WAR

Seven such units were initially projected; by 1918 there were 81, numbered
consecutively from 1 to 81 ,
plus 3 naval squadrons for fighting over land. The
basic unit was the Jagdstaffel, literally "hunting echelon," which had a composition
on paper of 18 aeroplanes, 24 pilots, and about 130 ground personnel. In
practice, the effective strength of the Jagdstafjeln was nearer 12 or even 10 machines
owing to combat attrition and depending on replacement difficulties in both
personnel and materiel. In pilot slang Jagdstaffel was invariably shortened to Jasta.
The first two Jastas were commanded by Martin Zander and Oswald Boelcke.
* * *
toward the end of the Battle of Verdun, Manfred von Richthofen was transferred
back to the Russian Front. There he had his
second meeting with Boelcke.
A Ibatros D I
At the behest of Major Thomsen, Boelcke had undertaken a tour of inspection
of the German air service on all fronts and was at the same time, and
with full backing of Thomsen, hand picking men for his own Jasta. He remembered
von Richthofen and asked him if he still wanted to be a fighter pilot. "Yes!"
answered Richthofen.
"Sir."
The home aerodrome of Boelcke's Jasta 2 was at Lagnicourt in the ancient
province of Artois in northern France, two leagues exactly northeast of Bapaume.
There von Richthofen reported on the first of September. Until the middle of the
month Boelcke drilled his "cubs" in the methods and techniques of air-fighting.
When the new Albatros fighters arrived, the training began in earnest, Boelcke
and his pupils flying every day, practicing formation flying, team tactics and
aerial
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gunnery.