Eddie Rickenbacker

Name: Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 27
Author: Eddie Rickenbacker

Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 27 (1919)

Summary

“Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 27”, published in 1919, is a work by Eddie Rickenbacker. It explores elements such as balloon, Fokker and pilot.

Quotes from Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 27 (Eddie Rickenbacker)

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 27 (1919)

“ White had searched long and earnestly for the balloon that he desired to attack. He thought himself hopelessly lost in the darkness, when off to one side he distinguished the dark outline of what he thought was his balloon. Immediately redressing his machine he tipped downwards and began plugging furious streams of flaming bullets into his target. He made a miscalculation in his distance and before he could swerve away from the dark mass ahead of him his machine had plunged straight through it! ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 27 (1919)

“ With one long burst the fight was over. The Fokker fell over onto one wing and dropped aimlessly to earth. It was too dark to see the crash, and moreover I had all thoughts of my victory dissipated by a sudden ugly jerk to my motor which immediately developed into a violent vibration. As I turned back towards Verdun, which was the nearest point to our lines, I had recurring visions of crashing down into Germany to find myself a prisoner. This would be a nice ending to our glorious balloon expedition! ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 27 (1919)

“ My victory over the Fokker made it eleven victories to be credited us for this hour's work. And we had not lost a single pilot!
As the jubilant and famished pilots crowded into the mess hall one could not hear a word through all the excited chatter. Each one had some strange and fearful adventure to relate about his morning's experiences. But the tale which aroused howls of laughter was the droll story told by Lieutenant White of the 147th Squadron. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 27 (1919)

“ The experienced balloon strafers, particularly such daring airmen as Coolidge and Luke, do not consider the risks or terrors about them. They proceed in the attack as calmly as though they were sailing through a stormless sky. Regardless of flaming missiles from the ground, they pass through the defensive barrage of fire, and often return again and again, to attack the target, until it finally bursts into flame from their incendiary bullets. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 27 (1919)

“ So when a pilot begins his first balloon attacking expeditions, he knows that he runs a gauntlet of fire that may be very deadly. His natural impulse is to make a nervous plunge into the zone of danger, fire his bullets, and get away. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 27 (1919)

“ Just here it may be well to point out the difficulties of balloon strafing, which make this undertaking so unattractive to the new pilot.
German "Archy" is terrifying at first acquaintance. Pilots affect a scorn for it, and indeed at high altitudes the probabilities of a hit are small. But when attacking a balloon which hangs only 1,500 feet above the guns (and this altitude is of course known precisely to the anti-aircraft gunner) Archy becomes far more dangerous. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 27 (1919)

“ Two or three times we crawled out of our hole, only to duck back at the signal of the next coming shell. After six or eight shots the Boche gunners evidently considered their target too small, for they ceased firing long enough for us to make a bolt across the intervening holes and throw ourselves into the waiting automobile. I most fervently wished that I had turned the car around before leaving it, and I shall never forget the frightful length of time it took me to get our car backed around and headed in the right direction. We lost no time in getting down that hill. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 27 (1919)

“ It would be difficult perhaps to find them before daylight if they were still in their nests, but we were to hang about the vicinity until we did find them, if it took all day. With every man fully posted on his course and objective, we put on our coats and walked over to the hangars. ”

Eddie Rickenbacker

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Quotes from Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 27 (Eddie Rickenbacker)

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