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by William a. Wellman (Author)
The adventures of a renowned American fighter pilot-in his own words
After initially enlisting as an ambulance driver during the Great War, American born Wellman transferred into the French Foreign Legion. By the end of 1917 he had earned his wings as a fighter pilot and had joined N. 87 escadrille of the Lafayette Flying Corps. The 'Black Cats' flew Nieuport 'pursuit' aircraft-first 17s and latterly 24s. Wellman named his own plane Celia-after his mother. In his career as a fighter pilot Wellman chalked up three confirmed 'kills' and five 'probables' before eventually being shot down by German anti-aircraft fire in March 1918. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre with two palms. Due to his crash injury he was invalided out of French service and returned to the United States where he began a highly regarded career as a film director. This book, published in 1918, recounts Wellman's wartime experiences while they were still fresh in the mind, as such it is an invaluable first hand account of the aerial war over the Western Front from the first days of air combat. Recommended.Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.
Number of Pages: 152
Dimensions: 0.35 x 8.5 x 5.51 IN
Publication Date: April 18, 2012
