Oliver Colin LeBoutillier
Encyclopedia
Captain Oliver Colin LeBoutillier (May 24, 1894 – May 12, 1983) was a World War I aviator who witnessed the death of Manfred von Richthofen
. He was a vigorous proponent of Captain Roy Brown as the victor over Richthofen.
.
. He then crossed into Canada and joined the Royal Naval Air Service
on 21 August 1916. By April 1917, as a Sub-Lieutenant, he joined the No. 9 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service
to pilot a Sopwith Triplane
. Between 25 May and 29 July 1917, he scored four victories by driving enemy planes down out of control.
On April 1, 1918 the Royal Naval Air Service
and the Royal Flying Corps
were combined into the Royal Air Force
and 9 Naval became No. 209 Squadron RAF.
During a squadron dogfight on April 21, 1918 in the Somme River
valley, LeBoutillier Robert Foster
, and Merrill Samuel Taylor shot down an Albatros two-seater and sparked a running dogfight during which Captain Roy Brown claimed the downing of Manfred von Richthofen
. LeBoutillier claimed to have witnessed Brown's tracer bullets penetrating Richthofen's cockpit. Immediately after the crash, Oliver flew over the crashed triplane of von Richthofen.
He finished the war with ten aerial kills; one shared aircraft captured, three destroyed (including two shared), and six 'out of control' (one of which was shared). He had over 600 hours flying time in his log book by the end of the war.
Upon his return to the USA, LeBoutillier became a skywriter, and later an official of the Skywriting Corporation of America. He also became a barnstormer
and piloted aircraft for eighteen movies, including: Hell's Angels
and Wings
. As a flight instructor he gave Amelia Earhart
her first instruction in a twin-engined aircraft. He became a Civil Aviation Authority
inspector in charge of Colorado and Wyoming. He died on May 12, 1983 in Las Vegas, Nevada
.
Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen , also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I...
. He was a vigorous proponent of Captain Roy Brown as the victor over Richthofen.
Early life
He was born on May 24, 1895 to an English father and Canadian mother in Montclair, New JerseyMontclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
.
World War I
He trained at the Wright School in Mineola, New YorkMineola, New York
Mineola is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 18,799 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a Native American word meaning a "pleasant place"....
. He then crossed into Canada and joined the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
on 21 August 1916. By April 1917, as a Sub-Lieutenant, he joined the No. 9 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
to pilot a Sopwith Triplane
Sopwith Triplane
The Sopwith Triplane was a British single seat fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War. Pilots nicknamed it the Tripehound or simply the Tripe. The Triplane became operational with the Royal Naval Air Service in early 1917 and was...
. Between 25 May and 29 July 1917, he scored four victories by driving enemy planes down out of control.
On April 1, 1918 the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
and the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
were combined into the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and 9 Naval became No. 209 Squadron RAF.
During a squadron dogfight on April 21, 1918 in the Somme River
Somme River
The Somme is a river in Picardy, northern France. The name Somme comes from a Celtic word meaning tranquility. The department Somme was named after this river....
valley, LeBoutillier Robert Foster
Robert Foster (RAF officer)
Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Mordaunt Foster KCB, CBE, DFC, DL, RAF was a Royal Flying Corps pilot in World War I and a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during World War II and the immediate post-war years....
, and Merrill Samuel Taylor shot down an Albatros two-seater and sparked a running dogfight during which Captain Roy Brown claimed the downing of Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen , also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I...
. LeBoutillier claimed to have witnessed Brown's tracer bullets penetrating Richthofen's cockpit. Immediately after the crash, Oliver flew over the crashed triplane of von Richthofen.
He finished the war with ten aerial kills; one shared aircraft captured, three destroyed (including two shared), and six 'out of control' (one of which was shared). He had over 600 hours flying time in his log book by the end of the war.
Upon his return to the USA, LeBoutillier became a skywriter, and later an official of the Skywriting Corporation of America. He also became a barnstormer
Barnstorming
Barnstorming was a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s in which stunt pilots would perform tricks with airplanes, either individually or in groups called a flying circus. Barnstorming was the first major form of civil aviation in the history of flight...
and piloted aircraft for eighteen movies, including: Hell's Angels
Hell's Angels (film)
Hell's Angels is a 1930 American war film, directed by Howard Hughes and starring Jean Harlow, Ben Lyon, and James Hall. The film, which was produced by Hughes and written by Harry Behn and Howard Estabrook, centers on the combat pilots of World War I...
and Wings
Wings (film)
Wings is a silent film about World War I fighter pilots, produced by Lucien Hubbard, directed by William A. Wellman and released by Paramount Pictures. Wings was the first film, and the only silent film, to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Wings stars Clara Bow, Charles "Buddy" Rogers, and...
. As a flight instructor he gave Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
her first instruction in a twin-engined aircraft. He became a Civil Aviation Authority
Civil Aviation Authority
This is a list of national and supra-national civil aviation authorities.-See also:* Air route authority between the United States and the People's Republic of China* National Transportation Safety Board -External links:****...
inspector in charge of Colorado and Wyoming. He died on May 12, 1983 in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
.