Born Georges Marie Ludovic Guynemer in 1894, he
became an icon to the French people. He was slight of stature and had
been a sickly child, yet school children wrote requesting his autograph, and
young women wrote proposing marriage. Before he earned fame, military
doctors refused to let him into the armed services, saying he was too small
and infirm. Guynemer's father used his influence and so did Captain
Bernard Thierry to help him enrol as a pilot trainee in March, 1915. His
first aerial combat was a reconnaissance mission over the trenches at
Coeuvres on on July 19, 1915. He was the pilot of a two seat Morraine
Saulnier Type L "parasol" observation aircraft. His mechanic, Guerder
took the gunner's position. Guynemer chased off one plane, which
escaped, but spotted a second Aviatik B1. Gunmeyer used all his skills
to help bring Guerder's Hotchkiss machine gun to bear, but not before
the German observer managed to put several bullets through the fabric of the
Parasol, and one through Guerder's hand. With his 115th bullet, Guerder
hit the B1. It's pilot slumped forwards and the German observer threw
his hands up in desperation as the stricken Aviatik plunged from the skies in
flames over No Man's Land. On their return Guynemer and Guerder were
both decorated with the Médaille Militaire.
Later in 1915 he joined Escadrille N3, known as Les Cigones (The
Storks) where he flew the Nieuport N11 Bébé
once this nimble machine was obsolete, the Nieuport N17. This aircraft
is accurately and faithfully reproduced by Digital Card Models and is
available to download today for the price of $4.99.
Guynemer continued his career with the SPAD VII. He was
an excellent marksman and had his SPAD modified to carry a 37 mm cannon
capable of firing high explosive rounds. It was arranged to fire
throught the hollow crank shaft of the Hiapano Suiza water cooled engine.
It was a single shot weapon, requiring a reload in flight. Poisonous,
acidic fumes containing carbon monoxide, Sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxides
and traces of hydrogen cyanide spewed into the cockpit, stinging his eyes
every time he fired the weapon. Despite these combat deficiencies, the
effect of the cannon was devastating, causing aircraft it struck to
disintegrate into so many fragments splinters and shards of wood, metal,
cloth and bone. He later flew the SPAD XIII, going on to score 53
confirmed kills.
Charles Guynemer, Darling of France was lost On 11 September
1917. He was last seen attacking a two-seater Aviatik near Poelcapelle,
northwest of Ypres. His Body was never found.
Georges
Gunmeyer