By the beginning of October, Eschwege had run his score to sixteen wins.
He then began to choose British observation balloons for his targets.
He managed to down two of them during October and November, plus a Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter that tried to defend one of them.
On 21 November, he attacked a balloon that had risen to the unusually high altitude of 2,500 feet.
As he laced it with machine gun fire, it exploded and knocked him out of the air.
The balloon had been fitted with a dummy observer and 500 pounds of high explosives; the booby trap was command detonated to kill Eschwege.
His death quashed his pending award of the Pour le Merite.

Rudolf von Eschwege's coffin was carried to his grave by six British aviators, and he was buried with full military honors.
Some days after the funeral, a British plane dropped a message on the German's home airfield.
It read: "To the Bulgarian-German Flying Corps in Drama.
The officers of the Royal Flying Corps regret to announce that Lt.
von Eschwege was killed while attacking the captive balloon.
His personal belongings will be dropped over the lines some time during the next few days."
When the parcel was dropped, it contained a photo of his funeral packed along with his personal items.
In turn, the Germans dropped a flag and a wreath for Eschwege's grave.
The Bulgarians later built a monument to him.
By the beginning of October, Eschwege had run his score to sixteen wins. He then began to choose British observation balloons for his targets. He managed to down two of them during October and November, plus a Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter that tried to defend one of them. On 21 November, he attacked a balloon that had risen to the unusually high altitude of 2,500 feet. As he laced it with machine gun fire, it exploded and knocked him out of the air. The balloon had been fitted with a dummy observer and 500 pounds of high explosives; the booby trap was command detonated to kill Eschwege. His death quashed his pending award of the Pour le Merite.
Rudolf von Eschwege's coffin was carried to his grave by six British aviators, and he was buried with full military honors. Some days after the funeral, a British plane dropped a message on the German's home airfield. It read: "To the Bulgarian-German Flying Corps in Drama. The officers of the Royal Flying Corps regret to announce that Lt. von Eschwege was killed while attacking the captive balloon. His personal belongings will be dropped over the lines some time during the next few days." When the parcel was dropped, it contained a photo of his funeral packed along with his personal items. In turn, the Germans dropped a flag and a wreath for Eschwege's grave. The Bulgarians later built a monument to him.
Rudolf von Eschwege