JAMES MCCUDDEN

JAMES MCCUDDEN (1895 - 1918) English flying ace of World War I and among the most highly decorated airmen in British military history. On July 9, 1918, McCudden was killed in a flying accident when his aircraft crashed following an engine failure. At his death he had achieved 57 aerial victories. Just under two-thirds of his victims can be identified by name since a substantial proportion of his 'kills' were made over Allied-held territory. A DOUBLE VICTORY COMBAT REPORT Very rare and fine content war-date D.S. 'J.B. McCudden', 1p. 4to., [France], Jan. 30, 1918, a report from a 'Special Mission' in which McCudden achieved two 'kills'. In part: '...over Anneux...[I] fired a short burst from both guns at 50 yards range, when pieces that looked like three ply fell off E.A., who turned over to the left and went down in a vertical dive emitting smoke, absolutely out of control. Flew on behind a Pfalz who did not see me, fired a short burst from both guns, when E.A. went down in a spiral dive and I last saw him still out of control...' Nicely signed in ink, also signed by a squadron captain. Trimmed at margins, else very good. These would be McCudden's 45th and 46th kills, less than a month before his death.