rider and pilot (2 Viewers)

[valmy33]

In the sky, with my plane I was like a knight with his horse and obtained more than 30 victories. Even if I was kill in action, my horse survived me and gallops to victory on the road.

Who am I?

 

[lancer]

In the sky, with my plane I was like a knight with his horse and obtained more than 30 victories. Even if I was kill in action, my horse survived me and gallops to victory on the road.

Who am I?

Francesco Baracca, famous Italian ace of WW1. His personal emblem was a prancing horse that was later adopted by Ferrari Motor cars. The Italian Air Force's IX and X Groups still carry his emblem/name. Baracca shot down 34 aircraft before being KIA on June 19, 1918. -- Al

 

[valmy33]

Francesco Baracca, famous Italian ace of WW1. His personal emblem was a prancing horse that was later adopted by Ferrari Motor cars. The Italian Air Force's IX and X Groups still carry his emblem/name. Baracca shot down 34 aircraft before being KIA on June 19, 1918. -- Al

:smile2::wink2:

Bravissimo Lancer !!!!

 

[TomB]

Francesco Baracca, famous Italian ace of WW1. His personal emblem was a prancing horse that was later adopted by Ferrari Motor cars. The Italian Air Force's IX and X Groups still carry his emblem/name. Baracca shot down 34 aircraft before being KIA on June 19, 1918. -- Al

I do not normally read this post as it is usually about Naps......Never heard of Baracca .....thank you for that interesting info.....also....the poem at the bottom of your post.....I have heard the words in a military song somewhere.... a verse of a much larger version....one of those songs that are set to the tune of a popular song...Red River Valley, I think.....where does the poem originate from ?.....cheers TomB

 

[lancer]

I do not normally read this post as it is usually about Naps......Never heard of Baracca .....thank you for that interesting info.....also....the poem at the bottom of your post.....I have heard the words in a military song somewhere.... a verse of a much larger version....one of those songs that are set to the tune of a popular song...Red River Valley, I think.....where does the poem originate from ?.....cheers TomB

Hi TomB. Glad you like the info. The verse comes from a poem called "The Revel", written in India in the mid-1800's by an Irish poet named Bart Dowling. I know it because it was in the Errol Flynn movie "The Dawn Patrol" as an adapted RFC drinking song. US airmen also adopted it during WW1 and renamed it and changed some lyrics. It was renamed as "We Loop in the Purple Twilight" and the first verse is:
We loop in the purple twilight,
we spin in the silvery dawn,
with a trail of smoke behind us,
to show where our comrades have gone.
Then comes the verse I have as a signature. At least that's the info I have. There are other versions. -- Al

 

[TomB]

Hi TomB. Glad you like the info. The verse comes from a poem called "The Revel", written in India in the mid-1800's by an Irish poet named Bart Dowling. I know it because it was in the Errol Flynn movie "The Dawn Patrol" as an adapted RFC drinking song. US airmen also adopted it during WW1 and renamed it and changed some lyrics. It was renamed as "We Loop in the Purple Twilight" and the first verse is:
We loop in the purple twilight,
we spin in the silvery dawn,
with a trail of smoke behind us,
to show where our comrades have gone.
Then comes the verse I have as a signature. At least that's the info I have. There are other versions. -- Al

Thank you Al....I have heard Bart Dowlings poem with different lyrics and though it was a made up unit song from WW11.....from memory I will rewrite that verse as I remember it
So stand by your glass's and be ready
And drink to the men of the sky
Here is a toast to the men dead already
And a toast to the next man to die
That is from a Brit Para song of WW11...not sure if it referred to accidental death at the para training school ( the WW11 chute were made from slik and sometime's stuck together and failed to open...happened a bit I believe...as the Brits did not have reserve chutes like the Yankee airbourne a failed canopy development was curtains for the jumper) the song may have originated at the para school as a morbid morale booster or was later developed by the Para Regt......maybe a ex Brit para could give us the full version,,,,,I am sure it would still be part of the Paras tradition.....I know the Yanks have a song based on the Brit 's original WW11 version......would love to get a copy of both......Dawn Patrol....great movie.. had to be .....Errol Flynn was in it......remember the movie but I dont remember the words of the song.... I will see if I can find a copy of "The Revel" on the net, it would be terrific I reckon...thank you for sharing....TomB

 

[lancer]

Thank you Al....I have heard Bart Dowlings poem with different lyrics and though it was a made up unit song from WW11.....from memory I will rewrite that verse as I remember it
So stand by your glass's and be ready
And drink to the men of the sky
Here is a toast to the men dead already
And a toast to the next man to die
That is from a Brit Para song of WW11...not sure if it referred to accidental death at the para training school ( the WW11 chute were made from slik and sometime's stuck together and failed to open...happened a bit I believe...as the Brits did not have reserve chutes like the Yankee airbourne a failed canopy development was curtains for the jumper) the song may have originated at the para school as a morbid morale booster or was later developed by the Para Regt......maybe a ex Brit para could give us the full version,,,,,I am sure it would still be part of the Paras tradition.....I know the Yanks have a song based on the Brit 's original WW11 version......would love to get a copy of both......Dawn Patrol....great movie.. had to be .....Errol Flynn was in it......remember the movie but I dont remember the words of the song.... I will see if I can find a copy of "The Revel" on the net, it would be terrific I reckon...thank you for sharing....TomB

Very interesting. This poem sure has made the rounds. I was unaware of the Brit para connection. I agree about Errol Flynn. Always been a favorite of mine. -- Al

 

[TomB]

Very interesting. This poem sure has made the rounds. I was unaware of the Brit para connection. I agree about Errol Flynn. Always been a favorite of mine. -- Al

Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagen in one movie....cannot remember the name of the film...about John Brown and also starred Van heflan....great movie.....I reckon Ronald Reagen best movie was "The last Command" I think.....Ronald was a reb and his brother was Union and Ronald saved his brother and town with a great Reb cav charge at the end of the movie....dont make em like that anymore.....I liked Ronald as an actor and I believe he made a good President too....regards TomB

 

[lancer]

Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagen in one movie....cannot remember the name of the film...about John Brown and also starred Van heflan....great movie.....I reckon Ronald Reagen best movie was "The last Command" I think.....Ronald was a reb and his brother was Union and Ronald saved his brother and town with a great Reb cav charge at the end of the movie....dont make em like that anymore.....I liked Ronald as an actor and I believe he made a good President too....regards TomB

You are quite correct. The film was "Santa Fe Trail". Flynn played JEB Stuart, Reagan played Custer, Raymond Massey played John Brown, and Olivia de haviland as well as Van Heflin were in it. Was a good one. the second film you speak of I believe was called "The Last Outpost". I have not seen that one. I will have to try to catch it. -- Al

 

[TomB]

You are quite correct. The film was "Santa Fe Trail". Flynn played JEB Stuart, Reagan played Custer, Raymond Massey played John Brown, and Olivia de haviland as well as Van Heflin were in it. Was a good one. the second film you speak of I believe was called "The Last Outpost". I have not seen that one. I will have to try to catch it. -- Al

The Last Outpost is on Utube...full movie.....great shootup at the end.....worth watching if only to see Ronald's Reb mob charging the injun's at the end of the movie... also in supporting rolls Bill Williams and my favorite supporting roll B grade movie actor,,,,Wallace Berry Jr......I loved to watch his dad's movies when I was a kid (not the originals...replays..I aint that old)....... regards TomB