Jagdstaffel
From OnAirpower.org
The Jagdstaffel (plural: Jagdstaffeln), or Jasta as it was commonly abbreviated, was a type of fighter unit used in the German air service during World War I. The first Jastas were established on August 10, 1916, with an authorized strength of 14 aircraft each[1].
German ace Oswald Boelcke was one of the driving forces that led to the creation of the Jastas. In June, 1916, Boelcke met with Hermann von der Lieth-Thomsen and his staff at Charleville with the purpose of "establishing the basic principles of scout flying, and making preparations for further development of this new arm"[1]. Boelcke believed that "it would not suffice to merely form a number of pilots into a company of single-seat fighters--on the contrary, it was most essential to train all members of a Staffel to cooperation by strict discipline, and thus organize aerial warfare"[1].
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- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Early German Aces of World War I, pg. 70
