Gustav Klaudat

Vizefeldwebel Gustav Klaudat was a German World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.[1]

Gustav Klaudat
BornUnknown date
Eastern part of Kingdom of Prussia, The German Empire
DiedAfter 11 November 1918
AllegianceGermany
Service/branchAviation
RankVizefeldwebel
UnitJagdstaffel 15
AwardsIron Cross

Biography

Origins

Gustav Klaudat was born in eastern Prussia. He was serving in a Uhlan regiment during World War I when he transferred to aviation. Although it was customary for German pilots to serve in reconnaissance or artillery direction units as seasoning before becoming fighter pilots, nothing is known of Klaudat's service before he joined a fighter squadron, Jagdstaffel 15, in 1918.[2]

Service as a fighter pilot
See also: Aerial victory standards of World War I

Klaudat flew a Fokker D.VII painted in the squadron colors of blue tail and red nose. To that he added an overpainted personal marking of a Uhlan lance sporting a black and white banner.[2]

On 20 July 1918, just after his arrival at Jasta 15, Klaudat lent his aircraft to his squadron leader, Rudolph Berthold, who crashed it. Klaudat had to be supplied with another mount; he received one with a highly prized BMW engine.[3] At 1220 hours on 15 August 1918, he shot down a Caudron R.11 over Conecticourt. Two days later, at 1710 hours, it was the turn of a Spad XIII that fell over Beaurains; it has variously been attributed as being from the 94th Aero Squadron USAS,[2] or as being Jean Bozon-Verduraz.[4] On 21 August 1918, Klaudat shot down a Breguet 14 south of Chaunay at 1650 hours. A week later, he was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class.[2]

On 13 September, Klaudat shot down two Spad XIIIs on two different sorties for victories four and five. On 16 September 1918, he fought in the dog fight that brought down Maurice Boyau;[2] Klaudat was credited with shooting down Boyau's wingman[5] at midday over St-Hilaire. That was his last victory, although a 1 October combat claim of another Spad XIII would be undecided. On 23 October 1918, Gustav Klaudat was wounded severely enough in the left humerus, probably by Eddie Rickenbacker, to be removed from action for the remainder of the war.[2][6][7]

Sources of information
  1. The Aerodrome website Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  2. Franks et al 1993, p. 144.
  3. VanWyngarden 2006, pp. 78, 85.
  4. Gutmann 2002, p. 32.
  5. Franks et al 2003, p. 69.
  6. VanWyngarden 2005, pp. 109, 112.
  7. Gutmann 2008, p. 105.
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References
  • Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank W.; Guest, Russell. Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918. Grub Street, 1993. ISBN 0-948817-73-9, ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1.
  • Franks, Norman; VanWyngarden, Greg; Weal, John. Fokker D VII Aces of World War 1, Part 1: Volume 53 of Aircraft of the Aces: Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. Osprey Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1841765333, 9781841765334.
  • Gutmann, Jon. USAS 1st Pursuit Group: Volume 28 of Aviation Elite Units: Volume 28 of Osprey aviation Elite. Osprey Publishing, 2008. ISBN 1846033098, 9781846033094.
  • — SPAD XII/XIII Aces of World War 1: Volume 47 of Aircraft of the Aces: Volume 47 of Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. Osprey Publishing, 2002. ISBN 1841763160, 9781841763163.
  • VanWyngarden, Greg. JAGDGESCHWADER, Issue 2: Volume 19 of Aviation Elite Units: Volume 19 of Osprey Aviation Elite. Osprey Publishing, 2005. ISBN 1841767271, 9781841767277.
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