AIR ACES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 23, 1 December 1939, Page 10

AIR ACES

To The Editor, "The Listener" Sir,-I wish to call your attention to what appears to be a mis-statement in an article by 23/762, entitled "New Zealand’s Air Aces," in the October 29November 4 issue of The Listener. The author states that Major " Mick" Mannock, V.C., D.S.O., was the greatest of all airmen and had seventy-three German planes to his credit. I have always understood that Captain Wm. A. Bishop, V.C., D.S.O., etc., was the leading British pilot and that Manfred Von Richthofen of the German Air Force was the greatest of all airmen where the numbers of victories are concerned, as, officially, he had eighty to his credit. As regards Bishop's record, may I quote " Popular Flying Magazine" of March, 1936, page 646. "Opinions may differ in regard to the relative importance of the fighting done by Mr. Cudden, Mannock, Ball, Richthofen, Udet, Fonk, Guynemeyer, but no other fighter in the same period ever approached the number of machines destroyed during Bishop’s last twelve days at the front (twenty-five).

Only Richthofen, among the Germans, exceeded his officially recognised record of seventy-two victories, which placed him in the forefront of British pilots, and it is interesting to speculate what might have happened if he had been permitted to stay at the front even a few days longer at a time when he was destroying several German machines a day." I have attempted to find Mannock’s official record but have been unable to do so, yet I feel sure that your readers would be interested in a comparison of the official figures of Bishop and Mannock and possibly one of them has this information. Wishing success to your interesting paper, I am, Yours, etc.,

RICHARD

STEELE

Murchison, November 12, 1939. {Our correspondent’s letter was submitted to "23/762," who writes in reply: Many of the popular stories about airmen have been investigated officially since the war and some of them are without foundation. It should be explained, also, that official records give credit to the airmen for the actual enemy planes they destroyed in conflict; those which were " forced down" or "forced down out of control’ are not included in the total. Those enemy planes which were officially credited with being destroyed had to be traced or accounted for by eyewitnesses. Mannock, actually credited with 73 enemy planes, is now credited with many more which he brought down but never reported. Flight-Lieutenant Ira Jones, who has written a life of Mannock after years of investigation from official sources, makes the following statements: ‘‘ Mannock never exaggerated claims; Richthofen often did. Mannock often gave the credit of a personal victory to a comrade to encourage him; Richthofen never did; he did the opposite. Mannock had no thirsting desire for decorations or self-glorification; Richthofen lived for both. Mannock was not jealous of other airmen’s achievements; Richthofen at one time was jealous of his brother. Mannock was the personification of modesty; Richthofen was boastful and conceited.’’]