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Rudolf Berthold (24 March 1891 – 15 March 1920) was a German flying ace of World War I. Between 1916 and 1918, he shot down 44 enemy planes—16 of them while flying one-handed. Berthold's perseverance, bravery, and willingness to return to combat while still wounded made him one of the most famous German pilots of World War I. This article lists his aerial victories during the conflict.
Aerial victories credited to Rudolf Berthold
See also: Aerial victory standards of World War IUnconfirmed victories are denoted by "u/c". Confirmed victories are numbered and listed chronologically. Listings of single casualties are obviously of pilots. In victories over an air crew, pilot casualties are listed first, then the observer(s).
Accuracy of combat claims is always of concern when compiling victory lists. As the primary arena for aerial combat on the Western Front was over the German trenches and rear works, German aerial and ground observers could usually verify German victories in considerable detail.
Doubled horizontal lines in table denote changes in unit assignments.
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| No. | Date/time | Aircraft | Foe/Squadron | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 February 1916 | Fokker E.III serial number 411/15; Kampfeinsitzer Kommando Vaux, Die Fliegertuppen | Voisin LA; Escadrille VB.108 Aéronautique Militaire | Driven down | Chaulnes, France | Corporal Arthur Jacquin POW, Sous lieutenant Pierre Segaud KIA |
| 2 | 5 February 1916 | Fokker E.III s/n 411/15; Kampfeinsitzer Kommando Vaux, Die Fliegertuppen | Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2c s/n 4091; No. 13 Squadron RFC | Near Irles, France | Second lieutenant Leonard John Pearson POW; Second Lieutenant Edmund Heathfield Elliott Joe Alexander POW, WIA | |
| 3 | 13 March 1916 | Fokker E.III s/n 411/15; Kampfeinsitzer Kommando Vaux, Die Fliegertuppen | Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2c serial number 4151; No. 8 Squadron RFC | Near Bourlon, France | 2nd Lieutenant Michael Amyss Julian Orde WIA, POW; 1AM P. Shaw POW | |
| 4 | 1 April 1916 | Fokker E.III s/n 411/15; Kampfeinsitzer Kommando Vaux, Die Fliegertuppen | Farman F.40; Escadrille MF.54 Aéronautique Militaire | Set afire in midair | Near Lihons, France | Sergeant Louis Paoli KIA; Lieutenant Alfred Braut KIA |
| 5 | 16 April 1916 | Fokker E.III s/n 411/15; Kampfeinsitzer Kommando Vaux, Die Fliegertuppen | Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2c s/n 2097; No. 9 Squadron RFC | South of Maurepas, France | Second Lieutenant Wallace Sinclair Earle KIA; Second Lieutenant Cuthbert William Prideaux Selby WIA/POW | |
| 6 | 24 August 1916 | Fokker E.III s/n 411/15; Kampfeinsitzer Kommando Vaux, Die Fliegertuppen | Nieuport 17 s/n 1552; Escadrille N.37 Aéronautique Militaire | Péronne, France | Corporal Henri Dangueuger KIA | |
| 7 | 17 September 1916 | Unknown aircraft; Jagdstaffel 4, Die Fliegertuppen | Martinsyde G.100 s/n 7286; No. 27 Squadron RFC | Cambrai, France | Lieutenant William Hugh Stobart Chance POW | |
| u/c | 19 September 1916 | Unknown aircraft; Jagdstaffel 4, Die Fliegertuppen | Either Royal Aircraft Factory BE.12 s/n 6521 or Royal Aircraft Factory BE.12 s/n 6591; No. 19 Squadron RFC | Bapaume | Either Second Lieutenant Robert Douglas Herman POW/DOW, or Second Lieutenant Reginald Howard Edwards POW/DOW | |
| u/c | 22 September 1916 | Unknown aircraft; Jagdstaffel 4, Die Fliegertuppen | Royal Aircraft Factory BE.12 s/n 6544; No. 19 Squadron RFC | Bertincourt, France | ||
| u/c | 24 September 1916 @ 11:00 hours | Unknown aircraft; Jagdstaffel 4, Die Fliegertuppen | Nieuport 17; Escadrille N.103 Aéronautique Militaire | Midair collision | Rancourt, France | |
| 8 | 26 September 1916 @ 13:15 hours | Unknown aircraft; Jagdstaffel 4, Die Fliegertuppen | Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2c s/n 7079; No. 9 Squadron RFC | Bertincourt, France | Lieutenant Bernard Tarrant Coller KIA; Second Lieutenant Thomas Earle Gordon Scaife KIA | |
| 9 | 24 March 1917 | Albatros D.III s/n D.1717/16; Jagdstaffel 14, Luftstreitkräfte | Farman 40 s/n 4100; Escadrille F.7 Aéronautique Militaire | Aizy-Vailly | Corporal Jean Peinaud KIA; Lieutenant Marcel Vernes KIA | |
| 10 | 6 April 1917 @ 13:15 hours | Albatros D.III s/n D.2182/16; Jagdstaffel 14, Luftstreitkräfte | Caudron R.4 s/n 1559; Escadrille F.35 Aéronautique Militaire | Braye-en-Laonnois | Sous lieutenant Pierre Etienne Frederic Desbordes MIA; Lieutenant Jacques-Victor-Alexandre Borgolta MIA; Soldat Alexandre Joseph Lebleu MIA | |
| 11 | 11 April 1917 @ 11:45 hours | Albatros D.III s/n D.2182/16; Jagdstaffel 14, Luftstreitkräfte | SPAD VII s/n 370; Escadrille Spa.73 Aéronautique Militaire | Shot down | Corbeny, France | Adjutant Albert Barioz MIA |
| 12 | 14 April 1917 @ 12:00 hours | Albatros D.III s/n D.2182/16; Jagdstaffel 14, Luftstreitkräfte | Sopwith 1 A2; Escadrille N.73 Aéronautique Militaire | Bois de Beau Mavais | Sous lieutenant Antoine Arnoux de Maison-Rouge WIA/DOW; Sous lieutenant Robert Levi WIA | |
| 13 | 21 August 1917 @ 08:17 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Airco DH.4 s/n A7577; No. 57 Squadron RFC | Shot down | Diksmuide, Belgium | Lieutenant Cecil Barry KIA; Second Lieutenant Frederick Ewan Baldwin Falkiner KIA |
| 14 | 4 September 1917 @ 08:25 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8; No. 7 Squadron RFC | North of Ypres, Belgium | Second Lieutenant Thomas Ernest Wray KIA; Second Lieutenant Wilfred Stuart Lane Payne KIA | |
| 15 | 4 September 1917 @ 17:00 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 s/n A4372; No. 9 Squadron RFC | Returned to British lines | St. Jean (north of Ypres), Belgium | Second Lieutenant G. N. Moore WIA; /Lt. F. F. Munro unhurt |
| 16 | 5 September 1917 @ 15:28 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Airco DH.4 s/n A7530; No. 55 Squadron RFC | Shot down | Vicinity of Thielt | Lieutenant John William Fraser Neill WIA/POW; Second Lieutenant Thomas Milligan Webster WIA/POW |
| 17 | 15 September 1917 @ 14:10 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Airco DH.4 s/n A2130; No. 55 Squadron RFC | Zillebeke Lake, Belgium | Lieutenant Eric Edward Foster Loyd POW; Lieutenant Thomas G. Deason POW | |
| 18 | 16 September 1917 | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8; No. 6 Squadron RFC | Shot down | West of Becalaere | 2nd Lieutenant Herbert Haslam KIA; Lance Corporal Alfred John Linay KIA |
| 19 | 16 September 1917 @ 1825 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 s/n A.4728; No. 4 Squadron RFC | Shot down | Zonnebeke, Belgium | 2nd Lieutenant Leslie Glendower Humphries KIA; 2nd Lieutenant Frederick Laurie Steben WIA |
| 20 | 19 September 1917 @ 10:00 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 s/n B.3427; No. 4 Squadron RFC | Becelaere | 2nd Lieutenant John Syers Walthew KIA; Lieutenant Michael Charles Hartnett KIA | |
| 21 | 20 September 1917 @ 11:30 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Airco DH.5 s/n A.9179; No. 32 Squadron RFC | West of Menen, Belgium | 2nd Lieutenant William Oliver Cornish KIA | |
| 22 | 21 September 1917 @ 09:50 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Spad VII s/n B.3533; No. 19 Squadron RFC | West of Menen, Belgium | 2nd Lieutenant Frederick William Kirby KIA | |
| 23 | 22 September 1917 @ 09:00 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Bristol F.2b Fighter s/n A7205; No. 22 Squadron RFC | Zillebeke Lake, Belgium | 2nd Lieutenant Elvis Albert Bell KIA; 2nd Lieutenant Robert Emmett Nowell KIA | |
| 24 | 25 September 1917 @ 1630 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Spad VII s/n B3520; No. 19 Squadron RFC | Shot down | Gheluvelt | Lieutenant Bernard Alexander Powers KIA |
| 25 | 26 September 1917 @ 12:00 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Sopwith Camel s/n B2358; No. 70 Squadron RFC | Becelaere | Lieutenant Walter Harvey Russell Gould KIA | |
| 26 | 28 September 1917 @ 12:30 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Airco DH.5; No. 32 Squadron RFC | South of Zillebeke Lake, Belgium | Captain Alwayne Travers Loyd KIA | |
| 27 | 30 September 1917 @ 11:50 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Either Sopwith Pup s/n B.2185 or B.1768; No. 66 Squadron RFC | Deûlémont, France | ||
| 28 | 2 October 1917 @ 13:30 hours | Albatros D.III; Jagdstaffel 18, Luftstreitkräfte | Airco DH.4 s/n A.7581; No. 57 Squadron RFC | Roeselare, Belgium | 2nd Lieutenant Colin Geen Orr Mac Andrew KIA; 2nd Lieutenant Leicester Philip Sidney KIA | |
| 29 | 28 May 1918 @ 11:30 hours | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Nieuport 27; Escadrille Sop.278 Aéronautique Militaire | Crouy, northeast of Soissons | ||
| 30 | 29 May 1918 @ 1830 hours | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Spad XIII; Escadrille Spa.77 Aéronautique Militaire | South of Soissons | Sergente Andre Louis Maurice Gehin MIA | |
| 31 | 29 May 1918 @ 18:40 hours | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Salmson 2A2; Escadrille Sal.27 Aéronautique Militaire | Maréchal des logis Tussing MIA; Lieutenant Camille Lemmery WIA/POW | ||
| 32 | 5 June 1918 | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Airco DH.9 s/n C.6203; No. 103 Squadron RAF | Shot down | North of Saint-Just-en-Chaussée, France | Captain Henry Turner KIA; 2nd Lieutenant George Webb KIA |
| 33 | 11 June 1918 | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | French two-seater aircraft; Aéronautique Militaire | Shot down | ||
| 34 | 12 June 1918 | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Spad XIII; Escadrille Spa.96 Aéronautique Militaire | Corporal Jacques Monod DOW | ||
| 35 | 18 June 1918 @ 11:50 hours | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n C1923; No. 84 Squadron RAF | Villers-Bretonneux | Lieutenant Peter Nielsen KIA | |
| 36 | 18 June 1918 @ 11:55 hours | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D259; No. 84 Squadron RAF | Villers Bretonneux | 2nd Lieutenant Robert Joss Fyfe KIA | |
| 37 | 27 June 1918 @ 19:06 hours | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Bristol F.2b Fighter s/n C.935; No. 48 Squadron RAF | Shot down in flames | Villers Bretonneux | Lieutenant Edward Alec Foord KIA; Sergeant Leonard James KIA |
| 38 | 19 July 1918 | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Salmson 2A2; Escadrille Sal.40 Aéronautique Militaire | Observer landed aircraft | Vicinity of Soissons | Captain Henri Denis KIA; Lieutenant Chappius unhurt |
| 39 | 20 July 1918 @ 19:05 hours | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Two-seater; Aéronautique Militaire | Southeast of Dormans, France | ||
| 40 | 1 August 1918 @ 09:45 hours | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Salmson 2A2; 1st Aero Squadron USAAS | Fere-en-Tardenois, France | 1st Lieutenant William P. Erwin unhurt; 1st Lieutenant Earl B. Spencer WIA | |
| 41 | 9 August 1918 @ 18:00 hours | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Spad 16 two-seater; Escadrille Spa.289 Aéronautique Militaire | Crashed | Tricot, France | Aircrew KIA |
| 42 | 9 August 1918 @ 18:30 hours | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Spad 16 two-seater; Escadrille Spa.289 Aéronautique Militaire | Beaucourt-en-Santerre, France | Aircrew KIA | |
| 43 | 10 August 1918 @ 12:20 hours | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a; No. 32 Squadron RAF | Set afire in midair | Licourt, France | Lieutenant Peter Macfarlane KIA |
| 44 | 10 August 1918 @ 12:30 hours | Fokker D.VII; Jagdstaffel 15, Luftstreitkräfte | Airco DH.9 s/n B.9344; No. 49 Squadron RAF | Crashed in a cloud of dust | Ablaincourt, France | 2nd Lieutenant H. Hartley POW; Sergeant O. D. Beetham POW |
Sources: Basic information compiled from victory lists in Franks et al. 1993, pp. 71–72 and Kilduff 2012, pp. 138–140. Added references for air crew members' names in Notes column are from the narrative text of Kilduff. Citations for individual victories are also given above. List is complete.
Endnotes
- ^ Franks, et al. 1993, p. 71.
- Franks, et al. 1993, p. 6.
- ^ Kilduff 2012, p. 58.
- ^ Kilduff 2012, p. 178.
- ^ Franks et al., p. 72.
- Kilduff 2012, p. 60.
- Kilduff 2012, p. 69.
- Kilduff 2012, p. 70.
- Kilduff 2012, p. 72.
- Kilduff 2012, p. 73.
- ^ Kilduff 2012, p. 180.
- ^ Kilduff 2012, p. 91.
- ^ Kilduff 2012, p. 93.
- Kilduff 2012, p. 94.
- Kilduff 2012, p. 95.
- ^ Kilduff 2012, p. 96.
- Kilduff 2012, p. 97.
- Aerodrome listing for Loyd
- Kilduff 2012, pp. 101–102.
- ^ Kilduff 2012, p. 183.
- Kilduff 2012, p. 116.
- Kilduff 2012, p. 119.
- ^ Kilduff 2012, p. 120.
- Kilduff 2012, p. 121.
- ^ Kilduff 2012, p. 123.
- ^ Kilduff 2012, p. 124.
References
- Franks, Norman; Frank W. Bailey; Russell Guest. Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918. Grub Street, 1993. ISBN 0-948817-73-9, ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1.
- Kilduff, Peter. Iron Man: Rudolf Berthold: Germany's Indomitable Fighter Ace of World War I. Grub Street, 2012. ISBN 1-908117-37-0, ISBN 978-1-908117-37-3.