Doctor Oberleutnant Otto Schmidt HOH, IC (23 March 1885 – 24 July 1944) was a German World War I fighter ace credited with 20 aerial victories, including eight against enemy observation balloons.

As his personal victory score mounted, he was appointed to various command positions, including that of one of history's first fighter wings.

After ten victories, he was severely wounded on 18 October 1917 while engaged in a highly hazardous attack on an observation balloon.

He returned to wing command while on crutches in July 1918, and eventually resumed his string of aerial victories the following month.

At war's ending, his Blue Max award was still pending when the order was abolished by the German Empire's defeat.

His eighth victory, on 11 September, was over Captain Louis Fleeming Jenkin, whom Schmidt killed.

On 19 September, Schmidt was awarded the Knight's Cross with Swords of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern.

[3] By 28 September 1917, he had run his victory total to ten; he was subsequently appointed to command of Jagdgruppe II.

[4] Under Schmidt's leadership, the squadron would notch up over 300 aerial victories, sparked by such aces as Otto Konnecke, Josef Mai, and Fritz Rumey.

His final tally was twelve enemy airplanes shot down, and eight observation balloons.

[8] Schmidt had already won both classes of the Iron Cross, as well as the Hohenzollern, but was recommended for Germany's highest decoration for valor, the Blue Max, or Pour le Mérite, at the end of October 1918.