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Name: Friedrich "Fritz" Friedrichs Balloon-Buster
Knight's Cross with Swords of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern
Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class		 Friedrich Friedrichs
Country: Germany
Rank: Leutnant
Units: FA(A) 264
Jasta 10
Victories: 21
Born: 21 February 1895
Place of Birth: Spork, Westphalia
Died: 15 July 1918 Killed In Action
Place of Death: Arcq
 
 
Friedrich Friedrichs was one of the German balloon-busters. Before his transfer to the German Air Force in 1917, he served with infantry regiments until a disabling wound left him unfit for duty. By the start of 1918, Friedrichs was flying single seat aircraft with Jasta 10. More than half of his confirmed victories were against enemy balloons. On the day he died, his Fokker D.VII (309/18) burst into flames when the incendiary bullets he used for attacking balloons exploded. As he baled out of the burning Fokker, his parachute caught and tore on the tailplane. Fritz Friedrichs fell to his death, just days before he was to have been awarded the Orden Pour le Mérite.
 
Victories
Date Time Unit Aircraft Opponent Location
u/c 18 Mar 1918 Jasta 10   Sopwith Camel Awoingt
1 21 Mar 1918 1355 Jasta 10   Balloon Ruyalcourt
2 27 Mar 1918 1030 Jasta 10   S.E.5a N of Pozieres
3 03 May 1918 1850 Jasta 10   D.H.9 Fontaine-Les Cappy
4 15 May 1918 0815 Jasta 10   Sopwith Camel NW of Albert
5 18 May 1918 0730 Jasta 10   Balloon Ransart
6 28 May 1918 1730 Jasta 10   Balloon S of Chavigny
7 05 Jun 1918 1120 Jasta 10   Balloon N of Villers-Cotterêts
8 05 Jun 1918 2010 Jasta 10   Balloon N of Villers-Cotterêts
9 06 Jun 1918 0725 Jasta 10   Balloon S of Dormans
10 08 Jun 1918 0710 Jasta 10   Balloon Rosnay
11 09 Jun 1918 1630 Jasta 10   Bréguet 14 W of Villers Allerend
12 16 Jun 1918 0700 Jasta 10   Balloon Vendresse
13 23 Jun 1918 0945 Jasta 10   SPAD W of Fossoy
14 25 Jun 1918 2040 Jasta 10   Balloon Rocheswald
15 27 Jun 1918 0900 Jasta 10   SPAD La Ferté Milon
16 27 Jun 1918 1300 Jasta 10   SPAD Neuilly
17 28 Jun 1918 0830 Jasta 10   SPAD Longpont
18 30 Jun 1918 1040 Jasta 10   Balloon Fleury
19 30 Jun 1918 1555 Jasta 10   Balloon Château Thierry
20 02 Jul 1918 0820 Jasta 10   Nieuport 28 Etrepilly
u/c 08 Jul 1918 1230 Jasta 10   Nieuport 28 S of Sarcy
 
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