Jagdstaffel 27

{{Infobox military unit |unit_name= Jasta 27 |image= |caption= |dates=1917–1918 |country= [[German Empire]] |allegiance= |branch=''[[Luftstreitkräfte]]'' |type=Fighter squadron |role= |size= |command_structure= |garrison= |garrison_label= |nickname= |patron= |motto= |colors= |colors_label= |march= |mascot= |equipment= |equipment_label= |battles= [[World War I]] |anniversaries= |decorations= |battle_honours= |battle_honours_label= |disbanded= |flying_hours= |website=  |commander1= |commander1_label= |commander2= |commander2_label= |commander3= |commander3_label= |commander4= |commander4_label= |notable_commanders=  |identification_symbol= |identification_symbol_label= |identification_symbol_2= |identification_symbol_2_label= |identification_symbol_3= |identification_symbol_3_label= |identification_symbol_4= |identification_symbol_4_label=  |aircraft_attack= |aircraft_bomber= |aircraft_electronic= |aircraft_fighter=[[Albatros D.III]] |aircraft_helicopter= |aircraft_helicopter_attack= |aircraft_helicopter_cargo= |aircraft_helicopter_multirole= |aircraft_helicopter_observation= |aircraft_helicopter_transport= |aircraft_helicopter_trainer= |aircraft_helicopter_utility= |aircraft_interceptor= |aircraft_patrol= |aircraft_recon= |aircraft_trainer= |aircraft_transport= }} '''Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 27''' ({{langx|de|Königliche Preussische Jagdstaffel Nr. 27}}), commonly abbreviated to '''''Jasta'' 27''', was a "hunting group" ([[fighter squadron]]) of the ''[[Luftstreitkräfte]]'', the air arm of the [[Imperial German Army]] during [[World War I]].<ref name="theaerodrome">{{cite web |url=http://www.theaerodrome.com/services/germany/jasta/jasta27.php |title=Jasta 27 |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=18 December 2015}}</ref>

==Operational history== ===As an independent squadron=== Jasta 27 was formed on 5 February 1917 at [[Ghent]] with eight aircraft and pilots. ''Armee-Flug-Park 4'' (Army Flight Park 4) at Ghent contributed three aircraft and pilots to the foundation. Two aircraft and pilots were transferred in from both ''[[Jagdstaffel 8]]'' and ''[[Jagdstaffel 18]]''. The newly appointed ''[[Staffelfuhrer]]'' (Squadron commander), [[Hans von Keudell]], brought his own plane to the new unit, for the eighth aircraft. The newly formed unit moved forward to [[Gistel]].<ref name=van15>VanWyngarden, p. 15.</ref>

On 15 February 1917, Keudell led two of his pilots into combat in a three plane element of [[Albatros D.III]]s. He scored the first victory for the new squadron—his 12th overall—when he shot down a two-seater reconnaissance [[Nieuport]] from [[No. 46 Squadron RAF]]. He was also killed in action during the fight.<ref name=van15/>

The new squadron languished under its new commander; in three months, they suffered three casualties without scoring a further victory. On 17 May, seven victory ace [[Hermann Göring]] was transferred to command Jasta 27. Two days later, [[Helmut Dilthey]] also transferred in. He noted that there were only three combat-ready aircraft in the jasta; all were inferior in performance to enemy aircraft. Göring soon changed that. In his previous assignment, he had come under the patronage of [[Crown Prince Wilhelm]]. Using his influence, the new ''Staffelfuhrer'' got rid of the subpar [[Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft|Roland]] fighters equipping the unit, replacing them with Albatros D.IIIs and [[Albatros D.V]]s.<ref>VanWyngarden, pp. 11, 15.</ref>

On 19 June 1917, Jasta 27 completed its move from [[Bersée]], France—whence they supported [[6th Army (German Empire)|6th Armee]]—to [[Izegem]], Belgium, to support [[4th Army (German Empire)|4th Armee]]. There they strove for air superiority during the [[Battle of Passchendaele]], with Britain's elite [[No. 56 Squadron RAF|No. 56 Squadron]] their major opposition. Jasta 27 began to score victories. By 21 October 1917, the unit was credited with 28 air victories. Air activity lessened through year's end.<ref>VanWyngarden, pp. 15—16.</ref>

Jasta 27 were anticipating being equipped with new [[Fokker Dr.I]]s in early 1918, but too few of the triplanes were produced to completely equip the ''jasta''. On 2 February 1918, Jasta 27 was incorporated into a new fighter wing, ''[[Jagdgeschwader III]]'' (JG III). On 13 February, they co-located with the other squadrons joining JG III. By that time, they had about 40 victories to their credit.<ref>VanWyngardern, pp. 16-17.</ref>

===Service in a fighter wing===

Up until the end of the fighting in November 1918 Jasta 27 collectively accounted for 128 enemy aircraft and six [[observation balloon]]s, and suffered eleven killed in action, three killed in flying accidents, and one taken prisoner of war.<ref name="theaerodrome"/>

==Commanding officers== [[File:Göring.ogg|thumb|Film clip of Göring in the cockpit of a [[Fokker D.VII]]]] The following officers served as commanders (''[[Staffelführer]]'') of Jasta 27:<ref name="theaerodrome"/> # Lieutenant [[Hans von Keudell]]: 5 February 1917 – 15 February 1917<ref name=van15/> # Lieutenant Erich Wieland: 22 February 1917 – 17 May 1917 # Lieutenant [[Hermann Göring]]: 17 May 1917 – 28 July 1918 # Lieutenant [[Hermann Frommherz]]: 29 July 1918 – 11 November 1918

==Aces== The following aces served in Jasta 27, with the number of victories credited during that time.<ref name="theaerodrome"/> # [[Hermann Frommherz]] (22) # [[Rudolf Klimke]] (15) # [[Wilhelm Neuenhofen]] (15) # [[Hermann Göring]] (14) # [[Friedrich Noltenius]] (13) # [[Willi Kampe]] (8) # Albert Lux (8) # [[Helmut Dilthey]] (6) # [[Willy Kahle]] (6) # [[Ludwig Luer]] (4) # [[Franz Brandt]] (3) # [[Willi Rosenstein]] (2) # [[Hans von Keudell]] (1)

==References== {{reflist}}

==Bibliography== * VanWyngarden, Greg (2016). ''Aces of ''Jagdgeschwader'' III'', Osprey Publishing. {{ISBN|978-1-4728-0843-1}}

[[Category:Jagdstaffeln|27]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1917]] [[Category:1917 establishments in Germany]] [[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1918]] [[Category:Articles containing video clips]]