Flyboys
Nate Wagoner
Mr. Roberts
AP US History
8 August 2014
Flyboys
The movie Flyboys is based on the story of a group of young American men who join the French army (an American ally during WWI) to become fighter pilots in the Lafayette Escradrille. The only name in the movie that was based off a real historical figure was one of the squadron’s five French officers; Captain Georges Thenault. While other characters were based off real pilots this is the only figure who kept his real-life name in the movie. The main character, Blaine Rawlings, was based off of American fighter ace Frank Luke. He was ranked 2nd of all American fighter pilots in WWI with his official number of defeated enemy aircraft being eighteen. His specialty in taking out German observation balloons was considered especially heroic because of the balloons protection from gunmen on the ground. Luke’s death was at the end of his gallant streak of airborne victories; eighteen defeated enemy aircraft in only ten days. A U.S. Air Force base is named after him. Like many aces in the war, Luke’s death was the cause of a single machine gun bullet that traveled through his upper body. Although Luke’s achievements and overall persona as a fighter pilot was accurately portrayed in Flyboys, like much of the other characters in the movie, it was the back-stories and filler about the aviators’ personal lives that were historically inaccurate. Many of the aces that joined the squadron were of the middle class. This was accurately portrayed for the most part in the movie as the exposition revealed the backgrounds of the major characters. As I was watching the movie, I was confused by the disapproval of the German fighter pilot who killed one of the Lafayette Escadrille’s members while he was unarmed on the ground. I was unaware of the enacted rules of warfare in WWI. As far as I knew warfare meant no rules and that the concept was just to kill by any means, but after doing research I came across The Hague
Mr. Roberts
AP US History
8 August 2014
Flyboys
The movie Flyboys is based on the story of a group of young American men who join the French army (an American ally during WWI) to become fighter pilots in the Lafayette Escradrille. The only name in the movie that was based off a real historical figure was one of the squadron’s five French officers; Captain Georges Thenault. While other characters were based off real pilots this is the only figure who kept his real-life name in the movie. The main character, Blaine Rawlings, was based off of American fighter ace Frank Luke. He was ranked 2nd of all American fighter pilots in WWI with his official number of defeated enemy aircraft being eighteen. His specialty in taking out German observation balloons was considered especially heroic because of the balloons protection from gunmen on the ground. Luke’s death was at the end of his gallant streak of airborne victories; eighteen defeated enemy aircraft in only ten days. A U.S. Air Force base is named after him. Like many aces in the war, Luke’s death was the cause of a single machine gun bullet that traveled through his upper body. Although Luke’s achievements and overall persona as a fighter pilot was accurately portrayed in Flyboys, like much of the other characters in the movie, it was the back-stories and filler about the aviators’ personal lives that were historically inaccurate. Many of the aces that joined the squadron were of the middle class. This was accurately portrayed for the most part in the movie as the exposition revealed the backgrounds of the major characters. As I was watching the movie, I was confused by the disapproval of the German fighter pilot who killed one of the Lafayette Escadrille’s members while he was unarmed on the ground. I was unaware of the enacted rules of warfare in WWI. As far as I knew warfare meant no rules and that the concept was just to kill by any means, but after doing research I came across The Hague