Max Immelmann

Max Immelmann
Max Immelmann in 1916
Nickname(s)	Der Adler von Lille (The Eagle of Lille)
Born	(1890-09-21)21 September 1890 Dresden
Died	18 June 1916(1916-06-18) (aged 25) Sallaumines
Allegiance	German Empire
Service/branch	Imperial German Army Luftstreitkräfte (Imperial German Army Air Service)
Years of service	1911 – 1912 (Army) 1914 – 1916 (Army Air Service)
Rank	Oberleutnant
Unit	Eisenbahnregiment Nr. 2, Eisenbahnregiment Nr. 1, FEA 2, FFA 10, FAA 62
Awards	Prussia: Pour le Mérite Iron Cross, First Class Iron Cross, Second Class Knight's Cross with Swords of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern Saxony: Military Order of St. Henry, Commander's Cross Military Order of St. Henry, Knight's Cross Albert Order, Knight 2nd Class with Swords Silver Friedrich August Medal Bavaria: Military Merit Order 4th Class with Swords Anhalt: Friedrich Cross Hamburg: Hanseatic Cross Germany: Army Pilot's Badge

Max Immelmann (21 September 1890 – 18 June 1916) PLM was the first German World War I flying ace. He was a pioneer in fighter aviation and is often mistakenly credited with the first aerial victory using a synchronized gun. He was the first aviator to win the Pour le Mérite, and was awarded it at the same time as Oswald Boelcke. His name has become attached to a common flying tactic, the Immelmann turn, and remains a byword in aviation. He is credited with 15 aerial victories.

Max Immelmann was born on 21 September 1890, in Dresden, to an industrialist father who died when Max was young. In 1905, he was enrolled in the Dresden Cadet School. He joined the Eisenbahnregiment (Railway Regiment) Nr. 2 in 1911 as an Ensign, in pursuit of a commission. He left the army in March 1912 to study mechanical engineering in Dresden. He returned to service on the outbreak of war, as a reserve officer candidate. He was assigned to Eisenbahnregiment Nr. 1, but soon transferred to aviation.

When World War I started, Immelmann was called to active service, transferred to the Luftstreitkräfte and was sent for pilot training at Johannisthal Air Field in November 1914. He was initially stationed in northern France.

Immelmann served as a pilot with Feldflieger Abteilung (Field Flier Detachment) 10 from February to April 1915, and then in FFA 62 by early May 1915. On several occasions he engaged in combat while flying the L.V.G. two-seaters with which his units were equipped, but never with any success. On 3 June 1915, he was shot down by a French pilot but managed to land safely behind German lines. Immelmann was decorated with the Iron Cross, Second Class for preserving his aircraft.