At the risk of being labelled a cynic, I suspect that many of these ancient airmen believed all the media hype and jutting beard profile photo opportunities that put them on the front pages of the newspapers of those days. They then became legends in their own minds. And so the myths were born. Read David Beaty's book "Call me Captain" where, after his own distinguished war service, he joined BOAC as first officer and was treated with utter contempt by the white kid-gloved "Commanders". The book was fiction but based upon his personal experiences.