SimonCraig1

No correct guesses so far

I'm looking for a pilot:
1. An ace he is credited with having one of the planes he shot down repaired, rearmed and repainted (at least the insignia!).
2. It is not confirmed that he ever flew this plane operationally.
3. The armament conversion was probably made easier as the engine, cowling and mount were very similar.
4. He was seriously wounded in two wars.
5. He first saw the form of warfare that was to be identified with him, while observing military maneuvers in another country.
6. His most comprehensive victory was unfortunately for him, and everyone involved, Pyrrhic
7. Ironically the enemy was sufficiently impressed by this and other actions to actively pursue this type of combat, with mixed effects.
8. He was not directly involved in bombers, though dive bombers featured in all his campaigns in the second war.

rcguy59

My Feedback: (8)

Ernst Udet.

SimonCraig1

Nope not Udet, though this pilot did have a lot in common with him, which deserves an extra related clue.

I'm looking for a pilot:
1. An ace he is credited with having one of the planes he shot down repaired, rearmed and repainted (at least the insignia!).
2. It is not confirmed that he ever flew this plane operationally.
3. The armament conversion was probably made easier as the engine, cowling and mount were very similar.
4. He was seriously wounded in World Wars I and II.
5. He first saw the form of warfare that was to be identified with him, while observing military maneuvers in another country.
6. His most comprehensive victory was unfortunately for him, and everyone involved, Pyrrhic
7. Ironically the enemy was sufficiently impressed by this and other actions to actively pursue this type of combat, with mixed effects.
8. He was not directly involved in bombers, though dive bombers featured in all his campaigns in the Second World War.
9. He was one of the core of veterans who helped keep German aviation alive after the Treaty of Versailles.

rcguy59

My Feedback: (8)

Wolfram von Richthofen.

rcguy59

My Feedback: (8)

Robert Ritter von Greim.

SimonCraig1

Nope and nope, though Wolfram von Richthofen was involved in the battle mentioned in #6

I'm looking for a pilot:
1. An ace he is credited with having one of the planes he shot down repaired, rearmed and repainted (at least the insignia!).
2. It is not confirmed that he ever flew this plane operationally.
3. The armament conversion was probably made easier as the engine, cowling and mount were very similar.
4. He was seriously wounded in World Wars I and II.
5. He first saw the form of warfare that was to be identified with him, while observing military maneuvers in another country.
6. His most comprehensive victory was unfortunately for him, and everyone involved, Pyrrhic
7. Ironically the enemy was sufficiently impressed by this and other actions to actively pursue this type of combat, with mixed effects.
8. He was not directly involved in bombers, though dive bombers featured in all his campaigns in the Second World War.
9. He was one of the core of veterans who helped keep German aviation alive after the Treaty of Versailles
10. He participated in the 'Fokker Scourge', though on the eastern front, when he shot down the plane mentioned in #1.

Hydro Junkie

Hermann Goering

SimonCraig1

No sorry, not Fatty.

I'm looking for a pilot:
1. An ace he is credited with having one of the planes he shot down repaired, rearmed and repainted (at least the insignia!).
2. It is not confirmed that he ever flew this plane operationally.
3. The armament conversion was probably made easier as the engine, cowling and mount were very similar.
4. He was seriously wounded in World Wars I and II.
5. He first saw the form of warfare that was to be identified with him, while observing military maneuvers in another country.
6. His most comprehensive victory was unfortunately for him, and everyone involved, Pyrrhic
7. Ironically the enemy was sufficiently impressed by this and other actions to actively pursue this type of combat, with mixed effects.
8. He was not directly involved in bombers, though dive bombers featured in all his campaigns in the Second World War.
9. He was one of the core of veterans who helped keep German aviation alive after the Treaty of Versailles
10. He participated in the 'Fokker Scourge', though on the eastern front, when he shot down the plane mentioned in #1
11. His forces following #6 changed their roles but still performed excellent service.
12. Later in World War 2 his forces helped defeat those formed as a consequence of #6.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

[QUOTE=SimonCraig1;12123959]No sorry, not Fatty.

I'm looking for a pilot:

Sorry; but I've been good long enough. How about Kurt Student; a WWI Fokker pilot and ace, who later headed the German Paratrooper forces at Crete? Thanks; Ernie P.


Kurt Student (12 May 1890 – 1 July 1978) was a German Luftwaffe general who fought as a fighter pilot during the First World War and as the commander of German Fallschirmjδger (paratroopers) during the Second World War. He was convicted of war crimes for his actions in Crete. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves were awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He lost the first major airborne operation of WWII, the Battle for The Hague in May 1940, where he narrowly escaped capture.

Student entered the Imperial German Army as an officer candidate in 1910 and was commissioned a lieutenant in March 1911. After serving initially with a light infantry (Jδger) battalion, he underwent pilot training in 1913. He served from the beginning of World War I until February 1916 with Feldflieger-Abteilung 17 on the Galician front, rising to command of the unit on 1 June 1916. On 5 July, he became a charter member of the Fokker Scourge, when he scored his first confirmed victory, forcing Nieuport 11 no. 1324 to land behind German lines. Student re-equipped the French plane with a Spandau machine gun, and seems to have flown it in combat.[SUP][2][3][/SUP]

He then switched to the Western Front in aerial units of the Third Army, including Jagdstaffel 9 (Jasta 9), which he commanded from 5 October 1916 – 2 May 1917, when he was wounded. He scored six air-to-air victories over French aircraft between 1916 – 1917, with two coming after his wound. He left Jasta 9 on 14 March 1918.[SUP][4][/SUP]

During the interwar period, Student tried to keep German military aviation from becoming technologically obsolete, since, under the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was forbidden to maintain an air force. In the immediate post-war years, he was assigned to military research and development. He became involved in military gliders, since gliding was not forbidden by the treaty. He also attended the Red Army Air Forces maneuvres, where he first came in contact with the idea of airborne operations.

After Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany, the Luftwaffe was secretly reestablished. Student transferred from the Army to the Luftwaffe and was appointed by Hermann Gφring to be the head of its training schools, a position which became official when the Treaty of Versailles was renounced in 1935. In July 1938, he was named commander of airborne and air-landing troops, and in September commanding general of the 7. Flieger-Division, Germany's first Fallschirmjδger division.

In January 1941, Student was named commanding general of the XI. Fliegerkorps, the newly formed command for the expanding German airborne forces. In this capacity, Student directed Operation Mercury (Unternehmen Merkur), the airborne invasion of the island of Crete in May 1941. In January 1941, he is known to have proposed a similar operation in Northern Ireland along the same lines of Plan Kathleen, at the time Gφring told him that his focus should be on the airborne conquest of Gibraltar via Operation Felix.[SUP][citation needed][/SUP] Crete was taken, but the high casualties caused Hitler to forbid future airborne operations. Acting as the temporary commander of the island, immediately after the surrender of Crete on 31 May 1941, on Gφring's order Student issued an order for a launching of a wave of brutal reprisals against the local population with the Massacre of Kondomari and the Razing of Kandanos being typical examples.

SimonCraig1

Well done Ernie, Kurt Student it is!

The invasion to Crete was the battle referred to. The German airborne troops were mauled and with slightly different allied troop dispositions would have failed to take the airfield required to land heavy armament and the invasion would have failed. Hitler refuse to allow further airborne invasions though the island of Malta was ripe for the picking and remained a major base for preventing resupply of Rommel's desert war.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Thank you, Sir. Sorry to be slow, but I was away hunting today. Let's see if this next question garners any interest. Since we're on pilots.... Thanks; Ernie P.


We all know that pilots, like athletes, have good and bad days. This pilot was perhaps only a good, but not great, combat pilot. But on one fateful day, he was all but unbeatable.

Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

1. While flying alone, he was attacked by several enemy aircraft. He destroyed half their number before escaping the remainder.

rcguy59

My Feedback: (8)

Saburo Sakai.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Sorry, rcguy59; but not Sakai. Perhaps this next clue will aid your search. Thanks; Ernie P.


We all know that pilots, like athletes, have good and bad days. This pilot was perhaps only a good, but not great, combat pilot. But on one fateful day, he was all but unbeatable.

Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

1. While flying alone, he was attacked by several enemy aircraft. He destroyed half their number before escaping the remainder.
2. He was an ace, with several shared victories; and was the equivalent of a flight leader.

Hydro Junkie

"Butch" O'Hare or Joe Foss

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Not Butch or Joe. This morning clue may help. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

1. While flying alone, he was attacked by several enemy aircraft. He destroyed half their number before escaping the remainder.
2. He was an ace, with several shared victories; and was the equivalent of a flight leader.
3. He survived his war.

Hydro Junkie

Foss survived his war, O'Hare was killed by friendly fire while working with a second Hellcat and a radar equipped Avenger.
Ernie, that latest one didn't help much

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

I'll try to do better, Hydro Junkie. Really! Well, maybe. Sorta. Like this. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

1. While flying alone, he was attacked by several enemy aircraft. He destroyed half their number before escaping the remainder.
2. He was an ace, with several shared victories; and was the equivalent of a flight leader.
3. He survived his war.
4. After his war, he had a distinguished career as a pilot, aviation pioneer, innovator and entrepreneur.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

An early evening clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

1. While flying alone, he was attacked by several enemy aircraft. He destroyed half their number before escaping the remainder.
2. He was an ace, with several shared victories; and was the equivalent of a flight leader.
3. He survived his war.
4. After his war, he had a distinguished career as a pilot, aviation pioneer, innovator and entrepreneur.
5. He worked with a number of early flying clubs, helping to encourage interest in aviation for personal and other reasons.

Hydro Junkie

Eddie Rickenbacher
Yes that's a wild quess

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Not too wild a guess, Hydro Junkie. Not correct, but in no way a bad guess. Maybe this early morning clue will help. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

1. While flying alone, he was attacked by several enemy aircraft. He destroyed half their number before escaping the remainder.
2. He was an ace, with several shared victories; and was the equivalent of a flight leader.
3. He survived his war.
4. After his war, he had a distinguished career as a pilot, aviation pioneer, innovator and entrepreneur.
5. He worked with a number of early flying clubs, helping to encourage interest in aviation for personal and other reasons.
6. He was considered by many to be a quiet man.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

An afternoon clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

1. While flying alone, he was attacked by several enemy aircraft. He destroyed half their number before escaping the remainder.
2. He was an ace, with several shared victories; and was the equivalent of a flight leader.
3. He survived his war.
4. After his war, he had a distinguished career as a pilot, aviation pioneer, innovator and entrepreneur.
5. He worked with a number of early flying clubs, helping to encourage interest in aviation for personal and other reasons.
6. He was considered by many to be a quiet man.
7. He was featured in books and other media.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

And an afternoon clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

1. While flying alone, he was attacked by several enemy aircraft. He destroyed half their number before escaping the remainder.
2. He was an ace, with several shared victories; and was the equivalent of a flight leader.
3. He survived his war.
4. After his war, he had a distinguished career as a pilot, aviation pioneer, innovator and entrepreneur.
5. He worked with a number of early flying clubs, helping to encourage interest in aviation for personal and other reasons.
6. He was considered by many to be a quiet man.
7. He was featured in books and other media.
8. He was also the subject of at least one well known painting.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Gota be the 3M guy. U know Marion Mitchell Morrison U know The Flying leathernecks, Wings of Eagles, Jet Pilot, Flying Tigers and other flying credits. With all these credits he must have done all of the above 8 at one time or another.

rcguy59

My Feedback: (8)

You mean Marion Michael Morrison? (The Duke)

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

copied straight from Wikipedia

1. 
   John Wayne
   Film actor
   
   
   Marion Mitchell Morrison, known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director, and producer. An Academy Award-winner for True Grit, Wayne was among the top box office draws for three decades. Wikipedia
   
   
   
   Born: May 26, 1907, Winterset, IA