Re: Bishop vs. Richthofen

4 September 1998, 05:13 PM

If any of the sources lists a date for this encounter, I think it was said to have occurred in April or May of 1917, someone might be able to determine if this encounter was at least possible. Any date listed in your source Chris?

4 September 1998, 06:35 PM

The reference to Longstreet's book, "The Canvas Falcons", is all I need to hear. Gross distortions, wholly unsupportable speculation and editorializing stated as fact,
an unredeemable piece of rubbish. Its the only book on the subject of WW 1 aviation that I have ever thrown away. Rubbish is too kind a description for that tripe.

5 September 1998, 08:12 AM

Yes, I totatlly agree, "The Canvas Falcons" was one of the worst WWI air books I ever read. That and anything written by Quentin Reynolds. I have read an account of Bishop fighting Richthofen somewhere, but didn't believe it at the time. Is there a chance that this event occured during MvR's leave during May-June 1917? Could someone else have been flying the red plane? The whole event as I once read it smacked of romanticzied air-warfare. SEB

Richard_Schrader · 6 September 1998, 04:35 PM

I agree that Longstreet's and Reynold's books were full of false information. Bishop never let the truth get in the way of a good story. I did enjoy very much the book "Courage of the Early Morning" which I believe was written by Bishop's son.

Billy_Bishop · 7 September 1998, 05:30 AM

Quentin Reynolds?? Are some of us maybe confusing him with Arch Whitehouse??

Ira_Silverman · 7 September 1998, 03:31 PM

Al:

Thank you very much for your insight. I believe there is some confusion between the two, particularly since I never found Reynolds to be biased in the same way Whitehouse was.

When someone writes "and anything by Quentin Reynolds," I find it interesting in the light that Reynolds wrote a total of ONE book about WW1 aviation, that being "They Fought for the Sky." Other than that, he wrote several biographies (Jimmy Doolittle and Willy Sutton, how's that for a pair) and a number of books that developed from his experience as a war correspondant in WW2.

Under such circumstances, one must differentiate between bias, and describing an enemy who is actively trying to kill you while you are writing. Much of Reynolds writing took place during the London Blitz, and while on convoy duty in the North Atlantic.

Regards,

Ira