Historical Figures 20 Questions

Wasted155 said:
Hmm.. Ok.  Was this person born in Ontario?
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13. Yes.

Small hint: This person was briefly mentioned in one of Hemingway's most famous short stories.
 
16.  Was this person's military noterity due to his piloting skills?  (as opposed to, say, something he did in the military before/after he was a pilot.)
 
Wasted155 said:
16.  Was this person's military noterity due to his piloting skills?
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16. This person's prime area of military fame was during their time as a pilot.

Freebie: This person had the post nominals "V.C."
 
OK:  According to what I can read, there were 3 Victoria Crosses handed out to Canadian piots.  One was to Will Barker, but he wasn't born in Ontario.  The second was to Billy Bishop, but he served in WWII and died in his sleep.  The third was given to A.A. McLeod, who safely landed his plane by standing on the wing while it was on fire.  But he wasn't born in Ontario either...  Hm.  Ok, I'm thinking.
 
Wait, when did you ask if he was born in Ontario?

Christ.  I shouldn't play when I'm at work.

No, he's not born in Ontario.  Have 3 questions back, if you need them.
 
If that answer is correct, might I take the next round? If my memory serves well, I did guess one person right, many pages ago in this thread, and I gave the turn to someone else.
 
You should have heard SMX bitching about having to do research!

The answer is Lt. Col William Barker, VC!

Will Barker is primarily famous for his final action of World War 1, where he flew his Sopwith Snipe into a running battle with approximately 50 German aircraft, shooting down between 4 and 6 before the Sopwith was finally unable to continue the fight.  He was awarded the Victoria Cross for this action.  Will Barker's wounds in his Victoria Cross action included a shattered elbow that left his left arm permanently useless, many burns and damage to his back and legs.  However, Barker was also the highest scoring ace on the Italian Front, where he shot down around 35 of his 50 total kills, including the highest scoring Hungarian ace of World War I.

After the war, Barker teamed with Billy Bishop to found one of the first commercial airlines.  It quickly floundered, and Barker rejoined the military, being a founding member of the Royal Canadian Air Force.  Barker eventually left the RCAF and became a civilian test pilot (and president of Fairchild Canada), dying during one of his first runs.  His state funeral, as the most decorated Canadian soldier, was the largest in Toronto history.  He was mentioned as a ruthless pilot by Ernest Hemingway in his story The Snows of Kilimanjaro.

Barker's decorations: Victoria Cross, Distinguished Service Order & Bar, Military Cross and Two Bars, Croix de Guerre, Two Italian Silver Medals of Valour.  He was mentioned in dispatches three times.

And if Wasted has no objections, I'd say Foro can go for it.
 
I think I read somewhere that he also saved the life of his observer with a little mis-direction (if I have the correct pilot).  There was an episode where they fought off 3-4 aircraft, but the gun failed, so he acted as if his plane was damaged and sent it plumeting to the ground.  He got just below the fog, and 8 meters above the ground leveled it off and headed back to safety.

Foro, please!, go for it!!
 
Wasted155 said:
I think I read somewhere that he also saved the life of his observer with a little mis-direction (if I have the correct pilot).  There was an episode where they fought off 3-4 aircraft, but the gun failed, so he acted as if his plane was damaged and sent it plumeting to the ground.  He got just below the fog, and 8 meters above the ground leveled it off and headed back to safety.
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I seem to recall reading that in the biography I have of Barker.

Foro, was the person born on or after Jan 1, 1850?
 
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