Max Näther (1899–1919) was a German First World War fighter ace credited with 26 confirmed aerial victories. Between 16 May and 29 October 1918, he shot down 16 enemy airplanes, including 11 first-rate fighters—ten SPAD S.XIIIs and a Sopwith Dolphin. He also destroyed ten observation balloons;The Aerodrome webpage on Max Näther they were crucial artillery observation and direction posts. As such, they were so heavily defended that attacks on them were considered near-suicidal. In addition to carefully calibrated antiaircraft guns defending these posts, a fighter patrol usually lurked nearby to pounce on intruders.
The victory list
The victories of Max Näther are reported in chronological order, which is not necessarily the order or dates the victories were confirmed by headquarters.
No.DateTimeFoeUnitLocation 1 16 May 1918 1100 hours SPAD S.XIII Trigneires 2 1 June 1918 Observation balloon 54 Compagnie, Service Aéronautique Cuvilly, France 3 5 June 1918 1445 hours French observation balloon Cuvilly, France 4 7 June 1918 Observation balloon Montigny, France 5 16 June 1918 1002 hours Observation balloon Amienois 6 27 June 1918 0951 hours Observation balloon Ailly, France 7 28 June 1918 0915 hours Observation balloon 51 Compagnie, Service Aéronautique Mesnil, France 8 1 July 1918 1250 hours Sopwith Dolphin No. 23 Squadron RAF Guerbigny, France 9 15 July 1918 1500 hours SPAD S.XIII Prosnes, France 10 16 July 1918 1217 hours SPAD S.XIII Thuizy 11 22 July 1918 1250 hours SPAD S.XIII Courtagnon, France 12 6 September 1918 1842 hours Bréguet 14 Silllery 13 14 September 1918 1635 hours Observation balloon 76 Compagnie, Service Aéronautique Mailly, France 14 26 September 1918 0710 hours SPAD S.XIII Trescauvoux 15 26 September 1918 1535 hours Observation Balloon Thienville (Thionville?) 16 26 September 1918 1545 hours SPAD S.XIII Avencourt 17 27 September 1918 SPAD S.XIII Montzeille 18 9 October 1918 1740 hours Observation balloon 7th United States Balloon Company Montfaucon, France 19 9 October 1918 1745 hours SPAD S.XIII Montfaucon, France 20 10 October 1918 1203 hours Bréguet 14 Haumont, France 21 10 October 1918 1223 hours SPAD S.XI Haumont, France 22 18 October 1918 1425 hours SPAD S.XIII Gercourt, France 23 23 October 1918 1340 hours Observation balloon 7th United States Balloon Company Cierges, France 24 29 October 1918 SPAD S.XIII Exermont, France 25 29 October 1918 Airco DH.9 Sivry 26 29 October 1918 Airco DH.9 Montfaucon, France
Abbreviations were expanded by the editor creating this list.
Endnotes
References