Warringah
Radio Control
Society Incorporated (Incorporated under the Association Incorporation Act 1984) HISTORY -ALBERT BALL |
| Warringah
Radio Control
Society Incorporated (Incorporated under the Association Incorporation Act 1984) HISTORY -ALBERT BALL |
 Albert
Ball was the first British ace idolized by the public. An engineering student
when the war began, he joined the Sherwood Foresters before transferring
to the Royal Flying Corps in 1915, he became a captain and triple DSO within
ten months of gaining his wings.. Described as an "introspective little
chap," Ball was a loner with strong religious convictions who soon established
a reputation as a fearless pilot and excellent marksman.
 On
22 August 1916, he scored his 11th victory when he shot down Wilhelm Cymera's
two-seater. In just three months over the Somme, he scored his first 30
victories. With the introduction of the S.E.5, he reluctantly gave up his
Nieuport 17. Flying the new scout, Ball's flight encountered Jasta 11 on
the evening of 7 May 1917 and Ball was last seen by Cyril Crowe entering
an extremely dark thundercloud. In the confusion that followed, Ball and
Lothar von Richthofen both crashed. Ball was killed but the German ace
survived. Officially listed as missing in action, it was several years
before the details of Albert Ball's death were known. Although Germany
officially credited Lothar von Richthofen with downing Britain's leading
ace, there was little or no evidence to substantiate the claim. Moments
before he crashed, Leutnant Hailer, a German officer on the ground, witnessed
Ball's undamaged aircraft emerge alone from the clouds, 200 feet above
the ground in an inverted position with a dead prop. Ball's death greatly
disheartened the entire Royal Flying Corps. |