Walter Blume (aircraft designer)

Walter Blume
Born	Template:Birth date Hirschberg, Silesia
Died	May 27, 1964(1964-05-27) (aged 68)
Occupation(s)	Fighter ace, aircraft engineer
Years active	1914–1945
Known for	German World War I fighter ace with 28 victories; Chief Design Engineer at Arado Flugzeugwerke; pioneer in jet propulsion aircraft development

Walter Blume (10 January 1896 – 27 May 1964) distinguished himself as a German fighter ace during the First World War. He served with the fighter units Jagdstaffel 26 and Jagdstaffel 9, achieving a total of 28 confirmed aerial kills. Throughout his military career, he was honored with the Iron Cross, the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, and the esteemed Pour le Merite.

Following the war, Blume established himself as an influential aircraft engineer, contributing to the development efforts at both Albatros and Arado. He was among the early innovators in the field of jet propulsion technology for aviation.

Early life and World War I service

Born in Hirschberg, located in Silesia, Walter Blume initially enlisted with the 5th Silesian Jaeger Battalion in September 1914. After sustaining injuries early in combat, he commenced pilot training on 30 June 1915. His initial operational experience involved flying two-seater Aviatik reconnaissance aircraft with Feldflieger Abteilung (Field Flier Detachment) 65 from mid-June 1916 until January 1917. During this period, he was awarded the Second Class Iron Cross on 24 July 1916. In January 1917, Blume requested and secured a transfer to single-seat fighter operations with Jagdstaffel 26. By August 1916, he had attained the rank of Vizefeldwebel, and on 31 January 1917, he received his commission as a leutnant. This commission coincided with his move to Jagdstaffel 26.

Blume claimed his inaugural victory while serving with Jagdstaffel 26 on 10 May 1917. He earned the First Class Iron Cross on 14 August that year. His status as a flying ace was confirmed on 24 October 1917. However, on 29 November, he suffered a serious chest wound during combat against Bristol F.2 Fighters from No. 48 Squadron RFC, resulting in hospitalization exceeding three months.

Following a period attached to Fliegerersatz-Abteilung (Replacement Detachment) 3, Blume resumed active duty on 5 March 1918 when he assumed command of Jagdstaffel 9. In this role, he achieved an additional 22 victories. Apart from two occasions where he scored doubles—on 31 August and again on 14 September—the majority of his successes were single kills, predominantly against fighter aircraft. Only four of his victories targeted two-seater planes. His aircraft of choice included both Albatros fighters and the renowned Fokker D.VII.

On 7 August 1918, Blume was bestowed with the Knight's Cross of the House Order of Hohenzollern. Subsequently, on 2 October that same year, coinciding with his penultimate (27th) victory, he was awarded Germany's highest military decoration for valor, the Pour le Merite.

He officially left military service on 15 January 1919.

Postwar period and World War II

Following the conclusion of World War I, he continued his career in aviation. He pursued studies in aeronautical engineering at the Technical University of Hanover before joining the German aircraft manufacturer Arado Flugzeugwerke during the mid-1920s. There, he contributed to the development of several aircraft models, including the Ar 95, Ar 96, and Ar 196. In early 1933, he was promoted to Chief Design Engineer at Arado Flugzeugwerke. Over the subsequent decade, he led the design of pioneering jet-powered aircraft such as the Ar 234 twin-jet reconnaissance plane. He oversaw its progression through multiple prototype stages, ultimately culminating in the twin-jet bomber variant known as the Ar 234 Blitz. Towards the final years of World War II, he headed the Arado design team in efforts to enhance the Ar 234 into a four-jet bomber configuration; however, this version only reached the proof-of-concept phase. He also attempted to adapt one of his designs, the Blume Bl.502, into a light civilian aircraft for Arado, though this endeavor failed to achieve market success.

After Germany’s defeat, he was captured by Soviet forces and transported to the Soviet Union. There, he spent several years assisting in the advancement of their emerging jet aircraft initiatives.

Honors and distinctions

• Iron Cross:
  • Second Class (24 July 1916)
  • First Class (14 August 1917)
• Knight’s Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with swords (1918)
• Pour le Mérite (30 September 1918)

References

• Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918. Norman Franks, Frank W. Bailey, Russell Guest. Grub Street, 1993. ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1.
• Fokker D VII Aces of World War I, Norman Franks, Greg VanWyngarden. Osprey Publishing, 2003. ISBN 978-1-84176-533-4.

Further reading

• Albatros Aces of World War 1, Norman L. R. Franks, Greg VanWyngarden. Osprey Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1-84603-179-6, ISBN 978-1-84603-179-3.
• World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers: From the Pioneers to the Present Day, Bill Gunston. Sutton Pub., 2005. ISBN 0750939818, 9780750939812.