▁home ▁an ▁attack ▁in ▁the ▁air . ▁On ▁ 1 4 ▁March , ▁he ▁took ▁Lan ero ▁along ▁as ▁an ▁observer / gun ner . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁young ▁mechan ic ' s ▁first ▁combat ▁sortie . ▁F y odor ov ▁dove ▁on ▁four ▁German ▁air plan es ▁crossing ▁into ▁friendly ▁territory . ▁In ▁the ▁en su ing ▁gun ▁battle , ▁Lan ero ▁shot ▁down ▁a ▁German ▁plane , ▁and ▁the ▁Ca ud ron ▁suffered ▁ 1 7 ▁bullet ▁holes . ▁Lan ero ▁and ▁F y odor ov ▁had ▁scored ▁their ▁first ▁victory . ▁ ▁Lan ero ▁would ▁continue ▁as ▁F y odor ov ' s ▁usual ▁gun ner ▁for ▁fl ights ▁through ▁the ▁balance ▁of ▁March . ▁Several ▁times , ▁they ▁tack led ▁superior ▁numbers ▁of ▁German ▁plan es ; ▁they ▁shot ▁down ▁enemy ▁plan es ▁on ▁both ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁and ▁ 3 0 th , ▁while ▁rep elling ▁enemy ▁form ations ▁on ▁other ▁occasions . ▁They ▁posted ▁victory ▁claims ▁for ▁six ▁enemy ▁aircraft ; ▁three ▁were ▁verified . ▁On ▁ 2 2 ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁both ▁of ▁them ▁were ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁Méd aille ▁militaire ▁for ▁their ▁courage ous ▁fe ats . ▁Four ▁days ▁later , ▁they ▁were ▁mentioned ▁in ▁des patch es . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁their ▁luck ▁ran ▁out . ▁They ▁were ▁shot ▁down ▁in ▁combat ▁with ▁three ▁German ▁plan es , ▁with ▁a ▁wounded ▁F y odor ov ▁bare ly ▁able ▁to ▁pull