"Jim Logajan" wrote in message ...
: "Jay Honeck" wrote:
: And, as long as we're
: picking nits, landing at night or in no-man's land was a bit over the
: top, too.
:
: Such an incident really appears to have taken place, according to the
: movie's FAQ, http://www.mgm.com/flyboys/pdf/real_vs_reel.pdf :
:
: "-Could a pilot actually land and take off at night from behind enemy
: lines?
:
: From AVIATION CENTURY: "....Warneford recovered control of his
: aircraft and completed a forced landing in the dark behind enemy lines.
: After being on the ground for 35 minutes and repairing a broken fuel line
: with a piece of a cigarette holder, he got airborne again and made his way
: back to base." Night landings - forced or intentional - were more
: survivable than might be imagined."



Yes, like most of the movie, it is based on true stories...

http://www.wwiaviation.com/aces/laffeyette.shtml

http://www.amazon.com/Winged-Victory...e=UTF8&s=books