HISTORY

WILLI GABRIEL

Eleven aerial victories would hardly put Willi

Gabriel to the pedestal of the Great War fighter

aces. This achievement makes him just something like a „second rate“ in the first sight, but

it must not be forgotten his fighter career was

quite short. It lasted just some four months…

Although the name Willi Gabriel does not figure as a part of the shortlist of

the most famous fighter aces of the Great War, his spectacularly decorated

Fokker D.VII keeps him in the “lights” and general awareness. The aircraft

with blue and orange stripes on the fuselage and elevator is still popular

with plastic model producers, artists or even with flying replicas builders.

For example, the replica built in 2010 by Engels Aeroplanbau for the TVAL

company (founded by Peter Jackson) runs across the New Zealand´s skies

in Gabriel´s marking and back in the time, the replica built by famous Cole

Palen was performing spectacularly during Aviation Days at Old Rhinebeck

Aerodrome (USA) in 1960´s. Willi Gabriel's pilot escapades are no less interesting and colourful than his mount. He was through periods of good fortune,

as well as painful losses in his life and he also credited himself with one quite

important credit.

Autor: Richard Plos

with their own design, but it did not turn out any better. They have felt more

aircraft design information would be helpful, so they made a trip to Johannisthal, where Fokker Spin caught their attention. Upon return home, they have

bought an Anzani aircraft engine developing some 30 hp and began to build

a replica of the Fokker´s successful design. They also invented some improvements, and on August 16, 1912, Walter took off for the first short hop. After that,

both brothers continued to hone their piloting skills, as well as the aircraft´s

design. Thanks to their efforts and commitment, both become good pilots, albeit without an official pilot's license as it was quite expensive for them to invite

representatives of the Deutschland Aero Club from Berlin for examinations. Willi

later admitted, his brother was initially better pilot than him.

Collection of Bartłomiej Belcarz via Michal Ovčáčík

Alex Imrie via Greg VanWyngarden

THE FLYING ELEMENT

Flying brothers

At the time, the territory of Poland was part of Prussia, the Bromberg town

was what is known as Bydgoszcz today. There, at the very end of the 1893

(December 31), twin brothers Willi and Walter were born in the family of the

furniture manufacturer Eduard Gabriel. The two guys were very close each

other for most of their lives. Not only because of their relationship, but also

thanks to shared interests. As high school students, they liked to drill into various machines, especially in internal combustion engines. Both have learned

to drive very early as well, starting with motor racing once they managed to

acquire their own car. Also, aviation was drawing attention of technically and

adventurously minded young men.

As they had enough wood, glue, and tools on hand thanks to father's factory,

the desire to build their own aircraft was no surprise. At the age of eighteen, Gabriels started to build their own replica of Blériot based on plans in

Flugsport magazine. Brothers managed to finish the plane, but it never flew,

as no suitable engine was available to them. Therefore, they tried their luck

6 eduard

First airworthy aircraft of Gabriel brothers was a copy of Fokker Spin.

INFO Eduard - February 2021