firstaerosquadron

This Junkers J.1 586 was discovered at the German airfield at Villers-la-Chevre, NE of Longuyon. Members of the 94th Aero Squadron visited this site soon after they moved to the German field at Noërs just west of Longuyon ca. 21 November 1918. John DeWitt of the 94th Aero Squadron went up to Villers and collected souvenirs. That actual Junkers was later collected, sent to Romorantin, and eventually to Canada where it still is today. This series of Junkers left the factory ca. 16‒28 September 1918 and fits the description of the type downed by Lieut. William P. Erwin on 8 October 1918 for his fifth confirmed victory, and his Observer Lieut. Easterbrook’s third.

This appears to be a 15-cm heavy field howitzer M 14, which shot a 28-lb. shell with a range of 8,858 yards and required a crew of 8, manufactured in Austria. Muzzle velocity: 1,120 feet-per-second. Elevation: -5 degrees/+70 degrees.

This is a (albeit understandable) misspelling on the caption. "Lt. W.P. Irwin" should be spelled, "W.P. Erwin." This is a photo of American Fighter Ace William P. Erwin. Bill Erwin would go missing (and presumably drowned) during the ill-fated Dole Air Race from Oakland, CA to Honolulu, Hawaii. Erwin was piloting a Swallow airplane named "Dallas Spirit." Erwin and navigator Alvin Eichwaldt failed to return from a search for two other missing competitors, the Miss Doran and The Golden Eagle, and is presumed to have perished on 19 August 1927. See: William P. Erwin en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Portwood_Erwin Swallow Monoplane "Dallas Spirit" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Spirit Dole Air Race en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dole_Air_Race See other photos of Erwin during the Dole Air Race within the SDASM Fickr photostream, here are just two among many: