I have two versions of "The Big Show", both in czech language, 1st is from 1967., 2nd from 1993, but this text is not in my books. So from which book is that text? I heard that new english edition from 2006 is extended version with +26 pages. Who have this book?
Did Dortenmann write a book? What did he say about the event? I've read from other WW2 combat pilots who knew Clostermann and/or met him and several thought he was a braggart and not really as great as he presented himself. From his accounts of flying a Tempest it did not seem such a great 'aeroplane'.
If he wasn't so good so why he was wing commander (of elite RAF wing with best RAF fighters (tempests)) in his 24 years?
According to Wikipedia, he racked up something like 20 kills, too, so he can't have been all that bad.
for that one i like to hang out with frenchies my friends here have names like FransoAz, PrudAns, Nikol'A
" If he wasn't so good so why he was wing commander (of elite RAF wing with best RAF fighters (tempests)) in his 24 years? " Damn this "DATABASE ERROR" bullshit.... can't quote anymore! I said the Tempest was not the best aeroplane the Brits had. Clostermann liked to brag. That last episode shows the reader just how "good" he was. It also shows how good his wingman was. What happened to the command; "Cover me" ? I think that's where he came-up with the title "The Big Show". It would seem that after the war he realized its futility , the whole air war and this sort of ball team spectacle with big deadly flying machines and the remoteness from the far more ugly and terrible ground war. Just so many upper class twits in flying machines on both sides of the war. Towards the end I think he became rather jaded.
If you miss to react to an opponent's maneuver, your plane's tech data goes to a second place. As far as I see, he was forced to pull too much G's, and real life is not WB -- higher G's mean higher induced drag. That's why his Tempest came to a stall much earlier than Dora. More of that, german Komandogeraete idea was constant torque, not constant rpm as of allies. That's why all german planes were excellent in steep climbs.
i was not referring to the Tempest not being such a great plane for that certain event as it was obvious that it was Clostermann's fault completely for not downing that opponent. Reading Clostermann's account of the starting procedures and how the Tempest was difficult to start, prone to overheating and catching fire during those starting and taxiing procedures that made me come to the conclusion the Tempest was not such a great plane. It may have been the "best" BRITISH fighter of WW2 during that period of the war. It is my opinion that the Hurricane and Spit were more suited for defensive roles and short(shorter) range air combat. Again, what about his wingman: Why didn't the wingman say anything? Where was his wingman? What did the wingman do?
I don't see what your point is, looseleaf. The guy fucked it up, sure. He even admitted so himself (overconfidence). Occasionally this happens to even the best pilots. Luckily for him (and unlike many others), he could write about it afterwards.
I made some general comments, I had no specific point. I had read Clostermann's book many years ago. What I got out of the book was his view about war in general and war in the air. I think he became rather jaded and saw somehow the futility in war. Also in his descriptions of flying the Tempest, he made me understand it was not an easy task, in fact it was rather a handful with so many ways to kill yourself just getting it to fly. So when Clostermann says he is in the greatest plane, in the greatest squad of the RAF I perceived a little "tongue in cheek" and I get the feeling he's a little sarcastic too. Later as I read interviews from other WW2 pilots on all those book tours from the 60'2 70's 80's several of his fellow pilots gave the impression that Clostermann's ego grew to annoying proportions among his peers. It is a great book. I'd like to know what the German pilot said about that incounter.
Hmmm, I tend to believe that having a somewhat oversized ego is a job requirement if you're a combat pilot. You'd probably go insane if you couldn't brush off all the dangers of flying combat missions by telling yourself "Hey, I'm awesome and I'm in the best plane in the world ... I can handle it". Also, remember that "great plane" != necessarily "easy to fly". Just think of the Corsair.
Well maybe. I've been lucky enough to speak with a few combat pilots of WW2 and Korea and Viet Nam. Bomber pilots and fighter pilots and some who were aces too. All of them never bragged and were very down to earth types. I think that when they were together with fellow fighter pilots the stories and boasting would have been a great spectacle to witness. But outside that small circle most of the great pilots are very reserved and modest.
