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Max Immelmann (September 21, 1890 - June 18, 1916) was a German World War I Flying ace.
He was born in Dresden the son of a paper board container factory owner. After leaving school he joined Eisenbahnregiment Berlin. During 1913 - 1914 he studied mechanical engineering in Dresden.
When World War I started he joined the Luftstreitkräfte and was stationed in northern France as a reconnaissance aviator. In 1915 he became a fighter pilot. He became known as Eagle of Lille (Der Adler von Lille).
An aerobatics maneuver consisting of a half loop followed by a half roll on top, used to rapidly reverse the direction of flight, is now called an Immelmann turn. There is some controversy over whether Immelmann himself actually developed the turn.
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 British official version however, he was shot down by an F.E.2b aircraft flown by pilot G.R. McCubbin and observer J. H. Waller from Royal Flying Corps Squadron 25.
He was credited with 15 victories.