Bishop vs. MvR

26 October 1998, 10:51 AM

Did MvR and BB ever meet in battle?

26 October 1998, 04:59 PM

They did once at the beginning of Billy's career. He got tangled up with the "Flying Circus" but escaped. I'm not sure about the exact details. I think he got one or two of his albs. Whe he got back to the aerodrome, he saw a hole in his windshield that was pointed right at his head, and a hole in his scarf. He kept them both for war momentos.
Glad to be of help.
Patrick Fries

27 October 1998, 01:48 AM

I believe that at the beginning of Bishop's career (March-April 1917), Richthofen's identity was not known to the RFC, at least at the squadron level. His red Albatros was known, of course; it and its pilot were known as "Le P'tit Rouge" and there was even a rumour that the pilot of this garishly coloured machine was a woman. (How seriously this rumour was taken is another question...)

27 October 1998, 04:06 AM

So when did this supposed meeting take place. Didn't Al Lowe, defender of the memory of

Billy Bishop, even call this meeting into the shadow of doubt? Hey, it could have happened. But I have my doubts. Didn't somebody say that the whole story was partially the construct of some author embelishing his name or something like that? And that it was something that Billy Bishop never denied taking place.

27 October 1998, 11:38 AM

Hey, I read that in a book like 2 years ago

Billy Bishop: Canadian Hero
I don't really remember exactly what it said.
You guys are attacking me like I'm making this up or something. Go ask Pierre Berton.
Patrick Fries

28 October 1998, 08:18 AM

Bishop met Jasta 11 on 30 March 1917 , he dived into a trap Jasta 11 sethe fought out of the engagement. His first victory was 5 days earlier , his next the next day , so was pretty early in his career ( doesnt mention who of Jasta 11 was in the formation of Albatros Scouts )

cam

31 October 1998, 02:51 PM

When Bishop attacked Richthofen's squadron, he was unsure as to doing so because he knew they were the crack pilots, and so he just annoyed them by buzzing up and down. Innerved, the Germans went to get that Blue-nosed Neuport. I quite frankly belive that, based on the evidence, that he did come into contact with Richthofen more than once.
For more information on the subject, read

Billy Bishop's book "Winged Warfare" and also Arthur Bishop's book "Courage of the Early Morning."