Source: Winston Groom. The Aviators - Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle,
Charles Lindbergh, and the Epic Age of Flight (2013)
Charles Lindbergh, and the Epic Age of Flight (2013)
25 September 1918 was Captain Rickenbacker’s first day as the commander of the 94th Aero Pursuit Squadron (the “Hat in the Ring” gang), and he was flying alone above the Meuse River in France over the nightmarish deathscape of Verdun. The 94th had been organized six months prior, but after half-a-year Rickenbacker was just one of three pilots remaining from the original twenty-four. His experience over those six months convinced Rickenbacker that air squadron commanders could not do their job from behind a desk, but by example, which meant sharing the danger with his men. That day was a pivotal day for the US forces in France, in that almost 250k soldiers of the 1st Army were moving into the trenches between Meuse River and the Argonne Forest, getting ready for their part in what would be the greatest Allied offensive of the war.
The Germans had raised observation balloons as well as reconnaissance planes, knowing something was in the offing on the Allied side, trying to get specific information about what the Allies were planning. Rickenbacker’s job was to make sure that the Germans didn’t have full reconnaissance capabilities to gather information. Ten days earlier Rickenbacker had earned the title of America’s “Ace of Aces”, having shot down seven German planes in seven months. In Rickenbacker’s opinion, he had earned that dubious title by default, in that the previous pilots that held that honor had all been KIA.
Rickenbacker was flying at 3000 feet on a patrol mission in his French Spad XIII, which was a compact single-seat fighter armed with twin Vickers .303 caliber machine guns. In the distant clear blue sky, two German planes appeared, and soon enough Rickenbacker identified them as German LVG scout planes, equipped for taking photographs. Both LVGs were two-seater bi-planes with 7.92 Spandau machine guns, one in front and the other on a swivel in back, which Rickenbacker knew made shooting down even one LVG very difficult. Rickenbacker didn’t hesitate, knowing that if he didn’t attack, the German LVGs would be able to take quality photos of the Allied movements below.
The Germans had raised observation balloons as well as reconnaissance planes, knowing something was in the offing on the Allied side, trying to get specific information about what the Allies were planning. Rickenbacker’s job was to make sure that the Germans didn’t have full reconnaissance capabilities to gather information. Ten days earlier Rickenbacker had earned the title of America’s “Ace of Aces”, having shot down seven German planes in seven months. In Rickenbacker’s opinion, he had earned that dubious title by default, in that the previous pilots that held that honor had all been KIA.
Rickenbacker was flying at 3000 feet on a patrol mission in his French Spad XIII, which was a compact single-seat fighter armed with twin Vickers .303 caliber machine guns. In the distant clear blue sky, two German planes appeared, and soon enough Rickenbacker identified them as German LVG scout planes, equipped for taking photographs. Both LVGs were two-seater bi-planes with 7.92 Spandau machine guns, one in front and the other on a swivel in back, which Rickenbacker knew made shooting down even one LVG very difficult. Rickenbacker didn’t hesitate, knowing that if he didn’t attack, the German LVGs would be able to take quality photos of the Allied movements below.
Seconds after he started his attack run, Rickenbacker saw five German Fokkers flying above the two LVGs, serving as escorts for the reconnaissance planes. The Fokkers were top-of-the-line fighter planes and were highly maneuverable and deadly. Fokkers were the favorite fighters of the German “Flying Circus”, made famous by the late Red Baron (Manfred von Richthofen), and currently commanded by Hermann Goering. Rickenbacker immediately reversed and climbed to put the sun between him and the enemy planes, which he knew would put him out of their view. Rickenbacker’s luck held, in that none of the seven German pilots noticed him until he was at their “Six O’Clock”. Rickenbacker had placed himself in the perfect position to attack, above and behind all seven German planes, and he dove in a direct line for the nearest Fokker. It didn’t matter to Rickenbacker that he was about to attack seven enemy warplanes all on his own.
By the time the German pilots noticed him, it was too late, in that Rickenbacker tore into the formation of the Fokkers blasting his machine gun at the nearest enemy fighter, badly damaging the plane (and probably killing the pilot) where it spiraled out of control and crashed. The four remaining Fokkers actually remained in tight formation, probably stunned at the attack that they believed was impossible, which allowed Rickenbacker to keep diving to attack the LVGs. Rickenbacker’s bold attack so horrified the four Fokker pilots that they turned tail in all directions for self-preservation, understandably assuming that there were other enemy planes in their immediate vicinity. As the two LVGs had started to dive to try and escape, Rickenbacker went after the nearest LVG as the two scout planes split up.
By the time the German pilots noticed him, it was too late, in that Rickenbacker tore into the formation of the Fokkers blasting his machine gun at the nearest enemy fighter, badly damaging the plane (and probably killing the pilot) where it spiraled out of control and crashed. The four remaining Fokkers actually remained in tight formation, probably stunned at the attack that they believed was impossible, which allowed Rickenbacker to keep diving to attack the LVGs. Rickenbacker’s bold attack so horrified the four Fokker pilots that they turned tail in all directions for self-preservation, understandably assuming that there were other enemy planes in their immediate vicinity. As the two LVGs had started to dive to try and escape, Rickenbacker went after the nearest LVG as the two scout planes split up.
Both LVG rear gunners opened fire on Rickenbacker, and at the same time he looked behind and noticed that the four Fokkers were still trying to organize themselves. Rickenbacker dove his Spad below the rear LVG and then sped upwards so he could turn for the kill, but the LVG maneuvered his tail so the rear gunner could keep Rickenbacker in his sights. To make matters worse, the other LVG had got behind Rickenbacker and was firing its forward machine gun. Rickenbacker flew out of range, changing his direction (via a “renversement”), which placed him in a position to attack the first LVG. However, that LVG conducted a similar maneuver, which forced Rickenbacker to change direction again, all the while giving time for the four Fokkers to organize and attack; and all the while Rickenbacker was flying deeper-and-deeper behind German lines.
Rickenbacker was in a 6 vs 1 dogfight, and he used all the maneuvers he had learned from French flying school, which in this instance came down to dive, pull-up, zoom-in, and then having to do so again and again between the two LVGs, whose rear gunners kept firing, knowing that the four Fokkers could attack at any moment. Knowing his time was very short, Rickenbacker took immediate advantage of his chance when it occurred, in that the LVGs had strayed from their tight formation, where they were flying parallel about 50 feet apart. For some (still) unexplained reason, one of the LVGs had left the formation to make a run for it, and Rickenbacker lit it up with machine gun fire, where the LVG burst into flames and then plunged towards the ground.
Rickenbacker looked over his shoulder and saw the four Fokkers were diving in attack formation, and he knew it was time for him to make his escape. Rickenbacker flew back to safety at full throttle, knowing that he had accomplished his mission of denying the German LVGs from doing their reconnaissance. Interestingly, Rickenbacker’s entire encounter with the seven German planes had taken slightly less than five minutes. In taking on those seven enemy planes on his own and shooting down two, Rickenbacker was later awarded the Medal of Honor, and he remained the US “Ace of Aces” until the Great War ended; he would be celebrated America’s greatest hero of the Great War.
Rickenbacker was in a 6 vs 1 dogfight, and he used all the maneuvers he had learned from French flying school, which in this instance came down to dive, pull-up, zoom-in, and then having to do so again and again between the two LVGs, whose rear gunners kept firing, knowing that the four Fokkers could attack at any moment. Knowing his time was very short, Rickenbacker took immediate advantage of his chance when it occurred, in that the LVGs had strayed from their tight formation, where they were flying parallel about 50 feet apart. For some (still) unexplained reason, one of the LVGs had left the formation to make a run for it, and Rickenbacker lit it up with machine gun fire, where the LVG burst into flames and then plunged towards the ground.
Rickenbacker looked over his shoulder and saw the four Fokkers were diving in attack formation, and he knew it was time for him to make his escape. Rickenbacker flew back to safety at full throttle, knowing that he had accomplished his mission of denying the German LVGs from doing their reconnaissance. Interestingly, Rickenbacker’s entire encounter with the seven German planes had taken slightly less than five minutes. In taking on those seven enemy planes on his own and shooting down two, Rickenbacker was later awarded the Medal of Honor, and he remained the US “Ace of Aces” until the Great War ended; he would be celebrated America’s greatest hero of the Great War.
The very next day, 26 September 1918, was the first day of the Allied Meuse-Argonne Offensive for the US soldiers, and the First Pursuit Squadron (of which the 94th was part) was ordered to shoot down German observation balloons that were located two miles behind the front lines, and 15 miles apart. Both sides used observation balloons, in that they were very useful in getting beforehand and real-time information concerning enemy movements. Those balloons were huge tied-down blimps filled with very flammable hydrogen, floating at around 1500 feet above the ground, where an observer(s) with a telescope could report enemy movements. While vulnerable to incendiary fire (tracer bullets), the hydrogen-filled observation balloons were still very difficult to shoot down, largely due to the heavy morning moisture (dew) on the outside skin of the balloons.
After four years of experience in the Great War, anti-aircraft artillery were stationed near the balloons, where the “Archie” (flak) was far more accurate and deadly at 1500 feet. Machine guns were also located underneath the observation balloons, which also were very accurate at that range. A month earlier, Rickenbacker had tried and failed to down an observation balloon, but this time he was determined to do so. The 94th was assigned to down two German observation balloons on 26 September 1918 at the start of the huge Allied counter-offensive, and Rickenbacker assembled five of his best pilots (two groups of three) for the mission. The two units took off at 5:20 am in order to arrive just as the Germans were getting their observation balloons in the air. As the six pilots of the 94th flew to their targets, the massive battle below had started, where they saw tens of thousands of US soldiers (“Doughboys”) moving east.
After four years of experience in the Great War, anti-aircraft artillery were stationed near the balloons, where the “Archie” (flak) was far more accurate and deadly at 1500 feet. Machine guns were also located underneath the observation balloons, which also were very accurate at that range. A month earlier, Rickenbacker had tried and failed to down an observation balloon, but this time he was determined to do so. The 94th was assigned to down two German observation balloons on 26 September 1918 at the start of the huge Allied counter-offensive, and Rickenbacker assembled five of his best pilots (two groups of three) for the mission. The two units took off at 5:20 am in order to arrive just as the Germans were getting their observation balloons in the air. As the six pilots of the 94th flew to their targets, the massive battle below had started, where they saw tens of thousands of US soldiers (“Doughboys”) moving east.
Rickenbacker was not the tip of the spear on this mission, so he wasn’t involved in the downing of the first German balloon, which literally went down in flames, and then very soon the second German balloon met the same fate. Rickenbacker was both delighted and frustrated, in that the mission was a success but he had missed out on the action, so he headed to where he knew there was another German observation balloon, but when he approached that balloon, it too was going down in flames. So focused had Rickenbacker been on the balloons that he failed to notice that a German Fokker was flying right beside him to his left, and right when Rickenbacker saw him, the German pilot turned and started to fire his machine gun, where Rickenbacker immediately did the same.
The two planes were flying and firing directly at each other, but before there was a collision, Rickenbacker maneuvered his fighter (again using a “renversement”) so he was now behind the German, and within seconds he shot down the enemy plane. As Rickenbacker watched the crashing plane, he felt his plane jerk, and then there was a very worrisome non-stop vibration in his engine. Rickenbacker landed at the first Allied airfield he saw, and when he surveyed the damage on his plane he saw that the German pilot’s machine gun fire had badly damaged his propeller; Rickenbacker knew he was very lucky to be alive. The next morning (27 September 1918), Rickenbacker shot down a German observation balloon all on his own, of which he felt great satisfaction.
The air battle in the skies over the US sector of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive became savage, which was almost entirely centered around shooting down or defending German observation balloons. The Army brass became very concerned that the Germans were able to replace their observation balloons about as fast as US fighters shot them down, which led Colonel Billy Mitchell to order the First Pursuit Squadron to shoot down more of them faster. Rickenbacker devised a strategy where two fighters would attack an observation balloon while the other US fighters would provide protective cover.
The two planes were flying and firing directly at each other, but before there was a collision, Rickenbacker maneuvered his fighter (again using a “renversement”) so he was now behind the German, and within seconds he shot down the enemy plane. As Rickenbacker watched the crashing plane, he felt his plane jerk, and then there was a very worrisome non-stop vibration in his engine. Rickenbacker landed at the first Allied airfield he saw, and when he surveyed the damage on his plane he saw that the German pilot’s machine gun fire had badly damaged his propeller; Rickenbacker knew he was very lucky to be alive. The next morning (27 September 1918), Rickenbacker shot down a German observation balloon all on his own, of which he felt great satisfaction.
The air battle in the skies over the US sector of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive became savage, which was almost entirely centered around shooting down or defending German observation balloons. The Army brass became very concerned that the Germans were able to replace their observation balloons about as fast as US fighters shot them down, which led Colonel Billy Mitchell to order the First Pursuit Squadron to shoot down more of them faster. Rickenbacker devised a strategy where two fighters would attack an observation balloon while the other US fighters would provide protective cover.
Rickenbacker assigned two pilots to shoot down a balloon while he and other pilots of the 94th provided cover. The German balloon wasn’t yet up to full elevation when the large squadron from the 94th arrived, where Rickenbacker noticed that 11 Fokkers were flying below, where he immediately dove and shot down the rear-most enemy fighter. Rickenbacker was amazed to see that the enemy plane he had shot had leveled-off, and more amazed when he saw the pilot jump out of the plane and deploy a parachute. On the way back to base, Rickenbacker came to the rescue of one of his pilots, shooting down a Fokker before he could do so to his fellow 94th pilot. It would have been a spectacular day for the 94th, but two of their pilots were KIA during that mission.
30 October 1918 was a pivotal day during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, in that the desperate Germans basically threw everything they had in the air, during which Rickenbacker shot down his 26th German plane, which unbeknownst to him would be his last kill of the Great War. After a brief leave in Paris, during the night of 10 November 1918 Rickenbacker was notified of the cease-fire that would take effect the next day at 11 am on the Western Front. Even though orders were to remain on the ground, the next morning (11 November 1918) Rickenbacker took off for the front at 10 am, flying at 500 feet so he could see the soldiers on the Allied side start to celebrate the end of the Great War. Rickenbacker flew far enough east to see German soldiers peaking their heads above their trenches to see if the fighting was really over. Then Rickenbacker thought it best to head back to base in order to avoid any of the celebratory gunfire from US soldiers to accidentally hit him or his plane.
Here is the (edited) video from "Dogfights" that recreates Rickenbacker's two kills on 25 September 1918 (from which the above screen captures were taken) . . .
30 October 1918 was a pivotal day during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, in that the desperate Germans basically threw everything they had in the air, during which Rickenbacker shot down his 26th German plane, which unbeknownst to him would be his last kill of the Great War. After a brief leave in Paris, during the night of 10 November 1918 Rickenbacker was notified of the cease-fire that would take effect the next day at 11 am on the Western Front. Even though orders were to remain on the ground, the next morning (11 November 1918) Rickenbacker took off for the front at 10 am, flying at 500 feet so he could see the soldiers on the Allied side start to celebrate the end of the Great War. Rickenbacker flew far enough east to see German soldiers peaking their heads above their trenches to see if the fighting was really over. Then Rickenbacker thought it best to head back to base in order to avoid any of the celebratory gunfire from US soldiers to accidentally hit him or his plane.
Here is the (edited) video from "Dogfights" that recreates Rickenbacker's two kills on 25 September 1918 (from which the above screen captures were taken) . . .
RSS Feed
