Warbird Information Exchange

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on this site are the responsibility of the poster and do not reflect the views of the management.
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 6:02 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 20 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Author Message
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:04 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2005 11:19 am
Posts: 800
Location: Vancouver BC
I bought this book on ebay years ago and was surprised that it came from the author, complete with two signed glossy b&w 8X10 prints. After reading it I was suspicious of some of the content, but it was a decent read, although perhaps a little heavy on the anti-semetism angle.

In my humble opinion the author should have just labelled it "adventure fiction based on some of my experiences in WWII" and left it at that. He could have written a series of them, similar to what Sven Hassle and many others did in the seventies, back when that genre of WWII fiction was in vogue. He would have had a successful little run of books. Heck, I would have read them all.

cheers

greg v.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: anti
PostPosted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 7:05 pm 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!

Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:11 pm
Posts: 1559
Location: Damascus, MD
Bill Greenwood wrote:
I don't remember any Jewish guys in my AF training or Guard duty; but then I probably would not have identified them as seperate. However I would not be to quick to dismiss that part of Kohn's story....


I honestly don't know what happened on the ground, although other accounts from other squadrons ranging from Europe to the Pacific never mention the depth of anti-Semetism Kohn/Arnold claims. But, even assuming that it was there on the ground, the thought that pilots would take personal feelings into the air and allow a fellow pilot to be shot down based on those feelings is absurd. From what I've read about fighter-to-fighter combat, things move pretty quickly. How one pilot could identify one P-38 from another in a split second, realize that was a guy he didn't like, and then overcome the basic fighter pilot's instinct to clear a squadron mate's tail is simply beyond any kind of logic.

While it's not an apples-to-apples comparison, a good contrast to this story is in Tom Blackburn's "The Jolly Rogers". Blackburn readily admits that when he first met Lem Cooke, he didn't like him personally and assigned him to wing slots. However, Blackburn quickly came to recognize Cooke's flying and leadership skills. While they were never close on the ground, in the air they worked as a team.

...and Jack, thank you for the information on the rebuttal.

It is a shame that he had to exaggerate the record, because his service was honorable. Whether one got one kill, no kills or 20 kills, history has recognized that all those who served honorably were heroes.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: ???
PostPosted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 7:19 pm 
Offline
Co-MVP - 2006
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 01, 2004 11:21 pm
Posts: 11468
Location: Salem, Oregon
A postscript on Lt Art Franke the accused anti-semite. He scored 3 kills including 2 109s both off other P-38s in a big dogfight on June 5, 1943 but was shot down and killed by a third. He received the DFC posthumisly along with the Purple Heart and 6 Air Medals. My opinion at depicting a KIA has evil in your fake book is not printable.

_________________
Don't touch my junk!!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:15 am 
Offline
3000+ Post Club
3000+ Post Club
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 11:44 am
Posts: 3267
Location: Las Vegas, NV
What is it about a guy being awarded a medal, or shooting down another airplane, or being KIA, that makes him somehow "more equal"?

Portraying someone as something they are not, especially after that person is dead and unable to defend themselves, is foul. There's nothing about a military pilot who is decorated that makes this any more applicable...


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Kohn
PostPosted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 11:40 am 
Offline
Probationary Member

Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:53 pm
Posts: 3803
Location: Aspen, CO
Author Kohn, or is it Con, had an airshow booth, perhaps Madera or Reno and I spoke to him and bought the book. I thought it was entertaining reading, but had some doubt if the 109 story was totally accurate. There are other stories of some act of chivalry in combat. I know I wasn't drawn to his personality, and I think I gave the book away a few years ago. One thing I particularly wondered about, was it possible to even talk air to air between a P-38 and the 109 in those days? As previous guys have posted, if he had simply labled it historic based fiction, there would have likely been no problem.

_________________
Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 20 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 78 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group