Jagdgeschwader 1 (World War 1)

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Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1) was formed in World War I, and was a composite fighter group made up of four Jastas or 'squadrons', originally comprised of Jastas 4, 6, 10 & 11, on June 24, 1917 with Manfred von Richthofen as commander. JG 1 became known as the Flying Circus because its fighter planes were painted in bright and distinctive color schemes for easy identification during dogfights. JG 1 and its supporting logistical infrastructure travelled by train to whatever part of the front-line they were needed, often at short notice.

After von Richthofen's death in April 1918, Hauptmann Wilhelm Reinhard became JG 1 Commanding Officer. After Reinhard was killed in a flying accident Oberleutnant Hermann Göring became JG 1's third and last commander of the war.

From June 1917 until November 1918, JG 1 claimed 644 Allied aircraft destroyed while losing 52 pilots killed.