Frederick Stanley Gordon
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Frederick Stanley Gordon was a World War I flying ace
from New Zealand. While serving in Britain's Royal Air Force
, he scored nine aerial victories as a fighter pilot.
mission on 30 October 1918. He would be granted no military honors during the war.
Nothing more is known of him than the fact he died on 27 June 1985.
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
from New Zealand. While serving in Britain's Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, he scored nine aerial victories as a fighter pilot.
World War I
Gordon served in the Royal Air Force. By mid-1918, he was assigned to 74 Squadron as a fighter pilot. He began a nine victory winnning streak on 2 August 1918 that was capped with his second ballon bustingBalloon buster
Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness. Seventy-six fighter pilots in World War I were each credited with destroying five or more balloons, and thus were balloon aces....
mission on 30 October 1918. He would be granted no military honors during the war.
List of aerial victories
No. | Date/time | Aircraft | Foe | Result | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 August 1918 @ 0930 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a serial number D3438 | LVG LVG Luftverkehrsgesellschaft m.b.H. was a German aircraft manufacturer based in Berlin-Johannisthal, which began constructing aircraft in 1912, building Farman-type aircraft. The company constructed many reconnaissance and light bomber biplanes during World War I.The raid on London in 1916 was... reconnaissance plane |
Captured | Dickebusch | Victory shared with George Gauld George Gauld Lieutenant George William Gladstone Gauld was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.Gauld ran up a string of five victories late in World War I while flying a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a for 74 Squadron. On 30 July 1918, in concert with fellow aces Ira Jones and Harold... |
2 | 16 August 1918 @ 0830 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D3438 | Fokker D.VII Fokker D.VII The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft... |
Destroyed | Messines Messines Messines may refer to:* Mesen, a village in Belgium**Battle of Messines, World War I,* Messines, Quebec* HMCS Messines, one of twelve Battle class naval trawlers used by the Royal Canadian Navy* Messines, Queensland... |
|
3 | 16 August 1918 @ 0830 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D3438 | Fokker D.VII | Driven down out of control | Messines | |
4 | 16 August 1918 @ 1250 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D3438 | Rumpler Rumpler The Rumpler Tropfenwagen was a car developed by Austrian engineer Edmund Rumpler.Rumpler, born in Vienna, was a designer of aircraft when on the 1921's Berlin car show he introduced the Tropfenwagen. It was to be the first streamlined car . The Rumpler had a Cw-value of only 0.28... reconnaissance plane |
Destroyed | East of Kemmel Hill | |
5 | 22 August 1918 @ 0550 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D3438 | LVG reconnaissance plane | Driven down out of control | Estaires Estaires -References:*... |
|
6 | 4 September 1918 @ 0805 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n E1978 | Observation balloon Observation balloon Observation balloons are balloons that are employed as aerial platforms for intelligence gathering and artillery spotting. Their use began during the French Revolutionary Wars, reaching their zenith during World War I, and they continue in limited use today.... |
Destroyed Balloon buster Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness. Seventy-six fighter pilots in World War I were each credited with destroying five or more balloons, and thus were balloon aces.... |
South of Roulers | |
7 | 28 October 1918 @ 1445 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a | Fokker D.VII | Destroyed | Northwest of Wortegem | |
8 | 28 October 1918 @ 1450 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a | Fokker D.VII | Driven down out of control | Wortegem | |
9 | 30 October 1918 @ 0830 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a | Observation balloon | Destroyed | Quaremont | |
Post World War I
On 3 June 1919 Gordon was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. On 15 July 1919 he was awarded the Belgian Croix de guerre.Nothing more is known of him than the fact he died on 27 June 1985.