Researching personalities of the early aces

[Lord Bob]

First, this is the best forum on the Internet for someone who just wants to learn more than he can possibly take in in a sitting. Thank you everyone!

Second,

I'm working on some research around the Royal Flying Corps in France in the mid-late 1916 period. There were a few well-known British aces coming into their own around then; Hawker obviously, Wilkinson, Knight (well, British-born), Cockerell, etc. etc. It's easy to find the statistics, victories, and fates of these flyers, but less easy to find anything about their personalities.

Can any of you recommend any books or articles which shed an accurate light on the personalities, rather than just the biographies, of any of the well-known RFC pilots of this period? Feel free to suggest specialist works about one pilot or broad surveys about several; just anything you think might be tangentially helpful.

Thanks so much in advance.

[Vin]

You should find that most pilots in the RFC were liars and exaggerators. If you turn your attention to the German Air Service, you'll find that they were faultless technicians and superbly skilled. Abandon your studies of old world pilots and look at the AEF Air Service, you'll find its members were devil-may-care youngsters from the plains of the mid west who fought with a song in their hearts and a smile on their lips and really showed those Germans what for.

[Breguet]

Oh Vin, you are such a tease. Some say sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. The best reply I've heard to that is "I choose my wit to suit my company."

Now back to topic. There is a chapter on this very topic in Jim Dietz's book.

If you want something on RNAS pilots there is a good one on Dallas

Strange's auto biography is quite good. Fonck's shows how insufferable he really was. If you want good fiction there is anything by Bishop or Collishaw .

[Rittmeister]

Originally Posted by Vin

look at the AEF Air Service, you'll find its members were devil-may-care youngsters from the plains of the mid west who fought with a song in their hearts and a smile on their lips and really showed those Germans what for.

LOL!!!!! I needed a good laugh this morning! Good One mate!

[Lord Bob]

Thanks for the help so far. Especially you, Vin; as a liar and an exaggerator myself, I now know I have chosen the right subject.

Originally Posted by Breguet

Now back to topic. There is a chapter on this very topic in Jim Dietz's book.

Sorry, which Dietz book is this?

[josquin]

Using memoirs and biographies is unavoidable since there is no psychiatric documentation addressing Great War airmen's psychology. Also, as is true for any human group, individuality trumps uniformity and you are left with seeking clues in the writing of the people who served. Voss, Luke, Boelcke, Ball, Coppens, Udet, McCudden, and Mannock--as examples-- are more striking in their uniqueness rather than representing a uniform psychological type. I have found the following memoirs to be exemplary sources for getting
in touch with airmen's psychology-- as much as we can a century after the
fact:
Udet, Ernst: "How I Shot Down 62 Planes" (linked under his entry under
"Aces" on this forum)

McCudden, James: "Flying Fury: Five Years in the Royal Flying Corps"

Stark, Rudolf: "Wings of War"

Coppens, Willy: "Flying in Flanders"

Lee, Arthur S.G.: "Open Cockpit" & "No Parachute"

Kilduff, Peter: "Black Fokker Leader" (Kilduff had extensive communication
with Carl Degelow while he was researching the book, so it is unusually
authentic)

Grinnell-Milne, Duncan W.: "Wind in the Wires"

Lewis, Cecil A.: "Sagittarius Rising"

Revell, Alex: "Brief Glory: The Life of Arthur Rhys Davids, DSO, MC"
(again, the author had access to his letters & personal papers)

Adrian Hellwig's fine book on Roderic Dallas, "Australian Hawk Over
the Western Front," is a rewarding source, as is (changing
wars) Chuck Yeager's autobiography. Good hunting--it's a fascinating subject!

Josquin

[Breguet]

Originally Posted by Lord Bob

Thanks for the help so far. Especially you, Vin; as a liar and an exaggerator myself, I now know I have chosen the right subject.

Sorry, which Dietz book is this?

my apologies. This one:

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/ae...ts-canvas.html

[Lord Bob]

Thanks again! I've already got a few of the books suggested here or on their way; I'll move Dietz's up the list.

[Rittmeister]

Originally Posted by Breguet

my apologies. This one:

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/ae...ts-canvas.html

Correctamundo! Probably one of the finest overall WW1 Aviation Artbooks ever done (apologies to Pete Hill who'd own book is an A+ too). By one of the greatest WW1 aviation artists; my good friend Jim Dietz. Just wish he would do more WW1 and get out of Afghanistan.. LOL Of course as we discussed earlier the economics of doing WW1 is generally not all that great; but I know it's Jim's favorite thing to do!

Buy it at twice the price and still a bargain.

[Rittmeister]

We now return to our regularly scheduled program....

Lets talk about the ultimate Wildman. Charles Nungesser!!!