First American Ace (One Pilot Signature)

L/E of 1250
S/N by the Artist & One Pilot
Overall Print Size: 30" x 24"

Plane Type: Nieuport 11

During May, 1916, Raoul Gervais Lufbery was assigned to N-124, the Escadrille Americaine (the American Pilot's Volunteer Group). Everyone marveled at Raoul's skill to keep his Nieuport 11 in top shape. His earlier experience as a mechanic had paid off. His flying skills became famous for inventing the so called "Lufbery Circle". Lufbery's well-remembered phrase was "Be careful, always remember it may be a trap." Of Lufbery’s 16 victories, it is believed that his fifth was the most notable, during the famous "Oberndorf Raid" over Germany, 12 October, 1916. Four pilots from N-124, flying Nieuport 17's, were to escort the bomber mission to Oberndorf to destroy the Mauser Works factory there. On the return from the mission escort, Lufbery scored his fifth victory against a Roland CII. It's best described by James R. McConnell of the Escadrille Americaine, in his book "Flying For France", copyrighted in 1916. Here is a quote from the book: "The Nieuports having refilled their tanks went back up to clear the air of Germans that might be hovering in wait for the returning raiders. Prince found one and promptly shot it down, Lufbery came upon three. He dove for one, making it drop below the others, and then forcing a second to descend, attacked the one remaining above. The combat was short and at the end of it, the German tumbled to earth. This made the fifth enemy machine which was officially credited to Lufbery." Raoul Lufbery’s life ended on 19 May, 1918 in a tragic combat death. Lufbery is enshrined and honored along with 200 other American Volunteers of the Escadrille Lafayette, in a beautiful park at Villeneuve L'Etang outside Paris, near Versailles. It is called the Memorial de l'Escardille Lafayette." The painting has been reviewed and approved by the family of Raoul Lufbery. This special edition of "First American Ace" is signed by a minimum of 26 American aces, and in some cases, it has up to 30 signatures. This print depicting the fifth victory of Raul Lufbery, was signed at a American Fighter Aces reunion in San Antonio.

Additional Pilot "Ace" Signature: Vietnam Ace Steve Ritchie


PLANE JUNKIE - "First American Ace" by Roy Grinnell (Nieuport 11)