Corgi AA37906 SPAD XIII, S15123, First Lt Lansing Colton Holden Jr, 95th Aero Squadron, July 1918

The earliest use of military aircraft on a large scale was during the First World War. In 1918 the 95th Aero Squadron became the first American pursuit squadron to fly in combat on the Western Front. The Squadron’s mission was to clear enemy aircraft from the skies as well as to escort reconnaissance and bombardment squadrons. Throughout their time in combat, members of the Squadron shot down thirty-five enemy aircraft and had six aces. Among them was 1Lt Lansing Colton Holden Jr, a Princeton dropout, who scored his first victory on 29th September 1918 having survived being shot down himself in August that year. Our replica carries the 95th Aero Squadron’s kicking mule squadron emblem.