Sopwith Pup Aces of World War 1

Sopwith Pup Aces of World War 1
Author: Norman Franks
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 97
Release: 2012-11-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 178200727X

The Sopwith Pup was the forerunner of the hugely successful Sopwith Camel, which duly became the most successful fighter of World War 1. The first proper British fighting scout, the first Pups – the Royal Naval Air Service – arrived on the Western Front in 1916. Although regarded as a 'nice' aeroplane to fly, pilots who used it in combat gained much success during the first half of 1917. The Royal Flying Corps also used the Pup from January 1917 onwards, with the final combats with the machine occurring in December of that year. This book describes the combat careers of the successful Pup aces, how they flew and how they fought.

Sopwith Camel Aces of World War 1

Sopwith Camel Aces of World War 1
Author: Norman Franks
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Total Pages: 100
Release: 2003-03-25
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781841765341

Responsible for destroying 1294 enemy aircraft between June 1917 and November 1918, the Camel was the most successful fighting scout employed by either side in terms of the sheer number of victories that it scored. The Camel was renowned for its sensitivity and need for skill and experience, and casualties amongst pilots undergoing training on the type were very high. More than 5490 examples were constructed, and this book covers its combat use on the Western Front, in Palestine, on the Italian front, in the Home Defence role in the UK and in Russia.

Dog Fight

Dog Fight
Author: Norman Franks
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Total Pages: 377
Release: 2003-01-07
Genre: History
ISBN: 1784380075

The history of WWI aviation is a rich and varied story marked by the evolution of aircraft from slow moving, fragile, and unreliable powered kites, into quick, agile, sturdy fighter craft. At the same time there emerged a new kind of 'soldier', the fighter pilots whose individual cunning and bravery became crucial in the fight for control of the air. Dog-fight traces this rapid technological development alongside the strategy and planning of commanders and front-line airmen as they adapted to the rapidly changing events around them and learned to get the best from their machines. Often, this involved discovering and employing tactics instinctively to stay alive. Based on the author's personal correspondence with a number of WWI fighter pilots and aces, and drawing on published contemporary memoirs, this is an authoritative and lively history that serves as a captivating tribute to the brave pilots of both sides.

British and Empire Aces of World War 1

British and Empire Aces of World War 1
Author: Christopher Shores
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 97
Release: 2012-11-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1782007393

At the outset of World War I the British had some 110 assorted aircraft, used mostly for the visual reconnaissance role. With the advent of faster and more agile single-seaters, the Allies and their adversaries raced to outdo each other in the creation of genuinely effective fighters with fixed forward-firing machine gun armament. It was not until 1917 that the British developed a truly effective interrupter gear, which paved the way for excellent single seaters such as the Sopwith Triplane Camel and the RAF S.E.5., later joined by the Bristol F.2B the war's best two-seat fighter. This volume traces the rapid development of the fighter in World War I and the amazing exploits of the British and Empire aces who flew them.

Irish Aces of the RFC and the RAF in the First World War

Irish Aces of the RFC and the RAF in the First World War
Author: Joe Gleeson
Publisher: Fonthill Media
Total Pages: 293
Release: 2017-05-17
Genre: History
ISBN:

The First World War had an enormous impact on Ireland. Over 240,000 Irish men and women volunteered to serve with the Allied forces, suffering almost 40,000 casualties. The Irish contribution to the air war remains overlooked, not just in Ireland, but also by historians generally. Although just 6,000 Irish served with the Allied flying services at a cost of 500 casualties, their impact was out of all proportion to their numbers. The contribution of Irish aces of the RFC and RAF to the Allied cause was enormous, just over thirty of whom accounted for 400 enemy aircraft. Irishmen such as Mannock, McElroy and Hazell were among the highest-scoring pilots of the war. Some were revered by their men, others were controversial figures – reckless with their own lives and those under their command – but many of their stories remain untold. This book seeks to restore all those who were written out of Irish history, while also providing for their achievements to be considered in the overall context of the first air war. Illustrations: 24 black-and-white photographs

Ten Journeys to Cameron’s Farm

Ten Journeys to Cameron’s Farm
Author: Cameron Hazlehurst
Publisher: ANU E Press
Total Pages: 682
Release: 2013-11-11
Genre: History
ISBN: 1925021017

‘In the whole history of government in Australia, this was the most devastating tragedy.’ Three decades after what he called ‘a dreadful air crash, almost within sight of my windows’ Robert Menzies wrote ‘I shall never forget that terrible hour; I felt that for me the end of the world had come…’ Ten Journeys to Cameron’s Farm tells the lives of the ten men who perished in Duncan Cameron’s Canberra property on 13 August 1940: three Cabinet ministers, the Chief of the General Staff, two senior staff members, and the RAAF crew of four. The inquiries into the accident, and the aftermath for the Air Force, government, and bereaved families are examined. Controversial allegations are probed: did the pilot F/Lt Bob Hitchcock cause the crash or was the Minister for Air Jim Fairbairn at the controls? ‘Cameron Hazlehurst is a story-teller, one of the all-too rare breed who can write scholarly works which speak to a wider audience. In the most substantial, original, and authoritative account of the Canberra aircraft accident of August 1940 he provides unique insights into a critical, poignant moment in Australian history. Hazlehurst’s account is touched with irony and quirks, set within a framework of political, social, and military history, distinctions of class, education, and rank, and the machinations of parliamentary and service politics and of the ‘official mind’. The research is meticulous and wide-ranging, the analysis is always balanced, and the writing at once skilful and compelling. This is a work of an exceptional historian.’ (Ian Hancock, author of Nick Greiner: A Political Biography, John Gorton: He Did It His Way, and National and Permanent? The Federal Organisation of the Liberal Party of Australia) ‘Ten Journeys to Cameron’s Farm is a monumental work of historical research pegged on a single, lethal moment at the apex of government at an extraordinarily sensitive time in Australia’s history. The book embodies top drawer scholarship, deep sensitivity to antipodean class structures and sensibilities, and a nuanced understanding of both democratic and bureaucratic politics.’ (Christine Wallace, author of Germaine Greer Untamed Shrew andThe Private Don: the man behind the legend of Don Bradman)

Masters of the Air

Masters of the Air
Author: Roger Gunn
Publisher: Dundurn
Total Pages: 382
Release: 2019-12-07
Genre: History
ISBN: 1459745507

A fascinating look at three of the greatest Canadian pilots in the First World War. Alan McLeod, from Stonewall, Manitoba; Andrew McKeever, from Listowel, Ontario; and Donald MacLaren, originally from Calgary, Alberta, were daring and talented pilots. Although decidedly different from each other — in personality, in the planes they flew, and in their contributions to the war effort — they shared a strong sense of duty and a passion for flying, performing remarkable deeds in primitive planes, when aviation was in its infancy. One hundred years after they flew and fought for king and country, Masters of the Air brings these three men to life, detailing their development as pilots, battles in the air, and near-death experiences Like thousands of others, these three men answered the call to fight for the British Empire. And in the skies of Europe, they achieved greatness.

A Brief History of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I

A Brief History of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I
Author: Ralph Barker
Publisher: Constable
Total Pages: 507
Release: 2002
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781841194707

This text tells the story of the Royal Flying Corps, and its part in all the major battles of World War I, from Bloody April 1917 through Third Ypres and Passchendaele to the chaotic retreat from Ludendorff's offensive.

Plane Spotter’s Guide

Plane Spotter’s Guide
Author: Tony Holmes
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 284
Release: 2012-06-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1780967020

A compact guide to 70 of the most iconic aircraft to have shaped warfare over the last 100 years. Aviation has revolutionised warfare over the last 100 years, and this new pocket guide gives the reader the essential details of 70 iconic aircraft, including the Sopwith Camel, the Spitfire, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-51 Mustang and the F-4 Phantom. Drawing on Osprey's comprehensive aviation archive, Plane Spotter's Guide uses detailed profile artwork to illustrate and aid recognition, as well as specification boxes to provide all the technical details.