Max Ritter von Mulzer
| Max Ritter von Mulzer | |
|---|---|
 Max Ritter von Mulzer | |
| Born |
9 July 1893 Kimratshofen, Allgäu, Kingdom of Bavaria |
| Died |
26 September 1916 Valenciennes, France |
| Allegiance | Germany |
| Service/branch | Cavalry; aviation |
| Years of service | 1914 - 1916 |
| Rank | Leutnant |
| Unit | 8th Cavalry Regiment, FFA 4, FA 62, KEK Nord, KEK 'B', FA 32 |
| Awards | Pour le Merite, Military Order of Max Joseph, Iron Cross |
Leutnant Max Ritter von Mulzer was a World War I flying ace credited with ten aerial victories.[1] He was the first Bavarian fighter ace, first Bavarian ace recipient of the Pour le Merite, and first Bavarian knighted for his exploits.[2]
Biography
Mulzer graduated from cadet training with the Royal Bavarian Cadet Corps on 10 July 1914,[3] and was commissioned in the 8th Cavalry Regiment on 13 December 1914. He transferred to aviation on 20 August 1915. He was posted to FA 4 on 13 December, but soon joined Oswald Boelcke and Max Immelmann in FFA 62.[4] Indeed, Mulzer and Immelmann often flew together, and were referred to, respectively, as "Bavarian Max" and "Saxon Max" to differentiate them.[5] "Bavarian Max"'s first victory, on 13 March 1916, went unconfirmed, but he had three confirmed victories between 20 March and 31 May.[6] When FA 62 shipped out for service in Russia, Mulzer transferred to KEK Nord in June 1916[7] and tallied three more wins during the month,[8] with the second one occurring during the dogfight during which Immelmann was killed.
Mulzer then had a fleeting assignment to FFA 32, and went on to KEK 'B'. He scored twice for them, on 8 and 22 July; the eight victories were enough at that time to earn him the Blue Max.[9] He also received the Military Order of Max Joseph and thus became a non-hereditary knight. He moved on to FA 32, and scored twice more. While test flying an Albatros D.I from Flug Park 6 in Valenciennes, he crashed to his death.[10][11] On 26 September, the day after Kurt Wintgens died, Mulzer had a new airplane to test fly. Apparently prompted by news of his old comrade's death, Mulzer remarked, "Immelmann is dead. Parschau is dead, Wintgens is dead. Now I am next in line." Shortly thereafter, he sideslipped Albatros D.I s/n 426/16 into a hard bank, lost control, and crashed.[12]
Sources of information
- ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/mulzer.php Retrieved on 19 April 2010.
- ↑ Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps 1914 - 1918. p. 171.
- ↑ Early German Aces of World War I. p. 51.
- ↑ Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps 1914 - 1918. p. 171.
- ↑ Early German Aces of World War I. p. 52.
- ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/mulzer.php Retrieved on 19 April 2010.
- ↑ Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps 1914 - 1918. p. 171.
- ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/mulzer.php Retrieved on 19 April 2010.
- ↑ Early German Aces of World War I. p. 64.
- ↑ Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps 1914 - 1918. p. 171.
- ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/mulzer.php Retrieved on 19 April 2010.
- ↑ Early German Aces of World War I. pp. 82–83.
References
- Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps 1914 - 1918 Norman L. R. Franks, et al. Grub Street, 1993. ISBN 0-948817-73-9, ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1.
- Early German Aces of World War I. Greg VanWyngarden, Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2006. ISBN 1-84176-997-5, ISBN 978-1-84176-997-4.