I Touched the Earth and Sky

Now available for the first time in English, this biography of World War One flying Ace Captain Ritter von Tutschek describes his many close brushes with death as both an infantryman and a fighter pilot.
Life in the trenches of WWI was vicious and life changing and Tutscheck writes of his experiences with youthful gusto and refreshing self-deprecation. His soldier’s joy in victory or his sadness at the loss of comrades are never glossed over, his many awards are never mentioned.

Injured in a gas attack in 1916, he transferred to the fighter squadrons where life was no less dangerous than it had been on the ground.
The tales from the daily flying missions of an WWI air ace are recalled with great humour and a keen awareness that death was always his co-pilot. From mechanics flying involuntarily on the tail fin, to falling down to earth unconscious after being shot in the shoulder, Tutschek’s joie de vivre shines through his words and sketches.
The book was written shortly before he was shot down and killed on the 15th March 1918. A tragic yet invaluable insight into the short life of an ace fighter pilot in WWI.