The story of one of Germany’s pioneers in aerial combat . . . Max Immelmann was born in Dresden, the son of a container factory owner. When World War I started, Immelmann was recalled to active service, transferred to the Luftstreitkäfte and was sent for pilot training in November 1914. He was initially stationed in northern France as a reconnaissance aviator. On June 3, 1915 he was shot down by a French pilot but managed to land safely behind German lines. He was decorated with the Iron Cross, Second Class for preserving his aircraft. Later in 1915, he became one of the first German fighter pilots, quickly building an impressive score of victories as he became known as The Eagle of Lille (Der Adler von Lille). Immelmann was the first pilot to be awarded the Pour le Mérite, Germany’s highest military honor. The medal became colloquially known as the “Blue Max” in the German Air Service in honor of Immelmann. His medal was presented by Kaiser Wilhelm II in January 1916. Oswald Boelcke received his medal at the same ceremony. Founder of the aerial combat maneuver that still bears his name, Immelmann was credited with 15 victories, his final one coming on 30 March 1916. He will forever be associated with the Fokker Eindecker, Germany’s first fighter aircraft, and the first to be armed with a machine gun synchronized to fire forward through the propeller arc. Along with Oswald Boelcke and other pilots, Immelmann was one of the main instigators of the Fokker Scourge which inflicted heavy loses upon British and French aircrews during 1915. Originally published in 1930 by John Hamilton in London, the book has been reprinted (most recently in the 1990’s by Greenhill Books as part of it’s Vintage Aviation Library) and each time has been reproduced from the original 1930’s version of the book. This new Casemate edition has been entirely reoriginated. Not a word has been changed, but the original (very dated) type and page layout have been reworked, as has been the format in which the book is presented, to give a beautiful new treatment to this classic of aviation literature. Table of Contents Introduction I EARLY DAYS Childhood School and Cadet Days The Ensign Student Days II THE OUTBREAK OF WAR AND THE EVOLUTION OF AN AIRMAN The Outbreak of War Mobilisation and Garrison Duty First Flights The Flying School First and Second Tests The First Crash The Aircraft Park The Third Tests An Experience The Front at Last! Artillery Flier in the Champagne Flying Section 62, the New Home Affection and Loyalty The Formation of Flying Section 62 The Youthful German Air Arm; a Survey The Development of the Air Arm Reconnaissances on the Somme The First Airfight To Arms! Progress and Success Lost! Long Distance Reconnaissances The First Scouting Flight and the First Victory Immelmann the First Scout The Biplane Fighter and the Fokker One-seater Fighter Immelman and Boelcke The Fokker Becomes Known The Second Victory Front and Home The Third Victory An Excursion and a Rough Landing Days of Heavy Fighting The Fourth Victory The Fifth Victory Modesty Pioneers of the Air Arm Aerial Supremacy III THE EAGLE OF LILLE The Sixth Victory Honoured by the King of Saxony Leave The Seventh A Visit to Brunswick The Fokker Turns Turtle The Seventh The Eighth The ‘Pour le Mérite’ Christmas Success and Comradeship Rumours and Legends The Ninth A Double Event: the Tenth and Eleventh The Tenth The Eleventh Questions and Answers The Twelfth The Thirteenth The Emperor’s Letter Immelman and the ‘13’ The Fourteenth On the Active List Again and Full Lieutenant Severe Fighting in the Air One Year of Flying Section 62 The Fifteenth Popularity The Last Weeks Shot Down by His Own Gun The Beginnings of Formation Flying A Premonitory Farewell The First Combats on the Last Day The Last Fight and the Last Victory The End Afterthoughts Appendix: The Victories of Max Immelman

Immelmann: Tthe Eagle of Lille (Vintage Aviation Series)

Biographies & Memoirs

Immelmann, Frantz

Sykes, Claud W.

Historical

Casemate Publishers

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Immelmann, Frantz. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Immelmann, Frantz

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Immelmann, Frantz. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Immelmann: Tthe Eagle of Lille (Vintage Aviation Series)