A war of words has erupted between American flying ace Chuck Yeager and some British Twitter users.
Via his Twitter account, Yeager, now 93, has been answering questions put to him that are frank and ruffle feathers.
When one follower remarked he apparently had a less-than-favourable view of the British, he replied they were arrogant and nasty to Americans who, while in Britain, were fighting for them.
In a back and forth between Yeager, who was a fighter pilot during the Second World War, downing five enemy aircraft in one day, and the first pilot to break the sound barrier in the Bell X-1 aircraft, continued to give as good as he got.
“The British weren’t fighting as well, asked another,” reminding Yeager they were in combat longer and under direct attack. “A straight forward thank you will do,” shot back Yeager.
“Maybe you don’t like Brits because we continue to remind you that the design of the X- planes was stolen from them,” wrote another. “Wrong in both instances,” countered Yeager, The Telegraph reported.
“The thank you came with the payments made by Britain until 2006,” another pointed out, adding, “was a tip required, too?” “You think a payment of any amount makes it ok considering all the men and women who sacrificed their lives helping the United Kingdom?” Yeager questioned.