Rudolf Windisch

Leutnant Rudolf Friedrich Otto Windisch (27 January 1897 – after 27 May 1918) was a World War I fighter ace credited with 22 victories.

Early life and service Rudolf Friedrich Otto Windisch was born in Dresden, Germany on 27 January 1897, the son of Bruno Windisch, who owned a pastry shop. During his childhood, Rudolf was very interested in aviation. He built model airplanes, and then a glider.

On 14 September 1914, at the age of 17, he volunteered for a year's service with Infantry Regiment 177. After a short period of training, he was off to war on the Western Front. On 21 November, he was wounded by shrapnel and removed from front line duty. He recuperated first at a hospital in Laon, France, then at the Reserve Military Hospital in his home town of Dresden.

Aerial combat career Even before his feat of espionage derring-do, Windisch had scored his first aerial victory. On 25 August 1916, while still flying a two-seater reconnaissance airplane, he became a balloon buster by shooting down one of the Russian observation balloons southeast of Brody.

He scored his first win with his new squadron on 15 March 1918. He had six victories in that month, including a triple on 24 March 1918. He scored three more times in April, and five in May, to bring his tally to 22. No fewer than 16 of his wins were over Spad fighters. A Sopwith and an AR2 completed his list of fighter planes. He also destroyed three balloons and a single two-seater reconnaissance plane. The fact that he was one of the original pilots of Germany's best fighter, the Fokker D.VII, gave him tactical advantage over his foes.

Disappearance His last victory was on the afternoon of 27 May 1918. Immediately after he shot down this last Spad, he was jumped by several other enemy scouts. A bullet through the gas tank forced him to land behind French lines, about 50 meters from his final victim.

The International Red Cross reported Windisch was a prisoner of war on several occasions. French pilots who fell into German hands reported him in a French prison. On the assumption he was alive, he was awarded the Pour le Merite on 6 June 1918. The reports differed on whether or not he had been injured, with some rumors saying he had died in captivity.

Nothing more would ever be heard of Windisch.

Windisch victories

No.Date/timeWindisch unitFoeResultLocationNotes 1 25 Aug 1916 FA 62 Balloon Shot down SE of Brody 2 18 Sep 1917 1547 Jasta 32 Dorand AR2 Shot down Fleury 3 27 Sep 1917 1028 Jasta 32 SPAD Shot down Betheville 4 01 Nov 1917 Jasta 32 SPAD Shot down W of Bray 5 07 Nov 1917 Jasta 32 SPAD Shot down Brancourt 6 18 Nov 1917 Jasta 32 SPAD Shot down Laval Portuguese Pilot Oscar Monteiro Torres of SPA 65; mortally wounded 7 03 Jan 1918 Jasta 32 Balloon Shot down Villers 8 04 Jan 1918 Jasta 32 SPAD Shot down S of Staubecken 9 15 Mar 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Vitry-Reims 10 17 Mar 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Vitry-Reims 11 23 Mar 1918 Jasta 66 Sopwith 2 Shot down Le Bruin Ferme 12 24 Mar 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD 2 Shot down Bretigny 1324 Mar 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Tergnier 14 24 Mar 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Tergnier 15 11 Apr 1918 Jasta 66 Bréguet 14 Shot down S of Noyon 16 21 Apr 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Guy 17 21 Apr 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Guy 18 3 May 1918 Jasta 66 Balloon Shot down Juvigny 19 4 May 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Carlepont 20 15 May 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD 2 Shot down Trosly-Loire 2116 May 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD Shot down Thiescourt 22 27 May 1918 Jasta 66 SPAD 2 Shot down Couvrelles-Lesges