Info: some jasta 5 pilots

I'm wondering if anyone might know some info re.2 Jasta 5 pilots: Obltn. Richard Flashar, and/or Hans Von Hippel. Looking for victory counts,eventual fate, etc.

[Billy_Bishop]

Ok, from the Jasta Pilots comes the following info.

Oberleutnant Richard Flashar, CO of Jasta 5 from 8 July, 1917 to 18 May, 1918.
2 victories.
Commanded Jagdgruppen 2, 3, and 7 at various times, also served in KG2 during 1917.

No other info on this man.

Leutnant Hans Joachim von Hippel, served in FA 37, Jasta 71 and Jasta 5.
2 confirmed victories and 2 unconfirmed.
Survived WWI, flew Ju52s in the Luftwaffe during 1940-41 as an Oberleutnant. Died 6 August, 1975 Boppard Rhine, Germany.


I hope that's what you're looking for.

VBR,

Al Lowe

[Reinout]

Dear all,

Richard Flashar is a much underrated figure of WWI. I recently learned that he and his observer probably were the first German aircrew to have been victorious over an enemy plane on 5 Nov 1914. They had a carbine as their main weapon.

I don't know whether he was given offical credit for it (i.e.: counted in his victory score), there seems to be some uncertainty to that. However, he did get a watch and it was mentioned in some report. He and his co-victor were also honoured with a medal and a visit from some high-ranking official/royal or noble. I don't have the story with me so some of this may be off a bit, but it is generally true. As a leader, Flashar commanded J5 several times (leave interrupted his tenure) and was very good at it. I also happen to have a story on Flashar and J5 during 1918. It's about being called on to fly in unflyable weather, seriously reducing the available aircraft! It also deals with attacking tanks, so that maybe happened more often than we think and lastly, he tells about being in combat and losing and fearing his end - when Fritz Rumey came in and saved his life!

Despite the source being not totally reliable when it comes to the facts, it is a nice read. The source is: Vigilant (Claude Sykes), edited by Norman Franks, "German Warbirds" 1931, reprinted around 1994.

Von Hippel served as OzbV in J5, there's a replica Alb DV in some museum painted in his markings, the sleek dragon on the fuselage sides. I think his most famous experience was a crash he made in his Alb DV, after suffering wing failure. I recall reading about that on the internet, so you might want to try and find that article if it's still up. Good luck.

Kind regards,

Reinout

In Squadron Signal publications aircraft no. 46 there is a picture of Hans von Hippel's Albatros DV which crashed on Feb 18, 1918 after losing it's port lower wing. He was unhurt in the crash.

Thanks ,all!Good stuff to go on. regards,JimR