The Falcons

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

Jasta 2f, 'The Falcons': Campaign to date:

Newly promoted Hauptman Ludwig von Biettrutoffen was given the task of forming a new flying unit under the auspices of Jasta 24, ’The Kaisers Eagles’. He had just 6 weeks to get his unit formed and ready for air operations supporting the ground offensive. It was October 1915. He had under his command, Leutnant Sidweg Fettlemier as his adjutant, 2^nd Leutnant’s Adolf Richter, Jacob Strauss, Hans Kneissundupzadaisy, Jacob Strum, Oberleutnant’s Karl Toffeleiter, Johanne Zweibelsuppe and Feldwebel Jurgen Maas. With 20 ground crew and mechanics looking after 6 Eindeckers, 1 Rumpler CI and 1 Aviatic CI. The last 2 were his reconnaissance aircraft.


By June 1916 the unit had 14 kills to their name and were joined by 2 new pilots, 2^nd Leutnant’s Rudolph Burgerbeiter, Konrad Burgwachter.


By July the unit were flying Halberstadt’s giving them a slight edge over the DH2’s that the British were using. 2 more kills were added to the unit tally.


In September the unit were flying the Albatros DI and their kill rate increased. The unit now had 20 kills.


Adolf Richter was the units first casualty in November. Followed by Jacob Strauss in December.


4 more kills followed and by the new year of 1917 the unit had 24 kills. The unit had also grown to a full Jasta with the arrival of 2^nd Leuntnants Rikard Wagner, Paul Greig, Karl Plaffg, Sven Hurtgens, Konrad Beethoven, Jan Mendohlson and Sigmund Goss.
The Jasta was given the designation Jasta 24f, The Eagles. There were now 6 units operating from the same airfield.


By April 1917 the unit had 6 more kills to their name. Hauptman Biettutoffen leading the way with 10.


By July another 9 enemy aircraft had been shot down. August saw the return of the dead as 2^nd Leutnants Richter and Kneissundupzadaisy flew into the airfield in a captured enemy 2 seater. Although posted as killed they had spent much of their time in an enemy hospital and when fit again had escaped, acquired an enemy aircraft from a nearby airfield, nearly been shot down by a German scout, rescued by a British scout and landed safely.


The Jasta were taken out of the front line and flew rear area cover missions during August and September but were back in the thick of it in October at a new airfield near St Caronne. The unit had also been renamed Jasta 2f, The Falcons. Biettrutoffen, now promoted to Oberst, was shot down and injured during a mission this month along with Fettlemier. Jacob Strum was promoted to Leutnant after shooting down 3 enemy aircraft in 1 day and ensuring the success of an artillery spotting mission vital to the German war effort in that sector.

The Jasta were assigned the new Fokker Dr1, triplane, to fly and evaluate.




The sector they were assigned to was a relatively quiet sector as the Tommies had started a new offensive in the north around Ypres. So the Falcons had a lot of front to patrol but were confident they were up to the job.