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Grinnell, Roy
First American Ace
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,
in 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, 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 209 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’Escardrille Lafayette."The painting has been reviewed and approved by the family of Raoul Lufbery.
First American Ace is a tribute by the American FighterAces to the First American Ace, Raoul Lufbery. This lithograph was signed by a minimum of 26 Aces who attended the American Fighter Aces Reunion in San Antonio, Texas, July, 2006. Due to health issues, not all of the Aces were able to sign all of the prints, but we can guarantee at least 26 signatures. The signatures include the following Aces:
Maj. Gen. "Boots" Blesse USAF (Ret) - 4 FG
Maj. James L. Brooks - 31 FG
Col. Dean Caswell USMC (Ret) - VMF-221
Maj. George T. Chandler - 347 FG
Lt. Gen. Charles G. "Chick" Cleveland USAF (Ret) - 4 FLW
Capt. Robert C. Coats USN (Ret) - VF-18, VF-17
Clyde A. Curtin - 4 FG
Col. Archie G. Donahue USMCR (Ret) - VMF-112, VMF-451
Lt. Col. James W. Empey USAF (Ret) - 52 FG
Lt. Col. Joseph M. Forster USAF (Ret) - 475 FG
Brig. Gen. Frank I. Gailer, Jr. USAF (Ret) - 357 FG
Col. Ralph D."Hoot" Gibson USAF (Ret) - 4 FG
Dr. Clayton K. Gross - 354 FG
Cmdr. Willis E. Hardy USN (Ret) - VF-17
Brig. Gen. David Lee "Tex" Hill - AVG, 23 FG
Col. Arthur F. Jeffrey USAF (Ret) - 434 FS 479 FG
Cmdr. Dean S. "Diz" Laird USN (Ret) - VF-4
Capt. Richard J. Lee - 1 FG
Col. John S. Loisel USAF (Ret) - 475 FG
LCDR Norman Mollard USN (Ret) - VF-45
Col. James B. Morehead USAF (Ret) - 24 FG, 49 FG, 1 FG
Col. Ralph S. Parr USAF (Ret) - 4 FG
Col. Robert J. "Shorty" Rankin USAF (Ret) - 56 FG
Maj. Alden P. Rigby USAFR (Ret) - 352 FG
Brig. Gen. Steve Ritchie USAFR (Ret) - 432 FG
Col. Arval J. Roberson USAF (Ret) - 357 FG
Col. Herbert E. Ross USAF (Ret) - 14 FG
Maj. Ralph H. Wandrey USAF (Ret) - 49 FG
Col. Darrell G. Welch USAF (Ret) - 1 FG
Cmdr. Edward G. "Wendy" Wendorf USN (Ret) - VF-16
The Steve Ritchie Edition is signed by Steve Ritchie only.
Edition size: 250 (Main ed); 400 (Steve Ritchie ed) signed and numbered
Print size: 30"w x 24"h
