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Author	Topic:   Flyboys
gorgas Member	posted 09-26-2006 10:43 PM             The post on "The Somme" just reminded me that I saw this movie over the weekend. I had mixed feelings. I guess it is alright if you try to remember that it really has NOTHING to do with the historical Lafayette Escadrille. It owes far more to old classics like "Wings" and "Hell's Angels"; also to the aviation pulp novels of the 1920's. The actual flight scenes were excellent, the shots of the Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter over the French Countryside were breathtaking, also a brief shot of a Bristol flying over the field. The animated scenes were good, yet obviously animated. The scenery and equipment largely technically accurate, but with several glaring anachronisms, like Nie. 17's and Bristols together, and the Lafayette Escadrille going up against Triplanes. Also, scenes of maintenance being done by the squadron that would most likely have been done at a large air park or depot--and did they have arc-welding in 1916? Pretty sure I saw some arc-welding going on in one scene. So all in all, good entertainment--crap history. Usually the case with Hollywood, eh? IP: Logged
SPQR Moderator	posted 09-27-2006 10:55 AM             This would be the film in whose trailer I saw a depiction of a black pilot in the american squadron ... during the Wilson administration? IP: Logged
KGB Moderator	posted 09-27-2006 11:19 AM             quote: Originally posted by SPQR: This would be the film in whose trailer I saw a depiction of a black pilot in the american squadron ... during the Wilson administration? IP: Logged
Jeff Norman Moderator	posted 09-27-2006 02:30 PM             gorgas did say: quote: it really has NOTHING to do with the historical Lafayette Escadrille so why would anyone think it has anything to do with an quote: american [sic] squadron ... during the Wilson administration? IP: Logged
SPQR Moderator	posted 09-27-2006 02:56 PM             Someone get the Canadians to mind their own historical inaccuracies, eh? IP: Logged
Graybeard Member	posted 09-27-2006 04:56 PM             From Wikipedia: "It can also be noted that the world's first black military aviator, Eugene Bullard, flew with the Lafayette Flying Corps." ------------------ No matter how strong, or brave, or pure of heart you may be; sometimes the dragon wins! IP: Logged
KGB Moderator	posted 09-27-2006 05:06 PM             Heh. The French weren't ruled by Wilson at the time, happily for them. It would be interesting to know if there were any black aviators in the Army Air Service during the U.S. intervention. I suspect I know the answer, but am willing to be surprised. IP: Logged
gorgas Member	posted 09-27-2006 06:28 PM             Bullard served briefly in the Lafayette escadrille, after serving in the French Army. I believe he may have held dual citizenship. He was discharged from the The Squadron, and returned to an infantry unit, if my memory serves me. I believe he fought again at the beginning of WW2 before returning to the US. He was a very interesting character, and was a nightclub owner and socialite in France. Back in the US, he sank into obcsurity, and worked as security for afro-american celebrities in the 50's. I think he died about 1970. He wrote his memoirs entitled "Black Angel of Death" or some similarly hyperbolic title. He was much more of an adventurer, raconteur, entrepeneur, and self-important braggart than a true aviation hero. I am sure he would have been a really interesting guy to hang out with, though. An accurate film about him would have actually been pretty good, as he certainly had an exciting life--if his exploits were to be believed. All in all, I think his contribution as an aviator in the Great War was no more significant than that of Ernie Hemingway's or e.e. cummings' service as ambulanace drivers, less so when you conider that Papa H and Little e.e. may have actually saved some lives. In FLYBOYS, the epilogus states that the character featured in this film went on to serve as the first "black airmail pilot". I need to do my research but I don't think there were any black airmail pilots in the years immediately after the great war. In fact, I am pretty sure that a WOMAN (Ruth Law?)flew an airmail mission before a black man did. I am also pretty sure that Afro-Americans were banned from Army and Naval aviation until WW2. I will need to look into that, however. I have a bad habit of making these proclamations from memory, without checking the sources first. IP: Logged
KGB Moderator	posted 09-27-2006 06:38 PM             quote: Originally posted by gorgas: I am also pretty sure that Afro-Americans were banned from Army and Naval aviation until WW2. That's consistent with my understanding. I am also of the impression that Naval aviation remained closed to blacks until well after the war. However, Truman's desegregation mandate went into effect in time for black aviators to serve with the Marines in Korea. One of them crashed in a ground-support mission at Chosin, and the fellow pilot who crash-landed his own plane in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue him received the Medal of Honor. IP: Logged

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