Widely known as the ‘Eagleof Lille’, Max Immelmann rose from obscure middle class in one short year instep with his advancing fame as a fighter pilot of the revolutionary Fokker El. He was serving with Feldflegeraoteilung 62 at Douai under Hauptmann Kastnerand Oswald Boelcke in 1915 when the first E.Is became available. Taught by Boelcke to fly and fight in the new aircraft, Immelmann scored a total of 15 victories, his fighter permitting the use of a climbing manoeuvre that was to bear his name.
Two early recipients of the Fokker E.I were Max Immelman and Oswald Boelcke of Feldflieger Abteilung 67. On August 1st, 1915 Lieutenant Max Immelmann achieved his first air combat victory flying a Fokker. At the end of October Immelmann and Boelcke gained their fifth and sixth victories respectively.
With Boelcke and other pilots operating in the Lille area, Immelmann did much to create the famous ‘Fokker scourge’ in 1915-6, but on 18 June 1916 he was shot down in combat with F.E.2bs and killed by Lieut G R. McCubbin of No. 25 Squadron, RFC. His plane broke up and fell near Lens.
The formal title of Max Immelmann at the time of his death was:
The Royal Saxon Reserve-Lieutenant Herr Max Immelmann, Commander of the Order of St Heinrich, Knight of the Order pour le Mérite, Knight of the Iron Cross, First and Second Class, Knight of the Military Order of St Heinrich, Knight of the Albrecht Order with Swords, Knight of the Höhenzollern House Order with Swords, Knight of the Bavarian Order of Military Merit with Swords, Holder of the Iron Cresent, Holder of the Imbian Medal in Silver, Holder of the Friedrich August Medal in Silver, and Holder of the Hamburg Hanseatic Cross.
All Aero 