An Aviator's Field Book Being the Field Reports of Oswald Bolcke, from August 1, 1914 to October 28, 1916

by Oswald Boelcke

Excerpt: ...on his part, tried to stick behind me. It was a fine game. The one I was attacking twisted and spiralled to escape. I got him from behind and forced him to the 500-meter level. I was very close to him and quite surprised that he had stopped his twisting; but just as I was about to give him the finishing shots, my machine gun stopped. I had pressed down too hard on the trigger Pg 108 mechanism, in the heat of the battle, and this had jammed. The second Frenchman now attacked me, and I escaped while I could. The second fight took place over our lines. The first Frenchman, as I learned later, had gotten his share. He was just able to glide to the French side of the Meuse, and here he landed, according to some reports; others say he fell. I am inclined to believe the former, but probably he could not pick a good spot in which to land, and so broke his machine. From Lieutenant R. I heard that the machine, as well as an automobile, that came to its aid, were set afire by our artillery. I learned further details from Lieutenant B. After landing, one of the Pg 109 aviators ran to the village, returned with a stretcher and helped carry the other one away. Things seem to have happened like this: I wounded the pilot; he was just able to make a landing; then, with the aid of his observer, he was carried off, and our artillery destroyed his machine. On the following day, the 13th, there was again great aerial activity. Early in the morning I came just in time to see a French battleplane attack a German above Fort Douaumont. I went for the Frenchman and chased him away

Genres: Ebooks, Aviation

24 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1917

Reviews

[Kaj Samuelsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now, almost 100 years after his death, it is very interesting to read how the flying was done, his description of how long time it took to gain altitude. He was living for flying and when reading these notes from him it got very clear that he was interested in life and the world around him, though he preferred to view it from above, in the pilot seat. And he loved battles.
He did not like to be famous, and even considered to have pre-written answers to hand out to all people asking him questions.

[Javier Sastre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Desconocía las hazañas del as de la aviación Oswald Boelcke y son bastante impresionantes. Fue el mentor de Von Richthofen (Barón Rojo) y de muchos otros ases alemanes de la 1a Guerra Mundial. Su palmarés es espectacular en el poco tiempo en el que lo logró y hubiera superado al primero si no hubiera fallecido en accidente de vuelo en 1916. Muy interesante resulta cómo describe los comienzos y el posterior desarrollo de la aviación de combate, proporcionando continuos detalles, sencillos pero invaluables, para poner contexto y cercanía a su actividad. A ello ayuda que el libro es una recopilación de las cartas enviadas con amplio lujo de detalles por Boelcke, principalmente, a sus padres

[Hendrik Wessel de Vries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written in first-perspective with educating notions. In my opinion better than the english equivalent(ish) written by James McConnel.