Konstantinos Lagos, professor at the Hellenic Air Force Academy, and Pantelis Vatakis, retired brigadier general and Hellenic Air Force pilot, are the featured guests on “Remarkable Personalities”.
In Part I of this special tribute, the authors of “1918 – World War I: Greek Wings in Battle,” published by Psichogios Publications, discuss the pioneers of Greek aviation and the operations undertaken by Greek aviators during World War I.
Mr. Vatakis and Mr. Lagos introduce the Greek aviators who dared to fly the first military aircraft, exploring their social and educational backgrounds as well as their earliest missions during the Balkan Wars.
The program focuses on an era when the airplane was still a new, uncertain, and extraordinarily dangerous means of transportation. Mr. Lagos and Mr. Vatakis trace the beginnings of Greek military and naval aviation, the training of the first aviators, the challenges they faced, and their contribution to the development of the Hellenic Air Force.
They also discuss Ioannis Chalkias and Takis Argyropoulos, aviators who lost their lives serving in a new branch of the armed forces that was still in its infancy amid the fires of war. They also recount the story of Dimitrios Kamperos, who earned a place in the history of Greek aviation through his daring flights. Known as “Crazy Kamperos,” he was also renowned for his popularity with women.
The two authors provide the historical context of the Great War, examining the causes of the conflict and the increasingly decisive role of emerging military technology.
At the heart of the program are Lemnos and Thasos, two strategically important islands that became major Allied military bases in the Aegean during World War I.
Presented and produced by Stavroula Karali
Sound engineer: Efi Georgopoulou