Libyan ace Al-Obedi killed in Benghazi

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Von Due

[...] He took off and crashed his plane into the sea. Serious business indeed.
That story was told in the book "A Higher Call" in case someone want to read about pilots on the other side. [...]

Wasn't "A higher call" about Stigler and Brown? Who was the german pilot who crashed his plane into the sea?
Even more OT: Regarding Stigler and the B17, I read in Deighton's "Fighters" that it happened several times, that some german pilots accompanied damaged british fighters home, which, as they said, "would never have been possible in Russia" (all WW2).

P.S. "Fighters" and "Bombers" (both by Len Deighton) are two real good books about the Battle of Britain (which wasn't one) and the bomber swarms and their interceptors. "Fighters" is a history book concentrating on the machines, "Bombers" is fictional and a novel, but footing in reality using changed names and describing real incidents.

[Von Due]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Wasn't "A higher call" about Stigler and Brown? Who was the german pilot who crashed his plane into the sea?

The book is mostly about Stigler and Brown but "mostly mostly" about Stigler. It is also about the war in general, and other individuals, like people Stigler came across. His fellow pilots, his officers, his family. As for the name, I would need to dig up the book, and look it up.

Even more OT: Regarding Stigler and the B17, I read in Deighton's "Fighters" that it happened several times, that some german pilots accompanied damaged british fighters home, which, as they said, "would never have been possible in Russia" (all WW2).

I'm not too surprised really. The story we were told through the media, through hollywood movies, through veterans who were somewhere else entirely, those stories you can find in wartime propaganda. This is true for all sides involved. The real story of the individuals who fought is another story entirely. The German and British pilots had the same job, they knew what the other guy was going through.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Catfish

I read in Deighton's "Fighters" that it happened several times, that some german pilots accompanied damaged british fighters home, which, as they said, "would never have been possible in Russia" (all WW2).

This is true, and I believe it happened on both sides too, I recall hearing of an incident during the BOB when Galland came across a student learning in a Tiger Moth, rather than take the easy kill he came alongside, waggled his wings and then flew off.
It was quite a different war, the war in the west compared to the war in the east, both sides treated the other as equals and had measured respect for each other. Although, sadly, like in all wars, there were some who had no respect:

[Catfish]

^ Never heard of that, only from "Taffy" Jones
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Ira_Thomas_Jones

"My habit of attacking Huns dangling from their parachutes led to many arguments in the mess. Some officers, of the Eton and Sandhurst type, thought it was 'unsportsmanlike' to do it. Never having been to a public school, I was unhampered by such considerations of form. I just pointed out that there was a bloody war on, and that I intended to avenge my pals."
Seems it was in WW1 though (?), Jones only flew for a very short time during the BoB.

There was some discussion whether it was allowed to shoot at bailed-out pilots with parachutes over enemy territory, when the pilot would live to fight another day, but after all you seldom hear of that.


Sry, thread derailed..

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Sry, thread derailed..

As the OP, I hereby give permission for this derailment.
It's an interesting talk and I think that Al-Obedi wouldn't mind us talking about pilots and their personalities and ethical choices. He was one after all, and he knew war too, not as vast and as destructive as WWII but still brutal and terrible in its own way and in his own land.

[Kongo Otto]

Originally Posted by Catfish

^ Never heard of that, only from "Taffy" Jones
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Ira_Thomas_Jones

"My habit of attacking Huns dangling from their parachutes led to many arguments in the mess. Some officers, of the Eton and Sandhurst type, thought it was 'unsportsmanlike' to do it. Never having been to a public school, I was unhampered by such considerations of form. I just pointed out that there was a bloody war on, and that I intended to avenge my pals."
Seems it was in WW1 though (?), Jones only flew for a very short time during the BoB.

There was some discussion whether it was allowed to shoot at bailed-out pilots with parachutes over enemy territory, when the pilot would live to fight another day, but after all you seldom hear of that.


Sry, thread derailed..

Pilots bailing out must have been pretty late in the war, because the first Parachutes to german aircraft pilots were issued in late July early August 1918. The RAF and the other allied air forces did not issue Parachutes to aircraft crews during WW1.

[Wolferz]

His Ace was the last thing to go through his mind on impact.