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The Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1) of World War I, was a fighter unit comprising four Jastas or 'fighter squadrons', originally raised by combining Jastas 4, 6, 10 & 11, on 24 June 1917 with Manfred von Richthofen as commander. JG 1 became known as "The Flying Circus" or "Richthofen's Circus" because its fighter planes were painted in bright and distinctive color schemes for easy identification during dogfights. JG 1 and its supporting logistical infrastructure travelled by train to whatever part of the front-line they were needed, often at short notice.

After von Richthofen's death in April 1918, Hauptmann Wilhelm Reinhard became JG 1 Commanding Officer. After Reinhard was killed in a flying accident, Oberleutnant Hermann Göring became JG 1's third and last commander of the war.

From June 1917 until November 1918, JG 1 claimed 644 Allied aircraft destroyed, while losing 52 pilots killed in action.

[edit] See also

• Jasta 11
• Luftstreitkräfte

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