Jagdstaffel 32

{{short description|Group within the Imperial German Army}} {{Infobox military unit |unit_name=Jasta 32 |image=Am Flugplatze (BildID 15531513).jpg |caption=The Roland D.II was Jasta 32's original model of aircraft. |dates=1916–1918 |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= |aircraft_interceptor= |aircraft_patrol= |aircraft_recon= |aircraft_trainer= |aircraft_transport= }} '''Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 32''', commonly abbreviated to '''Jasta 32''', was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the [[German Empire|German]] ''[[Luftstreitkräfte]]'', the air arm of the [[Imperial German Army]] during [[World War I]]. The unit would score 41 aerial victories during the war, including four enemy [[observation balloons]]. In turn, they would suffer the expense of eight killed in action, five killed in flying accidents, four wounded in action, two injured in accidents, and one taken prisoner of war.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=42}}<ref>[https://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/album.php?albumid=313&pictureid=3373 JAsta 32 plane shot down by Guynemer 16 March 1917]</ref>

==History== Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 32 was formed on 14 December 1916 at FEA 9 in [[Darmstadt]]. It was operational by 22 February 1917. It would not score its first aerial victory until 4 July 1917. By September, it had been assigned to ''Jagdgruppe von Braun''.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=42}}

Jasta 32 moved to the ''[[17th Army (German Empire)|17 Armee]]'' front in March 1918 as part of ''[[Jagdgruppe 8]]''. A change to ''[[Jagdgruppe 4]]'' followed in September 1918. It ended its war in support of ''[[2nd Army (German Empire)|2 Armee]]''. The squadron disbanded ten days after war's end, on 21 November 1918, at FEA 2, [[Fürth]].{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=42}}

==Commanding officers (''[[Staffelführer]]'')== # Heinrich Schwandner: transferred in from ''Schutzstaffel 27'' on 23 February 1917 – 16 March 1917{{KIA2}} # Bartholomäus Schröder: 17 March 1917 – 30 June 1917 # [[Otto Schmidt (aviator)|Otto Schmidt]]: transferred in from [[Jasta 7]] on 30 June 1917 – transferred out to [[Jagdstaffel 29|Jasta 29]] on 19 August 1917 # Hans Auer: 19 August 1917{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=42}} – 19 October 1917 # [[Eduard Ritter von Schleich]]: 23 October 1917<ref name="theaerodrome">{{cite web |url=http://www.theaerodrome.com/services/germany/jasta/jasta32.php |title=Jasta 32 |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=18 December 2015}}</ref> – 10 January 1918 # Johann Czermak: 10 January 1918 – 23 July 1918 # Emil Koch (WIA): 23 July 1918 – 24 October 1918{{WIA}} # [[Hans Böhning]]: 1 November 1918 – 11 November 1918{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=42}}

==Aerodromes== # Darmstadt, Germany: 14 December 1916 – 21 February 1917 # [[Brulange]]: 22 February 1917<ref name="theaerodrome"/> – 9 March 1917 # [[Chéry-lès-Pouilly]]: 9 March 1917{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=42}} – June 1917 # [[Avanson]]: June 1917 – 30 June 1917 # [[Landreville]]: 30 June 1917 – 21 September 1917 # [[Boulin]] Ferme: 21 September 1917 – 20 October 1917 # Chéry-les-Pouilly: 21 October 1917 – 1 February 1918 # [[Guesnain]]: 1 February 1918 – 28 March 1918 # [[Favreuil]], Bapaume: 28 March 1918 – 18 April 1918 # [[Epinoy]]: 18 April 1918 – 8 August 1918 # [[Villers-au-Tertre]]: 8 August 1918 – 28 August 1918 # [[Villers-St.-Armand]]: 28 August 1918 – 29 September 1918 # [[Buhl-Lorraine|Bühl]]: 29 September 1918 – 12 October 1918 # [[Harmignies]]: 12 October 1918 – 28 October 1918 # [[Gosselies]]: 28 October 1918 – 11 November 1918 # [[Trier]]: 11 November 1918<ref name="theaerodrome"/> # Fürth: Disbanded on 21 November 1918.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=42}}

==Notable members== [[Rudolf Windisch]] was the most notable of the aces who served in Jasta 32. He won his second through eighth victories with the squadron, before he left to command [[Jasta 66]] and win the ''[[Pour le Mérite]]'' ("The Blue Max"). He was unique in that he was the only pilot of the war to win the Prussian [[Order of the Crown (Prussia)|Order of the Crown]], Fourth Class with Swords.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=42}}<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/windisch.php |title=Rudolf Friedrich Otto Windisch |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=22 December 2015}}</ref>

Eduard Ritter von Schleich was another Blue Max winner; he either commanded Jasta 32 or the Jagdgruppes (fighter wings) to which it belonged, for almost a year of the squadron's short existence, although he won no victories flying with the unit.<ref name="schleich">{{cite web |url= http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/schleich.php |title=Eduard Ritter von Schleich |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=22 December 2015}}</ref> [[Hans Böhning]] was another honoured ace who commanded the unit without scoring, although his window of opportunity was only ten days.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=42}}<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/bohning.php |title=Hans Böhning |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=22 December 2015}}</ref>

Other [[flying aces]] who served with the squadron included Hans Auer, [[Otto Schmidt]], Fritz Kieckhäfer, [[Hans Rolfes]], Helmut Brünig, [[Arno Benzler]], and Emil Koch.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=42}}

==Aircraft== Originally equipped with [[Roland D.II]]s, but [[Albatros Flugzeugwerke|Albatros]] fighters were also used by the unit. They were later re-equipped with [[Fokker Dr.I]] triplanes, and finally with [[Fokker D.VII]]s, the premier fighter planes of the war. Markings generally included engine cowlings painted Bavarian blue on the Jasta's aircraft.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=42}} Schleich's aircraft were exceptional; they were all-black.<ref name="schleich"/>

==Operations== After mobilization on 22 February 1917, the new squadron began operations in support of [[Armee-Abteilung A|''Armee-Abteilung'' A]] Sector. On 1 June 1917, the [[Jasta]] shifted to Avancon and support of ''[[7th Army (German Empire)|7 Armee]]''. By September, it had been assigned to ''Jagdgruppe von Braun'', along with [[Jasta 13]], [[Jagdstaffel 14|Jasta 14]], [[Jasta 16]], [[Jasta 21]], [[Jasta 22]], [[Jasta 23]], and [[Jasta 34]]. It switched to support ''[[17th Army (German Empire)|17 Armee]]'' as part of [[Jagdgruppe 8]], commanded by von Schleich; Jasta 23, [[Jasta 35]], and [[Jasta 39]] also belonged to JG 8. By the end of September, Jasta 32 was based at Buhl as part of [[Jagdgruppe 4]], which was then commanded by von Schleich, and also contained Jastas 23, 34, and 35. Jasta 32 spent the last two months of the war, October and November 1918, in support of ''[[2nd Army (German Empire)|2 Armee]]''. It moved to Trier on the final day of the war.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=42}}

==References== {{reflist}} ;Bibliography * {{cite book |first1=Norman |last1=Franks |author-link1=Norman Franks |first2=Frank W. |last2=Bailey |first3=Russell F. |last3=Guest |title=Above The Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service, and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918 |location=London, UK |publisher=Grub Street |year=1993 |isbn=978-0-948817-73-1 |name-list-style=amp}}

[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1916]] [[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1918]] [[Category:Jagdstaffeln|32]] [[Category:1916 establishments in Germany]] [[Category:Military units and formations of Bavaria]]