Fritz Otto Bernert was a German fighter ace of the First World War, notable for shooting down five enemy airplanes in 20 minutes. Invalided from infantry service after suffering four wounds, he turned to aviation service. Despite wearing pince-nez and having the use of only one arm, he became a pilot. After his first victory with Kampfeinsitzerkommando Vaux, he switched to Jagdstaffel 4, scoring six more victories during 1916. In 1917, he claimed an additional 20 victories between March and May 1917.
The victory list
This list is complete for entries, though obviously not for all details. Doubled lines in list marks transition between units. Data was abstracted from Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918, , , p. 70, and from The Aerodrome webpage Abbreviations from those sources were expanded by editor creating this list. No.Date/timeVictimSquadronLocation 1 17 April 1916 Nieuport 2 6 September 1916 Caudron Dompierre, France 3 11 September 1916 @ 1100 hours Nieuport Allenes 4 21 October 1916 @ 1630 hours Caudron Chaulnes, France 5 9 November 1916 @ 1030 hours Airco DH.2 No. 29 Squadron RFC La Sars 6 Afternoon of 9 November 1916 Airco DH.2 No. 40 Squadron RFC Haplincourt, France 7 Afternoon of 9 November 1916 Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.8 No. 29 Squadron RFC Martinpuich, France 8 19 March 1917 @ 0925 hours Sopwith Écourt-Mory 9 24 March 1917 @ 1630 hours Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2d Pronville, France 10 1 April 1917 @ 1045 hours Observation balloon Villers-au-Flers 11 2 April 1917 @ 0830 hours Nieuport Queant, France 12 3 April 1917 @ 1910 hours Observation balloon Ervillers, France 13 3 April 1917 @ 1912 hours Observation balloon Northwest of Bapaume 14 6 April 1917 @ 1015 hours Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 No. 59 Squadron RFC Rouex 15 7 April 1917 @ 1715 hours Nieuport Rouex 16 8 April 1917 @ 1510 hours Bristol F.2 Fighter No. 48 Squadron RFC Remy, France 17 8 April 1917 @ 1515 hours Nieuport 12 No. 46 Squadron RFC Remy, France 18 11 April 1917 @ 1230 hours Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b Arras, France 19 11 April 1917 @ 1240 hours Morane Type P No. 3 Squadron RFC Moreuil, France 20 24 April 1917 @ 0830 hours Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter No. 70 Squadron RFC Vaucelles, France 21 24 April 1917 @ 0840 hours Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e No. 9 Squadron RFC East of Joncourt, France 22 24 April 1917 @ 0842 hours Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e No. 9 Squadron RFC West of Bellincourt 23 24 April 1917 @ 0845 hours Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e No. 9 Squadron RFC West of Boni 24 24 April 1917 @ 0850 hours Airco DH.4 No. 55 Squadron RFC North of Levergies, France 25 2 May 1917 @ 0830 hours Nieuport South of Saint-Quentin, France 26 4 May 1917 @ 1845 hours Observation balloons Vauxtin, France 27 7 May 1917 @ 1540 hours Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e North of Saint-Quentin, France Unconfirmed 19 May 1917 @ 1720 hours Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2b No. 22 Squadron RFC Villers-Guislain, France
References