Franz Hemer

Leutnant Franz Hemer was a World War I German flying ace credited with 18 aerial victories.^[4]

Franz Hemer
Nickname(s)	"Locken"
Born	6 June 1894 Pfeddersheim, Worms, Grand Duchy of Hesse[1]
Died	18 October 1982 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Allegiance	Germany
Branch	Aviation
Rank	Leutnant
Unit	Flieger-Abteilung (Artillerie) (Flying Detachment (Artillery)) 283; Jagdstaffel 6 (Fighter Squadron 6)
Awards	Royal House Order of Hohenzollern[2] Iron Cross, 1st and 2nd Class General Honor Decoration (Hesse)[3]

Biography

Hemer was originally a talented concert cellist. His long curly blonde hair sparked his nickname of "Locken".^[5]

Hemer served with Flieger-Abteilung (Artillerie) 283 before he was posted to Jagdstaffel (Jasta) 6 on 10 September 1917. He scored his first victory on 27 October 1917, when he shot down an RE.8. He scored once more in 1917, on 12 November.^[4] He was then assigned a Fokker Dr. 1. He had a wavy yellow line painted the length of the fuselage, symbolizing the wavy locks of hair that gave him the nickname "Locken".^[6]

By the end of March 1918, he became an ace. He scored at least five more victories with the triplane before upgrading to a Fokker D.VII. He scored his last victory on 8 August 1918. The following day, he was wounded in action when his Fokker D.VII was shot down during a dogfight with RAF DH.9s of No. 49 Squadron RAF supported by Sopwith Camels. While convalescing, he was commissioned a Leutnant. However, he apparently did not return to flight duty before the war's end.^[5]

Later he became managing Director of König & Bruder in Leipzig, head office in Vienna, an old fur trading company.^[7]

Franz Hemer died on 18 October 1982 in Frankfurt.^[6]