The fledgling air forces of WW I had no
problem finding volunteers for a life promising adventure, romance,
and a chance for immortality. The glamorized version of life as a WW
I aviator, while not far off the mark for national heroes like Max
Immelmann, Oswold Boelcke, Charles Nungesser, Manfred von Richtofen,
René Fonck and Billy Bishop, was only a pipe dream for most pilots.
Honors accrued only to those with large victory totals, and
impressive wins, and as the War dragged on, the chivalrous adventure
became more and more unglamorous. In fact the Allied command
discourage the use of parachutes – believing it the pilot’s duty to
stay with his aircraft. Many pilots did not return home. The average
expected lifespan of a new combat pilot during WW I was about 5
weeks. The French suffered a 77% loss ratio during the War, and the
loss ratios for many British squadrons exceeded 90% early in the
War. The Great War had started only about ten years after the Wright
Brothers first flight and the aircraft flown at the beginning of the
War were very fragile and not yet truly suitable for combat. Flying
accidents and malfunctions took an enormous toll on both equipment
and pilots. Despite the frailties of the aircraft and the relative
inexperience of the military as to their use in combat roles, an
Italian staff officer named Giulio Douhet, way back in 1909 had laid
down the fundamental strategies of future air combat. “In order to
conquer the air, it is necessary to deprive the enemy of all means
of flying, by striking them in the air, at his bases of operation,
or at his production centers.” There were many lesser known heroes
of WW I, and one of the little known American aces of WW I was 1st
Lt. William P. Erwin of the 1st Aero Squadron USAS. Erwin flew the
Salmson 2A2 depicted in Stan Stokes painting. Erwin would attain
eight aerial victories in this type of aircraft, making him the
leading ace in this type of aircraft. Erwin was born in Amarillo,
Texas, but grew up in Chicago. He volunteered for pilot training at
the beginning of America’s entry into the War. He was accepted and
ultimately was sent to France Flying with Lt. D.H. Dahringer, the
first in a succession of observers, he downed his first German
aircraft in September 1917. He shot down a Rumpler two-seater a
couple of weeks later, and in early October during a dawn patrol he
claimed his third victory. He bagged two German 2-seaters on a late
afternoon mission to become an ace. On October 15 he bagged an
unspecified German aircraft and three days later he downed a Fokker
D VII. He completed his tally with the downing of another 2-seater
on October 22. Erwin earned the Distinguished Service Cross and the
French Croix de Guerre. He continued to be involved with aviation
following the War. He entered the Dole Air Race from Oakland to
Hawaii, but his aircraft was lost over the Pacific.
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Collector Sized Lithograph:
$40
16" x 11 1/2"
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Giclee on Canvas:
$445
18'' x 27''
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