Roman Schmidt

Roman Schmidt

Roman Schmidt wearing his military decorations
Born 1 November 1893
Warasdin, Croatia
Died 5 April 1959
Allegiance Austro-Hungarian Empire
Service/branch Aviation
Rank Oberleutnant
Unit Flik 7, Flik 13, Flik 30J, Flik 74J
Awards Order of the Iron Crown, Military Merit Cross, Military Merit Medal

Roman Schmidt or Roman Šmidt was a World War I flying ace in the Austro-Hungarian airforce, credited with six aerial victories.[1]

His first aerial victory was scored on the Russian front, whilst posted with Flik 7, and flying a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I, when he together with pilot Paul Hablitschek on April 13, 1917 shot down a Russian Nieuport Scout in the vicinity of Bohorodzany. (In accordance with Austro-Hungarian practice as Oberleutenant and officer Schmidt was acting as observer and gunner.) Later that year he was transferred to Flik 13, which was also fighting on the Russian front. On September 8 over Razbita in a twinseater type Oeffag C.II he and Oberleutenant Miroslav Navratil downed a Russian Nieuport fighter. And on October 4, 1917 Schmidt together with the pilot Zugsführer Adolf Wiltsch shot down another a single-seat fighter. (They were flying a Lloyd 40.11 twin-seater.) This was Schmidts third kill.[2]

Schmidt flew with Flik 30J on the Italian front from May 1918. On July 12, whilst flying a Phönix D.I numbered 128.12, he downed an Italian twinseater (type SAML) over enemy territory. His fifth kill occurred eleven days later, on July 23, when he shot down an RAF Bristol F.2 Fighter from 139th Squadron over Godega di Sant'Urbano. (Both the pilot and the observer perished in the crash.)[3] During that period Flik 30J was based on the San Pietro di Campo airfield.[4] His sixth and last victory was gained on October 27, 1918, when he shot down an Italian Caproni Ca.3 heavy bomber in the area around Belluno.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/austrhun/schmidt3.php
  2. ↑ Grosz, 1993. p 204, 472.
  3. ↑ Chant, 2002. p 94.
  4. ↑ Grosz, 1993. p 119.

Bibliography

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