89:
252:). After surviving a case of typhoid fever, he fought on both the Eastern and Western fronts. Impressed by his valorous performance, his superiors returned him to school to finish his education. He was subsequently commissioned in 1916 shortly after his 18th birthday He was wounded in combat in France on 3 April 1916 After his recovery, he transferred to the German Army Air Service, or
220:, he initially struggled to gain his first aerial victories. Something clicked after his fifth victory, and he began to regularly shoot down enemy airplanes, scoring 35 victories between 1 July and 22 October 1918. Most notably, he shot down four SPADs on 26 September. He survived the war, but died in action in 1920 while combating communist revolutionaries near
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in 1918, Büchner came into his own; he flew at least three different machines during his career, scoring three victories in June and becoming
Commanding Officer of the squadron on 15 June. It was after his fifth victory that he landed and announced to his colleagues that he had now learned how to win
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On 10 August, Büchner's career nearly ended. While attacking and shooting down a two seater in bad flying weather, his plane's fuel tank was hit. Drenched in gasoline, he landed in no man's land and tagged along with two retreating German machine gunners The incident does not seem to have slowed him
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down in flames with just 14 rounds. His wingman, Leutnant Werner
Niethammer, cited this combat as an illustration of Büchner's skill as a marksman; according to Niethammer's account, Büchner had no sooner spotted the American than he had set the enemy aircraft on fire. This would be the last of his
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In
September Büchner scored 17 victories. On 10 October, Büchner survived a mid-air collision with a squadronmate; both of them parachuted to safety. He brought his tally to 40 victories by 22 October 1918. Three days later, he was belatedly awarded the
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Above the Lines: The Aces and
Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918
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305:, one of Germany's most dedicated soldiers. However, it was several months before he scored again, on 15 October.
425:, Prussia's highest military honor, Büchner also received the highest military honor of his home state, Saxony's
394:. Its lion's head insignia was cut from its fuselage as a souvenir, but was later lost in the Second World War.
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just after his 18th birthday, in early 1916. After being wounded and invalided from the infantry, he joined the
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in
September 1914, aged 16, after his elder brother Max was killed in action. Franz Büchner served in the
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during a reconnaissance flight near his hometown of
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seven victories in July. It was at this juncture that Büchner's brother Felix joined
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A Fokker D.VII. Büchner's had a golden lion's head on its royal blue fuselage.
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This article is about the German fighter ace. For the German pathologist, see
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433:), on 7 October 1918. Büchner's other decorations include the Prussian
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By March 1919, Büchner's Fokker D.VII was in the hands of the
American
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200:(2 January 1898 – 18 March 1920) was one of the most successful German
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In the turbulent postwar period the 22-year-old Büchner flew against
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On 2 July, he shot down and killed "The Mad Major", Irish ace Major
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1st and 2nd Class, the Knight's Cross with Swords of
Prussia's
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revolutionaries but was shot down and killed by members of the
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on 25 October 1918, one of the last awards before the Kaiser's
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Kgl. Sächsisches 7. Infanterie-Regiment König Georg Nr. 106
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down. It was the second of his eight victories in August.
216:. Once he progressed to become a fighter pilot flying a
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840:Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)
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445:, and the Knight's Cross with Swords of Saxony's
313:in aerial combat. It was a prescient statement.
845:Recipients of the Iron Cross (1914), 1st class
246:106th (7th Royal Saxon) Infantry "King George"
441:, the Knight's Cross with Swords of Saxony's
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757:Franks, Norman; VanWyngarden, Greg (2003).
738:; Bailey, Frank W.; Guest, Russell (1993).
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778:Jagdgeschwader Nr II: Geschwader Berthold
355:On 29 July 1918 Büchner shot an American
277:List of aerial victories of Franz Büchner
718:Buechner's page in World War I history.
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281:Aerial victory standards of World War I
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695:"Royal House Order of Hohenzollern"
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616:Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993)
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439:Royal House Order of Hohenzollern
166:Royal House Order of Hohenzollern
815:20th-century Freikorps personnel
780:. Oxford UK: Osprey Publishing.
761:. Oxford UK: Osprey Publishing.
759:Fokker D VII Aces of World War I
577:Franks & VanWyngarden (2003)
553:Franks & VanWyngarden (2003)
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830:Military personnel from Leipzig
285:In March 1917 Büchner became a
820:German World War I flying aces
188:brother Max KIA; brother Felix
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653:"Military Order of St. Henry"
308:With the introduction of the
776:VanWyngarden, Greg (2005).
431:Militär-St. Heinrichs-Orden
427:Military Order of St. Henry
301:, he found his niche under
214:Imperial German Air Service
175:Military Order of St. Henry
21:Franz Büchner (pathologist)
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825:Luftstreitkräfte personnel
742:. London UK: Grub Street.
274:
271:Service as a fighter pilot
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256:, and was assigned as an
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723:World War I parachutists
289:, joining the Prussian
126:106th Infantry Regiment
676:. www.theaerodrome.com
655:. www.theaerodrome.com
535:. www.theaerodrome.com
479:. www.theaerodrome.com
417:Decorations and awards
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210:battlefield commission
697:. www.theaerdrome.com
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104:Years of service
342:No. 209 Squadron RAF
328:in a solo attack on
265:Fliegerabteilung 270
232:Büchner was born in
129:Fliegerabteilung 270
640:VanWyngarden (2005)
630:, pp. 112–114.
628:VanWyngarden (2005)
601:VanWyngarden (2005)
589:VanWyngarden (2005)
565:VanWyngarden (2005)
520:VanWyngarden (2005)
392:138th Aero Squadron
324:, who was flying a
322:No. 87 Squadron RAF
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172:1st and 2nd Class
787:978-1-84176-727-7
768:978-1-84176-533-4
749:978-0-948817-73-1
618:, pp. 86–87.
579:, pp. 57–59.
238:Kingdom of Saxony
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699:. Retrieved
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674:"Iron Cross"
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421:Besides the
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228:Early career
218:Fokker D.VII
202:fighter aces
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179:Albert Order
148:Battles/wars
68:Near Leipzig
64:(1920-03-18)
810:1920 deaths
805:1898 births
443:Merit Order
258:observation
152:World War I
799:Categories
729:References
701:2009-07-25
680:2009-07-25
659:2009-07-25
539:2009-07-25
533:"Jasta 13"
483:2009-07-25
435:Iron Cross
380:abdication
275:See also:
170:Iron Cross
94:Saxon Army
73:Allegiance
453:Citations
399:communist
185:Relations
107:1914–1920
54:, Germany
50:Leipzig,
138:Commands
116:Leutnant
81:Service/
411:Harburg
236:in the
234:Leipzig
222:Leipzig
204:of the
76:Germany
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158:Awards
83:branch
263:with
261:pilot
782:ISBN
763:ISBN
744:ISBN
279:and
242:army
122:Unit
112:Rank
59:Died
45:Born
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