Visit to Le Bourget Air Space Museum

f18shack · 11 February 2020, 08:34 AM

Finally made it to the Air & Space museum at Le Bourget. Unfortunately Guynemer's Spad VII was not on display, but there were plenty of other gems to be seen. Here are highlights, starting with the most unexpected surprise...the Indian artwork cut from Lufbery's aircraft after his fatal crash. It hangs on the wall and people walk right by...with no idea about the significance!

f18shack · 11 February 2020, 08:37 AM

Original DVII rudder...

f18shack · 11 February 2020, 08:39 AM

Original DVII.

f18shack · 11 February 2020, 08:42 AM

Original N.11

f18shack · 11 February 2020, 08:46 AM

Zeppelin gondola.

f18shack · 11 February 2020, 08:51 AM

Lewis gun looking mean...

f18shack · 11 February 2020, 08:55 AM

Original Spad XIII fuselage

Gregvan · 11 February 2020, 07:54 PM

Hello,

Thanks for all of the great photos!

One minor comment. The Lufbery insignia of the Seminole Indian Head is well- known. This comes from his Spad VII S.238 in Escadrille 124, and was probably cut from this machine after it was retired, in 1917.

It does not come from his fatal crash. He died while flying a 94th Aero Squadron Nieuport 28, long after he had left SPA 124. This Nieuport 28 had the famous "hat-in-the-ring" emblem of the 94th. There are quite a few surviving examples of actual original hat-in-the-ring insignia (from both Nieuport 28s and Spad XIIIs) around, in various museums and private collections. However, as far as I know, neither insignia from the Nieuport 28 which Lufbery was flying when he died survives anywhere. The crashed machine was pretty badly mangled and burned. Lufbery didn't die in the crash - he either jumped or fell from the burning Nieuport 28.

The National Museum of the USAF in Dayton displays several relics from the Nieuport 28 that Lufbery was flying when he died - including a melted piece of the aluminum cowling, which melted after it crashed and burned. The display also includes the cushion that fell from the aircraft and a few other small pieces of the wrecked plane.

There are also quite a few surviving "Sioux" Indian head insignia from both Spads of Escadrille SPA124 and the 103rd Aero Squadron around, as well. In fact, one of our forum members will soon have an article on these surviving fabric pieces in an issue of Over the Front.

Thanks again for posting the pictures!

f18shack · 12 February 2020, 04:12 AM

Thanks for the correction! Somebody needs to clue in the museum, however, as they have it marked incorrectly.

Froggy · 12 February 2020, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f18shack

Thanks for the correction! Somebody needs to clue in the museum, however, as they have it marked incorrectly.

Is it marked that the indian head was cut from Lufbery's aircraft after his fatal crash ???