Neckel's next achieved a victory on 18 January 1918 and steadily accumulated claims, with his fifth on 26 February. His next victory was over an ace, Lt. John McCudden of 84 Squadron who survived. He scored his tenth on 21 April, making him a 'kanone'. The twenty-year-old Neckel was now a Vizefeldwebel and was commissioned Leutnant in April 1918. At about this time, he transferred to Prussian Jasta 13.
