List of aerial victories of Fritz Pütter explained

See main article: Fritz Pütter.

Fritz Pütter (1895–1918) was a German First World War fighter ace credited with 25 confirmed aerial victories, including eight observation balloons. Notably, he began his combat career by the rare feat of downing five observation balloons to become an ace. After scoring ten victories with Jagdstaffel 9, he was transferred to command another fighter squadron, Jagdstaffel 68, to score his remaining triumphs. On 16 July 1918, incendiary ammunition aboard his airplane was set off by extremely hot weather, inflicting lingering mortal wounds on Pütter.[1]

The victory list

See also: Aerial victory standards of World War I. The victories of Fritz Pütter are reported in chronological order, which is not necessarily the order or dates the victories were confirmed by headquarters.

No.DateTimeFoeUnitLocation
114 April 19171140 hoursObservation balloon[2] 48 Compagnie, Service AéronautiqueEast of Suippes, France
218 August 19171535 hoursObservation balloon48 Compagnie, Service AéronautiqueSouth of Vauquois, France and Parois, France
319 August 19171500 hoursObservation balloon48 Compagnie, Service AéronautiqueBetween Vraincourt, France and Brancourt, France
41 November 19171225 hoursObservation balloon65 Compagnie, Service AéronautiqueBetween Massiges, France and Saint-Jean, France
51 November 19171226 hoursObservation balloon67 Compagnie, Service AéronautiqueHans, France
612 January 1918SPADBinarville, France
712 January 19181205 hoursObservation balloon53 Compagnie, Service AéronautiqueMourmelon-le-Petit, France
814 January 19181030 hoursObservation balloon56 Compagnie, Service AéronautiqueVraincourt, France
919 January 19181610 hoursNieuportEast of Tahure
1027 January 19181730 hoursNieuportDontrien, France
1118 March 1918Airco DH.5Beaurevoir, France
1221 March 19181430 hoursRoyal Aircraft Factory SE.5aHolnon Wood, France
1324 March 19181700 hoursSopwith CamelNo. 73 Squadron RFCAssevillers, France
1430 March 19180950 hoursObservation balloon64 Compagnie, Service AéronautiqueAssainvillers, France
1531 March 19181410 hoursBréguet 14Guerbigny, France
163 April 1918SPAD S.XIIIHergicourt
176 April 1918SPAD S.XIIIEscadrille Spa.154, Service AéronautiqueMoreuil, France
187 April 19181540 hoursCaudron R.9Escadrille C.66, Service AéronautiqueMoreuil, France
197 April 19181545 hoursRoyal Aircraft Factory SE.5aNo. 24 Squadron RAFMoreuil, France
2011 April 19181925 hoursSopwith CamelNo. 73 Squadron RAFVillers-aux-Erables, France
2112 April 19181810 hoursRoyal Aircraft Factory SE.5aNo. 84 Squadron RAFVillers-aux-Erables
223 May 19181025 hoursSPAD S.XIIISoutheast of Mailly, France
2319 May 19181040 hoursRoyal Aircraft Factory SE.5aNo. 84 Squadron RAFBois de Hangard
2430 May 19181120 hoursBristol F.2 FighterNo. 48 Squadron RAFBetween Castel and Montigny
2530 May 19181305 hoursSPADLassigny, France
|}Abbreviations were expanded by the editor creating this list.

Sources

Notes and References

  1. http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/putter.php The Aerodrome webpage on Fritz Pütter
  2. With their wide fields of view, observers in observation balloons were deadly components for artillery direction. The balloons were accordingly well defended by antiaircraft guns and patrolling fighters (per Guttman, pp. 7-9)