Paul Wilhelm Boymer ( German: Paul Wilhelm Bäumer ; May 11, 1896 - July 15, 1927) - a German fighter pilot , one of the best aces of the First World War with 43 enemy aircraft shot down, taking 9th place among the German aces of the First World War in number downed enemy aircraft.
| Paul Wilhelm Boymer Paul Wilhelm Bäumer | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Paul bäumer | ||||||
| Nickname | "Der Eiserne Adler" ("Iron Eagle") | |||||
| Date of Birth | May 11, 1896 | |||||
| Place of Birth | Duisburg Maderich North Rhine-Westphalia | |||||
| Date of death | July 15, 1927 (31 years old) | |||||
| Place of death | Copenhagen Öresund Denmark | |||||
| Affiliation |  German Empire | |||||
| Type of army |  Air Force | |||||
| Years of service | 1914 - 1927 | |||||
| Rank | Lieutenant | |||||
| Part | Jasta 2 Jasta 5 | |||||
| Battles / wars | ||||||
| Awards and prizes |
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Content
Biography
As a young man he watched the flight of airships. Since then I dreamed of flying. After graduation, he studied the profession of a dental technician. Earning money from this spent them on his training at a flight school. In the summer of 1914 he received a pilot's license.
With the outbreak of World War I, he volunteered to enlist in the air force of the river fleet, but was refused. He was enrolled in the 8th reserve battalion of the 70th Infantry Regiment. After almost two months of preparation, he was sent to the Western Front. He fought first in St. Quentin in France, and since the beginning of 1915 on the Eastern Front. In Grodno he was wounded in his left forearm. While being treated at the hospital, he filed a report on admission to aviation mechanics courses, where he began training after recovery and continued it until mid-August 1915. He continued his service as a carrier of aircraft and an instructor in Army Aviation Park No. 1.
On February 19, 1917 he received the rank of corporal , and on March 26 he was sent to the 7th reconnaissance squadron (FA 7). March 29, he was awarded the rank of non-commissioned officer. In June 1917, Boymer was enrolled in the Jagdstaffel “Bölke” (Jasta 2), two days later transferred to Jagdstaffel 5. In August 1917 he again returned to Jagdstaffel 2. Here he re-opened his account of his victories in the air. In February 1918 he was awarded the .
For 30 enemy aircraft shot down, he was awarded the Prussia Highest Military Order "For Leaders" ( "Pour le Mérite" ). For the entire war, Boymer counted 43 enemy aircraft shot down.
After the war he returned to the profession, confirming his qualifications by passing examinations for a dentist. In October 1922, he founded the aircraft manufacturer Baumer Aero GmbH in Hamburg with his military comrades Harry von Bülow-Botkampf , where he worked as an aircraft designer and aircraft tester.
On August 15, 1924, Boymer, along with his interns Walter Gunther, Walter Mertens and Werner Mayer-Kassel, participated in the annual aviation competition in Hamburg. Boymer has unveiled its new Bäumer BI Roter Vogel. In May 1925 a new aircraft followed - the Baumer B II Sausewind. This aircraft won the competition on July 23, 1925 in the 2nd category, developing the highest speed when climbing 100 m in height (183.5 km / h), reaching the ceiling of 4770 m and showing the best climb speed (2.11 m /with). Subsequent aircraft developed by Boymer, also set records for speed, altitude and range.
On July 15, 1927, when a new Bäumer BV “Puck” was shown at an air show in Copenhagen due to engine problems, Boymer was forced to stop the flight mission. In showing another Rohrbach Ro IX, Boymer died in a collision with the ground due to engine failure at low altitude. The plane crashed into the sea in the Öresund Strait, 2 kilometers from the coast.
The hero of World War I and one of Germany’s best aces is buried in Hamburg at the Friedhof Ohlsdorf cemetery (inaccessible link)
The Gunter brothers continued the development of the Bäumer B VI Libelle (Dragonfly) aircraft launched by Baumer and built two copies in 1930.
Miscellaneous
- it is believed that Paul Boymer is the prototype of the protagonist of the book Erich Maria Remarque “ On the Western Front, without Change ”
- named after Boymer street in his hometown
Rewards
- Por le merit
- Iron Cross 1st and 2nd grade
Literature
- Hanns Möller: Geschichte der Ritter des Ordens Pour le Mérite im Weltkrieg. Band 1: AL. Verlag Bernard & Graefe. Berlin 1935. S. 32-33.
- Jürgen Brinkmann: Die Ritter des Orden "Pour le mérite" 1914-1918. Schäfer, Hannover 1982.
- Klaus D. Patzwall (Hrsg.): Das preussische Goldene Militär-Verdienst-Kreuz. Militair-Verlag Patzwall, Norderstedt 1986, ( Quellen und Darstellungen zur Geschichte der Orden & Ehrenzeichen 2, ZDB-ID 2294200-2 ).
- Arch Whitehouse: Flieger-Asse 1914-1918 . Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 1970, S. 362-363.
- Walter Zuerl: Pour le mérite-Flieger. Luftfahrtverlag Axel Zuerl, Steinebach Wörthsee 1987, ISBN 3-934596-15-0 .
Notes
Links
- Imperial Air Force of Germany
- Boymer Paul a page on the Red Falcons site
- List of German aces on the site Red Falcons
- Paul Boymer at theaerodrome.com