The Amazing Story of Adolf Galland’s “Lobster Flight” in 1941

Adolf Galland’s “Lobster Flight” (often referred to as his “Lobster Battle”) is one of the most eccentric anecdotes from the air war in 1941. It perfectly captures Galland’s reputation as a “dashing” and somewhat rebellious figure who prioritized chivalry and style as much as combat.

On April 15, 1941, Galland, then a Lieutenant Colonel (Oberstleutnant) and commander of the famed JG 26 fighter wing, wanted to celebrate the 49th birthday of his mentor and friend, General Theo Osterkamp. Instead of sending a telegram or a standard gift, he decided to personally deliver a gourmet feast. He had his crew chief, Gerhard Meyer, pack a basket with fresh lobsters, oysters and bottles of champagne. The basket was carefully stowed in the luggage compartment of his brand-new Messerschmitt Bf 109F-0.

Galland took off from Brest, France, accompanied by his wingman, Oberleutnant Westphal. Their destination was Le Touquet, where the birthday party was being held. However, Galland, ever the “hunter,” decided to take a detour over the English Channel toward the cliffs of Dover to see if any RAF pilots were out for a “morning stroll.”

Near Dover, they stumbled upon a large formation of British Spitfires from No. 602 Squadron on a training mission. Despite having a basket of seafood and expensive wine on board, Galland couldn’t resist the engagement.

During the heat of the dogfight, Galland ran into a technical issue. Because he was still unfamiliar with the new “F” model of the Me 109, he accidentally hit the wrong switch and lowered his landing gear in the middle of the combat.

Despite the immense drag and the vulnerability of having his wheels down, Galland managed to shoot down at least one Spitfire (he claimed three, though British records confirm one destroyed and two damaged). Maneuver his crippled-looking aircraft (with wheels down) through the RAF formation. The famous British ace Paddy Finucane actually spotted Galland’s plane with its gear down and claimed it as a victory, assuming the German pilot was either hit or attempting to ditch.

Once the skirmish ended, Galland retracted his gear and continued his flight to Le Touquet. He landed safely at the party, hopped out of his cockpit, and presented the (presumably shaken but intact) lobster and champagne to a delighted General Osterkamp.

Known for flying with a cigar in his mouth and decorating his plane with a cartoon mouse, he combined audacity with a flamboyant, almost theatrical approach to combat. When asked why he developed this style, he gave a simple answer: “I like Mickey Mouse. I always have. And I like cigars, but I had to give them up after the war.”

Galland’s career spanned over 700 combat missions, surviving multiple crashes and earning Germany’s highest military honors. Yet what made him memorable wasn’t just his combat record but his sense of honor and personality. He respected his opponents, famously arranging a ceasefire to allow British pilot Douglas Bader to retrieve his prosthetic leg.

Adolf Galland passed away in 1996, but stories of his daring exploits, gallantry, and rakish charm endure, illustrating a man who, even in the midst of war, lived with his own unique blend of skill, humor, and refinement.

45 Vintage Photos Capture People at the Seaside in the Early 20th Century

In the early 20th century, the seaside was a theater of social grace and disciplined joy, where the rigid etiquette of the city met the refreshing breeze of the coast. During the Belle Époque and Edwardian eras, a trip to the beach was a formal affair.

Adults strolled along the promenades in elaborate attire, women shielded their pale complexions with lace parasols and wide-brimmed hats, while men remained dignified in full wool suits and straw boaters. Amidst this sophisticated backdrop, children brought a lively energy to the shoreline.

Dressed in iconic sailor suits or smocked cotton dresses, they spent hours building intricate sandcastles with wooden buckets or carefully “paddling” in the shallow surf with tucked-up hems. Whether they were enjoying a donkey ride along the sand or watching a traditional Punch and Judy puppet show, the children’s play remained as refined as their surroundings.

These vintage scenes capture a unique moment in history, a world of “bathing machines” and quiet dignity, where the simple pleasures of childhood were framed by the timeless elegance of early modern society.

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Funny Portraits of the Marx Brothers in the 1930s and 1940s

The Marx Brothers were an American comedy troupe who achieved success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures. The five brothers were Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Groucho Marx, Gummo Marx, and Zeppo Marx, though Gummo and Zeppo both left the group over time, leaving Chico, Harpo, and Groucho as a trio. They are considered by critics, scholars and fans to be among the greatest and most influential comedians of the 20th century, a recognition underscored by the American Film Institute (AFI) selecting five of their fourteen feature films to be among the top 100 comedy films (with two in the top fifteen) and including them as the only group of performers on AFI’s 100 Years...100 Stars list of the 25 greatest male stars of Classical Hollywood cinema.

In the early 1930s, the four brothers (Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo) were at their most surreal and chaotic. These films are often considered their “purest” comedy because they lacked the heavy romantic subplots and high production values that would come later. An adaptation of their Broadway hit, Animal Crackers (1930) introduced Groucho’s iconic character, Captain Spaulding. Monkey Business (1931) was the first film written specifically for the screen; the brothers play stowaways on an ocean liner. Duck Soup (1933) was widely regarded as their masterpiece. A political satire where Groucho becomes the dictator of “Freedonia.” It was so irreverent that it initially underperformed, leading the brothers to leave Paramount.

After Duck Soup, Zeppo retired from the act to become a talent agent. The remaining trio signed with MGM under producer Irving Thalberg, who reshaped their image. He believed they needed to be “heroes” who helped a young couple in love, rather than just agents of chaos. A Night at the Opera (1935) was their biggest commercial hit. It includes the famous “Stateroom Scene” and the “Sanity Clause” routine. A Day at the Races (1937) was another massive success, featuring Groucho as “Dr.” Hugo Z. Hackenbush. After Thalberg’s sudden death in 1937, the quality of their MGM films began to dip. At the Circus (1939), Go West (1940), and The Big Store (1941) were formulaic, and the brothers famously “retired” after 1941.

The 1940s were a transitional decade. They initially stopped making movies together to pursue solo projects or enjoy retirement, but financial issues (specifically Chico’s gambling debts) often brought them back. A Night in Casablanca (1946) was a “comeback” film that parodied the era’s noir thrillers. It was a solid hit and proved they still had their comedic timing. Love Happy (1949) was their final film as a trio. It was originally intended to be a solo vehicle for Harpo, but Groucho and Chico were added to secure financing. It is most famous today for a brief cameo by a then-unknown Marilyn Monroe.

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The Golden Age of Aviation: Beautiful Covers of Flying Magazine in the 1950s

First published in 1927, Flying magazine has established itself as the world’s most widely read aviation publication, serving as a vital resource for pilots and enthusiasts alike.

For nearly a century, it has chronicled the evolution of flight, from the early days of prop planes to the cutting-edge technology of modern business jets and electric aircraft. The magazine is renowned for its rigorous “Pilot Reports,” where expert aviators provide in-depth reviews of new aircraft, and its technical columns that offer invaluable advice on safety, navigation, and weather.

Beyond the mechanics of flight, Flying captures the soul of the cockpit through breathtaking aerial photography and storytelling that celebrates the freedom of the skies. Whether for a student pilot or a seasoned captain, the magazine remains a cornerstone of the aviation community, bridging the gap between historical legacy and the future of aerospace.

Take a flight back to the 1950s through these stunning vintage covers of Flying magazine. From the sleek lines of early jets to the vibrant art of the mid-century, these covers capture the excitement of an era when the sky was the ultimate frontier.

Flying magazine cover, August 1950

Flying magazine cover, May 1950

Flying magazine cover, October 1950

Flying magazine cover, February 1951

Flying magazine cover, November 1951

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Fascinating Photos of Val Kilmer and Meg Ryan on the Set of “The Doors” (1991)

Directed by Oliver Stone, the 1991 film The Doors remains one of the most visually striking biopics of the era, famously starring Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison and Meg Ryan as his longtime companion, Pamela Courson. While Kilmer received near-universal acclaim for his “eerie” transformation, the pairing of these two actors on set represented a fascinating collision of two very different Hollywood trajectories in the early 1990s.

Kilmer’s dedication to the role is legendary in film history. To prepare for the part, he lived like Morrison. He spent a year dressing in Morrison’s clothes and frequenting his old haunts on the Sunset Strip. To achieve Morrison’s look, Kilmer lost weight to play the younger version and later gained significant weight to portray the singer’s later years. He also reportedly burned a mole off his face for better resemblance.

Kilmer spent a year training his voice and learning 50 of the band’s songs. He sang all the performance vocals in the film himself. His voice was so close to the original that the surviving members of The Doors reportedly had trouble distinguishing his recordings from Morrison’s.

Val Kilmer was famously immersive in the role, refusing to break character between shots. Meg Ryan later noted that his intense, “electric” performance often made her feel as though she were working with the real Jim Morrison rather than an actor. After filming wrapped, Kilmer famously sought therapy to “get Jim out of his system” because he had lived in character for so long.

At the time of filming, Meg Ryan was the reigning queen of romantic comedies following the massive success of When Harry Met Sally... (1989). Her role as Pamela Courson was a deliberate attempt to break away from her “girl next door” image. She swapped her feathered blonde bob for long, fiery red hair and Bohemian “hippie” fashion, though critics at the time noted her look still felt very “1991 trying to be 1969.”

The Doors was released theatrically by Tri-Star Pictures on March 1, 1991 and debuted at number 2 at the box office. The film grossed $34.4 million in the United States and Canada on a $32 million production budget. The film received mixed reviews from critics; while Kilmer’s performance, the supporting cast, the cinematography, the production design and Stone’s directing were praised, criticism was centered on its historical inaccuracy and depiction of Morrison.

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The Tragedy Story of Mary Mallon, aka “Typhoid Mary”

Mary Mallon (1869–1938), better known as Typhoid Mary, was the first person in the United States identified as an asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever. An Irish immigrant and talented cook, she spent nearly three decades in forced isolation after being linked to multiple deadly outbreaks of the disease.

Mallon (foreground) in a hospital bed in 1909.

Born in Ireland in 1869, Mary Mallon immigrated to the United States in 1883. She was a talented cook for wealthy families in New York, a profession she took great pride in. Between 1900 and 1907, she worked for several households; in almost every one, family members and staff fell ill with typhoid fever shortly after her arrival. What made Mallon unique was that she never showed symptoms. While her employers suffered from high fevers and delirium, Mallon appeared perfectly healthy.

In 1906, after an outbreak in a vacation home in Oyster Bay, Long Island, a sanitary engineer named George Soper was hired to find the source. Soper eventually linked the various outbreaks to one common denominator: the cook.

Soper famously deduced that Mallon’s peach ice cream was likely the culprit. Because the dessert was made with raw fruit and not heated, the bacteria she carried (Salmonella typhi) remained alive and was passed to those who ate it. When Soper finally confronted Mallon, she was outraged. To her, a woman who had never been sick, the idea that she was a “walking germ factory” seemed like a malicious lie or a religious persecution.

Poster depiction of “Typhoid Mary” (1909).

Mallon did not go quietly. When health officials and police arrived to take her for testing, she reportedly fought them off with a carving fork and had to be physically restrained. Tests eventually confirmed she was shedding massive amounts of typhoid bacteria from her gallbladder.

Mallon was forcibly quarantined on North Brother Island in the East River for three years (1907–1910). She was eventually released by a new health commissioner under one strict condition: she must never work as a cook again. However, she struggled with the low wages of laundry work and remained unconvinced of her “carrier” status. She disappeared from the authorities’ radar and returned to cooking under the alias “Mary Brown.” In 1915, she caused a major outbreak at Sloane Maternity Hospital in Manhattan, infecting 25 people and killing two.

Mary Mallon, better known as Typhoid Mary, sits fourth from right among a group of inmates quarantined on an isolated island on the Long Island Sound.

After the hospital outbreak, public sympathy for Mary evaporated. She was returned to North Brother Island, where she remained in forced isolation for the rest of her life, another 23 years. She was quite active until 1932, when she suffered a stroke; afterwards, she was confined to the hospital. She never completely recovered, and half of her body remained paralyzed.

On November 11, 1938, she died of pneumonia at age 69. Mallon’s body was cremated, and her ashes were buried in at Saint Raymond’s Cemetery in the Bronx. Nine people attended the funeral. Some sources claim that an autopsy found evidence of live typhoid bacteria in Mallon’s gallbladder. Soper wrote, however, that there was no autopsy, a claim cited by other researchers to assert a conspiracy to calm public opinion after her death.

Jacqueline Bisset: The Timeless Icon of International Cinema

Jacqueline Bisset is an acclaimed British actress who became a quintessential symbol of elegance and natural beauty in the late 1960s and ’70s. Rising to international stardom with roles in films like The Detective and The Sweet Ride, she quickly proved to be much more than just a screen siren, showcasing remarkable range and depth.

Bisset is perhaps most celebrated for her performance in François Truffaut’s masterpiece Day for Night (1973), which cemented her status as a favorite among European “auteur” directors. Throughout her career, she seamlessly transitioned between Hollywood blockbusters and sophisticated art-house cinema, working alongside legends like Paul Newman and Audrey Hepburn.

Known for her magnetic screen presence and a career that spans over five decades, Bisset remains a revered figure in the film industry, embodying a rare blend of classical grace and contemporary strength.

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