Knights Without Parachutes — georges guynemer

Serving his country in a roundabout way A few weeks ago, we wrote how in September 1917, Arthur Gould Lee was fighting Richthofen's Flying Circus. But around this time of year, it was Eugene Bullard's turn.  It was late in the year when Eugene Bullard tried to transfer from the Lafayette Flying Corps to fly directly for the US. They were saying all US pilots flying for France would be allowed to transfer, and be promoted to officer status. So Bullard was given a physical. The American doctors said he had flat feet, and he pointed out his flat feet had...

Fanfare for an Uncommon Common Man Ernst Udet, one of the great aces of WWI, the highest-scoring German ace to survive the war (second only to Richthofen), was something of a new breed in the knighthood of the air - or rather, not a product of breeding at all. He was a common man rather than one of the nobility, and Germany's youngest ace, who would only be 121 years old if he were alive today. Yet he appreciated and honored the chivalry that would soon be swallowed up in by the practicalities of war. At this point 100 years ago, Udet was...