Double Escape
Double Escape
Usage conditions apply
- Description
- Oil painting on canvas shows an American balloon flying over a small village. Two airplanes, one American and one German, are engaged in combat around the balloon. The American plane has red, blue, and white roundels on its wings. The German plane, with German insignia on the wings, has been shot and is plummeting to the ground. The plane is in pieces and smoke and flames rise into the air.
- The slow-moving observation balloons were easy prey for enemy fighter planes and had to be protected by allied planes. If a balloon was hit in battle, the gas in the balloon would catch fire and the balloon pilot would be forced to jump out of the balloon with his parachute. The descending pilot would then have to avoid two dangers: being hit by the burning balloon as it fell to the ground, or being hit by enemy fire from the enemy airplane. Thus, by shooting down the German plane before it could hit the balloon, the American plane gave the balloon pilot a "double escape."
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- Painting
- date made
- 1918
- associated date
- 1917 - 1918
- associated person
- War Department
- Townsend, Harry
- artist
- Townsend, Harry
- place made
- France
- Physical Description
- oil (overall production method/technique)
- oil paint (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 31 1/2 in x 26 in; 80.01 cm x 66.04 cm
- ID Number
- AF.26130
- catalog number
- 26130
- accession number
- 64592
- World War I
- See more items in
- Political and Military History: Armed Forces History, Military
- Military
- Art
- Official Art from the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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