Popularity of Guynemer

[Landsturm]

I`m working on a graphic novel (a comic book, when not using the fancy title ) on Great War.

My question -for you experts, would be on popularity of French ace Georges Guynemer. According to my understanding he was one of the most loved aces. What I wish to find out is, when was this? Was he famous and popular already during early aerial warfare of 1914 and 1915? What was his status in scores in late 1915?

Ok, let me explain the background a little... In one story (I`m working on), young pilot has an idol, some of the current (French) aces. My character is shot down during Champagne campaign (late 1915). So who would have been the most popular French ace at the time?

[Terry]

According to "Over The Front", Guynemer scored his first victory on 19 July, 1915; had three in December of that year, and scored his fifth on 3 Feb.,1916. His first and fourth were both shared with another pilot. He received the Medaille Militaire for his first victory, and the Legion d'Honneur on 24 December, probably for his three victories that month.

He scored most of his total during the year Aug.,1916-Aug.,1917.

[Jonathan Saunders]

You may want to consider the fact that the French, like the Germans, but unlike the British, wanted to celebrate their ACES for the propaganda value - so Guynemer would have had a large profile in the newspapers.

[Frank_East]

You may want to consider the fact that the French, like the Germans, but unlike the British, wanted to celebrate their ACES for the propaganda value - so Guynemer would have had a large profile in the newspapers.

It was a French journalist who apparently who coined the term "ace" to describe a pilot who had shot down five or more enemy aircraft. The expression was quickly adopted by the British and German newspapers. Later the top scoring ace of the day was deemed to be the "ace of aces".

Georges Guynemer was regarded as a solo artist. It is recorded that he had more charisma than most other aces with, perhaps, the possible exception of MvR.He was revered by the French and his death was regarded as a national disaster.However being a solo artist he did not appear to accept the responsibility of leadership readily and the burden of being a squadron commander, it has been thought was a contributory factor to his loss.

No doubt his victories and his charisma impressed the French press and fellow countrymen alike. They had found a hero.

With 53 kills, Georges is in seventh place in the Aces League.

Regards

Frank East

[Dolphin]

Landsturm

Just my opinion, but I think that late 1915 might be a bit early for Guynemer to be a household name. Air fighting was still pretty primitive in 1915, and bringing down just one eneny aeroplane was quite an accomplishment - even the German aces like Boelcke and Immelmann were really just starting out in their Fokker Eindekkers.

Perhaps your hero could be a fan of Sous-Lieutenant Roland Garros (of French tennis venue fame) the famous pre-War pilot who fixed bullet deflectors to the propeller blades of his Morane L of Escadrille MS26 and shot down three German aircraft in April 1915 [1, 15 and 18 April]. After an engine problem, he came down behind the German lines near Ypres and was taken PoW on 18 April 1915. He escaped on 18 February 1918 and returned to front-line flying in 1918, only to be killed in action before the Armistice. A photograph of Garros's Morane L at Dunkerque is below.

Another early ace was [then] Sergent Jean Navarre of MS12, who had three victories by 26 October 1915.

Regards

Gareth

[Landsturm]

Thank you all! Terry and Dolphin, you are right, I too started to think that Guynemer was celebrity of lil` later time.

How about Adolphe Pègoud (with 6 victories until KIA 31.8.1915)?, but could my character idolize someone who after all failed in his job and turned out dead? I also thought of Garros, but 1: I thought that real aces were considered real heroes. 2:yes, he was at the time in Germany as prisoner-of-war, doesn`t sound too heroic to simple, young pilot (that my character is). Well, how about Charles Nungesser? He scored something like 54 during the whole war, few during 1915(?). Jean Navarre is a possibility.

Anybody got information on Maxime Lenoir or Eugene Gilbert and their career until late 1915?

[CROONAERT]

Well, how about Charles Nungesser? He scored something like 54 during the whole war, few during 1915(?).

I think you can forget the "Hussard de Mort" (my personal hero!). He hadn't done much by the end of 1915 (as an airman). He had 2 victories - 31st July and 5th December - hardly enough to propel him to the "stardom" he encountered later on.

Gilbert? Possibly - 5 victories untill his forced landing in June 1915 and attempted escape from incarcaration in Switzerland in May 1916. he did escape in June 1916 but couldn't return as a combat pilot (he became a test pilot untill his accidental death in May 1918).

Lenoir? Maybe not. - 1 (shared) victory plus a balloon by the end of 1915. I don't think this would have made him into a young pilot's "hero". 1916 was the year in which Lenoir "shone" (and died!).

Dave.

[Landsturm]

I think I would go with Pègoud then. Guy had an impressive career even before the war...

[duckman]

Landsturm, your reference to Pegoud in your last post set me thinking. In 1915, most heroes would have been from before the war, like Bleriot for example - to us he sounds like something from ancient history, but it was only 6 years earlier.

I can't suggest any names offhand, but what about other pre-war aviators - Dumont-Santos? others? - I'm guessing French would be preferred to Brazilian though.

More power to you. Always thought there should be more graphic novels of the Great War.

[Landsturm]

Always thought there should be more graphic novels of the Great War.

My thoughts exactly...!

[Alec McCudden]

I would go for Alfred Heurtaux. A hero in the army before transfreing to the flying service. Initially he was an observer but got fed up with crashing because of anothers incompetence. (One time his pilot flew out over the sea when the engine cut out! It was only because the engine caught again that they both survived!).

His first victory as a pilot was in May 1916. He was Guynemer's squadron commander and was a very fearless fighter. Once, he allowed five enemy fighters to take shots at him while he flew in circles. When they had all exhausted their ammunition, he promptly shot two of them down.

He survived the war and shot down 21 enemy planes

Alec

[vb136]

Another French pilot you might consider is Jules Védrines. A pre-war aviator, he performed a number of special flights during the early months of WW1. These missions constisted of landing behind the German lines and leaving/picking up spies.

[Guest Biplane pilot]

Guynemer was only the third French ace, after Pegoud and Gilbert. Since GG achieved No. 5 in February 1916, the previous posts about his relative obscurity in 1915 are spot-on. It's possible that Navarre (Ace No. 4, also Feb. 16) would have been better known than Guynemer at that early date. He certainly was a more colorful character. Next in line was Nungesser in April.