Jagdstaffel 12 Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 12 was a World War I " hunting group " ( i . e . , fighter squadron ) of the " Luftstreitkräfte " , which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe . As one of the original German fighter squadrons , the unit would score 155 aerial victories ( including three wins over observation balloons ) during the war , at the expense of seventeen killed in action , eight wounded in action , and one taken prisoner of war . History . Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 12 was created on 28 September 1916 from an existing ad hoc unit , Fokkerstaffel West . The new squadron mobilized on 12 October 1916 at Laon , France . It scored its first victory on 4 December 1916 . joined the famous Jagdstaffel II on 2 February 1918 . Jasta 12 fought through the end of the war , disbanding only after Germany ' s loss . The squadron was credited with 155 aerial victories , including three enemy observation balloons . In turn , they suffered 17 killed in action , 8 wounded in action , and one taken prisoner of war . Staffelführer s ( Commanding officers ) . 1 Hauptmann Paul von Osterroht : 6 October 1916 – KIA April 1917 2 Oberleutnant Adolf von Tutschek : 28 April 1917 – WIA 11 August 1917 3 Leutnant Otto von Nostitz ( Acting CO ) : 11 August 1917 4 Leutnant de Reserves Viktor Schobinger 5 Leutnant Otto von Nostitz ( Acting CO ) : 15 November 1917 6 Oberleutnant Paul Blumenbach : 2 February 1918 – 18 May 1918 7 Leutnant Robert Hildebrandt : 18 May 1918 – 13 July 1918 8 Leutnant de Reserves Hermann Becker : 13 July 1918 - 11 November 1918 Duty stations ( airfields ) . 1 Riencourt : 4 November 1916 – 26 January 1917 2 Herrlingen , Germany : 26 January 1917 – February 1917 3 Niederum 4 Epinoy , France : Unknown – 27 July 1917 5 Roncourt , France : 27 July 1917 – 18 August 1917 6 Douai , France : 18 August 1917 – unknown 7 Eringhem , Belgium 8 Phalempin , France 9 Roncourt , France 10 Marle , France 11 Toulis , France : 13 February 1918 – 19 March 1918 12 Guise , France : 19 March 1918 – 12 June 1918 13 Le Mesnil : 12 June 1918 – unknown 14 Roupy , France 15 Guisecourt 16 Balâtre , France 17 Bonneuil Ferme 18 Mesnil - Bruntel , France 19 Leffincourt : 12 July 1918 – 24 July 1918 20 Chéry - lès - Pouilly , France 21 Fontaine - Notre - Dame , France 22 Neuflize , France 23 Doncourt 24 Giraumont , France 25 Foreste , France : 10 August 1918 – 18 August 1918 26 Charmois , Stenay , France 27 Charmois , France 28 Florenville , Belgium 29 Trier , Germany Notable members . Adolf Schulte became the first ace in the squadron , on 24 March 1917 . Three of the squadron ' s commanders , Adolf von Tutschek , Victor Shobinger , and Hermann Becker , were notable as aces as well as " Staffelführers " . Also notable among the unit ' s fourteen aces were : Ulrich Neckel , winner of the Pour le Merite and Iron Cross ; Reinhold Jörke , another Iron Cross awardee ; and Paul Billik , an Iron Cross and Hohenzollern winner who was the highest scoring ace to be denied a Pour le Merite . Aircraft . Jasta 12 operated Fokker D . I , Albatros D . III , Fokker Dr . I , and Fokker D . VII fighter aircraft . The common squadron paint scheme was black tails and rear fuselages with white propeller spinners and / or engine cowlings . Operations . Jasta 12 was formed in support of 7th Armee . On 4 November 1916 , it was transferred to the 1st Armee sector . On 26 January 1917 , it moved to service in the " Armee - Abteilung " A Sector . Shortly thereafter , it moved back to support of 1st Armee . Jasta 12 was one of the squadrons forming Jagdgeschwader 2 on 2 February 1918 , joining Jasta 13 , Jasta 15 , and Jasta 19 in the new fighter wing . References . " Above the Lines : The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service , Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps , 1914 - 1918 " . Norman L . R . Franks , Frank W . Bailey , Russell Guest . Grub Street , 1993 . ISBN 0 - 948817 - 73 - 9 , ISBN 978 - 0 - 948817 - 73 - 1 .