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An Aviator's Field Book Being the field reports of Oswald Bölcke, from August 1, 1914 to October 28, 1916 By: Oswald Boelcke (1891-1916) |
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Being the Field Reports of Oswald Bölcke,
from August 1, 1914, to October 28, 1916 TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY
ROBERT REYNOLD HIRSCH, M.E. WITH A FOREWORD BY JOSEPH E. RIDDER, M.E.
1917
NATIONAL MILITARY PUBLISHING CO.
1919 BROADWAY, NEW YORK
[Illustration: COLONEL OSWALD BÖLCKE'S LAST PICTURE]
ILLUSTRATIONS
FACING
PAGE Colonel Oswald Bölcke's Last Picture Frontispiece After His First Victory 32 The Enemy's Aeroplane in Ruins 33 The Master Flier and His Men 64 Bölcke and His Brother Wilhelm,
September, 1914 65 Donning His Flying Dress 96 An Aviator Bombarded with
Shrapnel 97 Among His Comrades 144 German Marine Aviators on a
Field Near the North Sea 145 Ready for the Start 160 Bölcke and His Brother Max in
France (August, 1916) 161 One of His Last Victims 182 Starting on His Last Ride, October
28, 1916 5 P. M. 183
FOREWORD BY JOSEPH E. RIDDER
An unassuming book, still one of those which grip the reader from
beginning to end. When the author started to write his daily
impressions and adventures, it was to keep in touch with his people,
to quiet those who feared for his safety every moment, and at the same
time to give them a clear idea of his life. Without boasting, modestly
and naturally, he describes the adventures of an aviator in the
great World War. It could well serve as a guide to those who are
studying aviation. Although he has avoided the stilted tone of the
school master, still his accomplishments as a knight of the air must
fascinate any who know aviation. For the aviators as well as their
machines have accomplished wonders. They are rightly called the eyes
of the army these iron nerved boys who know no fear. Admiral Schley's
historic words after the battle of Santiago: "There will be honor
enough for us all" can well be said of the aviators of all nations now
at war. For in spite of all enmity the aviators have followed the
knightly code of old which respects a good opponent and honors him.
Captain Bölcke's death, after his meteoric career, was mourned alike
by friend and foe. Great as is the damage done by this war, horrible
as is its devastation, it has acted as a tonic on aviation. Before the
war, of course, there had been some achievements of note. Since the
day when the Wright brothers announced their conquest of the air, man
did not rest till the problem was completely solved. And this war,
which continually has spurred man to new murderous inventions, has
also seen the airplane in action. While at the start of the war the
comparatively few airplanes in use were employed as scouts, a few
months saw them fitted with machine guns and devices for dropping
explosives. Hand in hand with this came the rapid development of the
airplane itself. To day we can truthfully say that a journey, even a
long one, by airplane is less dangerous than an automobile ride
through a densely populated district. But one thing we must not
forget, even though the invention of the airplane by the Wrights is an
American one (in spite of the fact that the Wrights give some credit
to the German Lilienthal) the Europeans have far outstripped us in the
development of this invention. As sad as it is to say it, we must
admit that in regard to aviation America is still in its infancy.
Every European nation has outdone us. When, in the summer of 1916, we
sent our troops to Mexico, they had only six old machines at their
disposal. Instead of relying on these for information, General
Pershing had nothing but anxiety for their safety every time they made
a flight... Continue reading book >>
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