As one of the original German fighter squadrons, the unit would score 155 aerial victories (including three wins over observation balloons) during the war, at the expense of seventeen killed in action, eight wounded in action, and one taken prisoner of war.

[1] Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 12 was created on 28 September 1916 from an existing ad hoc unit, Fokkerstaffel West.

The following month, Bloody April 1917, Jasta 12 downed 23 Royal Flying Corps aircraft.

When it lost its ace commander, Adolf von Tutschek, to wounds, its new Staffelfuhrer led it to 22 victories in three months with no German losses.

[1] Three of the squadron's commanders, Adolf von Tutschek, Victor Shobinger, and Hermann Becker, were notable as aces as well as Staffelnführer.

[2] Originally, the common squadron paint scheme was black tails and rear fuselages with white propeller spinners and/or engine cowlings.