Rudolf Windisch

Leutnant Rudolf Friedrich Otto Windisch (27 January 1897 – after 27 May 1918) was a World War I fighter ace credited with 22 victories.[1]

Rudolf Windisch
Rudolph Windisch.
Born27 January 1897
Dresden, Germany
DiedAfter 27 May 1918
Missing in action in vicinity of Gouvrelles, France
AllegianceGermany
Service/branchInfantry, then aerial service
Years of service1914–1918?
RankLeutnant
UnitInfantry Regiment 177,
Fliegerersatz-Abteilung: 6,
Flieger-Abteilung (Artillerie) 62,
Kampfgeschwader der Oberste Heeresleitung II,
Jagdstaffel 32,
Jagdstaffel 50
Commands heldJagdstaffel 66
AwardsPour le Merite,
Royal House Order of Hohenzollern,
Iron Cross,
Gold Medal of the Military Order of St. Henry,
Prussian Order of the Crown (4th Class with Swords)

Early life and service

Rudolf Friedrich Otto Windisch was born in Dresden, Germany on 27 January 1897,[2] the son of Bruno Windisch, who owned a pastry shop. During his childhood, Rudolf was very interested in aviation. He built model airplanes, and then a glider.[3]

On 14 September 1914, at the age of 17, he volunteered for a year's service with Infantry Regiment 177. After a short period of training, he was off to war on the Western Front. On 21 November, he was wounded by shrapnel and removed from front line duty. He recuperated first at a hospital in Laon, France, then at the Reserve Military Hospital in his home town of Dresden.[3]

On 22 January 1915, he was transferred to the Luftstreitkräfte. In February 1915, he was assigned to the Military Aviation School in Leipzig-Lindenthal. He was promoted to sergeant and was a flight instructor[3] with FEA 6.[1][2]

1 May 1916 brought a front line flying assignment with FA 62 on the Russian Front.[3] On the night of 2/3 October 1916, he set out on what is arguably the first case of air-supported sabotage. He landed behind Russian lines and dropped off Oberleutnant Maximilian von Cossel (1893–1967) near the Rowno to Brody rail line. Cossel destroyed a railroad bridge that was of strategic importance to the Russians. Windisch swooped in on the 3rd to pick Cossel up and carry him back to safety. This feat earned him the Prussian Order of the Crown (4th Class with Swords); the Kaiser himself presented it on 18 October 1916. Windisch would be the only pilot so honored.[1][2]

In November, he would transfer to Kampfgeschwader der Oberste Heeresleitung II to fly recon missions on the Western Front. On 20 February 1917, he moved up to flying fighters with Royal Bavarian Jasta 32.[1][4]

Aerial combat career

Even before his feat of espionage derring-do, Windisch had scored his first aerial victory. On 25 August 1916, while still flying a two-seater reconnaissance airplane, he became a balloon buster by shooting down one of the Russian observation balloons southeast of Brody.[1]

His next victory would be almost a year later, after he transferred to Jasta 32 on the French Front. On 18 September 1917, he shot down an AR2 near Fleury, France. That was the first of his five triumphs during 1917. The last of them, a Spad shot down near Laval, brought his count to six.[1]

He shot down another balloon on 3 January 1918, and another Spad the following day. On 10 January, he was transferred to Royal Prussian Jasta 50 for seasoning before taking command of Royal Prussian Jasta 66 on the 24th.[1]

Sometime during this period, Windisch wangled flying time in a captured Spad VII. It is unknown if he flew it in combat.[5]

He scored his first win with his new squadron on 15 March 1918. He had six victories in that month, including a triple on 24 March 1918. He scored three more times in April, and five in May, to bring his tally to 22. No fewer than 16 of his wins were over Spad fighters. A Sopwith and an AR2 completed his list of fighter planes. He also destroyed three balloons and a single two-seater reconnaissance plane.[1] The fact that he was one of the original pilots of Germany's best fighter, the Fokker D.VII, gave him tactical advantage over his foes.[5]

Disappearance

His last victory was on the afternoon of 27 May 1918.[1] Immediately after he shot down this last Spad, he was jumped by several other enemy scouts. A bullet through the gas tank forced him to land behind French lines, about 50 meters from his final victim.[3]

The International Red Cross reported Windisch was a prisoner of war on several occasions. French pilots who fell into German hands reported him in a French prison. On the assumption he was alive, he was awarded the Pour le Merite on 6 June 1918. The reports differed on whether or not he had been injured, with some rumors saying he had died in captivity.[1][3]

Nothing more would ever be heard of Windisch.[1][3]

Windisch victories
No. Date/time Windisch unit Foe Result Location Notes
1 25 Aug 1916 FA 62 Balloon Shot down SE of Brody
2 18 Sep 1917 1547 Jasta 32 Dorand AR2 Shot down Fleury
3 27 Sep 1917 1028 Jasta 32 SPAD Shot down Betheville
4 01 Nov 1917 Jasta 32 SPAD Shot down W of Bray
5 07 Nov 1917 Jasta 32 SPAD Shot down Brancourt
6 18 Nov 1917 Jasta 32 SPAD Shot down Laval
7 03 Jan 1918 Jasta 32 Balloon Shot down Villers
8 04 Jan 1918 Jasta 32 SPAD Shot down S of Staubecken
9 15 Mar 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Vitry-Reims
10 17 Mar 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Vitry-Reims
11 23 Mar 1918 Jasta 66 Sopwith 2 Shot down Le Bruin Ferme
12 24 Mar 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD 2 Shot down Bretigny
13 24 Mar 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Tergnier
14 24 Mar 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Tergnier
15 11 Apr 1918 Jasta 66 Bréguet 14 Shot down S of Noyon
16 21 Apr 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Guy
17 21 Apr 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Guy
18 3 May 1918 Jasta 66 Balloon Shot down Juvigny
19 4 May 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Carlepont
20 15 May 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD 2 Shot down Trosly-Loire
21 16 May 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Thiescourt
22 27 May 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD 2 Shot down Couvrelles-Lesges

See also

Sources of information
  1. The Aerodrome website
  2. Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918, pp. 230-231
  3. Der Logbuch website
  4. The Aerodrome website page on Jassta 32
  5. Spad VII Aces of World War I. p. 38.

References
  • Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918. Norman Franks, Frank W. Bailey, Russell Guest. Grub Street, 1993. ISBN 0-948817-73-9, ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1.
  • Spad VII Aces of World War I. Jon Guttman. Osprey Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84176-222-9, ISBN 978-1-84176-222-7.
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