Fite History

13. Frank Tinker: Inner-War Years Soldier of Fortune

Frank Tinker Jr. was a generation too late for World War 1, a generation too early for World War 2, but sounds his crusade over the mountains of the Iberian Peninsula in the Spanish Civil War. Join Brass and Mr. Chow as they discuss the trials, tribulations, and ultimate tragedy of Tinker's journey to Spain to fly and fight in the pre-season of the Second World War.

12. World War 1 Wrap-up (for now)

Join Brass and Mr. Chow as they put a bow on their coverage of WWI fighter pilots, comparing and contrasting the personalities, strengths, and weaknesses of each pilot, and discuss the various attributes that bind them together.

11. Eddie Rickenbacker: A Life of Many Acts

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote "There are no second acts in American lives." He'd obviously never met Eddie Rickenbacker. Join Brass and Mr. Chow as they discuss the multi-faceted life of America's Ace of Aces of WWI as well as methods for making friends on transatlantic cruises and ways to make your name sound "less German."

10. Albert Ball: The Lone Wolf

Lanoe Hawker was returning from a patrol over the lines when he spotted a Nieuport of No. 11 Squadron returning to base. Deciding to show this newcomer what dog-fighting was all about, Hawker pounced on the tail of the Nieuport just to give him a scare. Hawker, however, was the one surprised when the Nieuport pilot saw the move, quickly reversed the position, and a mock dog-fight broke out in earnest. After a couple of minutes, during which neither pilot could best the other, the two British pilots waved off the friendly engagement and broke off for their respective airfields. Hawker didn't know that he had just tested a man that would become one of the most daring British aces of WWI: Albert Ball. Join Brass and Mr. Chow as they discuss the Ball's courageous and often reckless life in the skies over Europe.

9. The Lafayette Escadrille: A Menagerie of American Fighter Pilots

In June of 1916, Oswald Boelcke was taking a brief respite from fighting over the skies of Verdun when a German pilot came running with urgent news: "The Devil's loose at the front." He said. "There are six Americans up aloft. I distinctly saw the American flag on their fuselages. They're damned impudent fellows; they came right up to the lines and crossed them." Boecke replied, "Well, let us go say 'how do you do?', it's the least that they can expect, and courtesy requires it of us. Join Brass and Mr. Chow as they discuss the first American fighter pilots, a motley crew of Ivy Leaguers with a sprinkling of card-sharks and soldiers-of-fortune.