World War I Flying Ace

a dog dressed as a pilot flying on the top of a red doghouse

FIRST APPEARANCE:

October 10, 1965

Brave, adventurous, a bit dramatic, the World War I Flying Ace is always ready to do battle with his nemesis, the Red Baron. Whether it’s a daring aerial dogfight in his Sopwith Camel, or if trudging his way through No Man’s Land, the unflappable Flying Ace never wavers in his determination to end The Red Baron’s reign of terror. The Flying Ace also never tires of sharing root beer in charming cafes with lovely French Lasses. In fact, you might say that’s the whole reason he enlisted!

DID YOU KNOW:

"My son, Monte, was very interested in making World War I model airplanes. And one day I was just sitting at my drawing board like I am here now and he came in with his latest model plane. While we were talking about World War I planes, I just drew a little helmet on Snoopy and suddenly got the idea for it, and put him on top of the doghouse. I asked Monte to get one of his books about World War I planes he'd been reading. I thumbed through the book until we found the name - Sopwith Camel. That seemed to be the best. And that's how it all started. It really began as a parody of World War I movies. The line which I had originally thought I would use in the first page was the one which generally goes: 'But, Captain, surely you re not going to send young men up to die in crates like these!' But I never did use it." —Charles M. Schulz