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Max Immelmann (September 21, 1890 - June 18, 1916) was a German Flying ace of World War I.
He was born in Dresden the son of a paper board container factory owner. After leaving school he joined Eisenbahnregiment Berlin. 1913 - 1914 he studied mechanical engineering in Dresden.
When the World War I started he joined the Luftstreitkräfte and was stationed in northern France as reconnaissance aviator. 1915 he became a fighter pilot. He became known as Eagle of Lille (Der Adler von Lille).
He develop a figure consisting of a half loop and a turn now called Immelmann which was used for the rapid change of direction of flight.
He was the first German combat pilot to be awarded the Pour le Mérite, Germany's highest military honor. The medal became known as the Blue Max in honor of Immelmann.
Immelmann was killed in combat over Sallaumines in northern France on June 18th 1916. Some sources, including the Luftwaffe at the time, claimed this was due to (friendly) anti-aircraft artillery. Others, including his brother, believed the interruptor mechanism (which was designed to prevent his through-the-propeller machinegun from damaging the propeller blades) had catastrophically malfunctioned. According to the oficial British version, he was however shot down by the F.E.2b aircraft with pilot G.R. McCubbin and observer J. H. Waller from the RFC Squadron 25.