Pilots 'R' Us: Fiction's Finest Aviators Trivia Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. He was born in India, was a fighter ace in two World Wars, then became a flying cop. Which aviator fought the foe and crime with his trusty group of friends?

Answer: Biggles

James Bigglesworth, known to all as Biggles, was the creation of Captain W. E. (Bill) Johns, who was himself a WWI pilot. The character first appeared in boys' magazines in the 1920s, and then a long run of books appeared. These traced the adventures of Biggles in the RFC/RAF in WWI and in the RAF in WWII.

At the end of WWII, Johns moved Biggles on to the Special Air Police, where he fought crime with his friends Algy, Ginger and Bertie. Generations of British boys grew up with "Biggles", but he became regarded as non-politically correct and some claimed the adventures reinforced racial stereotypes.

2. It can be so magnificent when the aristocracy deign to mix with the common herd. Which member of the upper classes was quite prepared to cheat to get a flying machine over the race line to victory

Answer: Sir Percy Ware-Armitage

Terry Thomas played the cheating Sir Percy Ware-Armitage in the movie "Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines" (1965). It was also released under the title "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines, Or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes", which just about explains the plot.

The movie was the story of a diverse group fliers from various nationalities, brought together for a race in early 20th century planes. Sir Percy was determined to use foul means, including sabotage, to win. Did he?, well you'll have to watch the movie to find out. (You shouldn't have long to wait if you live in the UK; it comes around regularly on TV).

3. He was a war veteran who was tired of war - all he wanted to do was to live quietly with his dog playing his cello by a lake. Which pilot was persuaded to come out of retirement to recover a stolen aircraft of a very advanced design?

Answer: Stringfellow Hawke

Jean-Michael Vincent played Stringfellow Hawke in the TV series "Airwolf" from 1984 to 1987. Hawke and his brother had been US soldiers in Vietnam, but his brother went missing in action. Back in civvie street, Hawke wanted a quiet life, but was persuaded to try to recover the stolen supersonic attack helicopter, the Airwolf.

4. She was brave and intrepid and helped root out Nazi spies in WWII. She was only supposed to ferry planes from point to point, but could not resist shooting at the enemy. Which fictional aviatrix was a powerful recruiting tool for a beleaguered nation?

Answer: Joan Worralson

Flying Officer Joan Worralson, known as 'Worrals' to her friends, was yet another creation of Captain W. E. Johns, and was often seen as the female equivalent of his 'Biggles' character. Johns had been asked by the British Ministry of War to create a female character to help boost recruitment to the WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force) and Worrals was the result - proving to be an immense success.

Many women joined the WAAF and played a vital role in supporting the RAF by flying aircraft from where they were built to where they were most needed. Worrals appeared in 11 books from 1940 on, and - like Biggles - had a career righting wrongs after the war ended.

5. When does wacky become evil? That's a moot question. Which flier, along with a dogged companion, was intent on preventing the airmail getting through? I wonder if his favorite food was pigeon pie?

Answer: Dick Dastardly

Dick Dastardly and his sidekick, Muttley, first appeared in the TV cartoon adventure 'Wacky Races' (1968) when their aim was to win a cross-country race by foul means rather than fair. The dynamic duo then reappeared in 'Dastardly and Muttley In Their Flying Machines' (1969) in which they led the Vulture Squadron as it tried to stop a pigeon taking messages through for the opposition army.

In both shows, despite their elaborate ploys, they were doomed to failure.

6. You must be crazy to fight in a war, but if you're crazy they wouldn't allow you to fight. Which aviator tried to work out what the catch was in flying WWII bombers in raids over Italy?

Answer: Capt. John Yossarian

Joseph Heller's anti-war novel 'Catch-22' was published in 1961 and made into a movie in 1970 (and for television in 1973). The central characters were USAF aircrew engaged on bombing runs over Italy in WWII. Catch-22 is defined as an impossible situation.

Heller put it this way in the novel "There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr [another of the airmen] was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to." In the movie, Alan Arkin played Yossarian, and others in an impressive cast included Art Garfunkel, Bob Newhart, Anthony Perkins, Martin Sheen, Orson Welles and Jon Voight.

7. She had intended to be a sportswoman but an injury ruled that out so she became a flier. Although she had to battle, she became a star. Which aviatrix was out of this world, and her skills were almost galactic?

Answer: Kara Thrace

Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace was played by Katee Sackhoff in 53 episodes of the television series 'Battlestar Galactica' between 2004 and 2008. As a flight instructor, Kara became romantically involved with one of her students, and although he was not ready, passed him for combat.

He died on his first mission. Thrace continued and fought in combat and even battled her way back after getting stranded on a strange planet.

8. It was perhaps plain to see that this aviator was doomed to crash after finding his true love. Stranded with two colleagues in a desert, he faced a tough battle for survival. Which pilot found love cured his previously neurotic and near-suicidal tendencies? If only he could get back to give her those flowers she liked, purple blooms were her favourites.

Answer: Bill Forrester

Gregory Peck played Bill Forrester in the 1954 movie of the H. E Bates novel 'The Purple Plain'. Forrester was a Canadian flying for the RAF in WWII. After his wife was killed in the blitz, he was sent to Burma, where it was apparent his own life meant nothing and he was intent on self-destruction.

Then he met a beautiful Burmese girl and true love bloomed. Shortly afterwards, his plane was forced to crashland in a Burmese desert. The crew faced a struggle to get home. The plot may sound a little clich�d, but 'The Purple Plain' was a well regarded war movie, with some superb performances by the cast.

9. When things go wrong, what you really need at the controls of an airplane is a pilot who is afraid of flying... Sometimes, though, you are left with no other choice. Which aviator just wanted a quiet time to get back in his girlfriend's good books but had to overcome his fears to fly one more time?

Answer: Ted Striker

Ted Striker was played by Robert Hays in 'Airplane!', the 1980 spoof air disaster movie. Striker was an ex-navy pilot left afraid of flying by a wartime experience. Dumped by his stewardess girlfriend, he followed her onto a plane to win her back. After that just about everything that could go wrong did, and with the flight crew wiped out, Striker was the man of the moment. Clarence Oveur and Steve McCroskey were other characters in the movie.

A star-studded cast included Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves and Leslie Neilson.

10. When you're a flying instructor, you want your pupils to be diligent and disciplined: mavericks can be a nightmare. Which instructor had the task of trying to make a big-headed, though brilliant, individual pilot into a team player?

Answer: Charlotte Blackwood

Charlotte 'Charlie' Blackwood was played by Kelly McGillis in 'Top Gun' (1986). 'Charlie' was a civilian instructor landed with the thankless task of trying to teach Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell (Tom Cruise) some good habits. It did not help that he had fallen head-over-heels in love with her.

The movie was a smash hit at the box office, and also won a number of awards, though only one Oscar (for best original song).

Source: Author darksplash

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nannanut before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Pilots 'R' Us: Fiction's Finest Aviators Quiz

Since time began, humankind has had a fascination with flight. Soaring like the birds has been a dream, no wonder it caught the attention of fiction authors.

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