Werner Voss was a World War I German flying ace credited with 48 aerial victories. A dyer's son from Krefeld, he was a patriotic young man while still in school. He began his military career in November 1914 as a 17‑year‑old Hussar. After turning to aviation, he proved to be a natural pilot.
He was wounded in action with 6 Naval Squadron on 6 June 1917. Killed during a legendary dogfight with seven S.E.5as, Werner Voss drove two planes to the ground and damaged the rest before his silvery blue Fokker DR.I was shot down by Arthur Rhys Davids.
"Capt. J. McCudden, No. 56 Squadron ... saw a S.E.5a fighting a triplane, so with others dived at it, and for the next ten minutes the enemy triplane fought the five S.E.5s with great skill and determination. Eventually, however, it was destroyed by 2nd-Lieut. Rhys Davids of the same squadron, who had previously driven down a two-seater. . .The triplane was seen to crash in our lines by other pilots and the other occupant proved to be Lieut. Werner Voss, who was killed." Royal Flying Corps Communique
"I shall never forget my admiration for that German pilot, who single handed, fought seven of us for ten minutes . . . I saw him go into a fairly steep dive and so I continued to watch, and then saw the triplane hit the ground and disappear into a thousand fragments, for it seemed to me that it literally went into powder." James McCudden
"His flying was wonderful, his courage magnificent and in my opinion he is the bravest German airman whom it has been my privilege to see fight." James McCudden
"If I could only have brought him down alive..." Arthur Rhys Davids to James McCudden
1917 09 23 Last dance of the hussar - Russell Smith
note: this is an old painting when there was the interpretation that the triplane had a yellow cowling
Leutnant der Reserve Werner Voss, from Krefeld, Germany, was Germany’s 4th highest ranking ace of World War 1. With 48 kills to his credit he is still considered by many to be the greatest pilot of that war, having skills that even surpassed Manfred von Richthofen, the “Red Baron”. On September 23, 1917 he became involved in what is known to be one of the greatest dogfights of World War 1. While out on patrol he came across a flight of six British SE5’s from 56 Squadron, each flown by a famous ace. Among the RFC pilots involved in the encounter was British ace James McCudden, who reported: “I now got a good opportunity as he was coming towards me nose on, and slightly underneath, and had apparently not seen me. I dropped my nose, got him well in my sight and pressed both triggers. As soon as I fired up came his nose at me, and I heard clack-clack-clack-clack, as his bullets passed close to me and through my wings. I particularly noticed his red-yellow flashes from his parallel Spandau guns. As he flashed by me I caught a glimpse of a black head in the triplane with no hat on at all.”
For over ten minutes Voss singlehandedly fought the aces without retreating. He inflicted considerable damage on all five aircraft before his own engine finally seized and he was sent plummeting to the ground by Lt. Arthur Rhys-Davids. Major James McCudden, who was also involved in the fight, said of him later, “His flying was wonderful, his courage magnificent and in my own opinion he is the bravest German airman whom it has been my privilege to see fight.”
Leutnant Werner Voss was just 20 years old.