Great picture find of American 1st Pursuit Group

[Olham 164]

"I recently acquired a scrapbook with about 50 snapshots from World War One.

They are from the 1st Pursuit Group which is comprised at that time of the 27th "Eagle Squadron",

94th "Hat In The Ring", and the 95th "Kicking Mule". There were later squadrons, but I believe

that these were the first.

The 1st Operations Group is the oldest air combat group in the US service. The First Pursuit Group

which we have here was operational is France about May, 1918. The 94th and 95th Aero Squadrons were

the first assigned to the Group."

 

 

 

For the picture, the text is: "WWI-3 - Lineup of 27th AS Spads at Rembercourt postwar. In theforeground

is an unmarked Blériot-built Spad with red cowl of A-Flight.The second Spad in line is #26, thought to be

the replacement airplanebeing prepared for Frank Luke at the time he was killed on 29September.

If so it would likely be Kellner-built S.7686 assigned 24September and salvaged at the 1st Air Depot on

15 December 1918. Thisphoto indicates a blue cowl, the flight marking for B-Flight. Anotherview of this lineup

also shows the plane with the diamond motif on thecowl (plane #13) in the same position relative to #26,

and it has thesame blemish on the wheel disc. Capt. Alfred Grant’s diary indicatesthat his plane #13 was

one of four transferred to the 94th AS on 14November. However, another Blériot-built machine, S.18872,

was receivedon 20 November and returned to the 1st Air Depot on 8 December. Thiscould be the #13

machine with the diamond motif. If so, theearly-December hypothesis for the photo (see HJ.37) could still

hold.ADT 10/12/07"

 

http://www.minnesooota.com/main_AeroSquadron.asp

[RAF_Louvert 101]

That is an outstanding website Olham, and is on the list of resources I will be posting after the finish of the "What's My Plane" contest.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

 

 

[Duce Lewis 3]

Great website Olham!

Love the pics

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Looks like Canes were all the rage in 1918!!!

 

Hugely evocative photo's, thanks Olham..you've come up trumps again