Eugene Gilbert (19 July 1889-1918) became interested in flight in his teens and attempted to build his own version of a flying machine in 1906. The effort appears to have been unsuccessful.
That same year he entered the Bleriot flight school in Étampes, gaining his pilot’s license on 24 September 1910
Gilbert was in the 1911 Paris-to-Madrid race, (won by Jules Vedrines), held a little earlier that year. And was flying over the ‘Pyrenees’ Mountains when attacked by that giant eagle.
During World War One Gilbert had attained at least five victories as a fighter pilot
Eugene Gilbert died May 17 1918.
All Aero 