Died after 1933 Name Rudolf Stark Rank Leutnant | Service/branch Cavalry; aviation Allegiance Germany | |
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Born 11 February 1897 ( 1897-02-11 ) Commands held | ||
Leutnant Rudolf Stark (11 February 1897 – after 1933) was a World War I flying ace credited with eleven confirmed and five unconfirmed aerial victories.
Stark originally served heroically in the 2nd Royal Bavarian Uhlans King, winning his native Bavaria's Military Merit Order on 29 September 1915 and the Second Class Iron Cross on 11 June 1916. He switched to aviation; his first assignment was to FAA 296, a reconnaissance unit, on 15 November 1917. Stark requested a transfer to fighter duty, was sent to Jastachule II, and was transferred to Jasta 34 on 18 January 1918. He was notably one of the eyewitnesses to the landing of the famous German flying ace Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron; he witnessed Richthofen make a smooth landing, in a field on a hill near the Bray-Corbie road, just north of Vaux-sur-Somme. By the time he was promoted to acting commander of Jasta 77, on 24 May 1918, he was an ace, with five victories confirmed and one unconfirmed claim. He had only one of three victory claims approved while he led 77. On 7 June, he received command of Jasta 35. Beginning 1 July, he shot down five more enemy planes, using a Fokker Dr.I designated by a lilac engine cowling and lilac band around its fuselage. He was wounded in action on 16 September, but carried on right up to his final victory two days before the Armistice.
Stark wrote Wings of War: an Airman's Diary of the Last Year of World War One in 1933.