David Putnam

Thomas Kepple · 20 January 2005, 05:53 AM

Did

David Putnam fly the Morane Saulner AI when he was with Escadrille 156? The parasol AI didn't seem to be all that popular and was withdrawn from front line duty only after a few months of service. But Putnam seems to have made good use of it in early 1918. (If in fact he was flying the MS AI to rack up those victories). Thanks Forumites, TeeKay

Dave_Kent · 21 January 2005, 08:08 PM

Hello:

I don’t have much on Putnam, general stuff and some info when he was with the 139th Aero Squadron.

MS156 was formed and fully equipped wirg Morane AI s on 9 Feb. 1918 and switched to SPADs on 20 May 1918. So it seems likely.

Dave

TykoPe · 22 January 2005, 03:46 PM

"In the spring of 1918, the Squadron exchanged their Nieuports for the tiny Morane Parasols...In piloting this little hornet, Putnam's art reached a perfection..." The Lafayette Flying Corps edited by James Norman Hall and Charles Bernard Nordhoff Volume I Page 397. Same source page 395 notes his service with " Escadrille Spad (and M.S.P.) 156 " from 7 Feb to 1 Jun 1918. A disagreement here ! Text on page 397 says that he reached the front on 12 Dec 1917 with Escadrille N. 156 ! Note that page 397 has him in Escadrille Spad 94 12 Dec 1917 until 1 Jan 1918. This would agree with the entry for Putnam in Over the Front by Norman L.R. Franks and Frank W. Bailey Pages 65-66. Franks and Bailey credit him with 4 confirmed and 8 unconfirmed victories in MS156. His first two victories both confirmed were in January ( 19th and 27th) so based on the 9 Feb 1918 date as the escadrille was using Morane he would have 2 confirmed on the Parasol at least.

TykoPe

Thomas Kepple · 24 January 2005, 04:16 AM

Thanks Dave and Tykope, Helpfull info on

David Putnam and his aircraft. Recently checked out the two volume set, "The Lafayette Flying Corps", from the local library. (cool)

And now can read the refrences you mentioned.

Dave_Kent · 25 January 2005, 07:05 AM

Hello TykoPe:

Good catch on the dates! I had also checked OVER THE FRONT, but had not spotted the inconsistency.

I think things are even less clear.

On page 65, they place Putnam in SPA94 in December 1917, however on page 101 they say that N94 did not exchange its Nieuports (24s and 27s) until early February 1918, thus becoming SPA94.

On page 106 they state that N156 was formed on 1 January 1918. From WARPLANES OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR, FIGHTERS, volume 5, J. M. Bruce, page 117, N 156 was created by dividing N 94.

So it would seem that Putnam was posted to N94, stayed with the section that became N 156, and was with it when it re-equipped with Moranes becoming MS 156.

The date of May 20 for the switch of MS 156 to SPA 156 comes from Bruc, page 118. OVER THE FRONT, however on page 66 reports a victory on June 1 which they credit to MS 156, even though on page 106 they say that it had become SPA 156 in mid May. So this one should perhaps have been recorded against SPA 156.

All in all, a bit confusing.

Dave