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United States Air Force - World War One
Aviation Art Prints  Aviation Artists Stan Stokes US Aviation  World War One |
[UP] - World War One - Between the Wars - World War Two - Modern Era - Civilian Aviation |
| More Pages : DH4 - Nieuport 17 - Nieuport 28 - Salmson 2A2 - Spad S.XIII |
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Mitchell's Air Armada by Stan Stokes. Germany, concerned over the full brunt of Americas entry into the War, decided in 1918 to launch one last all-out offensive. Germanys air forces were to play an important role in this offensive, but production of new aircraft had lagged behind expectations. With insufficient numbers of aircraft, German military leaders had to hope for technically superior machines to offset their disadvantages in numbers. In early 1918 top aces were brought back from the front to test competing designs. The overall favorite was a Fokker design which would ultimately reach the front as the D.VII. The aircraft was ordered into production immediately. The Germans organized a couple more fighter groups which could be rapidly deployed in those area where they could do the most good. The German offensive, which is generally referred to as the Kaisers Battle, began in the Spring and was focused on the area north of the Somme. British forces were initially overwhelmed by the German offensive. German airpower dominated in the early phases of the offensive. For the first major counter offensive of the War in which American forces would play a major role, Col. Billy Mitchell, Chief of the Air Service, assembled a huge air armada, the objective of which was to wrest toal air superiority from the German forces. Mitchell assembled 28 American squadrons. More than 600 US-piloted aircraft were available to Mitchell in this sector including more than 100 new American-built DH-4s with Liberty engines. In addition Mitchell rested control of several hundred additional aircraft in British, French, and Italian squadrons. Mitchells total force amounted to nearly 1,500 aircraft - the largest air armada ever assembled. In the early days of the counter offensive Mitchells strategy worked brilliantly, as the sheer number of Allied aircraft overwhelmed the Germans. Later, as the fighting continued, the Germans would have some success; especially with their Fokker D. VIIs. In Stan Stokes painting DH-4 bombers of the US 11th Aero Squadron come under attack by Fokker D.VIIs while on their way to another target during the St. Mihiel offensive. The 11th Aero Squadron would be decimated before the end of the offensive, losing all but one its aircraft. Five of the six DH-4s sent to bomb Mars-la-Tour were downed by a flight led by Hermann Becker, a significant German ace. The American built DH-4 was capable of carrying a 450-pound bomb load. Powered with a 416-HP Liberty 12 engine, these aircraft were capable of 125 MPH, and were adequately armed with 4 machine guns. The Fokker D. VIIs were powered with a 175-HP Mercedes engine and were capable of 119 MPH. The Fokkers were typically armed with twin Spandau machine guns. |
Dawn Patrol by Stan Stokes. The fledgling air forces of WW I had no problem finding volunteers for a life promising adventure, romance, and a chance for immortality. The glamorized version of life as a WW I aviator, while not far off the mark for national heroes like Max Immelmann, Oswold Boelcke, Charles Nungesser, Manfred von Richtofen, Rene Fonck and Billy Bishop, was only a pipe dream for most pilots. Honors accrued only to those with large victory totals, and impressive wins, and as the War dragged on, the chivalrous adventure became more and more unglamorous. In fact the Allied command discouraged the use of parachutes - believing it the pilots duty to stay with his aircraft. Many pilots did not return home. The average expected lifespan of a new combat pilot during WW I was about 5 weeks. The French suffered a 77 percent loss ratio during the War, and the loss ratios for many British squadrons exceeded 90% early in the War. The Great War had started only about ten years after the Wright Brothers first flight and the aircraft flown at the beginning of the War were very fragile and not yet truly suitable for combat. Flying accidents and malfunctions took an enormous toll on both equipment and pilots. Despite the frailties of the aircraft and the relative inexperience of the military as to their use in combat roles, an Italian staff officer named Giulio Douhet, way back in 1909 had laid down the fundamental strategies of future air combat. In order to conquer the air, it is necessary to deprive the enemy of all means of flying, by striking them in the air, at his bases of operation, or at his production centers. There were many lesser known heroes of WW I, and one of the little known American aces of WW I was 1st Lt. William P. Erwin of the 1st Aero Squadron USAS. Erwin flew the Salmson 2A2 depicted in Stan Stokes painting. Erwin would attain eight aerial victories in this type of aircraft, making him the leading ace in this type of aircraft. Erwin was born in Amarillo, Texas, but grew up in Chicago. He volunteered for pilot training at the beginning of Americas entry into the War. He was accepted and ultimately was sent to France Flying with Lt. D.H. Dahringer, the first in a succession of observers, he downed his first German aircraft in September 1917. He shot down a Rumpler two-seater a couple of weeks later, and in early October during a dawn patrol he claimed his third victory. He bagged two German 2-seaters on a late afternoon mission to become an ace. On October 15 he bagged an unspecified German aircraft and three days later he downed a Fokker D VII. He completed his tally with the downing of another 2-seater on October 22. Erwin earned the Distinguished Service Cross and the French Croix de Guerre. He continued to be involved with aviation following the War. He entered the Dole Air Race from Oakland to Hawaii, but his aircraft was lost over the Pacific. |
Something to Write Home About by Stan Stokes. The 94th and 95th Pursuit Squadrons of the U.S. Army Air Service were the first American units to see action in WW I following Americas entry into the War. The units were assigned in March of 1918 to a former French aerodrome at Villeneuve, which was located about twenty miles behind the front line. The 94th had several experienced pilots who had flown with the Lafayette Escadrille, including Major Raoul Lufbery, who had become the top American ace with the Lafayette Escadrille. The weather in March was poor for flying, and the 94th lacked appropriately equipped aircraft to oppose attacking German planes. However, the unit could hear the thunder of heavy guns in the distance, and when it was clear a string of observation balloons could be seen in the distance. Rumors of German advances startled the young flyers of the 94th, and compounded their frustrations. On March 30 the unit was moved further back from the lines to an aerodrome adjacent to the small village of Epiez. In early April guns finally arrived for the units Neuport 28s. Major Huffer, commander of the squadron, suggested the hat-in-the-ring insignia for the unit which was drawn-up by Lt. J. Wentworth. On the morning of April 14, the 94th planned to fly its first combat sortie. Two of the pilots, Lt. Douglas Campbell and Lt. Alan Winslow were to keep a sharp lookout at the aeodrome for enemy fighters. Unfortunately the weather on the morning of the 14th was marginal with a heavy mist, and the mission was partially aborted. Later that morning two enemy aircraft buzzed the aerodrome, and Winslow and Campbell rushed to their waiting machines. Within a few minutes Alan Winslow had bagged a Hun, and shortly thereafter Campbell was successful at downing the other aircraft. Both enemy machines fell right on the doorstep of the aerodrome. These were the first two enemy aircraft downed by pilots flying for the American Air Service. It appears that the enemy pilots became disoriented in the bad weather and mistook the 94ths aerodrome for their own. This double victory for the Americans brought joy to the members of the American Air Service and to the local inhabitants would had withstood unopposed attacks by enemy aircraft. The young Winslow, who received the Croix de Guerre, wrote his parents a letter on April 17, 1918 describing the incident and all the commotion made thereafter, in which he indicated that the 14th of April was the, happiest day of my life. Cables poured in from all across the United States, and as Eddie Rickenbacker pointed out in his Fighting the Flying Circus, It was particularly fortunate for the squadron that such an extraordinary success should have marked the very first day of our operations ..... the episode put great confidence into all of us and we felt that we were a match for the whole German Air Force. |
Stuck in the Mud by Stan Stokes. The Lafayette Escadrille was a French air service squadron which was manned by American volunteers during WW I. Thirty-eight Americans served with the squadron during the war. Nine were killed in action and one was accidentally killed in a fall from a horse. The squadron had four French officers, and only one, Captain Georges Thenault, survived the war. The Lafayette Escadrille accounted for a total of thirty-eight victories during its service. Nearly half of these victories were accounted for by Raoul Lufbery. Born in France, Lufbery was a soldier of fortune, having joined the U.S. Army and barnstormed in the Orient. Lufbery joined the aviation service initially as a mechanic but was attached to the Lafayette Escadrille because of his prior service with the U.S. Army. Lufbery achieved 17 confirmed victories, and prior to his being killed in action in 1918, he gave instruction to some of Americas top aces of the war, including Eddie Rickenbacker. The Lafayette Escadrille used a Seminole Indian insignia until April 1917, and a Sioux Indian insignia thereafter. The squadron initially flew the famous Nieuport fighting scouts, and was equipped with the heavier and stronger Spad later in the conflict. Many of the pilots preferred to fly the Nieuport because of its tremendous maneuverability. The Nieuport 17 was one of the most distinctive single-seat fighters of the War. This French-built aircraft was utilized by British, Belgian, Italian, American, and Russian airmen. Two of the most famous British aces, Billy Bishop and Albert Ball, flew Nieuports for much of their service. The design of the Nieuport is attributed to Franz Schneider who had suggested that a good compromise between a monoplane and a biplane would be a design utilizing a large upper wing and a much smaller lower wing. The resulting aircraft was much stronger than the early monoplane designs which suffered from frequent structural failures. The Nieuport 17 was initially powered by a 130 HP Clerget or a smaller 110 HP Le Rhone engine. The Nieuport 17 entered service in May 1916. Its performance at that time was superior to any fighting aircraft. It was about 10 percent faster than any other aircraft in service and could climb to 10,000 feet in approximately ten minutes. The Germans thought enough of this aircraft that they produced an improved copy of the 13-metre Nieuport Type-11 Baby. Aviation artist Stan Stokes, in his outstanding painting entitled Stuck in the Mud, shows a Nieuport of the Lafayette Escadrille in the process of being extricated from the mud following an aborted takeoff. The Lafayette Escadrille was absorbed into the 103rd Aero Squadron USAS in 1918 with Americas official entry into the War. |
Gotcha by Stan Stokes. World War I was the first major conflict in which the airplane became a practical instrument of war. However, because of the slow speeds, small armaments, limited fuel capacities and light weights of these aircraft many pilots survived being shot down many times. These were the glory days for early aviators with pilots from both sides having tremendous status amongst both their peers and their adversaries. In Gotcha, Stan Stokes has captured the camaraderie and good sportsmanship shown by the military pilots of the time. In a beautiful scene Stokes shows the downed German aviator dripping from the unscheduled bath just inflicted upon him, as a Spad piloted by Eddie Rickenbacker, Americas top ranking ace, passes overhead for a last look. Steam is rising from the engine of the downed Fokker D VII, which was arguably one of the finest fighter planes of World War I. About 700 Fokker D VIIs were produced during the War, and the aircraft was capable of speeds of 125 MPH with a range of 134 Miles. The D VII was constructed with welded tubing and was fabric covered. Most variants were armed with two 7.9 mm machine guns. Rickenbacker, as a very young man, was involved in automobile racing and engineering, and in 1914 he set a worlds speed record of 134 MPH in a Blitzen-Benz racer. Rickenbacker was in England when WW I began, and while there he became interested in Britains progress in aviation. Returning to the States Rickenbacker figured that his expertise in driving race cars should make him a great pilot, but the best he could do was get himself assigned as General Pershings personal chauffeur. In August 1917 Rickenbacker finally got his wish and was transferred to the Army Air Corp, and by 1918 he was assigned to combat duty. Although bothered by an ear infection which led to his hospitalization in Paris for two months in 1918, Rickenbackers achievements were impressive. In the month of October 1918 alone, he was credited with ten kills, Rickenbacker is pictured by Stokes flying a Spad S.13 which was the best French-built fighter of the War. The S.13 was produced in large numbers (8,472) and was capable of 138 MPH with a range of 250 miles. The Spad S.13 was armed with twin 0.303 inch machine guns. Rickenbackers squadron was nicknamed the Hat in the Ring gang. After the War Rickenbacker had a very successful business career, and he served as Chairman of Eastern Airlines. |
Rickenbacker: American Ace of Aces by Stan Stokes. Edward V. Rickenbacker was Americas Ace of Aces in WWI. A Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Eddie was born in Columbus Ohio on October 8, 1890. Eddies schooling ceased at age twelve when his father died. His first job was working at a foundry 72 hours a week for $3.50 per week. Eventually Eddie found employment in a garage, a job which was to have a tremendous influence on his entire life. Rickenbacker studied engineering through a correspondence school, and at age 18 he was employed to road test automobiles for the then famous Frayer-Miller company. Eddie drove in three Indy 500 races, and was deemed a conservative but highly skilled driver. By his early twenties Eddie was making about $40,000 a year, and in 1916 he visited England and was caught up in the spirit of the war, and in particular all activity relating to the Royal Flying Corps. A year later Rickenbacker had enlisted, hoping to become an American flyer. Unfortunately, he was assigned to General Pressings staff as a driver. After much persistence Eddie was finally given a transfer to the embryonic American Aviation Service, thanks to the influence of Billy Mitchell. Rickenbacker trained at Issoudun in France, and his flying demonstrated his amazing ability to judge both speed and distance. Because of his great mechanical ability, Rickenbackers superiors thought he would be more valuable in a ground maintenance capacity than as a flyer. Finally, Eddie got his wish and was sent to Cazeau where he received his air gunnery training. In March of 1918 Eddie was posted to the 94th (Hat-in-the-Ring) Pursuit Squadron which was based at Villeneuve. This new squadron was being organized around Major Raoul Luftbery, the famous American ace who had flown with the Lafayette Escadrille. Eddies flying was marked by an almost scientific approach, making every turn or maneuver gain some advantage over his adversary. Rickenbackers score rose steadily and he helped push the 94th to the highest score of any American squadron. Rickenbacker received numerous decorations including The Distinguished Service Cross with nine Oak Leaves, the French Legion of Honor, and the Croix de Guerre with four Palms. Eddies record of 26 confirmed aerial victories was achieved in a few short months of flying. Eddie also was never injured during his battles in the skies over France. Captain Eddie, as he was known to most Americans, was promoted to Major prior to leaving the service, but Eddies midwestern mentality prevented from using a title he didn't feel he had earned. Following the war Rickenbacker had a very successful business career which included formation of his own automobile company, ownership of the Indianapolis Raceway, and the purchase of Eastern Air Lines from General Motors. Eddie survived a terrible crash of an Eastern Air Lines DC-3, and also survived a 24-day unplanned voyage in a life raft, when his aircraft crashed in the Pacific. During WWII Eddie performed a number of diplomatic missions for the U.S. government, and he was an outspoken proponent of a unified and strong air force. Rickenbacker is unarguably one of the most important figures in aviation history. |
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