Maj. Raoul Lufbery Maj. Raoul Lufbery, a member of the Lafayette Escadrille, transferred to the U.S. Air Service following the country's entry into the war. A famous combat flyer of the period with 17 confirmed victories with the French, he was assigned to the 94th Aero Squadron that had just arrived on the Front. His job was to train new pilots, including Eddie Rickenbacker. On May 19, 1918, he took off from his aerodrome at Toul in pursuit of an enemy plane near Nancy. During the ensuing battle, Lufbery's Nieuport 28 was hit by enemy fire and its pilot and a cushion plunged earthward. Lufbery fell into a garden at Maron and was instantly killed; the cushion landed on the bank of the nearby Moselle River. Click here to return to the Air Service Overview. Find Out More Related Fact Sheets Escadrille Lafayette Capt. Edward V. Rickenbacker Nieuport 28 Note: The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the National Museum of the USAF, the U.S. Air Force, or the Department of Defense, of the external website, or the information, products or services contained therein.