914...
and Lt. H. J. H. Dicksee. He was flying the captured Nieuport when he was killed.