KITS 06/2021

Lt. Walter Blume, Jasta 9, Sissone, France, September 1918

Walter Blume was very interesting person not only as a WWI fighter, but also as the post-war aircraft designer. Born in Hirschberg (Jelenia

Góra, Poland today) he was just 18 at the outbreak of WWI and, as a member of the Jaeger battalion, was wounded early. He decided to

become a pilot afterwards and after the training he joined the Fliegertruppe in June 1915. After the spell with two-seaters, he was assigned to

the Jasta 26 in January 1917 and started his tally of 28 aerial victories there on May 10, 1917, downing an D.H.9. He had been wounded on November 29, 1917 and spent three months in hospital. Returning to the action he was appointed CO of Jasta 9 on March 5, 1918. On October

2, 1918 he was awarded Pour le Mérite and the same day he scored his penultimate 27th victory. After the war he became successful aircraft

designer working for Albatros and Arado and was a force behind the early German jets. Blume flew several D.VIIs with similar marking of the

black fuselage with stylized B letter. This one D.VII from early-mid production batch had half-white top wing and the white strip on the bottom

of the lower wing as the marks of his CO status.

INFO Eduard - June 2021

eduard

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