lib

References I've come across indicate that Burri was Swiss, not a French national. The name Ernest Burri shows up multiple times at a French-language website about Swiss aviators. I can't read French, but from what I can puzzle out it looks as though he flew for the French during WWI.

whyaduck: Thanks! We'll change Burri's nationality in the source data and reload the description.

wow the plane in this picture is so different from now days. It is amazing to look at a picture like this and think about how the plane could actually fly. It doesn't seem to safe and the engine must have been very small. Great picture.

a horseback pilot! what a metaphor :) Hi, I'm an admin for a group called New Directions, and we'd love to have this photograph added to the group!

I wonder what the story is with the split ailerons on the top wing. For that matter, what model airplane is it?

From the Imperial War Museum site:


"THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS ON THE WESTERN FRONT, 1914-1918

part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION FIRST WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs)

Made by: McLellan, David (Second Lieutenant) (Photographer)

1918-05-02

RAF Caquot kite balloon about to ascend, the basket is just leaving the ground. Air mechanics are holding the ropes and the motor winch can be seen beyond. Photograph taken in Gosnay, 2 May 1918."

THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS ON THE WESTERN FRONT, 1914-1918© IWM (Q 12029)

earlier shot from same event:

THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS ON THE WESTERN FRONT, 1914-1918© IWM (Q 12031)

More shots of balloon operations at Gosnay, France on May 2, 1918 by Lt. David McLellan:
www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=mclellan%2C+gosna...

It looks like some sort of bizarre celebration of an internal organ... or a not so internal one.

Wow thats a cool image.