Who was the first aviator killed in combat? By either ground fire, or a lucky pistol or rifle shot in the air, or maybe a shotgun blast as two opposing aircraft closed to range? I would welcome all to this discussion. Now days pilots (most times) don't even see the man( or aircraft) they about to kill. Mike IPMS
The first air-to-air combat took place during the Franco-Prussian War, when a German balloonist opened fire on a French balloonist, but there were no casualties in that engagement.
I believe the first war involving airplanes was the Second Balkan War of
1912-1913. I don't know if there were any casualties from ground fire.E.F. Briggs of the RFC may have become the first aviator to be taken as a POW after his Avro 504K crashed during a raid on the Zeppelin works at Fredrichshaven in November of 1914.
Most likely the first casualty was inflicted during WWI, but I don't have enough references to say who it might have been. I'm guessing the unfortunate might have been a victim of Roland Garros.
Mark Schynert
According to my reference, first aviator who experienced being a target in an airplane was Capt. Riccardo Moizo of Italian Army in war for Libia 1911. First to be killed in action was Lieut. Pietro Manzini who died in a crash after taking off to recon flight in same war. Unfortunatelly my reference doesn't say who was first victim of aerial combat...
Terminator
"I'll be back..."
Office is a mess due to rebuilding parts of the house, can't find my Air Facts & Feats book. If anybody can find their copy you should find the answer there.
IIRC it was a Turkish pilot in a scirmish either prior to or at the very beginning of WWI.
Tom
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