JASTA PILOTS: Detailed listings and histories August 1916 - November 1918

The German Jastas were formed in the late summer of 1916, the brain-child of Oswald Boelcke, Germany's leading fighter ace of the period. Prior to this, single-seater fighter aircraft were attached piecemeal to the various two-seater Abteilung, or formed into small Kampfeinsitzer Kommando detachments (Keks). The new formation had two basic roles. The first, as dedicated hunting units - Jagdstaffeln - whose pilots attacked British and French aircraft which came across the front-line trenches: the second, to protect their own two-seater aircraft carrying out similar tasks to the opposing air forces.
Here, for the first time, is as complete a list of all Jasta pilots who served in these front-line units from August 1916 until November 1918 as can be found. In addition, known pilots who served in the Marinefeldjagdstaffeln, operating mainly along the North Sea coast, and the Kests (Kampfeinsitzerstaffeln), similar to Jastas but whose job was home defence for certain German cities within range of Allied bombers, notably the IAF. There are also detailed histories of each of the Jastas and Marine Jastas, listing commanding officers and bases.
Other sections cover the units which formed the four German Jagdgeschwadern and the various Jagdgruppen, with their commanders and dates of formation; a list of the fighter 'G' numbers giving details of those aircraft brought down inside Allied lines which were given the RFC/RAF 'G'-number; and a full list of all Jasta, Marine and Kest pilot casualties in date order.
In addition there is a section on the colour markings of the Jastas, along with side drawings by Greg Van Wyngarden, showing how these markings were depicted. There is also a list of German WWI air aces and their scores.
Despite the span of nearly 80 years since WWI ended, this is the first book of its kind with a mass of information for the would-be air historian or air enthusiast, which will keep him or her occupied for hours and provide much interesting information on the Jastas of WWI.