World War I: Boelcke Dead

October 28, 1916 - Pioneering German ace Oswald Boelcke (right) dies due to a midair collision. Passing his final flight exams just days after the beginning of World War I, Boelcke proved a skilled pilot during the conflict's early months. After several months of flying two-seaters, he was one of an elite group of pilots selected to fly the initial batch of the Fokker E.I. Helping unleash the "Fokker Scourge," Boelcke became one of Germany's early aces and was key in developing aerial combat tactics. Stressing a team approach and accurate gunnery, Boelcke later codified his methods in the Dicta Boelcke. Permitted to form his own unit in the summer of 1916, he recruited pilots, including Manfred von Richthofen, from around the German air service. Attaining 40 kills, Boelcke was killed October 28 when his plane was disabled after a midair collision.

Photograph Source: Public Domain