Most Interesting WWI stories

[Billy_Bishop]

Well, if you're in the USA, then I'd mention Frank Luke, Eddie Rickenbacker, the Lafayette Escadrille, and such. If you're North of the 49th paralellel, then I'd mention Bishop, Barker, Collishaw, the usual host of Canadian aces.

I wouldn't mention the BB controversy for one reason, it's not so much dealing with history as much as it fits more in reconstructing it. By that I mean it's more that historians are TRYING to find out exactly what happened, and not really having much luck. And at their age, you don't want to befuddle them now. That will happen soon enough when they go to college and are affected by all the commie professors.

Besides, the BB controversy could take up a whole afternoon all by it's self.

VBR,

Al Lowe

[mike_baram]

I'd try to include a brief mention of Eugene Bullard (mostly for the "diversity" oriented students).
You can find info on him via Webferret....if you're pressed for time, e-mail me and I'll try to get you a short article.

[charles]

Hi All,

My sister-in-law teaches at a local highschool, and being a history buff, she has asked me to talk to her class about WWI (the current topic).
I'm looking for an outline of the most interesting items that I could talk about. She's told me what she normally covers, and it is really basic.
The items that I thought I would cover are:

1. How aviation was used in WWI.
2. Most famous aviators: MvR, Ball, Rickenbacker, Guynemer, Mannock, Boelcke, ...etc
3. Some of the airplanes: Camel, DrI, DVII, ...etc
4. Epic air battles: MvR vs. Hawker, Voss vs 56 sqdn, LvR vs. Ball

Any other suggestions?

How about Alan McLeod winning the V.C.
His Big Ack on fire, being chased by Jasta 6 triplanes, so he climbs out of the cockpit(the aircraft floor has burnt away and stands on the lower wing and "flys" the aircraft to a crash landing whilst his gunner sits on the ring, firing at the Fokkers. This all at the ripe old age of 19.

Hope this helps

Marlon Schultz

And then there are also other racially diverse aviators like (trying to burnish the brain a bit):

Marcel Pliat (Russo-Franco and African descent), Hardit Singh Malik and Indra Roy (East Indian), Baron Shigeno (Japan), Ho Fook (China)...

[mike_baram]

And there was the flyer who, while trying to replace the drum on his Lewis, accidentally kicked the joystick, inverting his plane. He spent a few harrowing moments hanging from the ammo drum several thousand feet in the air until he was able to kick the joystick again and re-flip the craft.

Charles: I did a presentation last year at elder week at a local community college, using a lot of info from the aerodrome. To draw them in I posed the question about parachutes (not having them and why) then used different pilots and aircraft to touch on developments. It was fun, well received and I got to plug this site for the handouts I used. Good luck! It sounds great.
DD

Mike,
The flyer you have mentioned was Lewis Strange.

Al mentioned a Billy Bishop controversy,whats that
about,and how come nobody ever talks about
on the forum?

[mike_baram]

I remembered that his name was "Strange" after I posted.....considering the circumstances, the chap was aptly named, eh wot?