Which air service of WW1 are you interested the most and why?

[Willi Von Klugerman]

The title say's it all,which air service are you into the most and why?Mine would be the Germans because of they had such good looking machines,the men had different uniforms,and alot of my favorite aces of that war are German.Plus they had alot of colorful machines and squadron paint schemes.

[Tommy Atkins]

British and Commonwealth. Because their cause was just, and they took the fight to the enemy from start to finish, and emerged victorious.

[Cajun]

Just throw me in any Lafayette Corps escadrille or with my German origins and im happy

[Frederic Mason]

The AEF USAS. Best five-tone camo and sqd insignias. Neat fields, planes, vehicles, uniforms. Fighting for a righteous cause versus the evil of Imperial Germany. Nothing to immulate about the German cause. Be an American and act like one. Quit kissing the Kaiser's boots.

[Barry Hickson]

All of them!
Each has its own unique appeal & you need to study them all for a fully rounded knowledge.

[Willi Von Klugerman]

Originally Posted by Frederic Mason

The AEF USAS. Best five-tone camo and sqd insignias. Neat fields, planes, vehicles, uniforms. Fighting for a righteous cause versus the evil of Imperial Germany. Nothing to immulate about the German cause. Be an American and act like one. Quit kissing the Kaiser's boots.

I take that as a shot.I never said I condone the German cause in WWI.I just think their history is interesting to me and I like to study their WWI history and aware of the bad aspects of that empire.I always thought of the men of all sides that fought as one in a war that had no meaning.I have no hard feelings against you Frederic and I should try to rephrase my posts a little better,truce.

And to add to the thread I also like the sea air forces (particulary around the Italian/Austro front) because it is such a overlooked subject and the fact that those boat-like machines (Macchi's,Hansa-Brandenburgs,ect) actually had dogfights with each other.To me its so overlooked that it almost seemed mythical.

[wingandprop]

Originally Posted by Frederic Mason

The AEF USAS. Fighting for a righteous cause versus the evil of Imperial Germany. Nothing to immulate about the German cause. Be an American and act like one. Quit kissing the Kaiser's boots.

Originally Posted by Willi Von Klugerman

I take that as a shot.I never said I condone the German cause in WWI.I just think their history is interesting to me and I like to study their WWI history and aware of the bad aspects of that empire. I have no hard feelings against you Frederic and I should try to rephrase my posts a little better,truce.

I think, Willi, that Fred was holding his jingoistic tongue firmly in cheek. In fact, the German cause in WW1 was as "righteous" as any other and I would gladly "condone" it. Likewise, the German "empire" was no more "evil" than was the British Empire, upon which the sun never set, or the French Empire. None of the warring countries' motivations were exactly pure, but the chief lesson of WW1 is to show how easily military conflict can spin out of all reason and control. Every one of the combatants envisioned a replay of the Franco Prussian War of 1870. A quick series of relatively "low" level engagements, decisive victory, and everyone back home by Christmas having taught the other side a well needed lesson on their place in Europe. Had the leaders of Europe recognized the level of carnage and destruction the war would produce, it would never have happened, but Germany was no more to blame for that than was any one else.


Matt

[Froggy]

Originally Posted by Frederic Mason

The AEF USAS. Best five-tone camo and sqd insignias. Neat fields, planes, vehicles, uniforms. Fighting for a righteous cause versus the evil of Imperial Germany. Nothing to immulate about the German cause. Be an American and act like one. Quit kissing the Kaiser's boots.

Just a little recall ... The U.S. had no military aviation when they entered the conflict.All the planes which they used had been purchased to France or the united kingdom or manufactured by sub-contractors under license in the U.S.A . and the five-colors were the colors of the camouflage of the French aviation since 1917-By the way all French escadrilles had a distinctive insignia
(nearly 350 t 400 diffferent insignias !)-
So , may be you should take some interest too for French aviation ?

Cordialement
Bruno

[john_g]

The British forces, RFC, RNAS and RAF. No fancy colours, no idolised pilots just plain hard graft taking the war to the Germans day in and day out and grinding them down.

An air force that was slow to start in 1914 but was adaptable and grew into an efficient force. And by the end of the war was probably the largest Air Force in the world, equipped with Stratigic, tactical and maritime forces fighting in every theatre of war.

Not bad for a little Island of the coast of France.

john-g

[frontflieger]

Originally Posted by Frederic Mason

Be an American and act like one.

Do you mean "Native American", or "Euro-American", or "Afro-American? ...

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BTW: I prefer the German aviation - beeing German I can read those sources and understand that culture best. Though I can read English, too - et francais aussi

We should concentrade on men ... and not nations!

Thorsten