The Deadly Duo

A few posts back we featured a 1st Aero Squadron observer ace named Arthur Easterbrook. Well, as often happens, we just now came across something which would'a come in real handy-like for that previous installment of this-here cyber-rag. Better late than never, we always say.

Anyhoo, the something we came across which would'a come in real handy-like for that previous installment of this-here cyber-rag was another photo of Lt. Easterbrook... and this time the pilot with whom he scored most of his victories, William Erwin, is also shown. For those who didn't see that previous installment, or for those whose memory could use refreshing, Easterbrook and Erwin were credited with five and eight victories, respectively.

Here's the accompanying caption from the original image, which was apparently reproduced from a publication of some sort:

The formidable team of 1/Lt. William Erwin (pilot) and 1/Lt. Arthur Easterbrook (observer) in their Salmson, reportedly after their first mission together on 1 October 1918. This 2A2 is marked with the final version of the 1st Aero Squadron's insignia, which in this case lacks the white halyard. Note the bullet holes from previous missions patched and marked with black crosses, and the large hole—said to have been made by German anti-aircralt fire. The two white lines painted below the observer's cockpit could be used in aligning a camera. (Easterbrook photo. USAFM via George H. Williams)

via Jim Landon (aka 'thegreatlandoni' on flickr)

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