[Billy_Bishop]

The problem really starts with Bishop's actions of 2 June, 1917. *He made his now (in)famous raid in the early morning hours. *All by himself, so he had no witnesses.

AND the perfectionists would have you believe that a veteran of 3 months of air fighting couldn't get lost and not know where he was....in the DARK!!!

Then there's this silly idea that he shot up his own machine. *Followed by the equally silly idea that he chucked his gun over the side, or left it on the ground after he shot up his machine. *This last bit was generally accepted (that he chucked it over the side in flight)until late. *It was found that there was no report of a missing gun in 60 Squadron records for that week. *And while Bishop himself never spoke on the subject, two people did. *His son, and Willy Mays. *

In any event. *With Bishop's VC award papers missing, possibly since before WWII, *we'll never know for sure if there were any witnesses or not.

There's plenty of anecdotal evidence that there were. *But many dismiss it as his friends covering for him.

Then there's the lack of corroboration between his claims and German losses. *Never mind that he appears to be no worse than many other British aces. *"He's the top ace, so he MUST be lying."

Poppycock!

Anyway, in my not so humble opinion: Yeah, I think he may have over claimed a bit. *But no more so than any other pilot.

And if he did, I believe it was an honest mistake. *I also think that someone DID see his attack on a German aerodrome and told the proper authorities what happened. *

Anyway, that's my opinion.

VBR,

Al Lowe