Eddie Rickenbacker

Name: Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3
Author: Eddie Rickenbacker

Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (1919)

Summary

“Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3”, published in 1919, is a work by Eddie Rickenbacker. It explores elements such as Pont-à-Mousson, aeroplanes and Boche.

Quotes from Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (Eddie Rickenbacker)

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (1919)

“ War to us was very much of a plunge into an unknown planet. We knew something of the wiles of the enemy and were familiar enough with the dangers that every pilot was so fond of describing. But there remained always that unknown fear of a new menace. Ever constant was the impression that luck might for an instant desert us and that instant would end the war for us. We often wondered just what new danger would be thwarted by pure luck each time we went out for a patrol into enemy territory. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (1919)

“ Then it was added to our joy to receive the congratulations and praise of the French inhabitants of Toul, who had endured so many bombing raids from these Boche machines without seeing any allied planes on the defense of their beloved little city. When they learned that two enemy machines had been shot down on the very first day of the arrival of the Americans their delight knew no bounds. They wrung our hands, kissed us, toasted us in their best Mozelle wine and yelled:—"Vive la France!" "Vivent les Americains!" ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (1919)

“ The aeroplanes swoop down so swiftly and are so terrifying in the roar of their engines and the streams of bullets issuing forth from two rapid-fire guns that an ordinary soldier always looks for a hole rather than for any weapon of defense.
The machine passes overhead so quickly that I imagine no gun can begin to be aimed until we are gone. Only when a steady barrage fire is going up and a pilot happens to pass through its very path does he get injured while upon this work. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (1919)

“ The curious climax to this affair was that we never did discover who shot down that Boche machine. He was never claimed by any one else. But for my part I was convinced that I certainly could not have accomplished my first victory without firing a shot or even seeing my enemy.
Thus I had all the fruits of a first victory without having won it. But what was far more important to me, I had learned something more in the art of war-flying. I had undoubtedly saved my life by keeping out of the gun-sight of a friendly machine! ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (1919)

“ That same day a Hospital Unit moved into Toul and settled within a mile of our aerodrome. The nurses were all American girls, and several of us had the good fortune to meet a party of them as we were taking a walk into Toul. After seeing only the coarsest and oldest sorts of French peasant women for so many months, we thought we had never seen anything so beautiful as these first American girls at Toul. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (1919)

“ Some friends are better shots than are casual enemies. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (1919)

“ I had been trusting to my boasted sense of direction all during this flight and had not even consulted my compass. Consequently I had turned completely around and had led Chambers in exactly the opposite direction from the spot where the Boche was waiting for us. We had not been within ten miles of the lines the whole morning.
In great disgust I led the way homewards. Landing my machine I went over to the office and put in a very brief report to the effect that there were no enemy machines to be seen in our patrol. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (1919)

“ This little catastrophe put me out of the trench strafing party which our squadron carried out at four o'clock that afternoon on the enemy's lines just north of Seicheprey. It was a wonderful success and all the boys came home overjoyed with the scurrying troops on the ground that had been thrown into great confusion by the attack of the aeroplanes. This ground strafing is probably the most exciting sport in aviation and one that is attended with comparatively little danger to the pilot. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (1919)

“ These were the first two enemy aeroplanes brought down by any American squadron and both were miraculously crashed on the very doorstep of our aerodrome on the first day we had begun operations!
Neither of the German pilots was seriously injured. Upon our questioning them as to how they happened to be about in such weather, they informed us that they had been summoned to go up to attack two patrolling machines that were being "Archied" between Pont-à-Mousson and St. Mihiel. They had followed Chambers and me until they lost us in the fog. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (1919)

“ Mihiel; then they turned north to run another 18 miles to the edge of Verdun. Straight north of Pont-à-Mousson some 20 miles Metz is situated. And around Metz several squadrons of Hun bombing aeroplanes and fighting machines had their lairs on a hilltop, from which they surveyed the lines which we were to patrol this 13th day of April. In short, the sector from Pont-à-Mousson to St. Mihiel was fairly alive with air activity when weather conditions permitted the use of aeroplanes at all.
This was the beat on which Captain Peterson, Chambers and I would find ourselves to-morrow at six. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (1919)

“ We advised Campbell and Winslow to keep a sharp lookout above the aerodrome that morning, for we intended to stir up the Boches and undoubtedly there would be droves of them coming over our field for revenge. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Eddie Rickenbacker, Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (1919)

“ Mihiel and we were to return at eight o'clock—a two hours' patrol. Captain Peterson was designated as leader of the flight.
Picture the map of these French towns, as every pilot in our Squadron 94 had it indelibly pressed into his memory. While flying in the vicinity of enemy territory it is quite essential that one should know every landmark on the horizon. Every river, every railroad, highway and village must be as familiar to the airman as are the positions of first, second and third bases to the homerunner.
Toul is 18 miles almost directly south of Pont-à-Mousson, St. ”

Eddie Rickenbacker

Summary

Quotes from Fighting the Flying Circus — Chapter 3 (Eddie Rickenbacker)

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