# Jagdstaffel 17

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Jasta 17 Active 1916–1918 Country German Empire Branch Luftstreitkräfte Type Fighter squadron Part of Jagdgruppe Nord Engagements World War I

Military unit

**Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 17** was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the *[Luftstreitkräfte](/source/Luftstreitkr%C3%A4fte)*, the air arm of the [Imperial German Army](/source/Imperial_German_Army) during [World War I](/source/World_War_I). As one of the original German fighter squadrons, the unit would score 101 aerial victories[1] (including fourteen wins over enemy observation balloons) during the war, with another 22 of the squadron's claims going unconfirmed.[2]

The *Jasta* paid a price of ten killed in action, two lost in flying accidents, six wounded in action, and three injured in accidents.[3]

## History

Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 17 was formed at [Army Flugpark 5](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Army_Flugpark_5&action=edit&redlink=1) on 23 October 1916. It absorbed the pre-existing ad hoc [KEK Metz](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=KEK_Metz&action=edit&redlink=1). In August 1917, they became part of [Jagdgruppe Nord](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jagdgruppe_Nord&action=edit&redlink=1) along with [Kest 8](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kest_8&action=edit&redlink=1), [Jasta 2](/source/Jasta_2), [Jasta 20](/source/Jasta_20), and [Jasta 28](/source/Jasta_28). In March 1918, it was collated with [Jasta 22](/source/Jasta_22) and [Jasta 63](/source/Jasta_63) into [Jagdgruppe II](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jagdgruppe_2&action=edit&redlink=1); their former commander, [Rittmeister](/source/Rittmeister) von Brederlow succeeded to its command a bit later. By Summer 1918, Jasta 17 anchored [JGr II](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=JGr_II&action=edit&redlink=1), while the other squadrons in the group became [Jasta 48](/source/Jasta_48), [Jasta 53](/source/Jasta_53), and [Jasta 61](/source/Jasta_61). Jasta 17 fought until war's end. Two days later, they relocated to FEA 5, [Hannover](/source/Hanover). On 7 December 1918, they disbanded.[4]

## Commanding officers (*[Staffelführer](/source/Staffelf%C3%BChrer)*)

1. Heinz von Brederlow: 11 November 1916 - 10 May 1917

1. Eberhard von Seel: 10 May 1917 - 12 June 1917 [(KIA)](/source/Killed_in_action) (claimed by [René Paul Fonck](/source/Ren%C3%A9_Paul_Fonck))

1. Ernst Wendler: 19 June 1917 - 1 October 1917 ([WIA](/source/Wounded_in_action))

1. Rudolf von Esebeck: 4 October 1917 - 27 May 1918 [(KIA)](/source/Killed_in_action)

1. Hermann Pritsch (Acting CO): 29 May 1918 - 12 June 1918

1. Günther Schuster: 12 June 1918 - 1 August 1918 ([WIA](/source/Wounded_in_action))

1. [Julius Buckler](/source/Julius_Buckler): 1 August 1918 - 11 November 1918[2]

## Aerodromes

1. [Metz-Frescaty](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Metz-Frescaty&action=edit&redlink=1): 11 November 1916 – early March 1917

1. [St. Quentin-le-Petit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St._Quentin-le-Petit&action=edit&redlink=1): Early March 1917 – 24 June 1917

1. [Gistel](/source/Gistel), Belgium: 24 June 1917 – August 1917

1. [Wasquehal](/source/Wasquehal), France: August 1917 – November 1917

1. [Eringhem](/source/Eringhem), Belgium: November 1917 – December 1917

1. [Neuvilly](/source/Neuvilly), France: December 1917 – 28 December 1917

1. [Retheuil](/source/Retheuil), France: 28 December 1917 – Unknown[1]

1. [Douilly](/source/Douilly), France

1. [Balâtre](/source/Bal%C3%A2tre), France

1. [Erchau](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Erchau&action=edit&redlink=1)

1. [Mars-sous-Bourcq](/source/Mars-sous-Bourcq), France

1. [Vivaise](/source/Vivaise), France

1. [Chuffilly-Roche](/source/Chuffilly-Roche), France

1. [Malmy-Chéméry](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Malmy-Ch%C3%A9m%C3%A9ry&action=edit&redlink=1)[2]

1. [St. Medard](/source/St._Medard), Neufchâteau: Unknown – 13 November 1918[3]

## Notable members

[Julius Buckler](/source/Julius_Buckler) was the predominant ace of Jasta 17. He entered the unit as an enlisted man,[1] scored its first victory on 17 December 1916,[2] won the [Military Merit Cross](/source/Military_Merit_Cross_(Prussia)), rose through the ranks to be commissioned an officer,[1]and became not only its leading ace[2][1] but one of the leading German aces over all.[5] To top it off, he won the [Pour le Merite](/source/Pour_le_Merite),[6] was probably the only German ace to be wounded seriously enough times to receive the Golden [Wound Badge](/source/Wound_Badge),[7] and became the squadron's final *Staffelführer*.[1]

Not that he was the only notable among the unit's eight aces. There were [Gustav Schneidewind](/source/Gustav_Schneidewind) and [Christian Donhauser](/source/Christian_Donhauser) with a Military Merit Cross and an [Iron Cross](/source/Iron_Cross) apiece. The squadron's other aces were [Georg Strasser](/source/Georg_Strasser), Karl Bohny, [Alfred Fleischer](/source/Alfred_Fleischer), Otto Fitzner, and Günther Schuster[2]

## Aircraft

The new *Jasta* was equipped with at least one [Halberstadt D.II](/source/Halberstadt_D.II), several [Albatros D.II](/source/Albatros_D.II) and [Albatros D.IIIs](/source/Albatros_D.III) at inception.[3] [Albatros D.V](/source/Albatros_D.V) started to appear in July 1917, [Pfalz D.III](/source/Pfalz_D.III) and D.IIIas were received in October 1917 - end January 1918, two [Pfalz D.XII](/source/Pfalz_D.XII) and 12 [Fokker D.VII](/source/Fokker_D.VII) were on strength at the Armistice. [8]

## Operations

Jasta 17 originated on the front of the [5th Armee](/source/5th_Army_(German_Empire)). On 11 November 1916, it became operational to the [*Armee-Abteilung* A](/source/Armee-Abteilung_A) Sector. It switched to support of [7th Armee](/source/7th_Army_(German_Empire)) in early March 1917, then onward to support [1st Armee](/source/1st_Army_(German_Empire)). After its move northward on 24 June 1917 to Ghistelle, it supported [4th Armee](/source/4th_Army_(German_Empire)). By the end of 1917, the squadron was operating on [2nd Armee](/source/2nd_Army_(German_Empire))'s front.[1]

## In popular culture

Fictional War comic character [Enemy Ace](/source/Enemy_Ace) aka Baron Hans Von Hammer aka "The Hammer of hell" commands Jasta 17 in World War I.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFranksBaileyGuest199336_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFranksBaileyGuest199336_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFranksBaileyGuest199336_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFranksBaileyGuest199336_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFranksBaileyGuest199336_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFranksBaileyGuest199336_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFranksBaileyGuest199336_1-6) [Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993)](#CITEREFFranksBaileyGuest1993), p. 36.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-theaerodrome1_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-theaerodrome1_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-theaerodrome1_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-theaerodrome1_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-theaerodrome1_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-theaerodrome1_2-5) ["Jasta 17"](http://www.theaerodrome.com/services/germany/jasta/jasta17.php). *The Aerodrome*. 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFranksBaileyGuest199337_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFranksBaileyGuest199337_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFranksBaileyGuest199337_3-2) [Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993)](#CITEREFFranksBaileyGuest1993), p. 37.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFranksBaileyGuest199336–37_4-0)** [Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993)](#CITEREFFranksBaileyGuest1993), p. 36–37.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["World War I Aces of Germany"](http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/index.php?pageNum_names=1&totalRows_names=393). *The Aerodrome*. 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["World War I Military Medals and Decorations - Germany - Orden Pour le Mérite (Prussia)"](http://www.theaerodrome.com/medals/germany/prussia_opm.php?pageNum_recipients=1&totalRows_recipients=63#recipients). *The Aerodrome*. 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["World War I Military Medals and Decorations - Germany - Wound Badge"](http://www.theaerodrome.com/medals/germany/wb.php). *The Aerodrome*. 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** VanWyngarden, Greg (2013). *Aces of Jagdstaffel 17*. Osprey Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-78096-718-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-78096-718-9).

## Bibliography

- Bailleux, Yves & Cony, Christophe (November 2001). "As allemands 14/18: Georg Strasser et la Jasta 17" [German Aces of the Great War: Georg Strasser and Jasta 17]. *Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire* (in French) (104): 50–56. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1243-8650](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1243-8650).

- [Franks, Norman](/source/Norman_Franks); Bailey, Frank W. & Guest, Russell F. (1993). *Above The Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service, and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918*. London, UK: Grub Street. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-948817-73-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-948817-73-1).

- VanWyngarden, Greg (2013). *Aces of Jagdstaffel 17*. Osprey Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-78096-718-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-78096-718-9).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jagdstaffel 17](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdstaffel_17) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdstaffel_17?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.