Adolphe Pégoud facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adolphe Pegoud
|
|
|---|---|
Adolphe Pégoud
|
|
| Nickname(s) | Roi du ciel (Eng: King of the sky) |
| Born | 13 June 1889 Montferrat, Isère |
| Died | 31 August 1915 (aged 26) Petit-Croix, France |
| Allegiance | France |
| Service/ |
French Army |
| Years of service | 1907–1915 |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards | Knight of the Légion d'honneur Médaille militaire Croix de Guerre 1914-1918 |
Adolphe Célestin Pégoud was a brave French pilot and flight instructor. He lived from 1889 to 1915. He became famous during World War I. Many people consider him the very first "flying ace" in history.
Biography
Adolphe Célestin Pégoud was born on June 13, 1889, in Montferrat, France. He joined the French Army in 1907. He served there until 1913. After leaving the army, he quickly started learning to fly. He earned his pilot's license on March 1, 1913.
Pégoud was the first person to jump from an airplane with a parachute. He used an older plane for this risky test. While watching the plane after his jump, he saw it make a strange loop in the air. He was sure he could make a plane do that on purpose. He told reporters, "I've seen it, alone, looping the loop. So you see that this is possible. Also, I will try!"
He worked as a test pilot for Louis Blériot, a famous airplane designer. Pégoud spent his time trying out new flight moves. He used a special Blériot model XI monoplane. He changed his plane and practiced on the ground. Then, on September 1, 1913, he flew the first ever "inverted flight." This means he flew the plane upside down!
Later that month, on September 21, he flew a full loop. He thought he was the first person in the world to do this. Pégoud's amazing flight was talked about everywhere. Many people believed he was the first. However, a Russian pilot named Pyotr Nesterov had already flown the first loop. Nesterov did his loop 12 days earlier, on September 9, 1913. He used a Nieuport IV monoplane near Kiev. Soon after his loop, Pégoud was invited to Russia. He showed off his flying skills in Moscow. He also helped train new pilots there.
Pégoud became a very popular teacher for young pilots. He taught many French and other European pilots how to fly.
When World War I began, Pégoud wanted to fly for his country. He quickly joined as an observation pilot. These pilots flew planes to watch enemy movements. On February 5, 1915, Pégoud and his gunner shot down two German planes. They also forced another enemy plane to land. Soon, he was flying single-seat planes. In April, he claimed two more victories. His sixth success happened in July.
It's not always clear how many enemy planes Pégoud completely destroyed. In the early days of air combat, just forcing an enemy plane to land counted as a victory. Pégoud was the first pilot to reach "ace" status. An "ace" is a pilot who has shot down five or more enemy aircraft. This happened before another famous pilot, Roland Garros, who had four documented victories.
Sadly, Adolphe Pégoud was shot down on August 31, 1915. He was trying to stop a German spy plane. The German pilot who shot him down was Otto Kandulski. Kandulski had actually been Pégoud's student before the war. Pégoud was only 26 years old when he died. The same German crew later dropped a funeral wreath behind the French lines as a sign of respect. About two weeks later, a French pilot named Roger Ronserail shot down Kandulski. Ronserail became known as "The avenger of Pégoud."
See also
In Spanish: Adolphe Pégoud para niños
