Gustav Klaudat

Vizefeldwebel Gustav Klaudat was a German World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.

Biography Origins Gustav Klaudat was born in eastern Prussia. He was serving in a Uhlan regiment during World War I when he transferred to aviation. Although it was customary for German pilots to serve in reconnaissance or artillery direction units as seasoning before becoming fighter pilots, nothing is known of Klaudat's service before he joined a fighter squadron, Jagdstaffel 15, in 1918.

Service as a fighter pilot

Klaudat flew a Fokker D.VII painted in the squadron colors of blue tail and red nose. To that he added an overpainted personal marking of a Uhlan lance sporting a black and white banner. At 1220 hours on 15 August 1918, he shot down a Caudron R.11 over Conecticourt. Two days later, at 1710 hours, it was the turn of a Spad XIII that fell over Beaurains; it has variously been attributed as being from the 94th Aero Squadron USAS, On 21 August 1918, Klaudat shot down a Breguet 14 south of Chaunay at 1650 hours. A week later, he was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class. at midday over St-Hilaire. That was his last victory, although a 1 October combat claim of another Spad XIII would be undecided. On 23 October 1918, Gustav Klaudat was wounded severely enough in the left humerus, probably by Eddie Rickenbacker, to be removed from action for the remainder of the war.

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