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William ‘Billy Bishop: World War I Canadian Ace Fighter PilotAviation History | 3 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post Major William Avery ‘Billy Bishop was in his element for what he knew would probably be the last time in World War I. The powerful roar of his SE-5a’s Wolseley Viper engine filled his ears. Damp wind buffeted his head and face over the short windscreen. Bishop’s keen blue eyes searched all quadrants for what he desperately hoped would be there, but while the heavy drizzle that had started that morning had abated somewhat, he did not actually expect to meet the Hun today. Subscribe Today
Bishop was scheduled to leave the aerodrome at Petit Synthe that same day — June 19, 1918 — at noon, less than a month after he had brought his new command, No. 85 Squadron, Royal Air Force (RAF), known as the Flying Foxes, to northwest France and 14 months after his first successful combat sortie with No. 60 Squadron. Having promised to lend his support to the formation of a proposed Canadian Air Force, he could hardly argue the point when he was recalled to England. But that did not stop him from being mad as hell during his last sortie. He had written to his wife, Margaret, in London: I’ve never been so furious in my life. It makes me livid with rage to be pulled away just as things are getting started.
In less than six months of actual flying time, Bishop had downed 67 enemy planes. He was proud of his success and had relished the game of collecting victories. He was also enjoying the notoriety his victories brought him in Britain as well as at home in Canada. Bishop was by now the top-scoring ace of the British empire, but in his heart he knew this was it, his last combat flight. What he could not have known that morning of June 19 was that history was about to be made.
A few miles over the lines in enemy territory, Bishop dropped out of the clouds to check his position. It was 9:58 a.m. He recognized the landmark of the Ploegsteert Wood, south of Ypres, and he also immediately identified the three aircraft flying away from him to his left at about 300 yards — Pfalz D.IIIa scouts. This solidly constructed German single-seater carried two Spandau guns internally in the front fuselage and had proved to be a steady platform capable of absorbing a great deal of battle damage. It could be dived harder and faster than the Albatros and had played more than a small part in the revival of German air superiority in the early spring of 1918. Three Pfalzes together were not a threat to be taken lightly.
Having spotted Bishop, the German scouts began to turn, and Bishop followed them. By the time he had drawn a bead on one of the three, they had come halfway around the circle. Suddenly they dived on him, guns blazing. Bishop saw the tracers tear through his lower left wingtip as he got in a short burst himself. The three fighters slipped beneath him. Banking to the left to bring his machine to bear again, Bishop took a quick look behind him. Two more Pfalz scouts were diving on him at high speed. His instinctive glance had probably saved his life.
Now time was of the essence. Deciding to make a quick attack on the original three before the other two could enter the fray, Bishop opened fire quickly from what was for him an unusually long range. One of the three aircraft was struck instantly and its pilot killed. It fell away, out of control. The other two began to climb while the two newcomers, still diving and finally in range, opened fired on the SE-5a. Bishop pulled up into a steep turn, and the two German scouts passed beneath him. Then the two that had been climbing toward the cloud layer collided. Both aircraft disintegrated in a shower of wood, metal and fabric.
Turning his attention to the remaining two Pfalzes now climbing toward the safety of the clouds, Bishop sent tracers into one of them at 200 yards, starting the enemy aircraft spiraling toward the ground, only 1,000 feet below. The fifth Pfalz escaped into the clouds.
With the ceiling down to 900 feet, Bishop continued his patrol somewhere between Neuve Eglise and Ploegsteert. He was beginning to think of returning to base when out of the misty drizzle appeared an outline with which he had become very familiar in recent months — a German two-seater. Without being spotted, he slipped into the blind spot beneath and behind the reconnaissance aircraft and, raising his nose, sent a short burst from both guns into its belly. It shuddered, seemed to hesitate in the air and then fell toward the ground. With the pilot struggling desperately to regain control of the aircraft and the observer slumped lifeless in the rear seat, the two-seater smashed into the ground and went up in flames. Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to
            Tags: 20th - 21st Century, Aces, Aerial Combat, Aviation History, Historical Conflicts
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3 Comments to “William ‘Billy Bishop: World War I Canadian Ace Fighter Pilot”
hehyehehe
By 03we8w on Jun 16, 2008 at 11:43 am
this hero was a relative of mine and i am proud to see him on such a high pedastool. thank you to all those who helped in resurecting the story and background of William Avery Bishop and making it visible to to world who he was and what he stood for.
By Brandon William John Bishop on Apr 29, 2009 at 8:15 am
Dear Sir/Madam,
It is a fine bit of writing and a just tribute, to what was surely one of Canada’s most heroic figures. It is a strange travesty, that Canada has always had a problem with national icons.
It is difficult to imagine America disparaging the reputation of Sargeant York, or more relevantly, the justly famed LaFayette escadrille. It is doubly a black mark, that these false accusations came not from lame arm chair warriors, but from left leaning anti-war factions, one’s using public funds attributed to the National Broadcasting network.
These type of ugly distortions never quite go away, something that keenly shames one, as someone proud to be Canadain.
Though somewhat crude, it might be asked, how these left wing fanatical anti-war adherents, could out weight their limited contributions to our country, against Air Marshal William Avery Bishop’s massive contribution in creating, and or, otherwise promoting the Canadian Air arm of our highly estimed Canadian Armed services. Above all, however, they and we as a people, should ask individually and collectively, how we as a whole , would have performed flying machines that were little more than canvass and light wood frames, one’s offering for the most part, an extremely brief road to eternity.
Air Marsha lWilliam Avery Bishop belongs to a rare bred of men, one’s who in early manhood, were called upon and demonstrated a physical courage, one well beyond the norm in a field of endeavor where the attrition rate was most high. Like the great Air Aces of other lands and places, William Avery Bishop, stood at the pinnacle, sharing pride of place with such legendary figurs as Britain’s Albert Ball, a fellow V.C., and France’s well-beloved Captain Georges Guynemer.
In modern times, only the battle of Britain pilots rose to such fame, and though as young and courageous, in much better and more technically advanced flying machines. Even here, the dept to William Avery Bishop, stands out and above, as the vast majority of fighter pilots trained in schools founded by his foresight and ingenouity.
In the end, one should note, that by his singular courage and devotion to country, William Avery Bishop, should have earned the right to be judged only by his peers, and they chose to bestowed the V.C., D.S.O. and Bar, the Military Cross, the Flying Cross, the ED medal, the LĂ©gion d’ Honneur and the Croix de Guerre. In 1944 the Order of the Bath.
Considering the awe inspiring fact, that with the exception of the ED medal and the Order of the Bath, these are all valor oders for extreme galantry and courage, I should very much think, that a humbled people and nation, can honor the valiant and raw courage of an extremely young man, who rose to become our greatest World War 1 Ace, one who helped in a unique and singular manner to found the Canadian Armed Forces Air Arm.
In honouring William Avery Bishop, the Canadian people honour their estimed Armed Forces and the nation itself, for he embodies the best of our courage and devotion.
Faithfully yours,
Claude Cornet
By Claude Cornet on Aug 13, 2009 at 9:29 am