Fighter Pilot
At the beginning of WW1, aircraft were primarily used in the observation role. As of that time, I was serving as a lieutenant in the American Flying Service after completing my training of becoming a fighter pilot, and I had reported to my squadron. It was at this time that my commanding officer ordered me to keep a journal of my experiences over six weeks.
During my first week, communication was difficult; the open cockpit and lack of radio, combined with the wind rushing past, meant that the only means of communication with other pilots was hand gestures, or maybe wing waggling as a signal to attack. I lived in fear during the week since the aircraft were also extremely flammable, and often pilots did not carry parachutes. The planes, being made out of wood and canvas, also had nothing in the way of armor (Knoke, 21). This meant that if your aircraft caught fire, you were doomed, and so some pilots carried pistols to shoot themselves so they would not burn to death in such a situation. I flew the Bristol Type 22 plane and used the mortars weapon throughout the week. To be in the air was a little bit fearful because you never know where the enemy might come from. When we were in battle, I felt scared of firing on other people, my adrenaline-fueled and afterward, fatigued and sad of the victims. The other squadron members felt the same most of the time though they were either marching to the next battle, digging in for a battle, or being transported. When they were still, they were often left alone with missing loved ones, keeping their equipment clean, trying to find time to eat and sleep, and maybe get cleaned up a bit, and most of all, they were bored.
During my second week, the weather was bad such that all-weather fighter aircraft has limits. Flying through a hurricane, for example, was not required in the design requirements (Hynes, 56). I feared the weather condition due to the aircraft operating on a limited scale. This did not give us space of maneuvering during an attack. As per that week, I was using the Fokker Eindecker plane and artillery weapon. Being in the air was so scary due to bad weather more than we were fore the enemies. Such combat was somehow tricky, fighting in bad weather and not having a clear vision of the incoming enemy. Other squadron members felt that same. During the war, soldiers feel all the emotions that everyone else feels when going through a time of hardship, change, and trauma, times of death, injury, and survivor’s guilt.
During the third week, I was issued a Siemens-Schuckert plane, which was designed in Germany. The plane felt nice and comfortable suing; however, it had some mechanical failures that were not taken care of. The revolutionary interrupter gear was, at first, as dangerous to its pilots as it was to its foes (Hynes, 56). Frequent failures would cause the machine gun to shoot off the propeller. Such a problem worsened my fears as I had zero protection. Luckily I managed to control it through the war since it was tied with poisonous gas cylinders that had chlorine gas that worked effectively. Additionally, I was given an artillery weapon for self-protection. Actually, despite the mechanical failures of the aircraft, I had a victorious feeling since no aircraft attempted to fire at me, and I was able to neutralize more threats. It was an emotional moment for my fellow squadron members who feared how the day might be without an effective aircraft.
During the fourth week, I was a little bit nervous but not that much compared to the previous weeks. I was issued a DH.2 aircraft and mortars weapon. This week, I had to make sure the plane was checked to avoid mechanical failure. This boosted the morale of getting in the field (Keegan, 15). Bering in the air this time round, I did not experience that much fear since DH.2 aircraft is 10 mph faster compared to other planes. However, it is in this week that more of my fellow squadron members experienced deaths since the enemies were many, and they used to hide from the aircraft. It was an unfortunate experience.
During week five, there was an advancement in the communication sector due to technology in that there was radio communication. This created the feeling of courage to face the incoming enemies. On this particular week, I used the Handley Page 0/400 aircraft and a mortars weapon. In the combat, we managed to fight off our enemies since the Handley Page 0/400 is a long-range British bomber capable of bombing planes from a long distance (Keegan, 95). The fact that fighter design was in its infancy meant that often fighters were either too stable or too unstable. Too stable meant that it was not maneuverable and a sitting duck for enemy fighters, while too often unstable meant that the enemy did not have to be involved for pilots to lose their lives.
During week six, as a squadron commanding officer, I had to notify my pilot’s family of the death of their son in the combat:
We, as the American Flying Service, are saddened to announce the death of one of our squadron pilot officer. Thank you for demonstrating brave and courageous; the heart condolence goes to his family, who are proud of you. Nothing will be able to fill the void you have left behind. Sorry again for the loss.
Works Cited
Knoke, Heinz. I Flew For The Führer: The Story Of A German Fighter Pilot [Illustrated Edition]. Pickle Partners Publishing, 2015.
Hynes, Samuel. The Unsubstantial Air: American Fliers in the First World War. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2014.
Keegan, John. The first world war. Random House, 2014.