George Guynemer was a French pilot during World War 1 who became one of the most successful aces, despite facing health issues as a youth. He joined the military as a mechanic in 1914 to learn about planes, earning his pilot's license in 1915. Guynemer went on to shoot down 53 enemy aircraft, the second highest number of kills in France at the time. Though initially rejected from service due to health problems, he persevered and became a national hero in France. However, Guynemer's plane disappeared during a mission in 1917 and neither he nor the wreckage were ever found.