He was the third best American Pilot in the War, modest and a wonderful flyer with 17 confirmed victories against emeny planes. But if that number does not sound like a lot think about this. Experts believe that Major Lufbery had really a total of 35 to as many as 60 victories overall. But since not that many were confirmed he had not been able to gain the fame he deserves. So stick with me and learn about the pilot who should have become something more then he has become.

He sat on the bus, one of his shoulders pushed against the window the other one pushed against the large frame of the man next to him. All around him was the loud talk of the new recruits, the ones he was riding with until his stop came when he would arrive at his station to face the enemy in the air at last. He ran though his head the skills he had learned in his recent training as well as everything that his friend Marc Pourpe had taught him about flying the fighter planes and the planes in general. He then thought about how much he missed his friend who had died when trying to land his plane in bad weather. Lufbery did not understand why his closest friend had to be taken from him. He blamed the war, this war, the war he was about to fight in but most of all he blamed the Germans. If they had not started the war Pourpe would still be alive today.

The man next to him turned to face him and Lufbery smiled politely. "You are not one of us," he said, "You are too old to be a new recruit."

Lufbery nodded. "I'm a pilot," he said, "Just using this bus to get to my stop. I will not bother you."

"You are no trouble," the man said, "What's your name, mines Thomas Walker."

"Raoul Lufbery," Lufbery answered holding out his hand to Walker.

Walker took the hand and shook it heartily. Then the bus stopped at the small town. "Sorry," Lufbery said, "This is my stop."

The man nodded as Lufbery walked of the bus and though the streets of the town to the hanger and the building that was to be his new home. A man by the name of Bill Thaw greeted him. Thaw had a banage around his left arm, which was keeping him from the air but anyway he was happy to show Lufbery around.

Talking together the first few days the men became good friends. It was time to start killing the Germans!