In the group-centred environment of the Royal Flying Corps, human relationships contribute to a sense of collective identity and group dynamics. The isolated nature of the aerodrome and the occupation of a pilot underscored the need for emotional connections in the face of extreme risk that provided an outlet for emotions and a sense of shared experience. This talk explores friendship and loneliness through a case study of three pilots: James McCudden, Albert Ball, and Arthur Rhys Davids. By focusing on the human interactions rather than squadron efficiency, technical history, or tactical development and score counts, we approach these well-known pilots from a new direction; this focus on personalities, relationships, and individuality presents them as complex individuals rather than the focused, two-dimensional stereotypes originating from wartime publications and perpetuated by research over the past century.

Abby Whitlock is an early career researcher and historian primarily focusing on British and German aviation during the First World War. She earned a BA in History and European Studies at the College of William and Mary in 2019, where her undergraduate honours thesis “A Return to Camelot?: British Identity, The Masculine Ideal, and the Romanticization of the Royal Flying Corps Image” focused on the factors contributing to the masculine ideal of the flying ace for media and official use during the First World War. She completed her Masters with Distinction in History from the University of Edinburgh in October, where her dissertation, ‘“It’s a rum life”: Physical Space, Group Dynamics, and Morale Amongst Royal Flying Corps Scout Pilots, 1914-1918″, explored how the infant nature of aviation during the First World War allowed for the maintenance of hegemonic masculine ideals through the creation of physical spaces on aerodromes. She’s presented a variety of lectures and presentations at the Royal Air Force Museum exploring a range of Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force topics. She works as the Digital Initiatives Coordinator for the Digital Content Strategy and Experience Division at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, where she leads administrative and project management support to the Chief Digital Officer and the institution’s digital content.