Kampfeinsitzerstaffel/Kest 4a

[Jos]

Hello all,

After a three month break I'll continue with the story of the Kampfeinsitzerstaffeln/Kests. Next in line is Kest 4a. Most info is from Böblinger Flughafengeschichten.

As at the end of 1915 still more often hostile squadrons flew into the Reich and bombings conducted, the first Kampfstaffeln (combat squadrons) for the Heimatschutz (Homeland Security) were formed.
To secure the airspace of Stuttgart and the surrounding area, Kampfeinsitzerstaffel 4 (Kest 4) (combat single-seater squadron) was based at Böblingen. Fliegerersatzabteilung/FEA 10 also based at Böblingen, was a pure training unit and would not have been suitable for fighting off enemy aircraft.
In Böblingen, the FEA 10 formed the Kampfeinsitzerstaffel 4 on 10-08-1916, under the command of Leutnant Burkhardt.
The aircraft were parked in Halle/Hangar 5, in the “Wiesengrund” area. In the immediate vicinity, so that they could be deployed as quickly as possible, the pilots and the technical staff had their quarters.




As soon as the approach of enemy aircraft had been reported, the Staffel had to take off. The relatively rare attacks were usually directed at the state capital Stuttgart. The first aerial bombs fell on Stuttgart on 22-09-1915. Böblingen was never endangered and not a single bomb fell on the city. An air-raid alarm was given in Böblingen by an agreed bell ringing. In addition, a car drove through the streets from which a passenger gave trumpet signals.

(More to come)