Volume 6 #2 (1991)

This issue is out of print; it is included for completeness.

Another superb World War I painting by artist James Dietz. Austro-Hungarian ace Oberleutnant Frank Linke-Crawford's aircraft is shown coming apart in the air on the morning of July 31, 1918. Dietz's rendering is based on Dr. Martin D. O'Connor's account in his book Air Aces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, 1914-1918 (available in its second printing from Flying Machines Press, see their website at www.flying-machines.com). Linke-Crawford, who scored 27 victories, is being pursued by the Hanriot HD-1s of Sergente Pilota Ciampitti and Caporale Pilota Aldo Astofi of the 81a Squadriglia da Caccia (81st Fighter Squadron). Although extremely manoeuverable, the Aviatik (Berg) D.I suffered a bad reputation. The license built versions of the aircraft by the Lohner company were part of the cause of this reputation. Linke-Crawford had officiallly complained about the fragility and haphazard construction of his squadron's variant of this aircraft, but continued to use it. A number of photos exist of aircraft of his unit, Flik 60J, with shredded and sagging wing fabric. One pilot Fritz Pisko, suffered this two times in less than a week and survived. His commander wasn't so fortunate. Eyewitnesses claimed that in his final combat he was at high speed, pulled out and then entered into a spin. It appeared to observers on the ground that he was throwing papers out of the aircraft. That was the effect that the shredding wing fabric and debris gave as his wing structure began to fail. As he tried to nurse his aircraft back to the airfield his adversaries closed in. Those who were at the crash site said that Linke-Crawford had no bullet wounds on his body which points to structural failure as the major factor in his demise. (Painting by James Dietz.)