Marine-Flugmeister Emil Hasenkamp

[Marco_Sommerau]

Hello,

I am looking for more information concerning Marine-Flugmeister (Naval pilot) Emil Hasenkamp. I recently purchased a group containing personal records, letters, photos, 2 flying helmets, a piece of a broken propeller, condolence strips (from his funeral) and other souvenirs from this aviator. From the group we can deduce that he had designed pre-war some gliders which satisfactory flew at Mainz-Zahlbach, on “December 6” (unknown year)

During the war he was a pilot in the navy and was awarded the iron cross 2nd and 1st class, but I don’t have more details about his early career. From 1916 he was based at Johannisthal aerodrome in Berlin, and later at the Zeppelin base at Tondern. The interesting part is a letter he wrote to his father on January 4th 1917 :

« My assignation here (in Tondern) is not yet finished, and for the moment I’ll not apply to be mutated, before I want to wait for the results obtained by our machine »

More intriguing is: (same letter)

“From Erna’s letter you can deduce that the first step of my programme has been accomplished, all work was not in vane. Just during New Year’s eve I received the congratulation telegram from Johannisthal, saying that our machine made its first flights, resulting with fantastic speed performance”

A few days later, on 24 January 1917, he was killed at Johannisthal aerodrome in an accident.

From the papers we can deduce that he was involved in the design of some prototype aircraft.

Does anybody know more details about this pilot and his career? And specially, anybody knows anything about the mysterious “high speed” prototype mentioned? One of the condolence strips conserved came from the “Lufttorpedo Gesellshaft”, maybe was he working for this company?

Any help will be highly appreciated

Regards,
M.

[Soderbaum]

Hi Marco

I have some loose notes about this interesting pilot..

He actually was a pre-war pilot with certificate nr 245 dated 26 Jun 1912.

I dont knew where he was when the War started but in mid Febr 1915 he was at proceeder of the LFA at Johannisthal. I do belive that he was a pupil there for becoming a military pilot too, so I dont think he was an instructor. He hold the low rank Mtr(Matrose) there. One of his observer there was another Mtr Dr. Moritz Wirths who he served later together with.

Later in spring of 1915, Hasenkamp was serving within the LFS(Landflugstation) in Wilhelmhaven now with the rank Bts.Mt. And on 14 April 1915 he replaced Schmidt as pilot within Landfliegerabteilung I stationed at Mariakerke at the front.
During his serving in LFA I he was promoted to Ob.Bts.Mt on 20 Jun 1915. He had earlier received the Landfligerabzeichen on 12 May 1915.

With the formation of Landfliegerbateilung III on 20 Jul 1915 he was one of the pilots who went over to this unit. He flew AGO 77 there together with Fähn.z.S Leberecht Gebhard von Blücher. Sometimes in Aug 1915 he however returned the LFS in Wilhemshaven.

On 5 Sep 1915 he was posted to the baltic(Kurland) for serving within FFA 37, an Army unit. Within this unit he met Dr Wirths again and another observer joined about two months later. Oblt dL Vogt(sometimes spelled Voigt) who also had served within LFA III.
Do anyone has Vogts first name..??

With the creation of Marine Air ranks he become Fl.Ob.Mt(Fluobermaat) in Nov 1915 and on the 23 Nov 1915 he was decorated with EKI...!

However he had the "bad luck" to be promoted to Fmst(Flugmeister) on 20 Dec 1915, which meant that it was nearly impossible to become an officer,

About there stops my further information. But his possible "old" friend Vogt had become commander of the HSS(Hallenschutzstation) in Tondern in spring 1916...Therefore I believe that it is possible that also Hasenkamp joined this unit and not the Zeppelin part...?
But I havent read the KTB of this unit yet..

:
Gunnar

[Marco_Sommerau]

Thanks Gunnar, Great informations (as usual)
Enclosed one photo of him and an AGO
Best regards,
Marco