How are a WW1 Pilot and the Chinese Balloon Linked?

It’s September 12, 1918, and 2nd Lieutenant Frank Luke is at the controls of his SPAD S.XIII fighter, preparing to take down his first German observation balloon. These hydrogen-filled balloons were crucial tools for the Germans, providing vital intelligence on enemy troop movements.

Luke fires his machine gun, and one of his incendiary bullets strikes its target. A small flame ignites within the balloon, rapidly expanding as it consumes the flammable hydrogen. The explosion tears through the balloon, with flames climbing skyward along the plume of escaping gas.

This marked the beginning of Luke's remarkable achievements. Nicknamed the "Arizona Balloon Buster," he went on to achieve 17 confirmed victories in just a few weeks and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. His daring feats left a legacy that continues to resonate, even in 2023, when the callsigns for the F-22s that intercepted a surveillance balloon were named in his honor: Frank01 and Frank02.

World War II
Battle of Iwo Jima
Battle of Okinawa
Battle of the Bulge
Battle of Gettysburg
German Soldiers After WWII
Night Vision Technology in World War II
Kamikaze Attacks
Waffen SS
Battle of Kursk

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