Profanity written on top wing?

[Willi Von Klugerman]

I once heard a story (don't know if its true or not) that an Austrian pilot landed in No-Man's-Land and was shot at.But the British troops in the trenches couldn't get a shot at him.It was because the Austrian pilot had the words "F!@# me" on the top wing of his Albatros,and they were laughing so hard,that they kept on loosing their aim on him.The Austrian then flew safely into the air,unharmed.Is this true,if so,who was the pilot,if not,where did the story originated.True or not,it is a funny story,kinda reminds me of the Monty Python episode in which WW2 Brits used jokes as a weapon because they were so funny,that the Germans literaly died laughing.

[Rod_Filan]

Sounds like a load of bull but there is a town in Upper Austria named F*cking (that's pronounced Fooking btw). Still, odds are long that a pilot painted the name of his home town, "F*CKING", across his upper plane not knowing it was a profanity in the Brit's vernacular -- in which case if the yarn has any truth, and he did know, it was probably more likely "F*CK YOU" instead of "F*CK ME", which would make more !@#$% sense doncha think?

Cheers
Rod

YouTube - Best of Monty Python "The Killer Joke"
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[rainbase]

This story sounds awfully like something that happened in Jack Hunter's brilliant novel, "The Blue Max". Stachel had that painted across the top of hs Fokker in hopes of enraging the enemies he encountered. Instead, the first two-seater crew he tangled with were laughing so hard they screwed up their defensive position and ended up being captured. Now, it's possible that Hunter heard this story and adapted it in his novel, but if I had to guess, it's the other way around.

[Barrett]

IIRC Stachel had the offending words painted over because he didn't like being known as The Mens Room Ace!

[Shooter]

Originally Posted by rainbase

This story sounds awfully like something that happened in Jack Hunter's brilliant novel, "The Blue Max". Stachel had that painted across the top of hs Fokker in hopes of enraging the enemies he encountered. Instead, the first two-seater crew he tangled with were laughing so hard they screwed up their defensive position and ended up being captured. Now, it's possible that Hunter heard this story and adapted it in his novel, but if I had to guess, it's the other way around.

I totally agree with your assessment of Jack Hunter's novel. While it is quite possible that such was true about the source of the story, it is equally possible that the opposite was true.

It is amazing what some people have done while they are drunk, as Stachel was when he had Ziegel paint his Fokker. And as he also was when he attacked the DH-9's. Still, his black airplane was a formidable Fokker, what?

My compliments, sir.



Shooter sends

[Gregvan]

Hi All,

With all due and great respect to Mr. Hunter, I think he just made this episode up. I've been studying German color schemes for 35 years and I've never seen nor heard of anything like this happening for real.

I have seen some photos of two different Rumpler C.IV's with the legend "Don't Shoot, Good People" painted on the fuselage in large white letters. I presume this was intended to cause an attacking British fighter pilot just enough hesitation to give the defending crew an advantage. But I really doubt that any Geman airman would paint a large English obscenity on his aircraft - nor do I think that many Staffelführer would probably allow it.

Just my opinion.

Greg

[rammjaeger]

BTW years ago a member of the Forum asked about the meaning of the German word "Lude" which he had seen on the photograph of a German airplane. The word means "pimp" but the man did not believe me because he thought this word would have been inappropriate. In general I would expect - like Greg - that Staffel and Abteilungs leaders or higher officers would prevent the use of those words but it is wise never to say "never".

[Sagittarius]

I guess facing death every day gives people a weird sense of humor

[Alien]

My opinion is that this was invented by Jack Hunter. I don't say its impossible though.

If there was an incident like this in real life it would have to have been in a unit that left little documentation, written or photographic.

Also, due to the mores of the times, words like f--- wouldn't have been deemed suitable for print. Any stories that were available may have been lost.

[Willi Von Klugerman]

Hmmm,I smell an investigation by us WW1 aviation experts!We certainly must go through this further to see if it is Mythbusted,plausible,or confirmed.