Year 9A & Year 9B
Today you are going to start watching “Flyboys”, a film set in the First World War…. The film shows the adventures of the Lafayette Escadrille, young Americans who volunteered for the French military and became the country’s first fighter pilots, before the U.S. entered World War I.
Follow the order in which I give you instructions:
1.
Let’s first do a quick History of the first flight, and then also look at a short History of the use of aeroplanes in WW1…
Wright Brothers’ First Flight (1903). (3:08 minutes long)
Planes – WW1. (7:00 minutes long)
2.
BACKGROUND
Flyboys is a 2006 war drama set during WW1. It was directed by Tony Bill, a pilot and aviation enthusiast. Themes of friendship, racial prejudice, revenge and love are also explored in the film.
The film follows the enlistment, training, and combat experiences of a group of young Americans who volunteer to become fighter pilots in the Lafayette Escadrille, the 124th air squadron formed by the French in 1916. The squadron consisted of five French officers and 38 American volunteers who wanted to fly and fight in World War I. This was before the United States’ entry into the war in 1917. The film ends with an epilogue that relates the fate of each American pilot to the real-life Lafayette Escadrille pilot upon whom his character was based.
3.
In this episode…
In 1916, a group of young Americans go to France to serve in the French Air Service, L’Aéronautique militaire during World War I. The recruits are under the command of French Captain Georges Thenault, with veteran flying ace Reed Cassidy as their mentor. We are introduced to the characters as their enlistment and training start in this episode.
4.
Now, watch “Episode 1” by accessing it in Schoology Materials. (This “episode” is 33:30 minutes long.)
If, for some reason, it does not work, click on the square (at the top right) in the schoology page for “Episode 1” – then the video should work. (Make sure that you are logged into your school gmail account!) It looks like this:
5.
TRIVIA
The real Lafayette Escadrille actually had a pair of lion cubs as mascots. One was indeed named “Whiskey,” as in the film. The other was named “Soda.”
The character of Skinner is based on the Escadrille-pilot Eugene Bullard, an American who had gone to France and worked as a boxer there. He was also a son of a slave, just like Skinner. Bullard was rejected from the Lafayette Escadrille by a prejudiced white man. He served in another escadrille in the Lafayette Flying Corps.
In the scene where the pilots paint personalizations (insignia) on the sides of their airplanes, Lyle Porter is painting a banner that reads “Timothy CH. IV V. 7”. This is reference to a chapter and verse in the Book of Timothy in the Bible. There are two books of Timothy in the Bible, both having a chapter IV and verse 7.
However, more than likely, this would be a reference to the second book of Timothy, chapter IV, verse 7, which might be something a very religious combat pilot might reference on the side of his combat airplane.
“I have fought the good and worthy and noble fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
2 Tim.4:7
Aircraft engines of this era leaked oil and the real reason for the scarf was to wipe the oil off the flyer’s goggles, not to protect the neck when turning the head as said in the movie.
When the pilots returned to base after a mission their faces in the areas not covered by the goggles should have been covered by oil and dirt.
6.
-first lines-
“By the start of 1916, World War I had wreaked havoc across Europe. Over nine million people would eventually die. Although the airplane had only recently been invented, it was quickly adapted into a war machine. The young men who flew them became the first fighter pilots and a new kind of hero was born.”
THE film’s opening prologue
7.
GOOFS
In the beginning of the film scenes from a train station in Lincoln, Nebraska clearly show the name “Union Pacific”. Union Pacific never served or went through Lincoln, Nebraska during WW1. In addition the locomotive, passenger car, and goods wagon are of British origin.
Aquitania, the ship Lowry takes to Europe, ceased North Atlantic passenger service upon the outbreak of war in August 1914. She was ordered into service with the Royal Navy and did not return to civilian passenger service until 1920.
8.
QUOTES
This country (France) has been good to me. Better than my own. I owe them something.
EUGENE SKINNER
Grant: (walking away from crash-landing his plane) Let me guess, you’re here because you thought it’d be fun to fly airplanes. Go home while you still can.
William Jensen: Guy sure knows how to make friends.
Captain Thenault: All his friend are dead.
Watch the fuel. If you run out of gas, you will sleep with the Germans.
CAPTAIN THENAULT
Captain Thenault: Any questions?
Eddie Beagle: Yes, sir. Will we be back by lunch?
Captain Thenault: I mean any intelligent questions.
Eddie Beagle: Sorry. Just trying to loosen things up.
Captain Thenault: Don’t.
(night before first mission)
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