Frank Baylies
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Frank Leaman Baylies was a World War I flying ace
credited with twelve aerial victories.
and in Serbia and Salonika. In March 1917, he was awarded a Croix de Guerre for evacuating the wounded under fire. After being given a joy ride by a French aviator, Baylies volunteered for aviation training. He was rejected by the American air service because of substandard vision. Baylies joined French aviation instead, in May 1917. It turned out he had a natural flair for piloting.
pilot. Beginning on 19 February 1918, and stretching to 31 May, he scored a dozen victories, two of which were shared with André Dubonnet. He also survived being shot down on 28 March; after landing in no man's land
, he rescued the altimeter and watch from the wreckage and outrunning a detachment of German infantry to the nearby French trenches.
on one hand, and Baylies and his friend Edwin C. Parsons
on the other. Although Fonck's three dozen victories spoke for themselves, the American duo believed that his attitudes in his actual speech was atrocious. Perturbed by Fonck's highhanded lectures on aerial success, the two Americans bet Fonck a bottle of champagne that one of them would shoot down an enemy plane before Fonck. Baylies took off despite hazy weather and shot down a Halberstadt CL.II
. Back at the airfield, rather than pay off the bet, a sulky Fonck badgered the Americans to change the terms of the bet to whomever shot down the most Germans that day would win. Lingering fog kept Fonck grounded most of the day. It was well into the afternoon before it cleared enough for him to take off at 1500 hours. Between 1600 and 1605 hours, he shot down three enemy two-seater reconnaissance planes. A couple of hours later, he repeated the feat. Understanding the importance of reconnaissance planes, with their potential to direct intensive artillery fire onto French troops, Fonck concentrated his attentions upon them; six shot down within a three hour span proved it.
s from Jasta 19 on 17 June 1918. Baylies and his wingmen tried to join a formation of rotary engined fighters in the belief they were British Sopwiths. At the last moment, he realized they were Fokker Dr.I
triplane fighters; he stood his SPAD XII on a wingtip and turned away. Three of the Germans dived on him. He looped in behind one, but the fourth Fokker in turn dove on him and shot him down. André Dubonnet went down in the same engagement, and the other Frenchman barely escaped. German ace Rudolf Reinau is usually credited as Baylies' victor.
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
credited with twelve aerial victories.
Early life and ground service
Baylies was the son of Lydia Terry Paige and Charles S. Baylies. He volunteered for the Ambulance Corps in May 1916 and originally saw service on the Western FrontWestern Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
and in Serbia and Salonika. In March 1917, he was awarded a Croix de Guerre for evacuating the wounded under fire. After being given a joy ride by a French aviator, Baylies volunteered for aviation training. He was rejected by the American air service because of substandard vision. Baylies joined French aviation instead, in May 1917. It turned out he had a natural flair for piloting.
Initial service
His initial posting, on 17 November 1917, was to Escadrille 73 as a Corporal; he was the 13th member of the squadron, and was assigned airplane number 13. As Baylies wrote home: "Cannot afford to be superstitious." A month later, he was reassigned to Escadrille 3 to be a SpadSociété Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés
SPAD was a French aircraft manufacturer between 1911 and 1921. Its SPAD S.XIII biplane was the most popular French fighter airplane in World War I.-Deperdussin:...
pilot. Beginning on 19 February 1918, and stretching to 31 May, he scored a dozen victories, two of which were shared with André Dubonnet. He also survived being shot down on 28 March; after landing in no man's land
No man's land
No man's land is a term for land that is unoccupied or is under dispute between parties that leave it unoccupied due to fear or uncertainty. The term was originally used to define a contested territory or a dumping ground for refuse between fiefdoms...
, he rescued the altimeter and watch from the wreckage and outrunning a detachment of German infantry to the nearby French trenches.
What price champagne?
Then came a spectacular performance on 9 May. It was sparked by a disagreement between René FonckRené Fonck
René Paul Fonck was a French aviator who ended the First World War as the top Allied fighter ace, and when all succeeding aerial conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries are also considered, Fonck still holds the title of "all-time Allied Ace of Aces". He received confirmation for 75 victories ...
on one hand, and Baylies and his friend Edwin C. Parsons
Edwin C. Parsons
Edwin Charles Parsons aka Ted Parsons, was a Rear Admiral of the United States Navy, and former French Foreign Legionnaire, flying ace, Hollywood aviation technical advisor, FBI Special Agent, and author.-Early life:...
on the other. Although Fonck's three dozen victories spoke for themselves, the American duo believed that his attitudes in his actual speech was atrocious. Perturbed by Fonck's highhanded lectures on aerial success, the two Americans bet Fonck a bottle of champagne that one of them would shoot down an enemy plane before Fonck. Baylies took off despite hazy weather and shot down a Halberstadt CL.II
Halberstadt CL.II
|-See also:-Bibliography:*Angelucci, Enzo . World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. London: Jane's, 1981. ISBN 0 7106 0148 4.*Gray, Peter and Thetford, Owen. German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam, 1962....
. Back at the airfield, rather than pay off the bet, a sulky Fonck badgered the Americans to change the terms of the bet to whomever shot down the most Germans that day would win. Lingering fog kept Fonck grounded most of the day. It was well into the afternoon before it cleared enough for him to take off at 1500 hours. Between 1600 and 1605 hours, he shot down three enemy two-seater reconnaissance planes. A couple of hours later, he repeated the feat. Understanding the importance of reconnaissance planes, with their potential to direct intensive artillery fire onto French troops, Fonck concentrated his attentions upon them; six shot down within a three hour span proved it.
Death in action
Baylies eventually accepted a U. S. commission, but never left his assignment with the French. He was killed in action dogfighting Fokker TriplaneFokker Dr.I
The Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918...
s from Jasta 19 on 17 June 1918. Baylies and his wingmen tried to join a formation of rotary engined fighters in the belief they were British Sopwiths. At the last moment, he realized they were Fokker Dr.I
Fokker Dr.I
The Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918...
triplane fighters; he stood his SPAD XII on a wingtip and turned away. Three of the Germans dived on him. He looped in behind one, but the fourth Fokker in turn dove on him and shot him down. André Dubonnet went down in the same engagement, and the other Frenchman barely escaped. German ace Rudolf Reinau is usually credited as Baylies' victor.
Reference
- American Aces of World War 1 Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1841763756, 9781841763750.
- SPAD XII/XIII Aces of World War I. Jon Guttman. Osprey Publishing, 2002. ISBN 1841763160, 9781841763163.