KITS 04/2022

Ltn. Wilhelm Leusch, CO of Jasta 19, Florenville, Luxembourg, October 1918

Wilhelm Leusch, a native of Neuss near Dusseldorf,

was born on October 15, 1892,and joined the Luftstreitkräfte (Imperial German Flying Corps) in October 1914. He was flying two-seat aircraft at FFA Metz

and FFA 19 before he was transferred to Jasta 13 in

November 1916. Five months later he moved to Jasta

19 where he scored all of his five aerial victories and

replaced seriously injured von Beaulieu-Marconay

as CO of the unit on October 18, 1918. Wilhem Leusch

survived the Great War, but died on August 14, 1921,

in a gliding accident. Leusch was using this late production D.VII (OAW) in the closing stages of Great War.

When photographed after armistice, the aircraft had

the rudder painted white, but it was blue during October 1918 and had a rear view mirror mounted on the

upper wing center section. The white dragon, personal Leusch´s emblem was inspired by an advertising

for the Unterberg & Helmle company, producer of

engine ignition systems. The Jasta 19 unit markings

consisted of blue fuselage with yellow nose. The fuselage cross was oversprayed with blue but was still

faintly visible underneath. It is not known whether

the dragon was painted on the right side of the fuselage as well. We provide the decal for both sides and

the decision is up to the modeler.

No. 64441/18, Ltn. Max Näther, Jasta 62, Preutin-Higny, France, October 1918

Max Näther was born on August 24, 1899, in Tepliwoda (currently Ciepłowody in Poland) and he joined the

German military at the age of fifteen. In the summer

of 1917, he was by his own request assigned to the

Luftstreitkräfte. After training he was assigned to

Jasta 62 in March 1918, where he became CO of the

April 2022

unit on July 7, 1918. He held that post until the end of

the war. Within six months he achieved 26 victories

and at the end of the war was nominated for the

Pour le Mérite. Max Näther continued his military career after the armistice and took part in fighting over

the German – Polish border. There, he was shot down

and killed by Polish insurgents over the town of Kolmar (today's Chodzież in Poland) on January 8, 1919.

The fuselage of Jasta 62 aircraft were painted black

with a red nose section and wings left in factory five-color Flugzeugstoff finish. The Imperial German flag

was Näther's personal marking.

INFO Eduard

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