American Birdmen Down German Plane -- April 29, 2018

Evening Missourian, 01-May-1918

One hundred years ago today, on 29-April-1918, Eddie Rickenbacker, an auto racer who became America's ace of aces in World War One, scored his first victory.  Captain James Norman Hall, who had been a member of the Lafayette Escadrille, later wrote Mutiny on the Bounty with his partner, Charles Nordhoff.  

From the Columbia, Missouri Evening Missourian, 01-May-1918.  

AMERICAN BIRDMEN DOWN GERMAN PLANE

U S Machine Is Driven by Capt. Norman Hall and Lieut. Rickenbacker

BOTH NOTED FLYERS

Enemy Machine Is Wrecked and Falls Behind Own Lines

By Associated Press

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE, May 1 -- A German airplane was brought down in enemy territory last night by Captain Norman Hall of Colfax, Iowa and Lieutenant Edward V. Rickenbacker of Columbus, Ohio after a duel over the American lines on the Toul sector.

The American birdmen first engaged the enemy machine over the American lines. Lieutenant Rickenbacker swept over the German and opened fire with his machine gun. Captain Hall opened fire from behind the plane. The German made a desperate attempt to escape, returning the fire of the Americans but finally fell behind the German trenches. Captain Hall and Lieutenant Rickenbacker returned from the fight unscathed.

Captain Hall served as a private in the British army at the outbreak of the war. Later he joined the French aerial forces. He is the author of "Kitchener's Mob."

RICKENBACKER WANTED SPEED

Resigned as Pershing's Chauffeur to Enter Aviation Service

By Associated Press

NEW YORK, May 1 -- Lieutenant "Eddie" Rickenbacker resigned as chauffeur of General Pershing's automobile because he wanted more speed according to his friends here. He obtained a commission in the aviation service within three months after he left America.

Rickenbacker first came into prominence as a speed driver in 1911 when he appeared at Indianapolis, Providence and Sheepshead Bay, New York.


From the South Bend, Indiana News-Times, 01-May-1918.  

Rickenbacker in First Air Fight
Helps to Win Victory Over Boche

International News Service

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE, April 30 -- (6 p.m.) -- Lieut. "Eddie" Rickenbacker, of Columbus. O., an automobile racer, has engaged in his first air fight on the Toul front, and helped to win a victory.

Lieut. Rickenbacker, and Capt. Norman Hall, of Colfax. Ia., gave combat to a boche airman, downing him in enemy territory after a spectacular fight.

"Capt. Hall did the most fighting and deserves all the praise." said Lieut. Rickenbacker afterward.

"We got the 'alert' shortly after 6 o'clock on Monday evening. There had been rain clouds, but they were driven away by the sun about an hour before and the light was good as we went up.

"We picked up the German on our side of the lines and pursued him into the enemy zone. While flying at a height of about 1,800 yards, a duel began. I flew above the German and opened up on him with my machine gun. In the meantime, Capt. Hall had come up behind and was firing briskly into the boche machine.

Tried All Tricks.

"Our opponent tried every possible trick to dodge us, but we kept pecking at him with our machine guns. Finally smoke began to pour out of his machine. It nay have been due to fire started from our bullets, hut I am not certain on that point. At any rate the machine started to descend rapidly.

'We kept after the Hun machine until it got too close to the ground, Capt. Hall sending in a few final shots. Hall fired 250 rounds in all while I fired about 200.

"It was a pretty fight, hut it was over in a few moments. Some of the bullets fired by the German pierced the wings of Hall's machine."

Capt. Hall served as a private in the British army. He returned to America and wrote a book called "Kitchener's Mob." He is now writing a serial about his air adventures.

Rickenbacker drove cars in many of the biggest automobile races in America and is proving himself a very daring aviator.

The machine shot down by Capt. Hall and Lieut. Rickenbacker was the third officially reported in the past three weeks. Several others were unofficially said to have been brought down.