Who shot down the Red Baron?

"Strangely enough, a poll on my site asking visitors to vote on who they thought did it brings Brown to the lead by a head. VERY strange!"

John,

You are not alone. Check "Previous Poll Results" on this very site.

Rich

[Billy_Bishop]

Andrew, to be honest, I don't know. Perhaps if he had been shot down over American positions, his body might have been more thoroughly examined, certainly more so than the so-called cursory way he was were he had fallen. This might have yielded more positive results.

Then again, his body might have been bagged, tagged and disposed of more quickly too.

Assuming things had happened over American lines in a similar fashion to Australian, and all other things being equal, I think we'd still have the controversy that exists today. But with the American press being what it has been the last 100 years or so, I'm sure that the idea of an American ground gunner getting the Baron would have been overwhelmingly etched in American minds. And chances are, many of the polls that have been taken, would have much different results.

VBR,

Al Lowe

[leo]

I think the system used by the British was a problem. People being what people are there is little wonder that there were abuses. So was the fact that most of the fighting occurred over German lines a problem for Allied aviators.

Yet, according to the Forum Aircraft Statistics there were more Allied losses in 1914-18 than there were German losses and at the same time there were more British Aces than there were German or any body else for that matter. The sytem was bad and so was the placement of downed aircraft, but somebody was fudging something somewhere and I suspect it was the RFC-RAF.

[mike_baram]

John,
The poll results probably reflect the tendency of the majority of non-minutiae-minded duffers to believe legends rather than wade through facts before formulating an opinion. It's much more glamorous for a hero to die at the hands of an equal. A lucky shot by a mud-bedecked ground pounder is too humiliating to contemplate.
Mike

[PeterL]

I know I've said this before, but I have no problem taking both possitions, however irreconcilable they may be. I've read all the right books, taken in all the informed opinion from all those forumites who know a zillion times more about the subject than I do or ever will, and fully accept that the most likely explaination by far is the Aussie on the grassy knoll. Trouble is, it doesn't diminish my fascination with the legend one jot, if anything the reverse is true and if they ever make a movie (apart from the travesty they already made that is) I'll lap it up whoever the script names as the victor. Surely there must be someone who agrees that it's quite possible to accept the historicaly accurate and at the same time enjoy all that "Ripping Yarns" stuff.

Peter L

[Vin]

Mike,

Non-minutiae-minded duffers who believe legends rather than wade through facts before formulating an opinion ! On this forum ?


Vin

[mike_baram]

Vin,
If Killary can call Rudy "devisive", then anything's possible.
Mike

[Vin]

Mike,

I’ll join the majority of non-minutiae-minded duffers who believe legends rather than wade through facts before formulating an opinion on that issue.


Vin

[Billy_Bishop]

Hey Vin!! Welcome to the club. I think we're gonna have jackets made! NMMDI.

VBR,

Al Lowe