Leutnant (later Lieutenant Colonel) Otto Könnecke (20 December 1892 – 25 January 1956) PLM, MMC, HoH, IC, was a leading German fighter ace of World War I with 35 victories.

[2][3] At the outbreak of war he was serving as an instructor, and did not see action until December 1916, when he was sent as a Vizefeldwebel to Macedonia as part of Jagdstaffel 25.

[5] On 14 August, he shot down two British aces in a Bristol F.2 Fighter, Eugene Coler and Cyril Gladman,[8] for his 31st win.

[5] Könnecke had been awarded a Golden Military Merit Cross while still a Vizefeldwebel; this was the highest decoration for valor an enlisted man could receive.

On 26 September 1918, the day before his comrade Fritz Rumey was killed in action, Könnecke was awarded Germany's highest decoration, the Pour le Mérite or Blue Max.

[2] In 1927, he attempted to fly the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to North America, with the aim of establishing a commercial passenger route.

A storm system over the North Atlantic made Könnecke decide to reach America by a longer route.

He continued to serve during World War II and ended his military career as a Lieutenant Colonel.