List of World War I flying aces from Austria-Hungary

Austria–Hungary:
Cisleithania (Austrian Empire): 1. Bohemia, 2. Bukovina, 3. Carinthia, 4. Carniola, 5. Dalmatia, 6. Galicia and Lodomeria, 7. Küstenland, 8. Austria below the Enns, 9. Moravia, 10. Salzburg, 11. Silesia, 12. Styria, 13. Tyrol, 14. Austria above the Enns, 15. Vorarlberg;
Transleithania (Kingdom of Hungary): 16. Hungary proper 17. Croatia-Slavonia;
Austrian-Hungarian Condominium: 18. Bosnia and Herzegovina

This list of World War I flying aces from Austria-Hungary contains the names of aviators from the countries ruled by the Habsburg dynasty. Austria-Hungary was a constitutional union of the Austrian Empire (Cisleithania) and the Kingdom of Hungary (Transleithania) which existed from 1867 to 1918, when it collapsed as a result of defeat in World War I. Its territory contained a melange of nationalities. Although the aces of the K.u.k. Luftfahrtruppen owed their military allegiance to the Austro-Hungarian Empire as a whole, they came from various ethnic groups. Despite the Hungarian government's policy of Magyarization, many inhabitants of that kingdom clung to their ethnic identities. The breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire post World War I saw the formation of independent nations from some of these ethnic groups.

Flying aces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

See also: Aerial victory standards of World War I § Austria-Hungary

Major background information for this list comes from O'Connor, pp. 272–332. As O'Connor also states on page 9: "Germanic name forms are used for the sake of uniformity and because German was the official language of the Austro-Hungarian Empire." This supplies the most common names of aces as Germanic, while non-German names are appended as aliases.

Listings are based on best available victory-by-victory listings. Every aircrew member significantly contributing to the defeat of an enemy aircraft could be credited with a full victory. All victories counted equally, whether the aviator scored them as a fighter pilot, a reconnaissance pilot, or an aerial observer/gunner.[1]

For six to eight months in early 1918, the rules were tightened to allow only one verified victory per combat claim. This restriction was later revoked, and the former rule of shared victories reinstated, even retroactively.[2]

Austro-Hungarian authorities did credit enemy aircraft that were forced to land as actual victories. This can be noted throughout the victory records of their aces.[3]

Name Victories Birthplace Nation Notes
Godwin von Brumowski 35 Wadowice Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria (now Poland) Leading Austro-Hungarian ace of the war and leading Austro-Hungarian ace from present-day Poland.[4][5][6]
Julius Arigi 32 Děčín Kingdom of Bohemia (now Czech Republic) Leading ace from present-day Czech Republic.[7][8][9]
Benno Fiala von Fernbrugg 28 Vienna Archduchy of Austria below the Enns (now Republic of Austria) Leading ace from present-day Austria.[10][11][12]
Frank Linke-Crawford 27 Kraków Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria (now Poland)[13][14][15]
József Kiss alias József Kiss de Elemér et Ittebe 19 Pozsony Kingdom of Hungary (now Slovak Republic) Leading ace from present-day Slovakia.[16][17][18]
Franz Gräser alias Ferenc Gräser 18 Nyírmada Kingdom of Hungary (now Hungary)[19][20]
Eugen Bönsch 16 Velká Úpa [cs] Kingdom of Bohemia (now Czech Republic)[21][22][23]
Stefan Fejes alias István Fejes 16 Győr Kingdom of Hungary (now Hungary)[24][25][26]
Ernst Strohschneider 15 Ústí nad Labem Kingdom of Bohemia (now Czech Republic)[27][28][29]
Adolf Heyrowsky 12 Murau Duchy of Styria (now Republic of Austria)[30][31][32]
Kurt Gruber 11 Linz Archduchy of Austria above the Enns (now Republic of Austria)[33][34][35]
Franz Rudorfer 11 Vienna Archduchy of Austria below the Enns (now Republic of Austria)[36][37][38]
Friedrich Navratil alias Miroslav Navratil 10 Sarajevo Province of Bosnia and Herzegovina (now Bosnia and Herzegovina) Sole ace from Bosnia and Herzegovina.[39] Ethnic Croat[40][41]
Raoul Stojsavljevic 10 Innsbruck Duchy of Tyrol (now Republic of Austria)[42][43][44]
Gottfried Freiherr von Banfield 9 Castelnuovo (now Herceg Novi) Kingdom of Croatia (now Montenegro) The only ace born in present-day Montenegro.[45][46][47]
Otto Jindra 9 Chlumec nad Cidlinou Kingdom of Bohemia (now Czech Republic)[48][49][50]
Georg Kenzian alias Georg Kenzian von Kenzianshausen 9 Linz Archduchy of Austria above the Enns (now Republic of Austria)[51][52]
Karl Kaszala alias Károly Kaszala 8 Nyitra Kingdom of Hungary (now Slovak Republic)[53][54][55]
Heinrich Kostrba 8 Prague Kingdom of Bohemia (now Czech Republic)[56][57][58]
Alexander Tahy alias Sándor Tahy 8 Nyíregyháza Kingdom of Hungary (now Hungary)[59][60][61]
Ferdinand Udvardy (with diacritics Ferdinánd Udvardy) 8[note 1] Pozsony (now Bratislava) Kingdom of Hungary (now Slovak Republic)[62][63]
Josef Friedrich 7 Cvikov Kingdom of Bohemia (now Czech Republic)[64][65][66]
Ludwig Hautzmayer 7 Fürstenfeld Duchy of Styria (now Republic of Austria)[67][68][69]
Otto Jäger 7 Asch Kingdom of Bohemia (now Czech Republic)[70][71][72]
Josef von Maier alias József von Maier 7 Pozsony (now Bratislava) Kingdom of Hungary (now Slovak Republic)[73][74][75]
Johann Risztics alias János Risztics 7 Budapest Kingdom of Hungary (now Hungary)[76][77][78]
Andreas Dombrowski 6 Mährisch-Ostrau Duchy of Moravia (now Czech Republic)[79][80][81]
Johann Frint alias János Frint 6 Budapest Kingdom of Hungary (now Hungary)[82][83][84]
Alexander Kasza alias Sándor Kasza 6 Bácskosuthfalva Kingdom of Hungary (now Hungary)[85][86][87]
Karl Nikitsch 6 Gross-Czakowitz (now Čakovice district of Prague) Kingdom of Bohemia (now Czech Republic)[88][89][90]
Franz Peter 6 Vienna Archduchy of Austria below the Enns (now Republic of Austria)[91][92][93]
Josef Pürer 6 Brno[94] or Schönau[95] Duchy of Moravia (now Czech Republic), ethnic Austrian[95][96][97]
Roman Schmidt 6 Varaždin Kingdom of Croatia (now Croatia)[98] Only ace from present-day Croatia[99][100]
Rudolf Weber 6 Sighișoara Principality of Transylvania (now Romania)[101][102][103]
Julius Busa alias Gyula Busa 5 Budapest Kingdom of Hungary (now Hungary)[104][105][106]
Friedrich Hefty (alias Hefty Frigyes)[107] 5 Pozsony (now Bratislava) Kingdom of Hungary (now Slovak Republic)[94][108][109][110]
Julius Kowalczik 5 Ostrava Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia (now Poland)[111][112][113]
Franz Lahner 5 Bad Goisern Archduchy of Austria above the Enns (now Republic of Austria)[114][115][116]
Friedrich Lang 5 Austria[116][117][118]
Johann Lasi 5 Katy (now Kać) Kingdom of Hungary (now Serbia), Ethnic Croat, only ace of the Luftfahrtruppen born in present-day Serbia.[119][120][121]
Béla Macourek 5 Pozsony (now Bratislava) Kingdom of Hungary (now Slovak Republic)[94][122][123][124]
Kurt Nachod 5 Brno Duchy of Moravia (now Czech Republic)[125][126][127]
Augustin Novák 5 Botenwald[128] Duchy of Moravia (now Czech Republic)[129][130]
Karl Patzelt 5 Craiova, Romania Kingdom of Bohemia (now Czech Republic)[131][132][133]
Alois Rodlauer 5 Urfahr-Umgebung Archduchy of Austria above the Enns (now Republic of Austria)[134][135][78]
Rudolf Szepessy-Sokoll (alias Rudolf Szepessy-Sokol Freiherr von Negyes et Reno)[136] 5 Kingdom of Hungary[137][138][139]
Karl Teichmann 5 Hrabišín Duchy of Moravia (now Czech Republic)[140][141][142]
Karl Urban 5 Graz Duchy of Styria (now Republic of Austria)[103][143][144]
Franz Wognar 5 Nagyszombat (now Trnava) Kingdom of Hungary (now Slovak Republic)[145][146][147]

Footnote

  1. ^ The Aerodrome website at (http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/austrhun/udvardy.php) credits him with nine victories.

See also

References

  1. ^ Air Aces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire 1914–1918. p. 9.
  2. ^ Air Aces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire 1914–1918. p. 213.
  3. ^ Air Aces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire 1914–1918. pp. 272–331.
  4. ^ "Godwin Brumowski". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  5. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 13–15, 268–271.
  6. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 175–176.
  7. ^ "Julius Arigi". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  8. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 21–23, 272–274.
  9. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 172–173.
  10. ^ "Benno Fiala von Fernbrugg". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  11. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 178–179.
  12. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 27–29.
  13. ^ "Frank Linke-Crawford". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  14. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 33–34.
  15. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 191–192.
  16. ^ "József Kiss". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  17. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 41–43.
  18. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 187–188.
  19. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 47–48, 283–284.
  20. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 180–181.
  21. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 174–175.
  22. ^ "Eugen Bönsch". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  23. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 51–52, 285–286.
  24. ^ "István Fejes". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  25. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 55–56, 287–288.
  26. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 177–178.
  27. ^ "Ernst Strohschneider". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  28. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 59–60, 289–290.
  29. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 200–201.
  30. ^ "Adolf Heyrowsky". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  31. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 63–65, 291–292.
  32. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 183–184.
  33. ^ "Kurt Gruber". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  34. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 67–68, 293.
  35. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 181–182.
  36. ^ "Franz Rudorfer". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  37. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 71-72}, 294.
  38. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 198.
  39. ^ "Miroslav Navratil". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  40. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 75–76, 295.
  41. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 194.
  42. ^ "Raoul Stojsavljevic". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013. | Croat father, Austrian mother
  43. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 81–82, 296.
  44. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 199–200.
  45. ^ "Gottfried Freiherr von Banfield". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  46. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 85–88, 297–298.
  47. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 173–174.
  48. ^ "Otto Jindra". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  49. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 97–98, 299.
  50. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 184–185.
  51. ^ "Georg Kenzian". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  52. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 101–102, 300.
  53. ^ "Károly Kaszala". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  54. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 105–106, 301.
  55. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 186.
  56. ^ "Heinrich Kostrba". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  57. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 109–110, 302–303.
  58. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 188–189.
  59. ^ "Sándor Tahy". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  60. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 112–114, 304–305.
  61. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 201–202.
  62. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 117–118, 305.
  63. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 202–203.
  64. ^ "Josef Friedrich". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  65. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 121–122, 306.
  66. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 179–180.
  67. ^ "Ludwig Hautzmayer". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  68. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 125–126, 307.
  69. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 182.
  70. ^ "Otto Jäger". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  71. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 129–138, 307.
  72. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 184.
  73. ^ "József Maier". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  74. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 133–134, 309.
  75. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 192–193.
  76. ^ "János Risztics". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  77. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 137–138, 310.
  78. ^ a b Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 197.
  79. ^ "Andreas Dombrowski". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  80. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 141–142, 311.
  81. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 177.
  82. ^ "János Frint". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  83. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 145–146, 312.
  84. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 180.
  85. ^ "Sándor Kasza". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  86. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 145–146, 313.
  87. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 185–186.
  88. ^ "Karl Nikitsch". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  89. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 153–154, 314.
  90. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 194–195.
  91. ^ "Franz Peter". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  92. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 153–154, 315.
  93. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 196.
  94. ^ a b c Safarik, Jan J. (1 January 2013). "Austro-Hungarian Air Aces 1914-1918" (PDF). Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  95. ^ a b "Josef Pürer". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  96. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 161–162, 316.
  97. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 196–197.
  98. ^ "Roman Schmidt". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  99. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 165–166, 317.
  100. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 198–199.
  101. ^ "Rudolf Weber". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  102. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 169–170, 318.
  103. ^ a b Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 203.
  104. ^ "Gyula Busa". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  105. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 173–174, 319.
  106. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 176.
  107. ^ Valeriu Avram; Alexandru Armă (2018). Aeronautica română în Războiul de Întregire naţională 1916-1919 (PDF) (in Romanian). Editura Vremea. p. 48.
  108. ^ "Frigyes Hefty". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  109. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 177–179, 383.
  110. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 183.
  111. ^ "Julius Kowalczik". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  112. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 183–184, 321.
  113. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 189.
  114. ^ "Franz Lahner". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  115. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 187–188, 322.
  116. ^ a b Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 190.
  117. ^ "Friedrich Lang". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  118. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 191–192, 323.
  119. ^ "János Lasi". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  120. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 195–196, 324.
  121. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 191.
  122. ^ "Béla Macourek". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  123. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 197–198, 325.
  124. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 192.
  125. ^ "Kurt Nachod". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  126. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 201–202, 326.
  127. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 193.
  128. ^ "Augustin Novák". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  129. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 201–206, 32.
  130. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 195.
  131. ^ "Karl Patzelt". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  132. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 209–210, 328.
  133. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, pp. 195–196.
  134. ^ "Alois Rodlauer". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  135. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 213–214, 329.
  136. ^ O'Connor 1986, p. 217.
  137. ^ "Rudolf Szepessy-Sokoll". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  138. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 217–218, 329.
  139. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 201.
  140. ^ "Karl Teichmann". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  141. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 221–222, 330.
  142. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 202.
  143. ^ "Karl Urban". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  144. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 225–226, 330–331.
  145. ^ "Franz Wognar". The Aerodrome. 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  146. ^ O'Connor 1986, pp. 229–230, 331.
  147. ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997, p. 206.

Sources

  • Albrich, Thomas; Hagen, Nikolaus, eds. (2019). Österreich-Ungarns Fliegerasse im Ersten Weltkrieg 1914–1918 (in German). Innsbruck: Universitätsverlag Wagner. ISBN 978-3-7030-0997-6.
  • Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell; Alegi, Gregory (1997). Above the War Fronts: The British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914–1918. Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-898697-56-5.
  • O'Connor, Martin (1986). Air Aces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, 1914-1918 (1994 reprint by Flying Machines Press ed.). Paladin Press. ISBN 978-1-891268-06-9.