Hans Böhning

Leutnant Hans Böhning, Iron Cross, was a German World War flying ace credited with 17 aerial victories. He served the German Empire first as an artilleryman, then as an aerial observer for artillery, as a fighter pilot, and finally as the Staffelführer of a fighter squadron.

He would survive the war and died in a gliding accident on 20 October 1934.

Early life and ground service Hans Böhning was born on 6 July 1893 in the Kingdom of Bavaria. Early in World War I, he served in Bavaria's Field Artillery Regiment No. 13.

Aviation service

Böhning made the transition to aviation in 1916. He began his flying career with Feldflieger Abteilung (Field Flier Detachment) 290, which was an artillery cooperation unit, on 26 April 1917. He transferred from FA(A) 290 on 3 July 1917, to take training as a fighter pilot. He survived an accident on 17 July 1917. Upon completion of training, Böhning was transferred to Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 36. He scored his first victory with them on 23 August 1917. He scored his fourth triumph with the unit on 27 October 1917. He was then transferred to Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 76 and scored his fifth win over opposing fighter planes on 1 December 1917. By February, 1918, he had transferred to another Bavarian squadron, Jagdstaffel 79. Hans Böhning was killed in a glider accident on 20 October 1934.

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