Aces of WW I
 

I asked this once before but no one knew.

Are any of the pistols (Lugers) of the WW I German Aces knowen to have survived?

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Perhaps one of the war history buffs who also collects Lugers and may have joined since you last asked this question can provide an answer now...

Gunner-You are probably already aware of this site, but anyway The Aerodrome is a site dedicated to WWl aviation. You want aces you'll find them there.

Thanks Bushrod.

I wasn't aware of the site. However, I will be taking a look at it!

Lock and Load! :D

Bushrod, went over to "Aerodrome". Neat site.

They didn't know a lot, however, Richofen did have a Luger on his person when he was removed from his aircraft. That luger was probably taken by the Australian Infantry. It may well be there today!

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Michigan Gunner-I saw your post over at the Airdrome. There are a lot of serious researchers there and if they don't have an answer, I doubt if anyone does. I like watches and "reportedly" a wristwatch was found on MvR, but it was "lost" and no one seems to know where it went. It could be sitting in a drawer or attic, the owner completely unaware of what they have. MvR started out as a cavalry officer so it's a safe bet he had a Luger. Was it issue or did officers have to buy their own? I'm not so sure he would've carried it while flying.

I guess WWl flyers really had to bundle up so a handgun would be difficult to get at. Except for the Germans at the end, there were no parachutes so they rode the plane in or jumped if their ac was hit. Who needs a survival kit? MvR was an avid hunter and probably appreciated firearms, but he doesn't seem like the desperate type who would fight to avoid capture(Frank Luke?). He was carrying French money so maybe he thought a payoff was the way to go. Mick Mannock vowed to shoot himself if his plane ever caught fire and carried a revolver. It did but no one know if he got to use his gun.

Bushrod, thanks for your insite. Since the folks on "Aerodrome" do know a lot about WW I aviation, I would think that MvR did have a Luger on his person for what ever reason. Perhaps it was to be for "signaling" among other things. Some of our WW II fliers carried a handgun for this purpose, attracting the attention of rescuers.

I don't know if German Officers purchased their own handguns or not. I know that English Officers did at some times.

BTW, my Luger is a DWM made in 1910. The first year of date stamps according to folks in this forum.

Lock and Load! :D

I can tell you a story about a 1916 DWM Luger that was offered to me a couple of years ago here in Canada.....The gun was almost mint with two matched mags and an original Holster...the guns ser # 1666 ??!!!...it was too much money at the time so I passed....the Family that had the gun got it from a relative that was in WW1 as a soldier.....a German fighter plane crash landed behind the Canadian lines...the pilot was uninjured...when the troops approached to capture him,the pilot pulled out his Luger and started shooting at them(not smart).....the Canadians shot him dead...and thats how the gun was captured....I cannot verify that story....It could well have have happened.....I guess I'll never know for sure!!

As did the German officers in WW2.

Balder