Which foreign pilots impressed you the most ?
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Rudel was no doubt a great pilot, as was Hanna Reitsch, but they were both fervent Nazis, so no admiration here.
The Kiwi Skyhawk pilots were mostly pretty good, except for the 'close formation' of 5 that flew into Nowra one day. When asked by ATC (after being asked by a commercial 'any traffic for us?') to squawk ident, they turned out to be 20 miles in trail..
The Kiwi Skyhawk pilots were mostly pretty good, except for the 'close formation' of 5 that flew into Nowra one day. When asked by ATC (after being asked by a commercial 'any traffic for us?') to squawk ident, they turned out to be 20 miles in trail..
There is another German pilot, name I can't recall at present... - FB
.... and it is Franz Stigler, and here's the story
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war...g-buddies.html
Jack
.... and it is Franz Stigler, and here's the story
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war...g-buddies.html
Jack
Union Jack,
Thanks, that's the very chap and the B-17 crew I also had heard that they met up at a Squadron reunion many years later.
Brilliant story!
FB
Thanks, that's the very chap and the B-17 crew I also had heard that they met up at a Squadron reunion many years later.
Brilliant story!
FB
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Shack37 You're right, an absolute gentleman and consummate professional. I met him again quite late in his life after his return from NZ - I'll PM later.
Brian48nav
Many thanks in advance, I look forward to that PM.
Abe Lincoln...
.....was on 210 Sqn when I joined it in 1965. His tales of flying Beavers? Twin Otters?? in Antartica were fascinating. He had the biggest collection of 35mm slides I've ever seen.
Maybe my memory is playing tricks but I believe as he was coming to the end of his tour there his replacement pilot took seriously sick on the ship on arrival so Abe stayed and did a second tour straight off.
He was a real old fashioned gent.
The Ancient Mariner
Maybe my memory is playing tricks but I believe as he was coming to the end of his tour there his replacement pilot took seriously sick on the ship on arrival so Abe stayed and did a second tour straight off.
He was a real old fashioned gent.
The Ancient Mariner
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Abe Lincoln... .....was on 210 Sqn when I joined it in 1965. His tales of flying Beavers? Twin Otters?? in Antartica were fascinating. He had the biggest collection of 35mm slides I've ever seen.
Maybe my memory is playing tricks but I believe as he was coming to the end of his tour there his replacement pilot took seriously sick on the ship on arrival so Abe stayed and did a second tour straight off.
He was a real old fashioned gent.
The Ancient Mariner
Maybe my memory is playing tricks but I believe as he was coming to the end of his tour there his replacement pilot took seriously sick on the ship on arrival so Abe stayed and did a second tour straight off.
He was a real old fashioned gent.
The Ancient Mariner
Edit - I posted about Stigler and Rudel without noticing that a couple of others had already covered them.
One who I find impressive was one of Stigler's JV44 comrades, Günther Lützow. He deserves to be remembered, as much for his defiance of the SS as for his other exploits.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Günther_Lützow
One who I find impressive was one of Stigler's JV44 comrades, Günther Lützow. He deserves to be remembered, as much for his defiance of the SS as for his other exploits.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Günther_Lützow
Last edited by itsnotthatbloodyhard; 13th Oct 2016 at 02:18. Reason: Already covered by someone else
In my motorcycling time (still active) I went to a village called Weil in Schönbuch near Stuttgart and was shown the grave of Erich Hartmann
and his wife. After WWII the Russians still had a $50,000 price on his head and eventually spent a considerable time as a Russian prisoner in Siberia
- probably about 8 years - then was released and rejoined the Luftwaffe
finishing his time flying the F104. In his time in WWII his tally was, I believe, over 300. During the summer his grave attracts many aviation enthusiasts and the headstone is quite remarkable - a large Eagle with the left wing extended covering a very much smaller bird. Their house in Weil in Schönbuch is preserved to be much the same as when he died.
and his wife. After WWII the Russians still had a $50,000 price on his head and eventually spent a considerable time as a Russian prisoner in Siberia
- probably about 8 years - then was released and rejoined the Luftwaffe
finishing his time flying the F104. In his time in WWII his tally was, I believe, over 300. During the summer his grave attracts many aviation enthusiasts and the headstone is quite remarkable - a large Eagle with the left wing extended covering a very much smaller bird. Their house in Weil in Schönbuch is preserved to be much the same as when he died.
The Eagle Has Landed...
During the summer his grave attracts many aviation enthusiasts and the headstone is quite remarkable - a large Eagle with the left wing extended covering a very much smaller bird. - 5aday
Matthew 7:7:
erich hartmann grave - AVG Yahoo Search Results
Jack
Matthew 7:7:
erich hartmann grave - AVG Yahoo Search Results
Jack
Shack37:-
and, as pointed out by B48N, Hercules as well. In my case (1968-71) on 30 Sqn at Fairford. Abe's tales of the Antarctic and his beloved Trotters have been mentioned already. What fascinated me most though was his recollections of operating the Sunderland which required, according to Abe, as extensive a knowledge of Seamanship as it did Airmanship. As all who knew him agreed, a true gentleman as well as being a highly experienced pilot.
Abe Lincoln, Kiwi who flew Sunderlands and Shacks.
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Shack37:-
Quote:
Abe Lincoln, Kiwi who flew Sunderlands and Shacks.
and, as pointed out by B48N, Hercules as well. In my case (1968-71) on 30 Sqn at Fairford. Abe's tales of the Antarctic and his beloved Trotters have been mentioned already. What fascinated me most though was his recollections of operating the Sunderland which required, according to Abe, as extensive a knowledge of Seamanship as it did Airmanship. As all who knew him agreed, a true gentleman as well as being a highly experienced pilot.
Quote:
Abe Lincoln, Kiwi who flew Sunderlands and Shacks.
and, as pointed out by B48N, Hercules as well. In my case (1968-71) on 30 Sqn at Fairford. Abe's tales of the Antarctic and his beloved Trotters have been mentioned already. What fascinated me most though was his recollections of operating the Sunderland which required, according to Abe, as extensive a knowledge of Seamanship as it did Airmanship. As all who knew him agreed, a true gentleman as well as being a highly experienced pilot.
SkyGod
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. No, no and no. Basically you were not good enough to be selected, or not committed enough to pass the selection (hard) or the academic exams (very hard also) so you had to pay (a lot) a private school to get a chance to be in the air, to do something ... not even close.
As a teenager I was not a school type but kept dreaming about flying airplanes.
My teachers and parents said I really should look at a different field, not only was my proficiency of math and English bad but I never finished elementary or high school. (Not from a native English speaking country
)Went to sea instead on International ships at age 17. Crosses oceans working the engine room and the deck. Got bored a few years later. Went back to land and started driving taxi cabs at age 20. Got bored with that as well, but saved my taxi cab money and signed up for the cheapest Civilian Flight School I could find in the US: McMinnville Aviation in Tennessee. $9600 for PPL, Commercial, Instrument, ME and CFI, 1978.
Got my licenses and went to Alaska flying bush planes summer and winter for a few years. Totally useless of course as I was never good enough for anything aviation.
Ended up as a DC-3 Captain at age 29 and a B-747 Captain at age 39.
Pretty useless carieer, I know. Wish I had been as good as you Sir, I would have come a lot further: More yachts and more properties in Florida with early retirement and a lazy life.
Hope your penis size does not affect your love life.
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Nice to see Abe Lincoln mentioned. I happily served with him on 205 at Changi when he came from Seletar when the Sunderlands were scrapped. A true gentleman and a very good pilot.
