Pierre Clostermann

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Pierre Clostermann


Born
in Curitiba, Brazil
February 28, 1921

Died
March 22, 2006

Website

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Pierre-Henri Clostermann DSO, DFC & Bar was a World War II French ace fighter pilot.

During the conflict he achieved 33 air-to-air combat victories, earning the accolade "France's First Fighter" from General Charles de Gaulle. His wartime memoir, The Big Show (Le Grand Cirque) became a notable bestseller. After the war, he worked as an engineer and was the youngest Member of France's Parliament.

In 1951, Clostermann authored an account of his wartime experiences entitled Le Grand Cirque (published in English as The Big Show). One of the first post-war fighter pilot memoirs, its various editions have sold over two and a half million copies. William Faulkner stated that "The Big Show" was one of the finest aviation books to come out of World W
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Average rating: 4.45 · 4,689 ratings · 281 reviews · 39 distinct worksSimilar authors
The Big Show: The Classic A...

4.57 avg rating — 3,638 ratings — published 1948 — 107 editions
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Flames in the Sky

4.15 avg rating — 921 ratings — published 1951 — 37 editions
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Leo 25 Airborne

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3.75 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 1960 — 7 editions
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L'Histoire Vecue: Un Demi-S...

really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 1998 — 3 editions
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Une vie pas comme les autres

3.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2005 — 2 editions
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Une Chasse dans le Ciel

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2020
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Marele circ

really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1993
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Une sacrée guerre: Daniel C...

liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1990 — 3 editions
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Spartacus, l'espadon

0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 1989 — 2 editions
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空戦 (文庫版航空戦史シリーズ (11))

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Quotes by Pierre Clostermann  (?)
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“Beneath my wings was night—I was alone, 30,000 feet up in the daylight. I was the first to breathe in the warm life of the sun’s rays, which pierce the eyeball like arrows. In France, in England, in Belgium, in Holland, in Germany, men were suffering in the night, while I, alone in the sky, was the sole possessor of the dawning day—all was mine, the light, the sun; and I thought with calm pride all this is shining only for me! Moments such as these compensate for many a sacrifice and many a danger. *”
Pierre Clostermann, The Big Show: The Classic Account of WWII Aerial Combat

“Macchi 202,”
Pierre Clostermann, Flames in the Sky

“Fureur devant le gâchis immense de cette guerre 1939-1945, cette guerre civile européenne comme l'a un jour qualifiée le général de Gaulle. On nous a fait nous entre-tuer avec ces admirables pilotes de chasse allemands, si proches de nous par l'âge et la mentalité, l'amour de la vie, la passion du ciel que seules la couleur de l'uniforme et les cocardes sous les ailes différenciaient de nous. Tout cela, je l'écrivais déjà aussitôt après la guerre et j'avais de bonnes raisons malgré les injures et les incompréhensions”
Pierre Clostermann, Le Grand Cirque: Mémoires d'un pilote de chasse FFL dans la RAF

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