Maxime Lenoir
Encyclopedia
Adjutant Maxime Albert Lenoir was a pioneering World War I flying ace
credited with eleven aerial victories.
Lenoir trained as a pilot in 1913, receiving Pilot's Brevet No. 1564 on 5 December, and so was serving in aviation when World War I began. He completed his military training, receiving Military Pilot's Brevet No. 641, and after a few weeks delay, was assigned to Escadrille 18 to fly a Caudron
. He downed an Aviatik
on 5 June 1915, and became a balloon buster
on the 15th. Lenoir then trained on single-seaters, and was posted to fly a Nieuport
fighter with Escadrille 23 in early 1916. He scored his first fighter victory on 16 March 1916, and added eight more by 25 September, including shares with Jean Casale
and Georges Lachmann
. He was wounded twice that year, by shrapnel on 9 August and in aerial combat on 25 September. He was killed in action on 25 October 1916.
Adjudant pilot of Escadrille N23. Pursuit pilot beyond compare, setting the highest example of energy and self-sacrifice. During eleven months of uninterrupted service in his Escadrille, he has had 91 successful combats, returning frequently with his plane riddled by bullets. He downed his sixth enemy plane on 4 August 1916. (Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur citation, 9 August 1916)
Médaille Militaire
Marechal-des-Logis pilot of Escadrille N23. Non-commissioned officer always demonstrating the best fighting spirit during the course of his numerous combats, more often behind enemy lines than behind our own. In all his actions he showed contempt for death. On 15 March 1916, while protecting a long distance reconnaissance and having his machine gun jam during the course of a combat, he completed his mission and managed to ward off enemy planes by a series of audacious maneuvers. He returned with his plane riddled by bullets. (Médaille Militaire citation, 15 March 1916)
He also won the Croix de Guerre with eight Palmes.
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 eleven aerial victories.
Lenoir trained as a pilot in 1913, receiving Pilot's Brevet No. 1564 on 5 December, and so was serving in aviation when World War I began. He completed his military training, receiving Military Pilot's Brevet No. 641, and after a few weeks delay, was assigned to Escadrille 18 to fly a Caudron
Caudron
The Caudron Airplane Company was a French aircraft company founded in 1909 by brothers Gaston Caudron and René Caudron . It was one of the earliest aircraft manufacturers in France and produced planes for the military in both World War I and World War II...
. He downed an Aviatik
Aviatik
Automobil und Aviatik AG was a German aircraft manufacturer during World War I. The company was established at Mülhausen in 1910 and soon became one of the country's leading producers of aircraft, relocating to Freiburg in 1914 and establishing a subsidiary in Vienna as Österreichisch-Ungarische...
on 5 June 1915, and became a balloon buster
Balloon buster
Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness. Seventy-six fighter pilots in World War I were each credited with destroying five or more balloons, and thus were balloon aces....
on the 15th. Lenoir then trained on single-seaters, and was posted to fly a Nieuport
Nieuport
Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars.-Beginnings:...
fighter with Escadrille 23 in early 1916. He scored his first fighter victory on 16 March 1916, and added eight more by 25 September, including shares with Jean Casale
Jean Casale
Sous Lieutenant Jean Pie Hyacinthe Paul Jerome Casale, Marquis de Montferato was a World War I flying ace credited with thirteen aerial victories. He was one of the few aces that survived the entire course of fighter aviation in the war....
and Georges Lachmann
Georges Lachmann
Capitaine Georges Marcel Lachmann was a French World War I flying ace. He was credited with nine confirmed aerial victories.-World War I:On 21 July 1914, Georges Marcel Lachman was awarded the civil pilot's license he had earned. On 2 August 1914, as France began World War I, Sergent Lachmann...
. He was wounded twice that year, by shrapnel on 9 August and in aerial combat on 25 September. He was killed in action on 25 October 1916.
Honors and awards
Chevalier de la Légion d'HonneurAdjudant pilot of Escadrille N23. Pursuit pilot beyond compare, setting the highest example of energy and self-sacrifice. During eleven months of uninterrupted service in his Escadrille, he has had 91 successful combats, returning frequently with his plane riddled by bullets. He downed his sixth enemy plane on 4 August 1916. (Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur citation, 9 August 1916)
Médaille Militaire
Marechal-des-Logis pilot of Escadrille N23. Non-commissioned officer always demonstrating the best fighting spirit during the course of his numerous combats, more often behind enemy lines than behind our own. In all his actions he showed contempt for death. On 15 March 1916, while protecting a long distance reconnaissance and having his machine gun jam during the course of a combat, he completed his mission and managed to ward off enemy planes by a series of audacious maneuvers. He returned with his plane riddled by bullets. (Médaille Militaire citation, 15 March 1916)
He also won the Croix de Guerre with eight Palmes.
External links
- http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/lenoir.htm
- http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/airplane%20at%20war/upload5/Maxime%20Lenoir.htm
- http://www.wwiaviation.com/aces/ace_Lenoir.html
- http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?ref=SERP&br=ro&mkt=en-US&dl=en&lp=FR_EN&a=http%3a%2f%2falbindenis.free.fr%2fSite_escadrille%2fescadrille023.htm contains a reproduction of Lenoir's aircraft markings
Reference
- Nieuport Aces of World War 1. Norman Franks. Osprey Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1855329611, 9781855329614.
- Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918 Norman L. R. Franks, Frank W. Bailey. Grub Street, 1992. ISBN 0948817542, 9780948817540.