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The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 22:53, 30 January 2010 [1].

Thomas Baker (aviator)

[edit]
Nominator(s): Abraham, B.S. (talk) 04:43, 24 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]
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I am nominating this for featured article because I believe it now meets the criteria. Article on an Australian soldier, aviator and flying ace of the First World War whose distinguished career was ended with his death in 1918 at age 21, just one week before the war ended. Has been passed as a Good article and A-Class by WikiProject: Military history. Any and all comments welcome! Thanks, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 04:43, 24 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Support

  • Dabs, external links and alt text all look good.
  • My only question is about his enlistment. Do you know when he enlisted in the CMF? The AIF didn't care what you'd already been trained for so you could change from one specialty to another?--Sturmvogel 66 (talk) 23:07, 26 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thanks for the review, mate. The sources are not specific on his enlistment in the CMF, just that it was sometime during 1914. The AIF was raised exclusively for operational purposes in the war and you could basically get shoved anywhere. I think to some degree they took previous experence into consideration, but it was predominantly baised on locality and the units that were being raised for the state one enlisted in. Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 00:51, 27 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. Everything seems fine to me. Just one small query. The Early life section doesn't mention any brothers or sisters. Was he an only child? --Malleus Fatuorum 16:28, 28 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thanks for the review. Baker's entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography states he was the "eldest son of Richmond Baker", but the details of his sibling(s) are not specified in any source. Added in the aforementioned snippet, though. Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 23:53, 28 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support do we know if Baker went to St Peter's all the way from Reception (it's R-12) and if he stayed all the way to pass yr 12? From the fact that he worked as a bank teller, perhaps not. Also do we know if he a boarding student? From Smithfield to St Peters is about 30km one-way and Main North Road was a bumpy dirt track in those days. YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 04:18, 29 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thanks for the review, YellowMonkey. :) According to his ADB entry, he began at the Collegiate School of St Peter, Adelaide, in 1911 and finished in 1914, so he was at the school for most of his high school studies. As aforementiond he left in 1914, so would have been in either YR 11 or 12. Not too sure about the last bit, though, as the sources are a little limited in this area. Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 04:59, 29 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Support I made a few really minor fixes (tricky typos like ensuring for ensuing, bought for brought). Great work! Maralia (talk) 06:11, 29 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for the review, Maralia. I'm terrible for typos and spelling errors, though I'm not sure how I did the latter example ... Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 06:30, 29 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Support. Great job. Two small things:

  • "Airborne over Pont-du-Hem, the trio released their bombs over German billets in the area, before spotting two Albatros D.Vs. The three Australians closed in on the two aircraft. Baker engaged an Albatros, his fire severing the left wing of the aircraft, effectively destroying the machine." It is not clear to me if the Albatros were airborne. If they were, than it would hardly seem necessary to add "effectively destroying the machine" after "severing the left wing of the aircraft". --JN466 19:32, 30 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]
  • There are too many occurrences of "as" in this passage: "A formation of Sopwith Snipes from No. 4 Squadron had been utilised as an escort as the initial raid was carried out, and then to protect the bombers as they returned to the Allied lines. However, as the Australians had executed the latter duty, they were tailed by a patrol of twelve Fokkers." I found the overall effect somewhat confusing and was unsure whether the last "as" meant "when" or "because". Perhaps: "A formation of Sopwith Snipes from No. 4 Squadron escorted the bombers during the initial raid, and then was to protect them on their return flight to Allied lines. However, a patrol of twelve Fokkers tailed the Australians on their return journey." --JN466 19:32, 30 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
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