New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum
What is a Fighter Pilot?
The rise of air power probably constitutes one of the most dramatic technological advances of the twentieth century. Within this process, the competition for air leadership between men and nations has been keen, and the most dramatic progress has come in wartime. The most colourful, perhaps the most fasscinating, part of this evolutionary process has been the struggle between individual pilots, to both win and hold superiority in the air in two World Wars and other conflicts.
It is difficult to define a profession in a few words, but there is evidence about what kind of person becomes, and succeeds as, a fighter pilot; what he is and does - his history, his personal qualities, him missions, his tactics, his aircraft, his weapons, his operational concepts and the nature of his life.
The fighter pilot, since he first flew in combat in 1914, in an era of bloody, bitter and total warfare, has embodied honourable concepts of chivalry, bravery and individual accomplishment.
By 1945, the significance of air power had become apparent for all to see. From humble beginnings during World War I, the aeroplane had become a major weapon used by combatant nations to attack the enemy both in the air and on the ground.
The fighter aircraft evolved in a period of thirty years from a fabric and wire 200 hp, 123 mph biplane to a 2,200 hp, 442 mph all metal monoplane; from SE5A to Hawker Tempest.
The Fighter Pilots emerged as the "Knights of the Sky" and captured the public's imagination with daring stories of combat at 20,000 feet, "wizard prang:" and everything being a "Piece of Cake".
The fighter pilot is just that - a fighter in search of his foe; either one to one against his enemy counterpart or in pursuit of the bomber. On occasion he would unleash his impressive weaponry on ground targets.
By definition, a fighter pilot is
