Park’s WWI Aviation Collection

AHM COLLECTION

World War One Artifacts

Photo above: The Lafayette Escadrille squadron with their Nieuport 11 aircraft getting ready to fly reconnaissance and attack missions.

The Vintage Aero Flying museum in Colorado had one of the most complete and unique World War One collections. The majority of these artifacts have now been transferred to the American Heritage Museum thanks to a generous donor.

Of the 103 WWI US Aces, the collection contains uniforms from 15 of these pilots. A total of 26 WWI Aces uniforms from the United States, Germany, Italy, France, Hungary and Britain are in the collection. One of the three founders of the LaFayette Escadrille, Elliot Cowdin, is featured in the collection. The first US pilot to have a victory and become an Ace in WWI, Doug Campbell is also featured. Artifacts from first ever US air victory by Stephen Thompson is in this impressive collection.

The scope of the LaFayette Foundation WWI collection is tremendous. The artifacts consists of authentic WWI uniforms, medals, side arms, photographs, citations, fabric and artwork from WWI aircraft, first edition books, sterling silver, log books, pilot certificates, letters and ephemera, and a complete reference library that many books have been generated from. Of the original 38 American pilots who volunteered with the LaFayette Escadrille, there are 4 of these pilots in the collection. The uniforms and artifacts were acquired by Dr. James Parks over many years and ultimately displayed at the Vintage Aero Flying Museum.

Now, in the hands of the American Heritage Museum, the collection will be thoroughly conserved and stored in preparation for display in the coming years.

History of the Lafayette Escadrille

The Lafayette Escadrille was created primarily by three individuals: Mr. Norman Prince of Boston, Massachusetts, Mr. William Thaw of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Dr. Edmond Gros, an American expatriate living in France. Seeking to aid the Allies, they lobbied officials in Paris to create an all-American squadron within the French Air Service. In need of more combat forces and aware of the positive propaganda value of Americans flying under the French flag. France gratefully accepted these efforts.

Photos above: Eddie Rickenbacker was an American Fighter Ace during WWI with an astounding 26 aerial victories. His original flight jacket and suit are part of this collection. Rickenbacker liked to personalize some of his clothing and accessories with his name (bottom left). Also in the collection are Rickenbacker’s Medal of Honor (center) and an original reconnaissance camera (right).

Their first combat patrols saw them strain to master their aerial craft amidst a hail of enemy gunfire. With Kiffin Rockwell scoring the unit’s first victory on May 18, 1916, these amateur airmen rapidly matured into seasoned veterans.

Operating from austere bases close to the front lines, the airmen took to the sky to secure air superiority during some of the war’s largest campaigns, including the Battle of Verdun, the Somme Offensive, the Nivelle Offensive, the Aisne Offensive, and the Ypres Offensive.

The American flyers also escorted Allied bombers as they struck targets deep behind enemy lines. The risks associated with daily combat operations were pronounced—with some units experiencing casualty rates in excess of 400 percent. Flying amidst such odds proved their bold dedication to duty and sacrifice.

As tales of the Lafayette Escadrille spread around the globe, these young men stood as noble champions of the Allied cause. Hundreds of Americans traveled to France in a quest to join the famed squadron. Unable to accommodate the flood of volunteers within the original unit, French Air Service leaders formed the Lafayette Flying Corps—an effort that saw over two hundred American volunteers join a variety of French squadrons. Their contributions were invaluable, with the volunteers shooting down 199 German aircraft.