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Wilhelm Leusch

1892 – 1921

German flying ace

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About Wilhelm Leusch

Lived 1892 – 1921 (aged 28). Wilhelm Leusch was a German flying ace.

Leutnant Wilhelm Leusch (15 October 1892 – 14 August 1921) was a German World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.

Biography

Wilhelm Leusch was born on 15 October 1892 in Neuss, a suburb of Düsseldorf.

He enlisted in the Imperial German Air Service on 5 October 1914. After training, he was posted to the defense of Metz in early 1915. Later in 1915, he was assigned to Feldflieger Abteilung 19. He was commissioned as an officer in 1916, and was transferred to a fighter squadron, Jagdstaffel 13 on 1 November. In April 1917, he was transferred again, this time to Jagdstaffel 19. He scored his first aerial victory while flying with them, shooting down a SPAD on 12 May 1917.

Leusch would not score another aerial victory for more than a year. Then, on 17 June 1918, he shot down a French SPAD from Escadrille 3. On 6 October, he shot down an American observation balloon. On the 18th, he was appointed to the command of his squadron; though not yet an ace, his long service had earned him both classes of the Iron Cross. He would go on to shoot down a SPAD S.13 on 26 October, and a Breguet 14 on 3 November, to become an ace.

Having survived four years of war, Wilhelm Leusch died in a peacetime glider accident on 14 August 1921.

Sources of information

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Awards
Iron Cross

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Wilhelm Leusch's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Wilhelm Leusch?

German flying ace

When was Wilhelm Leusch born?

Wilhelm Leusch was born on 15 October 1892 in Düsseldorf.

When did Wilhelm Leusch die?

Wilhelm Leusch died on 14 August 1921.

What was Wilhelm Leusch's occupation?

Wilhelm Leusch was a flying ace.

What nationality was Wilhelm Leusch?

Wilhelm Leusch was German.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Wilhelm Leusch

· Wikidata: Q8002234

· DBpedia: Wilhelm Leusch

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Wilhelm Leusch. https://biography.guide/wilhelm-leusch/

MLA: "Wilhelm Leusch." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/wilhelm-leusch/.

Chicago: "Wilhelm Leusch." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/wilhelm-leusch/.

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