title: Kurt Küppers
text: # Kurt Küppers
  
  Leutnant Kurt Küppers was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.
  
  ## Biography
  
  ### Early life
  
  Kurt Küppers was born in 1894, birthplace unknown. An early interest in aviation led him to gain pilot's license No. 492, granted on 22 August 1913.
  
  ### Service in military aviation
  
  Küppers was serving in the Luftstreitkräfte when World War I began. However, his first known assignment was as a pilot of two-seater reconnaissance aircraft in the vicinity of Dunkirk in 1916. After that, he served on the Eastern Front with Flieger-Abteilung (Flier Detachment) 45, a recon unit. Although it goes unmentioned in records, he must have undergone fighter pilot's training, because his next posting was to a fighter squadron, Jagdstaffel 6 (Jasta 6), in March 1917. Between 16 March and 12 July 1917, he scored four aerial victories.
  
  However, in August 1917, Küppers transferred to Kampfstaffel (Tactical Bomber Squadron) 14 as a bomber pilot; there he flew a Gotha bomber to convey his friend Fritz Lorenz on several raids on England. Küppers returned to Jasta 6 in October. He scored his fifth credited aerial victory on 23 November 1917.
  
  On 16 December 1917, he was tasked to form and command a new fighter squadron, Jagdstaffel 48 (Jasta 48). On 6 March 1918, he scored his sixth and final victory. He remained in command of Jasta 48 until he was relieved from combat on 23 August 1918.
  
  ### Later life
  
  Having won the Iron Cross First Class, Kurt Küppers survived World War I to slip into obscurity. He is known to have died on 24 June 1971.
  
  ## Footnote
  
  * ↑ German regulations mandated award of the Second Class before the First Class Iron Cross.
  
  ## Sources of information
  
  * ↑ The Aerodrome website Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  * 1 2 3 4 5 Franks et al 1993, p. 152.
  