Wilhelm Hippert
Introduction ''Offizierstellvertreter'' '''Wilhelm Hippert''' IC was a World War I flying ace credited with eight confirmed aerial victories.
World War I aerial service Wilhelm "Willi" Hippert was originally assigned as a two-seater aircraft pilot with ''Feldflieger Abteilung'' (Field Flier Detachment) 227.He and his observer were credited with an aerial victory on 17 March 1917, when they shot down a Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2d from No. 20 Squadron RFC over Lomme.Hippert was transferred to a fighter squadron, ''Jagdstaffel 39'' later in 1917 as a ''Vizefeldwebel'', and thus ended up flying combat over the Battle of Caporetto in northern Italy in a Fokker D.Va he dubbed "Mimmi". On 2 October 1917, he scored his second aerial victory, downing an Italian Savoia Pomilio at 1510 hours. After additional victories on 25 October and 30 November, he became an ace on 8 December 1917.He would tally one more victory with ''Jasta 39'', on 11 January 1918.On 5 March 1918, Hippert was transferred back to the Western Front. He joined a night fighter squadron, ''Jagdstaffel 74''. In mid 1918, he was promoted to ''Offizierstellvertreter''. By this time, Hippert was flying a Fokker D.VII with a black and white checkerboard pattern on the fuselage, a blue nose, and the name "Mimmi" emblazoned on the top wing. On 7 June 1918, he shot down a Dorand AR2 over Beaumont-sur-Vesle for his seventh victory. On 22 August, he claimed two French bombers, a Caudron R.11 and a Breguet 14, though he was only credited with the former.At some point during the war, Wilhelm Hippert won the Iron Cross.
Sources of information
References * Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank W.; Guest, Russell. ''Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918''. Grub Street, 1993., .