Raoul Lufbery

Gervais Raoul Lufbery (March 14, 1885 – May 19, 1918) was an

Lafayette Escadrille

In 1916, a group of American volunteers formed the Escadrille Américaine (shortly to be

Related Topics:
1916 - Escadrille Américaine

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renamed the Escadrille Lafayette) to aid France?s war effort against the Germans.

Related Topics:
Escadrille Lafayette - Germans

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The squadron was largely made up of upper class Americans with little flight experience. Lufbery, as an American citizen with combat experience, was recruited to organize and train the unit. He joined the unit on May 24, 1916 and was assigned a Nieuport fighter.

Related Topics:
May 24 - 1916

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His first encounters with his unit did not go smoothly. Lufbery spoke English with a thick French accent and had little in common with his comrades, most of whom were from wealthy families and were Ivy League educated. Once in combat though, his dogged determination and success earned him the respect and admiration of his peers.

Related Topics:
English - Ivy League

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His first two victories came on July 30, 1916 over Verdun. By

Related Topics:
July 30 - 1916 - Verdun

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October 12, 1916, he had downed five enemy planes making him an ace and the squadron?s leading aviator.

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It was during this time that the "Lufbery circle" maneuver became named for him although most aviation scholars agree that Lufbery did not actually invent it, just popularized it among Allied flyers.

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By the time that the Escadrille Lafayette was placed under American command on February 18, 1918, Lufbery had downed seven enemy planes and had seen his Nieuport replaced by a newer, more capable Spad fighter. Although the unit was now under American command, it was still considered a French unit and the nine planes he would shoot down while flying for the squadron were considered French victories.

Related Topics:
February 18 - 1918 - Spad

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