Didier Masson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Didier Masson (February 23, 1886 – June 2, 1950) was a French aviator.
In 1913, Masson, alongside Gustavo Salinas Caamiña, attacked a Federalist gunboat at the behest of Pancho Villa's and Álvaro Obregón's rebels, during the Mexican Revolution. This action is credited as being the first airstrike ever.
Masson flew a headless pusher bought from Glenn Martin in 1912 and smuggled into Mexico through Arizona. On May 29, 1913, Masson overflew the Mexican gunboat General Guerrero dropping bombs from 3,000 feet. He missed, but the gunboat, seeing itself as defenseless, steamed out of Guaymas harbor to safety. The name of the aeroplane was the Sonora. It carried two people and 150 lbs of bombs.
During the First World War he flew with the Lafayette Escadrille.
He was probably born in Asnières, France, on February 23, 1886 and he died in Merida, Yucatan, on June 2, 1950, where he is buried.
