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The 49th Aero Squadron
LOT 446
Historically Significant and Spectacular World War I U.S. Air Service “Snarling Wolf” Insignia of the 49th Aero Squadron on Aircraft Fabric Along with Squadron Pilot Lt. David Backus’ Beret - This fantastic piece of rare World War I aeronautical memorabilia is the fuselage fabric insignia from a 49th Aero Squadron SPAD. The circular section of fabric measures nearly 19 inches in diameter and is painted with the unmistakable menacing “snarling wolf” logo used by the 49th Aero Squadron. The 49th was an American pursuit squadron that operated over the skies of the Western Front during World War I and shot down a total of 24 enemy aircraft. One of the squadron’s most notable pilots was St. Paul, Minnesota, native Lieutenant David H. Backus who had a score of 4 aerial victories and was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster. The Distinguished Service Cross was awarded to him for being in “beyond danger” when he alone turned around to save a comrade being attacked by nine enemy planes and in the process destroyed one. The Oak Leaf Cluster was for his unshaken heroism in preventing an assault by “an enemy formation of superior number” and the engagement ended with him shooting downing three enemy aircraft. Includes a collection of fifteen 49th Aero Squadron photos (copies) with Backus in several of these images and Bakus’ original beret. The beret is hand marked “CASSWALL ST/NAPA” and “David H. Bakus” on the leather band. Prior to receiving his wings, Backus was a Red Cross ambulance driver before the U.S. entered the war and for his service was awarded the Fourragere of the Medalle Militaire from the French government. He earned his flying rating in November 1917. During World War II he served as an intelligence officer for the USAAF. David Backus’ papers are housed at the Minnesota Historical Society with many of those papers available online. The lineage of the 49th Aero Squadron can be traced to the USAAF 49th Bombardment Squadron, which used a similar wolf’s head emblem in World War II, and today’s USAF 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. CONDITION: Very fine showing some typical flaking at the edges and retaining most of the paint to the spectacular wolf’s head. WWI aircraft fabric rarely comes up for sale, and fabric with artistic expressions of wartime
squadron insignia, especially one as famous as the 49th, are virtually impossible to find. This is certainly a must have for the serious WWI aviation collector Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection
Estimate: 10,000 - 20,000
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Lt. David Backus
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