Poor Lothar Von Richthofen

[Le matou rouge]

Taken! :-)

I was sure you can't shut up  :mrgreen:

meow,
matt

[Driscoles]

Found this about Fonck at Wikipedia :

For all his skill and success, Fonck remained distant, arrogant, even abrasive. His comrades respected his skills, but considered him a braggart and shameless self promoter. He always seemed to resent the fact that Georges Guynemer remained more popular in the French press even after he surpassed him in victories. He was never given a command of his own, but at the end of the war he had accounted for all but 36 of Escadrille SPA.103's 111 claimed victories. Unlike many leading French aces, Fonck's score contained very few shared victories.

Fonck returned to civilian life after WW-1. During the 1920's, Fonck persuaded Igor Sikorsky to redesign the Sikorsky S.35 for the transatlantic race or Orteig Prize.[2] On 21 September 1926, Fonck crashed on takeoff when the landing gear collapsed, killing two of his three crewmembers, and Charles Lindbergh shortly afterward won the prize in 1927. Fonck eventually returned to military aviation and rose to inspector of French fighter forces just before WW II. His prewar veterans' contacts with Hermann Göring cast a shadow upon Fonck's reputation during the German occupation of France and led to allegations of collaboration with the occupying forces and the Vichy regime . However he was entirely cleared after the liberation of France in 1944. He remained in Paris but also visited frequently his native Lorraine where he had business interests . He died at age 59 and is buried in the cemetery of his native village of Saulcy-sur-Meurthe.

Fonck published his war memoirs Mes Combats, prefaced by Marechal Foch, in 1920.

Quotes

    * "I put my bullets into the target as if I placed them there by hand."
    * "I prefer to fly alone... when alone, I perform those little coups of audacity which amuse me..."

[Le matou rouge]

Found this about Fonck at Wikipedia :
(...)

But that's Wiki, where anyone can write anything about.  :wink:
Without to try to be controversial, Fonck worked for Petain, near the Germans particulary, thanks to his friendship with Goering - but  he had no official title in the Vichy governement. His opposition with Prime Minister Laval obliged him to leave in 1942.
He's arrested at the Liberation in 1944, and discharge after investigation, not enough to start legal proceedings.
He supposed to be in the Resistance at the end of the war, but like a lot, lot of people afterwards.  :roll:

Anyway, the shadow, as Wiki said, of his trouble behaviour, has totally "eclipse" his ace statut, and it's was not difficult cause he was far to be the most charismatic of them.

Sorry for my poor english,
Matt

[Driscoles]

Yeah, I know Wiki.... not all is correct there but it is a helpful enceclopedia and it is really not bad at all.

WW1 Air Combat is one of my beloved topics and I know that french people dont like Fonck very much. The stuff that is written about Fonck at WIKI is also written in books and other webpages as well.

Looks like he was not such a great fellow.

[Le matou rouge]

Yeah, I know Wiki.... not all is correct there but it is a helpful enceclopedia and it is really not bad at all.

I agree totally, i use it a lot, but  to say :

"His prewar veterans' contacts with Hermann Göring cast a shadow upon Fonck's reputation during the German occupation of France and led to allegations of collaboration with the occupying forces and the Vichy regime . However he was entirely cleared after the liberation of France in 1944."

is an understatement, for the least.  

WW1 Air Combat is one of my beloved topics and I know that french people dont like Fonck very much.

In fact, i think they totally forgot him, as half of the heroes of "L'Aeropostale". Only bookworms & nerds keep the memory flame.  :wink:

I'm landing now, far too much posts today.

meow,
Matt