Native name 朱斌侯 Battles/wars World War I Service/branch French Air Force Years of service 1914–1919 Battles and wars World War I | Allegiance France Name Zhu Binhou Died Unknown Relations Zhu Zhiyao (father) Unit Escadrille SPA.37 | |
Born 4 December 1885
Shanghai, Qing Dynasty ( 1885-12-04 ) | ||
Zhu Binhou (Chinese: 朱斌侯; pinyin: Zhū Bīnhóu; Wade–Giles: Tsu Pin-hou; 4 December 1885 – ?), also known as Etienne Tsu, was an early Chinese aviator. Born in Shanghai, Zhu was a son of the prominent banker Zhu Zhiyao (朱志尧, a.k.a. Nicolas Tsu). He left for France to study mechanical engineering at the Université Lille 1, graduating in 1903. As he was fascinated with the design and operation of automobiles and ships, 1903 also brought about the revolutionary advent of the controlled, sustained, and powered heavier-than-air machines, which had driven Zhu Binhou into this new frontier of human flight.
Zhu Binhou gained his aviator's license, issued by the Aero Club de France, in 1914 at the beginning of World War I, and joined, as part of the French Foreign Legion, Escadrille SPA.37 of the French Air Service in 1915; he is credited with downing five German aircraft and observation balloons, and four probables between 10 July 1916 and 7 January 1917.