J.B.McCudden

Apologies if this has been raised before and also that too much attention has been paid to well known aces but this refers to McCudden whom I greatly admire.
He seems to have originated the stalking and destruction of high flying German Reconnaissance machines. He lectured extensively on the subject and the following questions seem to arise:-
1 Did any one else on the Allied side successfully emulate his method? Willy Fry did on one occasion but found he had no stomach for it.
2 What was the German reaction to the destruction of so many planes? Did it have any effect on morale? Did they know about McCudden? Early German flyers certainly knew about and feared 'Navarre'. See Double Decker C666 and Haupt Heydemarck or was it Flying Section 17?
3 Would 2 planes fitted with McCudden's gadgets i.e. High compression pistons, radiator blinds, propellor spinners etc have been able to work together at such high altitudes and thus overcome the disadvantage of attacking two seater aircraft when the pilot and observer combine effectively together? McCudden does state that when he failed to effect suprise, he sometimes got badly shot up and had to withdraw.
VBR
Peter S

[Richard_Schrader]

Peter;
The only thing I can add is that most pilots would not have cared for crusing around at 21,000 or 22,000ft without oxygen or heating. McCudden was a remarkable man.
Richard

Thanks. I agree about the lack of oxygen but I believe that there was some warmth from the in-line engine. All things are relative and it was obviously still very cold.
regards
Peter S

[alex_revell]

Yes, after Mac's departure from 56 Sqdn on March 1918, Wing sent a memo to ask for the names of suitable pilots who could shoot down the high-flying German recce aeroplanes 'as McCudden used to do'. Nothing much came of this. Willie Fry told me that he tried going up to 22,000ft and being so high frightened him to death, just the flying, let alone having to fight anything at that height.
Yes, Mac was a remarkable boy - and I use the term advisedly - he was only 23. To go from mechanic to Major, and the RFC's most decorated pilot, in those very class-conscious days required a huge amount of dedication, talent and courage. But he was a professional soldier and completely dedicated to his job. But he was no means an austere boy. His sister Mary told me how he used to enjoy the shows when he was home on leave and he was certainly fond of the ladies. Personally, I think his record is second to none and if he and Mannock had lived they would have risen to very high rank in the post-war RAF. We would then have seen a totally different RAF between the wars and the service would certainly have entered the second war with a much better training in fighter tactics, without the lessons of the first war having being completely lost.
I don't know if the German crews knew of Mac but they certainly set a trap for him on one occasion.
'Beery' Bowman told me - only I think half in joke - that he thought the one of the reasons there was a bulge in the line during the German advance - as he thought - in March 18 was because they didn't know just what was there. 'Mac kept knocking their two-seaters out of the sky'. He described Mac as 'as shooting genius, who could hit the target more accurately with four of five shots than the rest of the squadron could hit with a 'lorry load' of Lewis gun drums. I think that, and the fact that Mac got so close, was the secret.

Very many thanks for replying and the information.
Willy Fry mentions you in his book 'Air of Battle.' I would like to think that you would have been right about the change he and Mannock would have wrought but somehow I doubt it. Fry and Jones stayed in but didn't achieve promotion until W.W.11. Jones said his record had 'Average on Avros,' which he thought was a bit 'ard.'
Has anyone written a biography of McCudden? If not, "How about it?"
Many thanks once again
Peter S

[Billy_Bishop]

There are 3 books that have been written about McCudden, they are "The Air VCs, VCs of the First World War"(McCudden is one of the people mentioned in this book) by Peter J. Cooksley, "Flying Fury : Five Years in the Royal Flying Corps" by James McCudden, and "McCudden, VC", by Christopher Cole.

I imagine most of these are currently out of print, but you might be able to find a copy in a used book store, or on one of the online auction services. I'd check with Amazon first. They seem to be able to track down hard to find books fairly well.

VBR,

Al Lowe

I have got Flying Fury but have not read McCudden V.C. by Christopher Cole, so will put it on my list.
Many Thanks.
VBR
Peter S

[Terry_Crisp]

I seem to recall that Mac was a pretty fit lad who was a nonsmoker as well as just plain tough. I expect that would contribute to his sucess at high altitude.
I have no experience with it in the air but I know from hunting etc. that it's more than twice as hard to sneak up on anything if you have a helper.

And furthermore... I think a really good McCudden bio would be a great idea! Sign me up!

[alex_revell]

Peter,
You misunderstood me. I meant that if Mac had lived, not Willie. Willie would have been hopeless as a top brass. Everybody else out there. See it you can get McCudden VC by Cole. It's well worth getting if you can, but it's quite old now, published by W Kimber (no longer in existance)in the late 60s. It may be reissued. Mac is mentioned in Cooksley's book on the Air VCs and also in my own book on the Air VCs, published last year by Flying Machines Press in the States. I also did a booklet for Albatros Productions a few years back: McCudden VC. Everybody should have Mac's own book, issued in 1918 as Five years in the Royal Flying Corps and then in the 1930s as Flying Fury. Both have been reprinted but stay away from the Flying Fury issued in the States soometime ago now. Greenhill Books have done one fairly recently, see Cross and Cockade International journal for details.
Alex