Max Näther

Leutnant Max Näther (24 August 1899 – 8 January 1919) HOH, IC, was a German World War I ace fighter pilot who destroyed 26 enemy aircraft.

[1][2] Näther was born on 24 August 1899 in Tepliwoda, Silesia,[1][2] in what was then the eastern part of the Kingdom of Prussia and is now Poland.

[3] He flew an all black Albatros D.Va with a personal insignia of a German national flag streaming from a slanted staff imposed on a white square painted on the side of the plane's fuselage just aft of the cockpit.

[1][2] Balloons were well defended by surrounding anti-aircraft and nearby patrols of fighter planes, and attacks on them were considered near suicidal.

[3] Näther took leave from 28 July to 21 August;[2] he probably waited to change planes to a Fokker D.VII until after his return.

[2] As he returned from this mission, Näther was shot down by Jacques Swaab, but survived a fiery crash-landing.