Emil Thuy

Trying to find family history on Emil Thuy - WWI flying ace. My family(grandparents from Germany) came to US approx. 1912. My Grandfather Frank (Franz?) Thuy was from the BlackForest area. Any info greatly appreciated. My husband is Boeing flight instructor and aircraft history buff. We are both very interested in possibility of my being related to him. I know that one of Lufthansa's airplanes had his name on it at one time. Any info or history greatly appreciated.

[Barrett]

Sandy: two suggestions. Perhaps the authors of the Grub Street series have additional info (Above the Lines about WW I German aces is reviewed on this site). Norman Franks (UK), FW Bailey (US), and Russell Guest (Australia.) Otherwise, you might try some of the many on-line geneaology sites on the web.
Address of Grub Street Ltd is
The Basement
10 Chivalry Road
London, SW11 HT
England

Thanks for the suggestion - I have a friend in London. I'll see if he can get the book for me.

[Soderbaum]

Hi Sandi
Emil Thuy was born on 11 March 1894 in Hagen(Westfalen) as a son to an "Fabrikanten".
Already in youth he had a great technic interest and himself built an aircraft(without engine).
In 1913 he began(after Abiturexamen) his studies at the Technical Highschool in Clausthal.
At the beginning at the War he went as freiwillig to the front with the 3 Rheinischen Pionierregiment Nr 30. But the stay as front soldat was short, he disliked it and was able to return to Germany in November 1914.
He was then able to join the Air Force despite he had been classified as unfit to fight.
After the War as a succesful pilot with 36 victories he returned to the High School at Clausthal to finish his studies.
After he was ready with his studies he reurned to his fathers Factory in Hagen.
He is said to have been active in the opposition against the French in the Ruhr area conflict 1923.
He was then able to make contact with the Siemens-Schuckert Company in Berlin. He worked for this Company in Finland to built up their Air Force. He i said that this was his happiest time in his Life. There he also had time to write about building aircrafts and similars..
In the summer of 1925 he returned to Germany where he began to work at the Reichwehrsministerium with flying activities.
But he was accidently killed in an airplane chrash near Smolensk in Russia..
This shortened information is taken from the book Pour le Merite Flieger by Walter Zuerl. And it is according to Hannes Täger a book you must read with scepticism..
VBR
Gunnar