Full Answer
Is Blaine Rawlings based on Frank Luke?
In the 2006 movie Flyboys, James Franco 's leading character Blaine Rawlings is inspired by Frank Luke. Frank Luke Street near Addison Airport in Addison, Texas is named after Luke. ^ a b c d e f gCorrell, John T. (2009).
Who plays Blaine Rawlings in the Lone Ranger?
James Franco as Blaine Rawlings: A Texan faced with the foreclosure of his family ranch in Texas, who decides to enlist after seeing a newsreel of aerial combat in France.
Did Blaine Rawlings ever fly again?
He builds one of the largest ranches in Texas, but never flies again. James Franco as Blaine Rawlings: A Texan faced with the foreclosure of his family ranch in Texas, who decides to enlist after seeing a newsreel of aerial combat in France.
How did Blaine Rawlings become an ace pilot?
Before the United States officially entered World War I, a small group of Americans volunteered to fly some of the first fighter planes alongside the French military. Blaine Rawlings, a restless Texas rancher, joined up with every intention of quickly becoming an ace fighter pilot.
Was the movie Flyboys a true story?
The film is based on the true stories of Americans who joined the Lafayette Escadrille in the French military to train as pilots, before America officially entered the World War I.Sep 28, 2006
Was Blaine Rawlings a real person?
Frank Luke was named the Class Exemplar of the United States Air Force Academy's class of 2010. In the 2006 movie Flyboys, James Franco's leading character Blaine Rawlings is inspired by Frank Luke.
Why does Blaine Rawlings enlist to become a fighter pilot?
Cast. James Franco as Blaine Rawlings: A Texan faced with the foreclosure of his family ranch in Texas, who decides to enlist after seeing a newsreel of aerial combat in France.
Why does the veteran pilot Cassidy keep flying?
He was a slave in the U.S. . Why does the veteran pilot (Cassidy) keep flying? When Rawlings hears that the Germans have almost made it to his Girlfriend's home what does he do? He gets a plane to go get her.
What was Frank Luke known for?
U.S. Army Air Corps combat pilot Frank Luke, known as the “Arizona balloon-buster,” in 1919 posthumously received the Medal of Honor, the highest U.S. military decoration, for bravery in World War I. He was the second-ranked ace of the war, after Eddie Rickenbacker.
Why did the pilots carry a pistol with them when flying?
The firearms aboard the aircraft are meant as a deterrent for hijackers, and they're not allowed to leave the cockpit of the plane. The training is administered through the Federal Air Marshals program.Feb 21, 2018
What is the life expectancy of pilots?
In the U.S., the average life expectancy for women is 75-years-old and 70-years-old for men. Whereas the average life expectancy for U.S. pilots is 67-years-old. There are a number of contributing factors as to why pilots may die early.
How does Rawlings free Beagle from the plane?
How does Rawlings free Beagle from the plane? He chops off his with the German soldiers shovel.
How does Rawlings bring down the Black Falcon?
As he flies beside Rawlings to gloat to his opponent that he is about to kill him, Rawlings manages to flip his plane over and maneuver it the other side of the Black Falcon, where he pulls out his handgun with his good arm and shoots the Black Falcon and kills him.
How many airplanes did Luke shoot down?
Luke with his 13th official kill September 18, 1918. Between September 12 and September 29, Luke was credited with shooting down 14 German balloons and four airplanes: Luke achieved these 18 victories during just 10 sorties in eight days, a feat unsurpassed by any pilot in World War I.
What is the museum's exhibit honoring Luke?
The museum's small exhibit honoring Luke also contains his flying goggles, the gunsight from his last SPAD, documents written by Luke, and other personal items. The museum's Early Years Gallery displays a fully restored SPAD XIII of the type flown by Luke.
Where did Luke fly in the first phase of the Meuse-Argonne offensive?
On September 28, 1918, after achieving his 14th and 15th victories, he landed his SPAD XIII at the French aerodrome at Cicognes where he spent the night, claiming engine trouble.
Where was Frank Luke awarded the Medal of Honor?
After the United States Army obtained sworn testimony from French and American sources, Luke was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor. The presentation was made to Frank Luke, Sr., in Phoenix in May 1919. The family later donated the medal to the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio.
When did Frank Luke die?
Death – September 29, 1918. Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. with his SPAD S.XIII on September 19, 1918. A SPAD XIII painted to represent the one flown by Frank Luke, Jr. The plane is approximately 80% original parts from several aircraft.
Where did Luke go to get his balloon hunting order cancelled?
Despite being under threat of arrest by Grant for absence without leave, Luke took off without authorization and flew to a forward airbase at Verdun, where his sympathetic group commander, Major Hartney, canceled the arrest order and gave Luke tacit approval to continue his balloon hunting.
Where was Luke born?
Luke was born May 19, 1897, in Phoenix, Arizona, after his father emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1874 and settled there. Frank was his family's fifth child, and had eight other brothers and sisters. He grew up excelling in sports, working in copper mines, and participating in bare-knuckle boxing matches.
Why does Cassidy give them pistols?
Cassidy gives them pistols to shoot themselves in case their planes catch fire, since they don’t have parachutes. The movie gets most of the basic facts right. Thenault was the actual commander of the real squadron. The escadrille did have a lion, Whiskey, as a mascot.
What was the first American squadron?
As a result, the Lafayette Escadrille became the first American squadron, the 103rd Pursuit Squadron, only in February 1918.
What does a rebellious loner learn?
A rebellious loner learns to lead; war threatens to separate young lovers; a pilot must conquer his fear; and a racist learns to respect a black comrade. There is a even good German ace and a bad German ace. At least the racist is a rich easterner, not a southern redneck, which is a nice change of pace.
Who played the African American boxer in the 1916 Escadrile?
In 1916, a small group of Americans join the Lafayette Escadrile: Blaine Rawlings (James Franco) had to leave town after beating the banker who had foreclosed on his ranch; Eugene Skinner (Abdul Salis), an African-American boxer, enlisted because France has treated him better than his own country; William Jensen (Phillip Winchester) enlisted because all of the men in his family have fought in wars; Briggs Lowry (Tyler Labine) joined because his rich father made him, hoping that he would find direction; and Beagle (David Ellison) is on the run after robbing a bank. Although the escadrile is commanded by Captain Georges Thenault (Jean Reno), the new recruits serve under a grizzled veteran, Reed Cassidy (Martin Henderson), who obsessively hunts an evil German pilot. Rawlings quickly falls in love with a local girl, Lucienne (Jennifer Drecker), and unexpectedly finds himself playing a leadership role.
Can Lucienne learn French?
Apparently, an American hero can not be expected to learn French. Instead, Lucienne has to make the effort to prepare what she wants to say in English. One of the few good parts about Lafayette Escadrile (1958), which covered the same unit, was that both of the lovers were struggling with the other’s language.
Was Eugene Skinner a real person?
There was never a Eugene Skinner and the real Eugene Bollard never flew for the US Postal Service . Actually, he was a nightclub owner in France and died as an elevator operator at Rockefeller Center in NYC. Blaine Rawlings, the star of the show, was based on Frank Luke, the real person and war hero.
Was Eugene Skinner based on a true story?
I am a little disappointed in the way the film tried to make it seem that it was based on fact. Eugene Skinner was actually based on Eugene Bollard, one of the first black military pilots and first African-American pilot. There was never a Eugene Skinner and the real Eugene Bollard never flew for the US Postal Service.
What is the bear in Wings?
^ The hero is given a small bear, which he carries as a good luck charm, possibly a reference to the small bear carried as a good luck charm by a pilot in Wings, a silent film about World War I American Pilots, which, in 1927, was the first film ever to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
What aircraft did the movie Nieuport use?
The Nieuport and Fokker aircraft used in the movie are flying replicas built with new radial engines, due to the unavailability of original-type rotary engines. This detail can be briefly seen in the final combat when the black Fokker is taking off after Rawling's ground attack at the German airfield.
What squadron was the Lafayette Escadrille?
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.
Why did airplanes use rotary engines?
The spinning of the cylinders improved cooling and allowed for fewer parts , making the engine simpler and lighter.
How much did the Flyboys gross?
Flyboys ended up with a total domestic gross of $13,090,620, $4,744,235 internationally, and a total worldwide gross of $17,834,865. Variety named it one of the 10 biggest box office flops of the year.
Why is Flyboys criticized?
Flyboys has been widely criticized for its lack of historical accuracy. The most serious lapse was the blending of the Lafayette Escadrille with the Lafayette Flying Corps, a sub-unit where the real-life Eugene Bullard actually served.
Where was the Chateau filmed?
The interior shots of the chateau were filmed at RAF Halton's officers' mess, Halton House. Some interiors and studio green-screen work were filmed at Elstree Film and Television Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire .
Overview
Honors and awards
Rank and Organization: Second Lieutenant, 27th Aero Squadron, 1st Pursuit Group. Place and Date: Near Murvaux, France, September 29, 1918. Entered Service At Phoenix, Ariz. Born: May 19, 1897, Phoenix, Ariz. G. O. No.: 59, W.D., 1919.
Citation:
Early life and career
Luke was born May 19, 1897, in Phoenix, Arizona, after his father emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1874 and settled there. Frank was his family's fifth child, and had eight brothers and sisters. He grew up excelling in sports, working in copper mines, and participating in bare-knuckle boxing matches. Following the United States' entry into World War I in April 1917, Frank enlisted in the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps on September 25, 1917, and received pilot traini…
Death – September 29, 1918
Luke's final flight took place during the first phase of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. On September 28, 1918, after achieving his 14th and 15th victories, he landed his SPAD XIII at the French aerodrome at Cicognes where he spent the night, claiming engine trouble. When he returned to the 1st Pursuit Group's base at Rembercourt the next day, he was confronted by Captain Alfred A. Grant, his …
Other aces
Luke is often cited as the second-ranking United States ace of World War I, but that statement ignores certain American pilots who flew with other air services. Luke was, however, second only to Rickenbacker among pilots serving only with the AEF. (It is noteworthy that Luke's time on the front was comparatively quite short, and 17 of Luke's 18 victories were officially recorded as destroyed, versus only 11 of Rickenbacker's 26.) Americans flying with Britain's Royal Flying Corps
See also
• List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War I
• List of World War I flying aces from the United States
Bibliography
General
• Stephen Skinner. The Stand: The Final Flight of Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. Schiffer Military History Books. Retrieved 2007-03-08.
• "Frank Luke". Aces and Aircraft of World War I. The Aerodrome. Retrieved 2006-03-14.
External links
• Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "WW1 American Aces Interviews/Documentary 1989: Ace's High". Retrieved November 30, 2013.
• "Frank Luke at Acepilots.com". Retrieved October 5, 2010.
• "July 14, 2008 – 90th anniversary Commemoration of Frank Luke and 1st Pursuit Group in France". Retrieved October 5, 2010.