| Ludwig Hanstein | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 January 1892 Sudwalde, Kingdom of Prussia |
| Died | 21 March 1918 |
| Allegiance | Germany |
| Service/branch | Aviation |
| Rank | Leutnant |
| Unit | FA 9, Jasta 16, Jasta 35 |
| Commands held | Jasta 35 |
| Awards | Royal House Order of Hohenzollern |
Leutnant Ludwig Hanstein was a World War I flying ace credited with 16 aerial victories.[1]
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He scored his first triumph while flying artillery cooperation missions with FA 6.[2] On 12 October 1916, he used a Fokker D.II to force down a RNAS Sopwith 1½ Strutter onto Freiburg Airfield[3] by wounding its pilot through the neck.[4]
After a transfer to Royal Bavarian Jasta 16,[5] whose theater of operations was generally the French sector of the Western Front[6] Hanstein scored again on 17 March 1917; by 25 September, he had added nine more to his tally[7] to become Jasta 16's first ace.[8]
He then transferred to Royal Bavarian Jasta 35,[9] which usually operated against the British,[10] and was given command effective 24 September 1917.[11] He scored his thirteenth victory on 12 November 1917, and scored twice more in January 1918. He relinquished command to Bruno Justinius on 20 January.[12] Hanstein also received the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern on the 20th.[13] Hanstein succeeded again to command of the jasta on 4 March 1918, after Justinius was killed in action and his successor transferred.[14] About ten minutes after scoring his final victory on 21 March 1918,[15] he was killed in action by Herbert Sellars.[16][17] Sellars' combat report stated, "I did a sharp turn to the left, my observer firing at 75 yards range into the nearest enemy aircraft, which burst into flames and was seen to crash north of Morchies.[18]