The Aeroconservancy Museum Original Artifacts from 1914-1918
Rumpler C.IV C.7610/17 wood cover to metal ammunition box.
This wood panel is the access cover to the ammunition box for the fixed forward-firing machine gun on a Rumpler C.IV located just in front of the pilot's right foot. A note came attached to the panel which read “Panel from German Rumpler C.IV plane shot down near St. Benoit Woevre, France by Battery B, 2nd aircraft battalion, C.A.C., 18 October 1918. George H. Brush, 1st Lt.CAC.” The C.A.C. was the U.S. Coastal Artillery Corps and their job was anti-aircraft work. In a book about the life of this particular battery, Battery B Thru The Fires of France, the action that brought down this Rumpler is told with great fervor on Pages 177 to 179 - click on this link to access and read. A copy of the captured Rumpler crew's interrogation report is available by clicking on this link titled Interrogation of a Pilot Belonging to the 203rd Reconnaissance Flight and his Passenger, an Artillery Officer. The Rumpler - the actual one from this story - is shown below at Toul where it had a brief life as a squadron 'hack' for the 135th Aero Squadron after it was repaired.