Guest Gary Davidson Posted 16 January , 2005 Share Posted 16 January , 2005 German aces such as Richthofen and Boelche served as propaganda fodder for the German war machine. Are their any famous axamples where the Allies used any of their aces in the same way? Cheers, Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 16 January , 2005 Share Posted 16 January , 2005 Gary The British frowned on the practice, as being unfair to non-fighter aircrew, but the French made considerable use of some of their leading airmen as national symbols. This had a somewhat adverse effect when the men were lost. In the case of Guynemer, schoolchildren were encouraged to believe that he had flown so high that he couldn't come down. I don't think that the Belgians or Russians lionised their pilots, but the Italians did to a degree. See Italian Air Aces of World War I by Gentilli, Iozzi and Varriale. Regards Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gary Davidson Posted 16 January , 2005 Share Posted 16 January , 2005 Gareth -- Thank you for that. By the way, I have just started reading two books you recommended: HORSES DON'T FLY by Libby, and HOSTILE SKIES by Hudson. They are both very, very good. Thank you. Cheers, Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Roberts Posted 17 January , 2005 Share Posted 17 January , 2005 Gary I believe there was a degree of public adulation of the British Aces, though probably not as much as with the Germans. McCudden was offered the Freedom of Gillingham before his death, but avoided turning up for the presentation. Leefe-Robinson (not an ace exactly, but destroyer of the airship SL11), certainly became a celebrity, as did Warneford before him. And if you read up on the Billy Bishop controversy, you will find plenty of allegations that the his VC action came at a time when the British Government needed a public morale-booster. Generally however the British Gov latched onto this later than the German - I don't think Ball was famous till after his death. But then we didn't have aces as early as the Germans did... Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gary Davidson Posted 17 January , 2005 Share Posted 17 January , 2005 Thanks, Adrian... Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lund Posted 20 January , 2005 Share Posted 20 January , 2005 Lieutenant Robinson. V.C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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