Heinrich Kostrba

Name:

Heinrich Kostrba

Country:

Austro-Hungarian Empire

Rank:

Hauptmann

Units:

Flik 4, 23

Victories:

Born:

22 October 1883

Place of Birth:

Prague, Czechoslovakia

Died:

24 September 1926

Place of Death:

Prague, Czechoslovakia

Kostrba joined the Austrian army and served in the infantry before his transfer to aviation. He became a pilot in October 1914 and was sent to the Italian front. He was the first Austro-Hungarian ace to down three enemy aircraft in one day. When the war ended, Kostrba founded the Czechoslovakian Flying Corps and was its first commanding officer.

Victories

	Date	Time	Unit	Aircraft	Opponent	Location
1	18 Feb 1916	0845	Flik 4	Fokker E.I (03.51)	Caproni Ca.I ³	Palmanova
2	18 Feb 1916	0925	Flik 4	Fokker E.I (03.51)	Caudron	Near Monfalcone
3	18 Feb 1916	0950	Flik 4	Fokker E.I (03.51)	Caproni Ca.I ⁴	Merna
4	07 Jun 1916	0930	Flik 23	Hansa-Brandenburg C.I (26.09) ¹	Farman	SE of Borghetto
5	29 Jun 1916	0715-0820	Flik 23	Hansa-Brandenburg C.I (26.09) ¹	Farman	Leogra Valley
6	29 Jun 1916	0715-0820	Flik 23	Hansa-Brandenburg C.I (26.09) ¹	Farman	Val Ronchi
7	29 Jun 1916	0715-0820	Flik 23	Hansa-Brandenburg C.I (26.09) ¹	Farman	E of Vignola
8	20 Aug 1916		Flik 23	Hansa-Brandenburg C.I (26.09) ²	Farman	Arsiero

1	Observer Oblt Johann Frint
2	SharedNo observer
2	Shared with Hptm M Bernath
3	Shared

Books

Above the War Fronts: by Norman L. R. Franks, Russell Guest, Gregory Alegi / Hardcover / Grub Street (September 1997)
Air Aces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire 1914-1918: by Dr. Martin O'Connor / Hardcover / Flying Machines Press (January 1986)
Austro-Hungarian Aces of World War 1: by Chris Chant, Mark Rolfe (Illustrator) / Paperback / Osprey Publishing (February 25, 2002)