Field of Dreams - 2011 League of WWI Aviation Historians Conference - Post 4

Russian Aeronautical Activities during the First World War - Carl Bobrow

Carl Bobrow, a Museum Specialist at the National Air and Space Museum (Smithsonian), has been interested in activities of the Russian air service since the 1980s and has traveled to Russia as part of his research. His presentation on “Russian Aeronautical Activities during the First World War” centered around the creation of large aircraft by Igor Sikorsky. Sikorsky is remembered more for his innovations with helecoptor technology later, but earlier he designed and built significant, large aircraft for Russia before and during the war.

The presentation delved into the transfer of technology from Sikorsky’s breakthroughs in large aircraft design to other aircraft both successful and unsuccessful (humorous) in Germany and England.

Field of Dreams - 2011 League of WWI Aviation Historians Conference - Post 3

The Belgian Air Service in the First World War - Presentation by Walter Pieters

Winning the award this year for the presenter who traveled the farthest, up next was Walter Pieters, who was in from Belgium. His presentation, "The Belgian Air Service in the First World War" goes along with his recent book by the same name. His book was part of the conversation Thursday night. For those who have seen it, read it and own it, it is said to be the first and last book on every detail pertaining to the Belgian air service during the war.

In his presentation, Walter worked through the history of the war, year by year, cited statistics, and used impressive photos and aircraft profiles. Along the way, Pieters was able to cite some of the humorous animosity between the Belgians and the French during the war which still exist today.

Since the Belgian air force was rather small, Pieters was able, in a short, time to provide a wide spectrum of war-time operations - including European and African theatres of conflict.

Field of Dreams - 2011 League of WWI Aviation Historians Conference - Post 2

Opening Comments from J.R. Williams and the first presentation from Greg Vanwynegarden.

The sky was clear over Monterrey on the first official morning of the OTF conference, with both the sun and the moon taking up prominent positions overhead. After a simple, brief, breakfast we were ushered down the hall to the conference room were the day's proceedings were to take place.

The conference began with opening remarks from J.R. Williams in asking who was new to League conferences – of which maybe a third of the room were, and who had been members of the league for less than two years – and again a large portion of the room raised their hands. He then went on to encourage everyone in the room to continue to promote the League and to try and get as many new members as possible.

Ted Huscher then introduced the poster he created for the conference, his seventh, for the attendees to sign.

The first presentation was from Greg Vanwyngarden on “Jasta 18, the Staffel with the Split Personality.” Jasta 18 is the focus if his recent book: "Jasta 18 - The Red Noses." Greg wove a compelling story of the flying unit using many detailed photos as well as first person quotations, primarily from the translated journals of pilot Rudolf Berthold. His presentation laced together both the story of this jasta, as well as the pilots who few against them.

Vanwyngarden’s presentation also included use of artwork from Russell Smith and Jim Deitz among others.

Field of Dreams - 2011 League of WWI Aviation Historians Conference - Post 1

It looked like most of the attendees arrived last night for the conference. From the looks of the attendee list there are about 80 people coming to the event.

My flight from Philadelphia was delayed due to fueling problems, but was uneventful from there. The two-hour shuttle bus ride from San Francisco to Monterrey was shared with attendee Joe Holland who came in from New Jersey on a different fight. While driving along looking at the California countryside, we got to talk about our interests and his experience with some of the old-timer WWI aviation researchers in the NYC/New Jersey area.

Monterrey was beautifully sunny, with a slight breeze. I am told it us usually foggy this time of year.

The Thursday night opening reception was from 6 to 8 PM. There were continual greetings and conversations going for the whole two hours. I am going to say there were more wives and significant others in attendance this time than in previous years, but I could be wrong. Dan Polglaze was sharing some war-era books and post-war unit history books with some fascinating photos and stories.

After the reception time was over some people moved on to the hotel's Tapas restaurant for more drinks and food.

As we entered the restaurant it was kind of odd to see three aviation artists Jim Deitz (presenter), Mike O'Neil and Russel Smith conversing while walking one after another. It kind of reminded me of the comical drawing showing pilots of SPA 3, walking like storks in a row.

The conversations in the bar were diverse, weaving in and out of aviation subjects about WWI, WWII and other related and unrelated issues.

Ted Huscher, a presenter in earlier conferences, had some interesting details to share about is recent trip in Italy to visit sights related to WWI aviation and his past and present research relating to ace pilot Josef Kiss.

Fred Murrin spent some time discussing plans for the next Dawn Patrol Rendezvous being planned for Dayton in 2014.

I also had an opportunity to speak with Jim Streckfuss about this year's induction ceremony at the National Aviation Hall of Fame and recent changes with this organization.

I will try to post more updates as the conference continues.

“Out From Under the Snow” - The third meeting of the mid-Atlantic Chapter of the League of World War I Aviation Historians

“Out From Under the Snow”

April 17, 2010

The third meeting of the mid-Atlantic Chapter of the League of World War I Aviation Historians

At the National Air and Space Museum’s facility at Dulles, The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

I made the three and one half hour drive (each way) for my first visit to this regional meeting. I am glad I did. This meeting, held in one of the classrooms at Udvar-Hazy functioned almost as a mini-seminar, not unlike what the national organization holds every two years. The organizers, who double as NASM employees, had the classroom set up with a projector and sound system so the 20 -or-so attendees could take it all in.

NASM Curator Dr. Jeremy Kinney started it off with a presentation about the US aircraft production and testing at McCook Field in Dayton, OH during WWI. This was a companion presentation to the Kinney’s article on the subject published in the Winter 2009 issue of “Over the Front.” He reveled it was based on research he had completed for a paper in the 1990s and was a one time submitted as an entry in the League’s student paper contest.

Kinny did a fantastic job of illustrating his talking points with archive photos of actives at McCook. He provided insight into the politics of this testing initiative and how it lead to technological changes in the aircraft the US was trying to build for the war - though ultimately the conflict ended before any of this innovation could make it to Europe.

A lively question and answer session followed.

Charley Gosse was up next with a review of the various aircraft fabric “Indian Head” insignias of the Lafayette Escadrille which are part of the NASM collection (6 in all). Of course, I was hoping to see the actual pieces, but this was strictly a slide show. He covered his work with Alan Toelle to try and authenticate each by matching them up to photos of the escadrille. Gosse showed how though the main components of the designs were the same from example to example, the bows at the bottom of each were unique. Attention to these bows is where the authentication process usually starts, but not where it ends. As usual, getting to see the actual colors, both of the paint and of the fabric, adds to my visualization of the black & white photos of the era.

Prior to the lunch break there was a short segment where attendees got to talk a little bit about projects on which they were working - both books and modeling.

After lunch Blaine Pardoe jumped in with a presentation on Lafayette Flying Corps member, Frederrick Zinn. This presentation is related to a book Pardoe will have published later this year on Zinn’s actives in both WWI and WWII. Zinn, a Michigan native, was in France at the outbreak of the war and was one of the first American’s to volunteer as a member of the French Foreign Legion. He saw action with many of the American’s who would establish the Lafayette Escadrille and by extension the Lafayette Flying Corps. After being wounded, Zinn applied to be transferred to aviation and was assigned as an observer and gunner because - wait for it - his vision so poor he did not qualify as a pilot. Apparently Zinn was one of only three members of the Lafayette Flying Corps who was not a pilot.

Zinn spent an extensive amount of time in French two-seaters, and stayed in touch with ex-Legion American fliers, establishing life-long friendships with the likes of Burt Hall and Paul Rockwell. Having impressed Billy Mitchell during one of his visits to the front, Zinn was one of Mitchell’s first staff member requests when the US joined the War. Pardoe’s research indicates Zinn was instrumental in integrating members of the Lafayette Flying Corps into the US Air Service after most of them had been initially rejected based on poor results of Army-administered physicals.

At the end of the war, Zinn was commissioned, at his own urging, to locate the bodies of missing US fliers. According to Pardoe, Zinn was successful in locating about 295 of 300 missing airmen. The search process he established was ground-breaking. With the start of WWII, though a very unusual path, Zinn continued his work of recovering missing fliers. Pardoe’s book is not a biography of the man, but an exploration of Zinn and his search methods though the stories of a dozen or so fliers from both world wars whom he helped recover.

The day was closed by a presentation from Stephen Miller about his travels though France and America in search of aviation monuments and memorials. Through maps, aerial photography and personal images Miller covered a wide range of American, French and German markers. Many of these were graves, but he also tracked down several crash site markers as well as monuments to missing fliers or those whose graves were lost due to continued fighting during the war.

After the meeting and during lunch all the attendees got the chance to exchange notes and research tips. Thanks to the presentations and my conversations I was able to collect several new research sources I want to track down which are related to my projects. As usual at League meetings like this, all kinds of sharing took place.

I want to thank everyone for attending, presenting and organizing this great meeting. I am sure I will not be able to attend all of these meetings, but this one was sure worth the trip. I would encourage anyone in the region to attend these meetings if possible. I know I will be keeping an eye out for the agenda of the next gathering - they think it might be in July.

Return to the Cradle - Day 1, Presentation 1 (San Antinio Texas, Friday, Oct. 16)

League of World War One Aviation Historian's "Over the Front" Biennial Seminar


Return to the Cradle - Day 1, Presentation 1 (San Antonio Texas, Friday, Oct. 16)


Jim Wilberg presenting on Jean Navarre



Jim Wilberg opened up the conference with his presentation on the early French ace, Jean Navarre. In what would become a sort-of “rebel” theme for the day, Wilberg compared the personality of Navarre against that of the fictional character/pilot “Maverick” from the movie Top Gun, and stated that many of the clichés for fighter pilots started with Navarre.

Navarre’s pre-war life was referenced, particularly his twin brother, Pierre, to whom he was very close. Wilberg covered the fact that Navarre, with few exceptions, was not close to many of his fellow pilots and was particularly affected when his few friends were killed in action and particularly when his brother, who also flew in the war, was killed.

There were good details on the aircraft Navarre flew as well has the units in which he served and the commanding officers he scrapped with as well as some of the aircraft he brought down.

A significant portion of the presentation was dedicated to the Battle of Verdun, where Navarre gained much of his fame by flying multiple missions per day over long periods, earning him the title “Sentential of Verdun” by the infantry in the trenches who came to recognize the constant presence of his red Neuport.

Wilberg closed by covering Navarre’s removal from combat and his death after the war.

Wilberg also mentioned a book he in publishing which compiles WWI aviation images by Russell Smith, and text by a stable of noted WWI Aviation writers, many of which were attending and presenting at the conference.

San Antonio - Pre-Conference Gathering

Today I find myself for the first time in San Antonio, Texas for the 2009, Over the Front conference "Return to the Cradle."

After getting checked into my hotel room I ventured down to the meeting area for the traditional meet-and-greet gathering. As expected I saw a lot of the usual suspects and some faces who were not familiar to me.

The bonus in the attendee folder was a copy of the Over the Front 2009 calendar. Yes, I know 2009 is just about over, but I have been kicking myself for not buying a copy of this at the beginning of the year. I have seen the image of Russell Smith's "Lowenhardt" all over the place this year and really like it. This particular image is on July and I am admiring it as I type.

I did confirm that the Over the Front web site has been down for a few days due to some logistical problems, but should be back up soon.

The final schedule of presentations looks good with a mixture of subjects of which I have some knowledge and others I know nothing about.

I will try to add put some high-lights here each day.