Knights of the Air: WWI Pilot Certificate from France

Welcome to Knights of the Air, a weekly series on Dieselpunks spotlighting the aces and pioneering aerial technology of World War I.  This week, we're showcasing a piece from my personal collection.

This French pilot's certificate, typical of the credentials carried by airmen in case of capture, was issued to Serbian pilot Sava Mikitch. Lacking facilities of their own, Serbia sent many prospective fliers to France for training.

The certificate, while it has obviously aged since 1918, still has a lot of personality.  If you click to enlarge the scan, you can still see the embossed cover seal (on the right) and square bit of discoloration in the center where a purple flower was pressed between a small sheet of tissue paper.  Whether it was a good luck charm, or a memento from home, we'll never know.