OT: even the worst enemies can become friends

[Sven]

I think the war in the air is more comparable with sports, your opponent is of course the enemy, but you're not supposed to hate him to the bone, victory in sports is winning, winning in the air usually means death to the opponent, but that was commonly accepted among pilots, it was war after all. At the least you could say that there was more respect in the air than on the ground.

[danjama]

Originally Posted by Sven

I think the war in the air is more comparable with sports, your opponent is of course the enemy, but you're not supposed to hate him to the bone, victory in sports is winning, winning in the air usually means death to the opponent, but that was commonly accepted among pilots, it was war after all. At the least you could say that there was more respect in the air than on the ground.

More respect/detachment was an inevitability, since there would always be a minimum distance between the opponents.

[JG52Krupi]

There are countless stories like this, saburo sakai shook hands with the gunner that blinded him and caused temporary paralysis.

I have forgotten some of the others but there are a surprising number of encounters like these.

[Avionsdeguerre]

Yes the war in the air is very different of the land war, it's not the same thing

[Koyan]

Time heals all wounds. Like mentioned as if it was a sport. And i think for the land and sea war its about the same. I remember seeing that documentary where Vets who landed in Normandy met with German Vets who manned the machine guns. It was very much like a reunion, sharing memory's.

[JG5_emil]

Originally Posted by Avionsdeguerre

Yes the war in the air is very different of the land war, it's not the same thing

and for those on the recieving end of the bombs also....my gran never forgave them and I completely understand why.

[Daniël]

Bombing civillian targets is a bad thing. Bombing military targets is normal war. Fighters versus fighters is a dangerous sport.

[Wutz]

Oh that is no nothing new, as I come from a family where my grandfathers where on opposing sides:
Here are my two grandfathers:


Both where in the army.