foreign pilots in lithuania

[jeroen]

I have names of following pilots, aviation officers or observers who were active in lithuania at least in 1919, who can tell more about their activity before or after working in lithuania.
Germans: Weinschenk,Leichner, Dietrich,Schwesig,Zifert, Vollhart, Fritz Schultz,Harri Rotter,Erich Kulikovski, R Trentepolis,R Kemer.
British: Major C Carr. F.G.McFie, Francis Hiks (see other thread)
Swedish naval major Otto Dahlbeck.
Thanks Jeroen

[vb136]

Jeroen,

Olof Dahlbeck was born in 1884 and joined the Swedish navy and at an early age. He took his pilot license in the UK in 1911, and became one of the first, if not the first, military pilot in Sweden. He served in the Swedish naval aviation, but left the service in 1920.
I am sure that you have more information than I concerning Dahlbeck's career in Lithuania in 1919, so I will not write anything about that here.

[GrzeM]

Pilot of the one Lithuanian Fokker which fought with Polish Breguet over Kaunas/Kowno 6th Nov. 1920 is said to be German mercenary.
Poles write about TWO fighters (one 100% Fokker and one probably Fokker or Nieuport) and a LVG C.VI.

Cheers!
G.

[Angiolillo]

Could be this the D.VII you are speaking of?

Can anybody please suggest a unit and a pilot (name, family name, rank in Lithuanian) for it?

Thanks so much,

Andrea

[jeroen]

VB136

For serving lithuanian military aviation well O Dahlbeck was given lithuanian order of St Vitus cross 1./3. in 1930.Do you have more info on his naval caree until 1920?
thanks jeroen

[jeroen]

Originally Posted by GrzeM

Pilot of the one Lithuanian Fokker which fought with Polish Breguet over Kaunas/Kowno 6th Nov. 1920 is said to be German mercenary.
Poles write about TWO fighters (one 100% Fokker and one probably Fokker or Nieuport) and a LVG C.VI.

Cheers!
G.

Grzegorz
In total 25 (lithuanian) military pilots flew 93 missions against the polish in that campaign. Among them was a britton Francis Hiks(a) (6 missions) and a german Rahn (2 missions) while Vsevolod Schenberg is already mentioned but I believe he was lithuanian,not a german, possible jewish name?
There were other foreigners at the aviation school that could have scrambled in defence of the town kovno but still I have not such proof, that such flight was carried out november 6th.
Also it is hard to imagine that a german freiwillige still in late 1920 with a freikorps plane was active in that area, but some planes at kovno were still with german crosses nevertheless....
checz jeroen

By the way, the first lithuanian Fokker was rebuild and enterred service in 1920, do not know exactly when second one was flyable, but its posssible no second Fokker was even able to jump to the air november 1920, so may be polish saw same Fokker at two times...?
Why would lithuanians send a german up, when they had enough pilots of their own..?

[jeroen]

Originally Posted by Angiolillo

Could be this the D.VII you are speaking of?

Can anybody please suggest a unit and a pilot (name, family name, rank in Lithuanian) for it?

Thanks so much,

Andrea

Buongiorno Angiolillo!

Which D VII are you speaking off, what picture did you attach?

Lithuanian Military Aviation got hold of 4 Fokkers initially and later got 7 more.
They were flown until thirties, 5 still on the record in 1930 4 until1933 then 2 and still one in 1940, they were used for acrobatic flying training.
The one flown by sqn commander lieutenant Jurgis Dobkevicius november 6, 1920 was nr 2. Since august 22, 1920 Dobkevicius asumed command of (1th) Air Squadron (1th Oro eskadrile), the Fokker could have been from that Sqn but they certainly also served with Training Sqn Mokomoji Eskadrile from Lithuanian military Flying School most of their life.
I have no list of all pilots that flew fokkers fom kovno but that would be many.
So please tell me how I can help you with the Fokker on your attached thumbnail...
Saluti Geronim

[jeroen]

Complete name was major Charles Roderick Carr, temporary commander of the lithuanian aviation unit, 1891-1971.
Who knows more about his british and lithuanian service life.
another german identified to serve in lithuanian military was (Otto?) Rahn, who knows more about him?
thanks Jeroen

[Graeme]

Jeroen

From http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Carr.htm

born: 31 Aug 1891 retired: 1 Feb 1947 died: 15 Dec 1971

KBE - 5 Jul 1945 (CBE - 1 Jan 1941), CB - 2 Jun 1943, DFC - 18 Nov 1919, AFC - 2 Jan 1928, MiD - 8 Jun 1944, SA2SB - xx xxx 191?, SS2SB - xx xxx 191?, LoH, Cdr - xx xxx 194?, C de G (F) - xx xxx 194?.

(RN): - (T) (P) Flt Sub-Lt: xx xxx xxxx, (T) Flt Sub-Lt: 16 Sep 1915 [9 Jul 1915], (T) Flt Lt: xx xxx xxxx, (T) Flt Cdr: 1 Feb 1918.

(RAF): - (T) Maj [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918, Act Maj: 1 May 1919, Fg Off: 19 Sep 1922 [1 Apr 1918], Flt Lt: 30 Jun 1923 [1 Apr 1918], Sqn Ldr: 1 Jul 1928, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1935, Gp Capt: 1 Nov 1938, Act A/Cdre: 1 Aug 1940, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Dec 1940, Act AVM: 24 May 1941, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1942, (T) AVM: 1 Dec 1942, AVM: 27 Mar 1945, Act AM: 8 May 1945, AM: Retained.

xx xxx 1914: Sailor, RNZN?
1915: Balloon Officer, No 6 Kite Balloon Section
xx xxx 1915: U/T Pilot, RNAS.
xx xxx 1919: Member, North Russian Expedition.
21 Oct 1919: Transferred to Unemployed List
xx xxx 1920: Chief of Air Staff, Lithuania.
xx xxx 1921: Member, Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition.
19 Sep 1922: Granted a Short Service Commission in the rank of Flying Officer.
19 Sep 1922: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.
12 Feb 1923: Air Staff, HQ Inland Area.
10 Jul 1926: Air Staff, HQ ADGB.
17 Dec 1928: Flight Commander, No 9 Sqn. (Virginia – Upavon)
27 Apr 1929: CFI, No 4 FTS.
8 Feb 1933: Adjutant, RAF Depot Middle East.
8 Aug 1934: Staff/Instructor?, RAF Gosport
18 Jan 1937: Officer Commanding, FAA Units - HMS Eagle
xx xxx 1939: Advanced Air Striking Force.
26 Jun 1940: Officer Commanding, No 61 Group
1 Aug 1940: AOC, HQ RAF in Northern Ireland.
26 Jul 1941: AOC, No 4 Group.
xx Jun 1945: Deputy Chief of Staff (Air), Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force.
xx Aug 1945: Air Marshal Commanding, HQ Base Air Forces South East Asia.
1 Apr 1946: AOC in C, AHQ India.
7 Jan 1947 - 30 Jan 1950: Divisional Controller, London & South East Division - Ministry of Civil Aviation

He gained RAeC Certificate No 2553Ha on 14 March 1916. During the 1920's a number of route proving/record breaking flights were carried out by the RAF. Due to the original co-pilot/navigator being taken ill, Carr was selected to replace him. With Sqn Ldr Gayford as pilot they set a new non-stop distance record of 3400 miles flying the Fairey Long Range Monoplane from Cranwell to the Persian Gulf, between 20 and 23 May 1927.

He was appointed King of Arms to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire on 14 February 1947.

Citation for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross

"On the 17th June,1919, this officer flew a scout machine over the enemy aerodrome at Puchega, at an average height of only 50 feet, for thirty minutes. During this time he succeeded in setting fire to a Nieuport enemy machine, to a hangar which contained three aeroplanes (all of which were destroyed), drove all the personnel off the aerodrome, and killed some of the mechanics."

(London Gazette 18 November 1919)

From http://read-and-go.hopto.org/1891-bi...rick-Carr.html

Air Marshal Sir Charles Roderick Carr Order of the British Empire KBE Order of the Bath CB Distinguished Flying Cross DFC AFC (31 August 1891 - 15 December 1971) was a distinguished airman and military leader of New Zealand and India. Sir Roderick was born in Fielding, New Zealand Fielding, New Zealand and was educated at Wellington College (New Zealand). He served as an airman in the Royal Navy during World War I and after that he went to Russia to fight on the anti-Bolshevist side against Vladimir Lenin Lenin. In 1921 he was a part of Ernest Shackletons final Antarctic expedition. During World War II Sir Roderick served in Royal Air Force RAF Bomber Command and later became Air Officer Commanding, India Command (Chief of the Indian Air Force). Sir Roderick died at Bampton, Oxfordshire aged 81.

Graeme

[jeroen]

Thank you very much Graeme!

That is a fine an very complete story of the life of this interesting and great British pilot and officer!
Again thanks
Jeroen