▁his ▁return , ▁he ▁qualified ▁for ▁pilot ' s ▁certificate ▁No . ▁ 5 8 2 ▁on ▁ 3 ▁November ▁at ▁Johann is th al ▁Air ▁Field . ▁He ▁became ▁famous ▁as ▁an ▁early ▁pione er ▁of ▁aer ob at ics ▁in ▁his ▁native ▁Germany . ▁He ▁also ▁helped ▁design ▁and ▁produce ▁air plan es ▁at ▁T elt ow ' s ▁Union ▁Flug zeug werke . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁Hö h nd orf ▁volunte ered ▁for ▁av iation ▁upon ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁war . ▁He ▁was ▁commission ed ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 5 . ▁He ▁served ▁most ▁of ▁that ▁year ▁as ▁a ▁test ▁pilot ▁for ▁S iem ens - Sch uck ert . ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁FA ▁ 1 2 ▁to ▁fly ▁a ▁single - se ater ; ▁he ▁shot ▁down ▁two ▁Vo is ins ▁a ▁week ▁apart , ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁After ▁service ▁with ▁FA ▁ 6 7 , ▁he ▁moved ▁on ▁to ▁K E K ▁V aux ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁Between ▁ 1 0 ▁April ▁and ▁ 1 9 ▁July , ▁he ▁shot ▁down ▁seven ▁more ▁French ▁air plan es . ▁He ▁received ▁the ▁Pour ▁le ▁Mer ite ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁He ▁scored ▁twice ▁more ▁in ▁July , ▁bringing ▁his ▁total ▁to ▁eleven . ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁August ,