se5a

This is 1st Lieut. L. R. Hewett, SE-5 pilot, pointing to his 4 and 3 dice, a sign of good luck symbol painted on his SE-5a C.8747, while in Wichita, Kansas on May 1, 1919. This was the Victory Loan Flying Circus, Mid-West Flight's 19th air show on their tour of the Midwest. They were actually five miles north of Wichita, flying from the "West Wood Flying Field."

That's an SE5 or SE5a, note the top wing mounted Lewis gun on a sliding Foster mount.

Thanks. We've tagged the image with this info now.

You're welcome.

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Vintage People with Animals, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

I found this after a chance discovery while researching WWI. I was watching a film about the Battle of the Somme that a friend had recommended and I noticed one of the British divisions had a fox pup for a mascot. It seems red foxes were a popular mascot for the British.

This was taken either immediately before or after a similar one shown above during the Swope Park air show in Kansas City on April 30, 1919, showing 1st Lieut. Paul A. Smith seated in SE-5a C.8747. Note the pair of dice painted just below the cockpit, showing a four and three—“seven up”—regarded as a token of good fortune in the air. This was the VLFC Mid-West Flight's 18th air show on their Midwest tour. Smith was normally a SE-5 pilot on this tour.