Jagdstaffel 51

Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 51, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 51, was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the Luftstreitkräfte, the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I. The squadron would score over 24 aerial victories during the war. The unit's victories came at the expense of 10 killed in action, two killed in a mid-air collision, two wounded in action, one injured in an aviation accident, and two taken prisoner of war.^[1]

History

Jasta 51 was founded on 27 December 1917. It went operational on 9 January 1918. Also in January, it joined Jagdgruppe 3. Its first aerial victory came 14 March 1918. The squadron would operate its Fokker D.VIIs through war's end.^[2]

Commanding officers (Staffelführer)

• Hans-Eberhardt Gandert: 27 December 1917 – 29 September 1918
• Karl Plauth: 10 October 1918 – ca 11 November 1918^[2]

Duty stations

• Wynghene: 10 January 1918
• Jabbeke, Belgium: 1 February 1918^[2]

References

Bibliography

• Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank W. & Guest, Russell F. (1993). Above The Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service, and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1. 

Jastas of the Imperial German Army Air Service Prussian 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 25 26 27 29 30 31 33 36 37 38 39 41 42 43 45 46 48 49 50 51 52 53 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 73 74 75 81 82 83 85 86 87 88 89 90 Bavarian 16 23 32 34 35 76 77 78 79 80 Saxon 21 22 24 40 44 54 72 Württembergian 28 47 64 84