Capitaine Vengeur

Several threads in CA have discussed about Spielberg's latest movie, "War Horse". World War One has been the turning point when cavalry became once and for all an obsolete service, relieved by modern weapons issued by the industrial warfare - aviation first of all. Symbolizing this turning point, many of the most illustrious pilots or air commanders were former cavalry officers, like Göring and von Richthofen ("the Rittmeister") at the Germans, or Nungesser and de Rose at the French. The planes themselves seemed to have been designed for experienced horsemen, light enough to be flown "by the ass", with rudder pedals in place of stirrups. Yet, a British cavalry charge on a German camp can be seen on the movie's trailer; historically accurate or not, I don't know. But I'd like to evoke here a perhaps obscure but actual feat, the last time when ageing cavalry could get back at the insolent newcome aviation. On September 9, 1914, at the height of the First Battle of the Marne, a French cavalry squadron from 16e Dragons, 40 lancers led by Lieutenant Gaston de Gironde, was stuck behind the enemy lines near Soissons. At dusk, they learnt from a countryman that a German airfield had been settled in the vicinity of Vivières, hosting eight Aviatiks and their support services. At that time of the war, air forces were quite scarce, and eight German planes less could have weighed much in the current battle, letting some Allied maneuvers unspotted. So Lt Gironde took place on the edge of the field, and waited for the darkest night to launch a surprise attack. Once the sentries neutralized, the French horsemen charged across the field with spears, pistols and carbines. Vehicles set aflame soon lit up the battlefield. Out of the 40 dragoons, 13 were killed (including Gironde who died of wounds) and 8 were wounded; several horsemen were captured afterwards, or had to use civilian clothes to break through to their lines. Most of the French casualties, including Gironde, were owed to one single German MG settled on a car, which swept across the open airfield. But all of the eight Aviatiks and several vehicles were set aflame, and the German squadron leader is even said to have been killed in the encounter (nonetheless, I couldn't find the unit's name, or if it actually used Aviatiks). "To hell with you! I want to die on a saddle, at a gallop!" (Lt Gironde just before his last charge)

Another interpretation at the Simpsons':

I've never smoked but since the last years, and only one or two flavoured nargileh a month. Certainly not to pose as the manly kind like the young pimple-faced trendies in front of the schools; on the contrary, it emphasizes my sybaritic nature. No addiction, I could stop at will, anytime (I'd like to say the same about my addiction to Italian cheeses, but that's another story...). There are very few things that can make me sick of a girl without appeal; but besides racist conversation, compulsive smoking is on top of my black list. Smoking is as expensive, disgraceful, pathetic and stupid as alcohol as a way to commit suicide on the long term; but besides, it's a stinky way.

Hail to the Dragon ! Merry fireworks !

In the latest comics book by Romain Hugault, "Le pilote à l'Edelweiss", already discussed in this forum, the main French character Castillac has painted a very offensive motto on his Nieuport: "J'honore les dames, j'enfile les Boches". "J'honore" can mean "I honour", but also "I respectfully make love to the ladies", while "J'enfile" can mean "I string" or "I thread", for an ace stringing kills like pearls, but also can have a much more obscene signification, in a much less respectful manner!

Besides HMS Furious for a while in 1917, there were few such attempts to convert a noble battleship into a hybrid monstrosity rather than to a full aircraft carrier. The Japanese battleships IJN Ise and Hyuga, converted as seaplane carriers with big guns, proved useless in this role.

... just the way Texas does, stuck between the barbarian hordes of Rio Grande and the atheistic Leftists of Washington?

The Nazis used the most weird and desperate solutions by the end of the War. The comics series "Le Grand Duc" by Romain Hugault has already been discussed about here. The last mission of the main German character Wulf is almost a suicide mission: flying a freaky 'Mistel' combination made of an unarmed outdated 109 and a Ju-88 full of 4 tons of explosives to be dropped on the Soviet bridges over Oder, April 1945. A disgusting barbaric mating, Wulf's superior describes it.

Olham, the two German machines display the Swastika, so I guess the meeting doesn't take place other Germany. Such markings are probably forbidden there. UK, I wouldn't say all Italian machines look crappy. Actually, my favourite biplane all times could be the Fiat CR.32. A sesquiplane with very pure shapes...

Yet, it was Alexandre Dumas himself, actually about the alleged historical inaccuracy of his "Three Musketeers", who stated: "No matter you violate History, as long as you give Her nice children". The same could be said about a handful of fine films. But to some extent only...

Remember the old classical joke about the Hollywood producers. A producer has a walk in his studios and stumbles on one of his biblical shootings: - Who are those twelve shabby dudes? - They are the Apostles, sir. - Pathetic! Put at once sixty more of them on stage!

Firm tone, but clearly unsufficent to rally a panicked yellow-belly. Perhaps the Coast Guards should have threatened to shoot him, and fired a warning burst? Desperate situations require desperate measures... Too late, now what could they do? Apply on his ten fingers the good old Roman decimation for cowardice in the face of danger? Too late...

No intention to hurt any people who didn't deserve it, to make excessive generalizations, or to promote derogatory clichés. Truly. Apologise if interpreted as such. Anyway, I know I would never venture on these giant floating metropolises whose international crew can embody the worst of the Tower of Babel regarding communications and efficiency; whose staff can embody the worst of human imperfection in big structures regarding internal promotions and string-pulling; and which themselves embody the overconfidence in modern expensive technology over the human element (simple common sense, for example). Well, maybe one more excessive generalization... But I will always reserve my confidence to smaller ships, low on water, aware enough of their own fragility to remain cautious in any maneuver, and whose reduced crew of nationals behaves as a tied family.

Theo Osterkamp, highest-scoring ace of the German Imperial Navy with 32 kills, also scored 6 more during WW2. His first kill was one of these very few Dutch G.I on 11 May 1940 while flying a Bf 109E, and as a WW1 veteran pilot, he was very surprised by the way some 20mm rounds could volatilize an aircraft ("Now we use guns to kill sparrows!")

Several articles I managed to read indicate that this day could be remembered a day of infamy for Italy on many other concerns than just Captain Runaway. Many passengers, often old people, report that most of the crew were too busy saving their own lives to manage the evacuation; and many report that the only crewmen they saw take care of them were the Indonesian waiters, modern sea slaves left behind in the same way themselves had been. Another matter of shame could be the disgusting behaviour of the Inhabitants of the island of Giglio. Some frozen and traumatized survivors report that the doors and windows there closed at them; that when they tried to warm themselves, the coffee was sold for 3 euros; and that the islanders refused point-blank to serve those who had lost their money in the sinking. Those Mediterranean islanders are usually prone to attend church, but evade as soon as they have a practical occasion to behave as true Christians...

Beware, we're venturing on a battleground where for once, the Czechs or Ukrainians may have the most invincible army in the World...! (Please read as: further pics expected from our proud Slavic members!)

In some way, yes, CA is: it always gives me the boiling greed to f**k MiGs, filling some hot nozzles with streamlined heat-seeking stuff!!

Including J.L. Burke's famous detective Dave Robicheaux. I have also noticed Devereaux as a common name in several American movies.

About ancient black and white movies: "Wooden crosses" (1931), the French matching film to "All quiet on the Western Front". Original version mostly in Poilu slang; no heroism but camaraderie, duty and death; and touching scenes like the final long, desperate, solitary agony of the young attaching main character in the no man's land. Actually, I've not seen it since decades, but old jewels with patina can't get older...

I had read an interesting short story in comics about the unit, with interlude pages depicting the racist thoughts of the Nazi supermen they were tangling with ("They have downed some of the Sturmbock... The beginners luck... Apes can learn many things... But not everything..."), as well as the racist thoughts of some Dixie gunners who had heard of absurd rumors about a unit of "flying darkies", and couldn't imagine that these were the Red Tails fighters covering their asses. Contempted as well by their friends and foes, the Tuskegees prevailed nonetheless.

I'd like to have a winged chimp as WSO to do all that sniping for me around while I still hold the stick!

Happy birthday !

Brrrraygahay? Possible. We have regionally something of our own Scotsmen, too...

"We were soldiers" is fine and accurate on many points about Ia Drang ("Too Tall"'s feats, the first "Mad Minute" ever near the riverbed...), but the ridiculous depiction of the outcome on Day 3 ruins all of the work. Damn, the last bayonet charge by US Army occured in Korea! About "Sergeant York", it's one of the films I have never watched that I'd like to see the most. The original storyline is legendary, and I've always heard the best of it.

I suppose that Bray-Gay should work OK. It's the way I always heard it about modern aircraft (Breguet Alizé, Breguet Atlantique...).