Norman Roberts facts for kids

Lieutenant Norman Roberts (1896–1980) was a brave British pilot during World War I. He became famous as a "flying ace." This means he was officially credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft in air battles.

Norman Roberts: A World War I Flying Ace

Norman Roberts was born in Broughton, England, in 1896. He joined the British military during World War I. He became a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps, which later became the Royal Air Force.

Early Military Flights

Norman Roberts joined the Royal Flying Corps as an officer on July 5, 1917. He flew a type of airplane called a Bristol F.2 Fighter. He was part of No. 48 Squadron.

Between March and June 1918, Roberts was very successful in air combat. He achieved five "aerial victories." This means he either destroyed enemy planes or forced them down out of control. He destroyed two Fokker D.VII planes and one Fokker Dr.I triplane. He also forced two other triplanes to crash.

Earning a Special Award

For his bravery and skill, Lieutenant Norman Roberts received the Distinguished Flying Cross. This is a very important award given to officers in the Royal Air Force for acts of courage during flight.

The award recognized his actions, which included:

• Destroying three enemy airplanes.
• Forcing two other enemy airplanes down.
• Attacking enemy troops from a low height.
• Carrying out important reconnaissance missions. Reconnaissance means flying over enemy territory to gather information.

One time, he was asked to fly a reconnaissance mission over a key area. When he crossed into enemy lines, he realized the wind was extremely strong, almost like a hurricane. This made it very hard to fly back. But he knew how important his mission was. So, he completed his reconnaissance, flying 12 miles behind enemy lines. On his way back, because of the strong wind, he had to fly very low. He faced heavy anti-aircraft fire and machine-gun fire, which badly damaged his plane. Despite this, he completed his mission.