Otto Könnecke

Leutnant (later Lieutenant Colonel) Otto Könnecke (20 December 1892 – 25 January 1956) PLM, MMC, HoH, IC, was a leading German fighter ace of World War I with 35 victories. He was one of only five pilots to receive Germany's highest decorations for both enlisted pilot and officer. He later became one of the founding pilots of Deutsche Luft Hansa and assisted in development of the new Luftwaffe.

Early life Otto Könnecke was a carpenter's son, born on 20 September 1892 in Straßberg. He attended the Building Trade School in Frankfurt am Main and became an apprentice carpenter. He became bored with this life by his late teens and in 1911 enlisted in Railroad Regiment 3, which was at Hanau. In 1913, he applied for pilot training and as an NCO, trained with Fliegerersatz-Abteilung 4 (Replacement Detachment 4) at Metz and received his pilot's wings. He then served in various units and capacities, ending up in Jagdstaffel 25 (Fighter Squadron 25).

World War I

At the outbreak of war he was serving as an instructor, and did not see action until December 1916, when he was sent as a Vizefeldwebel to Macedonia as part of Jagdstaffel 25. He had an unconfirmed victory on 9 January 1917 and a confirmed victory on 5 February 1917, and again the following day.

At the end of April, he was transferred to Jagdstaffel 5 on the Western Front. He did not have another victory until 28 May. He accumulated single victories over enemy aircraft until his score stood at 11 by the end of 1917. eventually scored 108 victories, or more than 40% of the Jasta's triumphs.

His personal Albatros D.V during this period had one of the more fanciful paint schemes of the war. Its base color was green fuselage, tail, and elevators with a red propeller spinner. His insignia of black and white checkerboarding edged in red adorned the fuselage just ahead of the Maltese crosses, with a thin red line ringing the fuselage just before the tail. for his 31st win.

He was an influential figure in post-war German aviation, and in 1935 he was asked to help develop the new Luftwaffe. He rejoined the German military to command the Flying School

He died in Bad Aibling in 1956, aged 64 years.

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