Josef C.P. Jacobs

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Josef Jacobs
May 15, 1894 - July 29, 1978
Place of birth	Kreuzkappele, Rhineland
Place of death	Munich
Allegiance	German Empire
Service/branch	Luftstreitkräfte
Years of service	1914-1918
Rank	Leutnant
Unit	FFA 11, Jasta 7, 12, 22
Awards	Pour le Mérite

Josef Carl Peter Jacobs (May 15, 1894 - July 29, 1978) was the joint 4th German flying ace with 48 victories (equal with Lt. Werner Voss) during the First World War.

Josef Jacobs was born in Kreuzkapelle, Rhineland, Germany and joined flight school in 1912, aged 18, due to an interest in aviation. When war broke out, he joined up for the Imperial German Army Air Service to train as a pilot; whereby he was posted to FEA 9.

After completing training, Jacobs was posted to FA 11 (a reconnaissance squadron) for a year, flying long-range sorties over allied lines. His first victory over a French Caudron occurred in February 1916, however, it was unconfirmed, due to lack of independent witnesses. He then transferred to Fokker Staffel West (FSW), to fly Fokker E.III (Eindekker) and finally achieved his first official victory, either over an enemy balloon or aircraft. He achieved his 2nd victory (this time over a Caudron R4) in January 1917, before transferring to Jasta 22, then under the command of Erich Honemanns, who was a personal friend. He achieved 3 officially claimed and many more unclaimed victories whilst at Jasta 22, where he remained until August 1917, when he transferred to Jasta 7 as its commander.

Leutnant Jacobs went on to fly Fokker Dr. I Triplane rather successfully in Jasta 7 from early 1918 onwards and had his aircraft finished in a distinctive black scheme. The Dr. I was his favourite mount and he used its manouevrebility to his advantage.

Lt. Jacobs' victory tally slowly rose, until at 24 victories (achieved on July 19, 1918) he was awarded the coveted Pour le Mérite. Jacobs would remain with Jasta 7 until armistice; his final victory tally was 48 enemy aircraft and balloons. Jacobs continued to fight against the Bolshevik forces in the Baltic, in 1919, with Kommando Sachsenberg.

After the war, he briefly became a flying instructor in the Turkish Army, before completely withdrawing from military activity. He founded his own company in the 1930s and when the NSDAP came into power, he refused to join the Luftwaffe after being asked by Hermann Göring. Jacobs then moved to Holland during the World War 2 and went into hiding, to avoid accusations of desertion.

Josef Jacobs died on 29th July 1978, in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.