Alois Heldmann

Colonel Alois Heldmann was a World War I flying ace credited with 15 confirmed aerial victories (plus three unconfirmed) while he was a Leutnant. He later joined the nascent Luftwaffe in 1933 and was a flying school inspector until the end of World War II.

Early life and service Alois Heldmann's was born on 2 December 1895 in Grevenbrück, east of Cologne. He was studying engineering until the war began. Heldmann joined the Imperial German Army on 3 January 1915, originally as an infantryman on the Russian Front. Shortly thereafter, he transferred to aviation duty.

Flying service After switching to aviation, Heldmann served in a two-seater aerial reconnaissance unit, FA 57, beginning in August 1915. He transferred to FA 59, which also operated two-seaters. In his Eastern Front dutie, he served in Serbia and Bulgaria. He transferred fronts and moved to France. He was a well experienced pilot by the time he was promoted into the officers' ranks in 1917 as a Leutnant. He joined the Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 10 on 24 June 1917 which bore his initials painted on the top wing; its nose was yellow, its tail a checkerboard. He scored steadily throughout the last eight months of the war, with his last victory five days before the war's end.

After World War I Heldmann returned to being an engineer after the war. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1933. Having risen to the rank of colonel, he became an inspector of a flying school. He served throughout World War II and was subsequently imprisoned by Allied forces until 1946. He then resided in Bad Aibling, Germany. Alois Heldmann died on 1 November 1983 in Grevenbruck.

Honors and awards World War I Iron Cross both First and Second Class Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern