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	Taildrager Basic Member	Joined: July/26/2003 United States Posts: 139 IP Logged
Posted: February/27/2007 at 10:14pm		Quote

This story has been passed down to me from my mother in law Ester Noirfalise. Etienne Noirfalise was crusing high above the trenches of Germany in the year 1919 with his Nieuport 17. Having just been awarded his wings a few weeks previous Etienne was still learning the basic manovers one uses in combat, and didn't really want to go against any Fokker just yet, so decided a observation balloon would be the perfect target to score his first kill. A few minutes later off to his right Etrnne seen a balloon rising above the trees, ah a perfect target he thought as he swung the stick over and started his dive toward the rising observation balloon. As he came in range of the ballon Etienne squeezed the trigger of his shinny new Vickers machine gun mounted on the cowel of his Nieuport, but nothing happened. "Zurza La suerte" he exclamed, having in his haste forgotten to properly cock his Vickers machine guy. Pulling out of his shallow dive he cocked the Vickers, and rolling to his left found the balloon still rising slowly upward on the long tether that was attached to the winch on the ground. Etienne again dived on the ballon and pulling the trigger was awarded by the rat tat tat of the Vickers as it belched fire toward the balloon. As suddenly as it started the gun suddenly became silent, and would not fire. Etienne grabbed the cocking lever and tried to pull it back to no avail as the gun was jammed. Defeated on his first attempt he had no choice but to head back to his home field. Pulling out his pipe Etenne decided a smoke of Halfzware Shage was in order, so putting the stick between his legs ducking down in the cockpit of his shiny new Newport 17 Etenne fired up the old pipe he carried. As Etenne flew up wind the balloon again came in to view and to his surprise the observer in the balloon was shaking his fist at Etenne with one hand while the other was pumping the air with the middle finger extended. As Etenne had no other weapons he again dived on the balloon, and as his Nieuport passed over the balloon he threw his pipe at the observer, and as luck would have it the pipe hit the German and hot coals from the pipe fell to the floor of the wicker basket. Circling the ballon both the men cussin each other suddenly the basket burst in to flames, and as the German observer slid down the teather rope the flames reached the ballon, and it too was quickly ingulfed in flames. His first and only kill of the war and he was grounded and assigned to propping the Nieuports for failing to properly shoot down the enemy, and this is why I chose a BUSA Nieuport 17 to model in memory of Etienne Noirfalise.

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	Gaui Site Supporter	Joined: October/31/2004 Iceland Posts: 920 IP Logged
Posted: April/11/2007 at 4:49am		Quote

This sounds so fantastic it just might be true!

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	strega7 Basic Member	Joined: September/19/2007 Germany Posts: 487 IP Logged
Posted: October/21/2008 at 7:46am		Quote

good story ...... but ........... the 1. WorldWar was over on 11th November 1918 at 11 oClock ..... so the poor sportsman in his Nieuport fired at his own balloon. In 1919 there were no german balloons in the air and I think over Germany there wasent any balloons at all .... war was over, the world in peace

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	wingspar Site Supporter	Joined: November/02/2005 United States Posts: 784 IP Logged
Posted: September/16/2009 at 4:12pm		Quote

New fliers were never given new airplanes. They went to the experienced fliers. A newbe would never be flying alone over the trenchs. One never smoked even if he could while flying. The fabric covered planes loved to burn. Trying o throw a pipe and have it land in the basket would be impossible as the large ballon above would shiel the basket below from this.

Dave

	selleri Lifetime Site Supporter	Joined: January/09/2005 Iceland Posts: 554 IP Logged
Posted: September/16/2009 at 4:18pm		Quote

Now don't let a good story suffer from the truth!

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	whiskey52 Site Supporter	Joined: May/21/2007 United States Posts: 13 IP Logged
Posted: September/16/2009 at 5:36pm		Quote

As a small boy, my granddad always related a story such as this to me, as he said he witnessed this while he was waiting in his trench, trying to keep warm. I wonder if it might be the same story. Life is sure full of irony.

	Henri Site Supporter	Joined: December/29/2003 Netherlands Posts: 1057 IP Logged
Posted: September/17/2009 at 3:29pm		Quote

Maybe it's a WWI hoax?

I witnessed people telling hoaxes, stating it happened to someone close to them, without a blink of the eye.

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