Jagdstaffel 72

{{Short description|Fighter squadron of the air arm of the Imperial German Army}} {{Infobox military unit |unit_name= Jasta 72 | image= Fokker D.VII of Jasta 72 at Bergnicourt 1918.jpg | image_size = 300 |caption=The Fokker D.VIIs of Jagdstaffel 72 at Bergnicourt, France. [[Carl Menckhoff]]'s in foreground. |dates=1918 |country= [[Kingdom of Saxony]], [[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 Saxon Jagdstaffel 72''', commonly abbreviated to '''Jasta 72''', was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the ''[[Luftstreitkräfte]]'', the air arm of the [[Imperial German Army]] during [[World War I]]. The squadron would score over 58 aerial victories during the war, [[balloon buster|including three observation balloons downed]]. The unit's victories came at the expense of two killed in action, one wounded in action, and one taken prisoner of war.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=52}}

==History== Jasta 72 was founded on 11 February 1918, at ''Fliegerersatz-Abteilung'' ("Replacement Detachment") 8, [[Grossenhain]]. The new squadron became operational on 20 February 1918. On 2 March 1918, it was assigned to ''[[3rd Army (German Empire)|3 Armee]]''. On 28 March, it was moved to ''[[18th Army (German Empire)|18 Armee]]'' to become part of ''Jagdgruppe Nord''. On 1 April 1918, [[Carl Menckhoff]] scored the squadron's first aerial victory. On 7 July 1918, Jasta 72 was posted to ''[[1st Army (German Empire)|1 Armee]]''.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|pp=52–53}} The squadron continued to serve until the war's end.

==Commanding officers (''[[Staffelführer]]'')== * [[Carl Menckhoff]]: ca 11 February 1918 – 25 July 1918{{POW}} * Kurt Muller: ca 25 July 1918 – 23 October 1918 * [[Gustav Frädrich]]: 23 October 1918 – war's end{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|pp=52–53}}

==Duty stations== * Blaize: 2 March 1918 * [[Leffincourt]], France: 7 March 1918 * [[Bergnicourt]], France: 7 July 1918 * [[Thin-le-Moutier]], France: 10 October 1918{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=53}}

==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:Jagdstaffeln|72]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1918]] [[Category:1918 establishments in Germany]] [[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1918]] {{wwi-air}}