Need help Identifing this WW1 Austrian pilot

Captain_Albert · 25 October 2009, 09:48 PM

I have this photo (see scan) of a heavily decorated Austrain Airman. He is wearing the following: Button hole; Bavarian Order of War Merit 3rd Class in Gilt with Swords and Crown; Austrian Officers gilt War Merit Cross, On Bar: Gilt and Silver Sigmun Landis medals, Karl Troop Cross, and 1873 General Service Medal. He is also wearing a flying badge. Can Anyone help me identify this Airman. Family name could possibly be: Udd, Kerr, or McKay.
Thanks
Captain George Albert

imforti · 27 October 2009, 03:50 AM

Hallo Captain Albert,

intersting picture....but ;-) if this Oberleutnant was a member (not necessarily Beobachter or Feldpilot of the k.u.k. Luftfahtruppen) he should have the balloons on his collars (near to the rank-stars). Maybe in a better scan they are viewable.
He is in fact high-decorated and the picture would be taken in 1917-1918 (in fact of the Karl Truppen Kreuz).
If the badge in his right chest is a Feldpiloten- or Fliegerabzeichen is not viewable from this scan.... but it seems so.
Then it looks strange (but sometimes was usual) that officers wore (foreign) orders in the button-wholes instead of wearing them following the austrian prescriptions.
At the end the names you wrote seem strange...are they written on the back of the picture? if yes can you post a scan of it too?

Thanks and sorry for all my questions ;-)

Ivo-Michael Forti

Captain_Albert · 27 October 2009, 04:19 PM

Dear, Ivo-Michael,

Thank you for your reply. There is nothing written on the back of the photograph. Those family names came in association (other photographs in the pile). I agree with you the pilot's badge look a litte strange. Also I double checked the collar, and can not see anyother insignia at all. Could that badge be something other than a pilot's Badge?

Captain George Albert

VtwinVince · 27 October 2009, 04:39 PM

George, I would be surprised if he was aircrew, since he does not have even an EK2 ribbon in his buttonhole.

Captain_Albert · 27 October 2009, 05:51 PM

"Vince" You maybe correct, except he did receive the Bavarian Order of War Merit 3rd Class (in Button hole), this is a lot higher than an Iron Cross 2nd. Class.