Fokker Dr.I, 1:48, Eduard, Hptm. Adolf von Tutschek, Jasta 12, 27 victories

So, thirdly, Fokker Dr.I. Same procedure as for the Fokker Raben. This time I used Aviatic decals for the stripes. I didn't dare to paint with a brush on this small scale and I'm also a bit lazy.

Adolf Ritter von Tutschek (born Adolf von Tutschek) (16 May 1891 – 15 March 1918) was a professional soldier turned aviator. When German air strategy turned to concentrated air power, he was given command of one of the first fighter squadrons in the world.
In July 1916, von Tutschek attended flying school at Schleissheim with Fliegerersatz-Abteilung 1. In October 1916, he returned to the front, flying initially with Flieger-Abteilung 6b, an artillery observation unit.
In January 1917, he was then transferred to flying single-seat fighters with Jagdstaffel 2. Over the next three months, he achieved three confirmed victories. His first triumph, on 6 March 1917, was over the Airco DH.2 of ace Lieutenant Maxmillian Mare-Montembault of 32. Squadron RFC, which was shot down and captured.
On 28 April, von Tutschek took command of the Prussian Jagdstaffel 12, based at Epinoy, following the death of its commander. One of the pilots was the future commander of Jagdstaffel 52 and ace Paul Billik. Von Tutschek's appointment was unusual in that although the Jagdstaffel was Prussian-raised, von Tutschek was Bavarian. On 30 April, von Tutschek dispelled any Prussian suspicion of the Bavarians by sprinting towards his aircraft with falling bombs during a raid on their home airfield; he led the squadron into the air, which launched a night pursuit of the bombers. He shot down one of the raiders, a Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b of No. 57 Squadron RFC, thus claiming a victory on his first flight with his new command.
His personal aircraft colour scheme was an overall inky black with a white propeller cone and a square white background for the Maltese Cross on the tail surfaces.
In May, he was credited with shooting down three Sopwith Pups of No. 3 Naval Squadron RNAS. His victim of 11 May, however, recovered from the seemingly uncontrollable spin and returned to base, despite being shot in the mouth.
On 20 May, von Tutschek claimed his tenth victory in a long dogfight with a SPAD of 23 Squadron RFC, which crashed in flames.
On 26 May, von Tutschek went on leave and on his return on 26 June attacked two Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutters, although the return fire damaged von Tutschek's Albatros and forced him to land. In combat with 60 Squadron Nieuports on 29 June, his engine was again damaged and he was forced to land near Cantin.
In July, he claimed 11 victories. On the 15th he shot down one of Captain Billy Bishop's friends of 60 Squadron, Lieutenant G. A. H. Parkes, thus achieving his 16th victory. On the 28th he shot down an English ace, Flt. Sub-Lt. E. D. Crundale of 8th Naval Squadron RNAS, in a morning sortie, who had achieved 7 victories. In the afternoon he earned another ace, Captain John Henry Tudhope of 40 Squadron (10 victories), who returned to base injured.
On 11 July he was awarded the Royal Household Order of Hohenzollern. On 3 August 1917, after 21 victories, he was awarded the highest German decoration for bravery, the Order of Merit.
On 11 August 1917, after the victory of 23, von Tutschek was severely wounded in the shoulder by Lieutenant Charles Dawson Booker of the 8th Marine Squadron. Had Viktor Schobinger not intervened and shot Booker down, von Tutschek would likely have been killed.
Von Tutschek needed six months to recover from the shattered lower right shoulder blade, during which time he wrote a memoir of his flying experiences entitled Stürme und Luftsiege. His edited letters later appeared in print.
Upon returning to active duty in February 1918, Captain von Tutschek was given command of the new Jagdgeschwader II, which consisted of four Jagdstaffeln—Jagdstaffel 13, Jagdstaffel 15, and Jagdstaffel 19, as well as Jagdstaffel 12. He was tasked with the challenge of equipping and manning the new organization; he expressed his dissatisfaction with the process in his diary. The new unit was short of aircraft, parts and fuel and was outnumbered by the Royal Flying Corps.
One of his requirements was a new aircraft to fly. He was enthusiastic about his brand new Fokker Dr.I triplane. He made his first test flight with it on 17 February 1918, and wrote in his diary: "...it is a huge machine that climbs wonderfully." He flew it until the last four victories of his career, on 26 February and 1, 6 and 10 March.
On the last day of February he narrowly escaped a mid-air collision with Lieutenant Paul Blumenbach, who was flying another triplane. Both pilots managed to force their damaged machines to land safely.
On 15 March 1918, the South African future ace with 10 victories, Lieutenant Harold Redler of No. 24 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, shot down von Tutschek. The German in his green triplane
(SN.404/17) spun and went out of control. There are two versions of what happened next.
One version of his death states that when he was found, he was still wearing a cloth tucked behind his buttonhole and under his seatbelt; as he had a habit of wiping his goggles before combat, it was thought that he was caught off guard.
A second, less likely version, claimed that one of Redler's bullets damaged Tutschek in the head and that this injury caused him to have to land. He reportedly waved to his comrades as they circled, but was later found dead next to his aircraft.
His tally of 27 victories (24 with Jagdstaffel 12 or Jagdgeschwader II) would represent a quarter of the 104 victories of his parent Jagdstaffel 12.

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