Hans Kirschstein (5 August 1896 – 16 July 1918), winner of the Pour le Merite, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, and the Iron Cross, 1st and 2nd class, was a German lieutenant and World War I flying ace credited with 27 aerial victories.

In August 1914 he joined the German Army as a combat engineer in the Prussian 3rd Pioneer Battalion von Rauch (1st Brandeburgian) in Spandau.

First of them was Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8, piloted by Alan McLeod and his observer Arthur Hammond, McLeod was during action wounded six times and received Victoria Cross, Hammond was three times, lost his leg and received bar to his Military Cross.

He continued to score regularly; on 15 May, he shot down a Sopwith Camel and two Bristol F.2bs for his ninth, tenth, and eleventh triumphs.

[6] Kirschstein would fly two of the new airplanes, both entirely painted with black and white stripes as an optical illusion to confuse enemy aim.

His Fokker Dr.I was handed on to Ernst Udet, who would be Germany's highest scoring ace to survive the war.

He was accompanied by a new pilot in his Jasta, Leutnant Johannes Markgraf, flying formation in a two-seater Hannover CL.