Oldest Fighter Pilot and Ace?

12 October 2003, 03:47 PM

Hello,

Has anyone done any research to determine whom was the oldest fighter pilot to see combat in WW1? How about the oldest ace?

regards

KlausKluge · 13 October 2003, 12:29 PM

Oblt.

Friedrich Christiansen
*12 December 1879
1918 he was 38 years old

who was older?

Immo_Frese · 13 October 2003, 12:59 PM

Quote:

who was older?

Lt.Jakob Wolff. At the outbreak of war he was 46 years old. He served with Jasta 17 in 1916 and 1917 and achieved 4 victories before he was WIA on 27 Jul 1917.

Immo

14 October 2003, 07:08 AM

Hi,

It may be hard to find an ace older then Christiansen. I am totally amazed at the age of Lt. Wolff. I always thought that 30yrs was ancient for a fighter pilot! It would be nice to know if there were any others that were older. How about the allies?

regards

14 October 2003, 12:03 PM

What about Boehme? having scored 24 victories and beeing born on July 1879?
On the Allied side, wasn't Mannock well over his thirties? Propably not the oldest but respectively well known.

BTW: It seems to me thatthe French airmen in average have been a few years older than the German or British pilots when they entered service. Why that? Can some of the crack shoots of this forum give me some information on this?

14 October 2003, 01:16 PM

Hi dfuenf, and welcome to the forum! Böhme certainly was up there is age. I found a relatively little known ace who was born on April 18, 1877. His name was Heinrich Wessels, and he flew with MFJ1 in 1918, until he was shot down and killed on 16 September 1918. He scored 6 victories. Not bad for a man in is 40's! Mannock was born on May 24th 1887, making him 31 when he was killed. Any other candidates?

regards

14 October 2003, 01:45 PM

I checked the French aces list briefly, and found an ace named Adolphe DuBois D'Aische. He was born on March 18, 1874. This would make him 44 years old when he qualified as a pilot in 1918. As a gunner (I know the thread said fighter pilot!) he scored six kills with F71 in 1917, age 43. Still looking for the oldest ace pilot though.

regards