{{infobox military unit |unit_name= Jasta 46 |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= <!-- Commanders --> |commander1= |commander1_label= |commander2= |commander2_label= |commander3= |commander3_label= |commander4= |commander4_label= |notable_commanders= <!-- Insignia --> |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 --> |aircraft_attack= |aircraft_bomber= |aircraft_electronic= |aircraft_fighter= |aircraft_interceptor= |aircraft_patrol= |aircraft_recon= |aircraft_trainer= |aircraft_transport= }} '''Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 46''' was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the ''[[Luftstreitkräfte]]'', the air arm of the [[Imperial German Army]] during [[World War I]]. As one of the original German fighter squadrons, the unit would score 20 confirmed aerial victories over enemy observation balloons,{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=46}} plus thirty more over enemy aircraft.<ref name="theaerodrome">{{cite web |url=http://www.theaerodrome.com/services/germany/jasta/jasta46.php |title=Jasta 46 |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=18 December 2015}}</ref> The ''Jasta'' paid a price of ten killed in action, one lost in a flying accident, six wounded in action, and three injured in accidents.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=46}}<ref name="theaerodrome"/>
==History==
Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 46 was formed at FEA [[Graudenz]] on 11 December 1917. It mobilized on Christmas Day, under command of ''Leutnant'' [[Rudolf Matthaei]], brought in from [[Jasta 5]] for that purpose. It scored its first aerial victory on 12 February 1918. After Matthaei's death, a new commander was imported from [[Jasta 39]], only to be [[killed in action]]. Leutnant Creutzmann was then assigned in from [[Jasta 43]] and survived and served until war's end.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=46}}
==Commanding officers (''[[Staffelführer]]'')== # Rudolf Matthaei: 25 December 1917 – 17 April 1918 (Killed in flying accident) # Josef Loeser: 23 April 1918 – 3 June 1918{{KIA2}} # [[Otto Creutzmann]]: 5 June 1918 – 11 November 1918<ref name="theaerodrome"/>
==Aerodromes== # Graudenz: 11 December 1917 – 29 December 1917 # [[Ascq]], [[Lille]], France: 29 December 1917 – 12 March 1918 # [[Bévillers]], France: 12 March 1918 – 23 March 1918 # [[Liéramont]], France: 23 March 1918 – 31 July 1918 # [[Moislains]], France: 31 July 1918 – October 1918 # [[Villers-Sire-Nicole]], France: October 1918 – 11 November 1918<ref name="theaerodrome"/>
==Notable members== * [[Oskar Hennrich]] [[Military Merit Cross (Prussia)|MMC]], [[Iron Cross]], top ace in squadron and [[balloon buster]] ace.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/hennrich.php |title=Oskar Hennrich |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=19 December 2015}}</ref> * [[Robert Heibert]]: MMC, Iron Cross.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/heibert.php |title=Robert Heibert |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=19 December 2015}}</ref> * [[Helmut Steinbrecher]]: Iron Cross, first pilot to successfully deploy a parachute in combat.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/steinbrecher.php |title=Helmut Steinbrecher |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=19 December 2015}}</ref> * [[Otto Creutzmann]]: Iron Cross. * Rudolf Matthaei: Iron Cross.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/matthaei.php |title=Rudolf Matthaei |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=19 December 2015}}</ref>
==Aircraft== The Jasta flew the [[Albatros D.V]]a and [[Pfalz D.III]]a, but the [[Fokker D.VII]]<ref name="theaerodrome"/> was the predominant aircraft used by the squadron.
==Operations==
After going operational on 25 December 1917, the Jasta became part of [[Jagdgruppe Nord]]{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=46}} four days later.<ref name="theaerodrome"/> JG Nord, founded in January 1918, also contained [[Jasta 18]] (before [[Rudolf Berthold]]'s departure) and [[Jasta 57]], and was tasked to ''[[6th Army (German Empire)|6th Armee]]''.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=46}}On 12 March 1918,<ref name="theaerodrome"/> Jasta 46 transferred to ''[[Jagdgruppe 2]]'', joining [[Jasta 5]] there. Jasta 46 would anchor JG 2 through war's end, even as [[Jasta 37]] joined the ''Gruppe''.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=46}}
==Surviving aircraft==
The only known surviving aircraft from Jasta 46 in the 21st century appears to be the restored [[Albatros D.V]]a owned by the Smithsonian's [[National Air and Space Museum]], noted as being from Jasta 46 due to the squadron's characteristic pine green and yellow diagonal striping on the rear fuselage and tail surfaces uncovered through restoration and vintage photos.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?object=nasm_A19500092000 |title=Albatros D.Va |work=National Air and Space Museum |year=2015 |access-date=19 December 2015 |archive-date=21 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151221083726/http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?object=nasm_A19500092000 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==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}}
{{Jastas}}
[[Category:Jagdstaffeln|46]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1917]] [[Category:1917 establishments in Germany]] [[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1918]] {{wwi-air}}