By 1916 the airplane had proven itself as an important new weapon in the Great War. Arguably just as important was the image of the glamorous flying aces. Entire flying units, like France's Lafayette Escadrille made up of American volunteers, were created with the hope of generating positive press that could bring the United States into the war on the side of allies. When America did join WWI in 1917, there was a belief that the airplane was the "natural weapon of Americans." Some lawmakers dreamed of building a war-winning American airplane armada. Meanwhile, the reporting on flying aces had the affect of turning the air-war into a sport, with "high scorers" looking to break new records. How did this affect the behavior of the warriors in the sky? Tune-in an find out how an unbreakable sword, the flying circus, and hells-handmaiden all play a role in the story.

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At the outbreak of First World War airplanes were still a novelty on the battlefield. Originally planes were used for reconnaissance and the pilots were usually unarmed. This quickly changed and soon airplanes were being outfitted with machine guns and tasked specifically with destroying enemy aircraft. Fighter pilots were a new type of warrior, but ironically they started to be described in medieval terms. Stories began to appear in the wartime press about acts of courtesy between enemy pilots. Soon propagandists were claiming that airmen were "knights of the air" bound by an unwritten code of chivalry. The image of the daring and gentlemanly "flying ace" proved to be an incredibly effective recruitment tool. Were the stories of gallantry in the sky little more than wartime propaganda, or was there something to the image of the gentleman-pilot? Tune-in and find out how King Arthur, Ernest Hemmingway, and the "Fokker Scourge" all play role in the story.

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In this bonus episode Sebastian takes questions about episode 249, 250, and 251. First, he does his best to grapple with how morality should factor into history education. Then a listener provides an epic email about Orson Welles' legendary production of "Voodoo Macbeth" and cursed run of Romeo and Juliet. Finally, Sebastian looks at the weird legacy of the phrase "bunga bunga." Tune-in and find out how missing chickens, corrupt Italian Prime ministers, and a wounded Benvolio al play a role in the story!

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