August Delling
{{Short description|German World War I flying ace}}
{{Infobox military person
| name =August Delling
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = 19 October 1895
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1962|6|17|1895|10|19}}
| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial =
| birth_place = Braunetsrieth, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire
| death_place = Battenberg
| placeofburial_coordinates =
| nickname =
| allegiance =Germany
| branch =Artillery; aviation
| serviceyears =1914-1918
| rank = Leutnant
| unit =Jagdstaffel 34
| commands =
| battles =
| awards = Military Merit Order;
Iron Cross
| relations =
| laterwork =
}}
Leutnant August Delling was a German World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.
Early life and service in artillery
On 19 October 1895, August Delling was born on a farm at Braunetsrieth in northeastern Bavaria. As World War I began, Delling joined the Bavarian artillery service in August 1914. By September, he was an Unteroffizier. On 1 September 1916, he was commissioned as a Leutnant and placed in command of an artillery unit.Franks et al 1993 p. 97.
World War I aerial service
On 25 June 1917, Delling transferred to the Luftstreitkräfte (German Air Service). He underwent pilot's training at the Bavarian Jastaschule 2 in Furth. Upon graduation, on 16 March 1918 he was posted direct to a fighter squadron, Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 34. In accordance with German custom, Delling was allowed to mark his own Albatros D.V, serial numbered D.4483/17. Over the basic silvery white of the fuselage went a light red wash from nose to cockpit, with the same red in a wide band around the fuselage. Wings remained standard five-color lozenge camouflage. The tailplane maintained its stock coloring of green and lavender on top, but the undersides were light blue and the rudder was painted white.Franks 2000, pp. 95-96. Note: An old bullet hole in the reddish band was marked with a cockade and the date 4 April 1918. Delling is also known to have operated a third or fourth hand Fokker Dr.I triplane, though probably without his personal markings.Franks, VanWyngarden 2001, pp. 86-87.
Between 6 April and 23 June 1918, Delling was credited with five confirmed aerial victories, but denied confirmation on a sixth credited to an anti-aircraft unit. On 3 August 1918, Delling left combat duty with Jasta 34 because of ill health. He would recoup to fly again as an instructor at Bavaria's Fliegerersatz-Abteilung (Replacement Detachment) 2.
Post World War I
Honors and awards
- Kingdom of Bavaria's Military Merit Order (Fourth Class with Swords)
- Iron Cross Second and First Class.
Sources of information
{{reflist}}
References
- Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank W.; Guest, Russell. 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}}.
- Franks, Norman. Albatros Aces of World War 1. Part 1 of Albatros Aces of World War I. Osprey Publishing, 2000. {{ISBN|1-85532-960-3}}, {{ISBN|978-1-85532-960-7}}.
- Norman Franks, Greg VanWyngarden. Fokker Dr I Aces of World War I. Osprey Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN|1-84176-223-7}}, {{ISBN|978-1-84176-223-4}}.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Delling, August}}
Category:German World War I flying aces
Category:Luftstreitkräfte personnel
Category:People from Neustadt an der Waldnaab (district)
Category:Military personnel from the Kingdom of Bavaria