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Thread: WGFA: Aircraft of World War 1 1914-1918

  1. #1

    Default WGFA: Aircraft of World War 1 1914-1918

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    Book Title:
    Aircraft of World War 1 1914-1918
    Author:
    Jack Herris & Bob Pearson
    ISBN:
    978-1-906626-66-2
    Category:
    Reference
    Format:
    Hardback
    Summary:
    This book is 192 pages including the index. The book starts with "The opening moves" and each chapter then gives an overview of the war from 1914 to the end of hostilites, each chapter takes a section of the war in the air and gives us a strategic view.
    The chapters are 1 Opening moves, 2 Air War turns Deadly, 3 Strategic bombing, Maritime Aviation, 5 The Eastern Front, 6 The Italian Front, 7 The Middle East 8 Air combat comes of Age.
    Each chapter as well as the course of the war does give a bit more information about various raids and actions, all at a strategic view.
    The book has a lot of tables and charts giving the orgainisation of the various combatants again all upper level. If you are looking for Sqn or Jasta Markings or organisations, then this is not the book.
    If you want to know how many bombs were dropped in a month, or that the Italian Airforce in 1914 was organised as x and that Gruppo 2 consisted of Sqn 6, 7 & 8 in Neiuports this book is ok. There are charts of Highest Aces, Number of unarmed Aircraft, The full organisation of various nations airforces, how many aircraft were in the French Airfoce in 1917 but all at the high level . There are a couple of Squadron diagrams, A Schlasta of CL2 & 104 Sqn Independant Force, which ilustrates some lower formations , but these are not many.
    The chapters are well wrtten and the sections on Anti submarine, Strategic Bombing are informative.
    Where this book is really impressive is that nearly every page has a full coloured side view drawing of a WW1 aircraft.
    The pictures are superb , although the Fokker & Albatros's do look a bit squashed to me. There are Monoplanes, Balloons, Bi-planes, Triplanes , my favourite Armstrong Whitworth FK10 four wings, Seaplanes, Heavy bombers, Light bombers, Pushers, Recce planes, nearly every aircraft imaginable in various colour schemes, not one is repeated. Each aricraft has at least one picture, with some having a number all different The only down side on the drawings is that all are side views so no top wing coloured drawings.
    The drawings will keep most of the forum readers with new projects for quite a while, I myself want the above mentioned FK10, even though it did not see action.
    So all in all well worth a look at if you are a WW1 buff..
    To recap, if you want Sqn marking & organisations, then no dont look here.
    If you want to see coloured drawings of almost every aircraft in the Great War, including Seaplanes, Fighters, Bombers, Zepps & balloons then take a look.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 51f7vi+XjLL__SS400_.jpg  
    Last edited by Boney10; 04-13-2011 at 01:06.

  2. #2

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    Gents if anyone is interested in this book PM me as I have some further info that may affect your purchase. Nothing bad but it may stop you double purchasing as I found out
    Last edited by Boney10; 04-10-2011 at 08:47.

  3. #3

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    I also have a copy of this book and find it most useful if a little frustrating at times for the reasons that Chris has outlined. It is certainly GVFM. as long as you are aware of its shortcomings.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  4. #4

    Hunter's Avatar May you forever fly in blue skies
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    I have and read this book. I enjoyed it. I believe it would be a good starter book for WoW novices. As mentioned earlier it is not a book for specific squadron colors/markings like Osprey books are. Thanks for the accurate reviews.

  5. #5

    Harry Tate's Avatar
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    Mark
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    I have just managed to source a copy of this book - I was not aware of the limitations expressed by Boney 10 and FO Kyte, and really did struggle to find it as it is currently out of print! On the whole I am very pleased with it as I know very little about WW1 aircraft (Allies and Central Powers), so it has helped me to identify some of the types discussed in the various threads of these hallowed pages. It has also helped me to identify the relevant chronology of aircraft types and their particular roles, as well as which nations used them.

    Now colour schemes and unit markings are okay, but if you are hoping to re-paint/paint up a single aircraft or squadron, the side elevations may not be enough to facilitate an accurate representation of how a particular aircraft was finished. Here in lies the value of the Osprey Aircraft of the Aces series.

    So should you buy this book? Well if you can find one, they do seem to be rarer than hen's teeth at the moment and the publisher (Amber Book) is very non-commital as to whether they will undertake a re-print. My personal feelings are that this is a good all round book. It does not boast the depth and detail of the Osprey books, but I do not think that this was the intention. It has given me the impetus to find out more about certain types, and I will buy SOME of the Osprey titles but I can't afford to buy them all, and this is the niche that this title fills. A good general guide that lacks the specificity of other titles! I hope this might be of use!

  6. #6

    Default WGF: Aircraft of World War 1 1914-1918

    Summary:
    This book is divided into 8 chapters, each dealing with a more or less specific topic eg Chapter1 "Opening moves" (early aircraft & balloons), Chapter 5 "The Eastern Front". The book claims to include every type of aircraft used during the way, shown with at least one variation.

    There are about 250 colour profiles of aircraft, although some planes are shown in more than one profile, for instance there are 7 pictures of the Fokker Dvii, although including various types of that plane. I think the one major drawback of the book is the repetition of specification/information boxes when the type is encountered again in the book, rather than saying "refer to page X" & giving the space made available over to some other information, like pilot biographies where known. However the colour pictures do give you specific information as to type, squadron/jasta & crew name(s) where known - which is for most of them.

    There are also some original photos but the colour plates definitely steal the show. I have included a scan of page 157, 3 Fokker Dr1, that I found on the net, to give you an idea of what the book looks like. The book also includes information charts, for example on page 172 there is a small chart listing German single engine night bombers available - numbers and types - during 1917 & 1918.

    I have found myself dipping in to the book quite regularly and have used it to help me get the struts right on a Reviresco Siemens-Schuckert SSW Diii that I was building.

    Overall this is an excellent primer to find out some more information on WW1 aircraft, stats, flying colours, pilots' personal markings etc. Highly recommended. I bought my copy from Dymocks Book sellers in Australia for AUS$25.00
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Fokker%20triplane.jpg  

  7. #7

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    The first book I had on WWI Aircraft outside Ospreys. It has a wealth of information as well as the side on pictures of many aircraft of the Great War. The frustrating thing about it is the lack of "Top Downs" and the rather haphazard way in which the very useful data charts on aircraft numbers produced, stats on distribution, and numbers in service at any one time are spread out through the book, in no specific system.
    Overall, in my opinion, well worth putting up with these failings to get what is there.
    Rob.

  8. #8

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    Yes I think you are right about the failings of specific information where you want it to be (although if it is there, it would generally be in the relevant chapter somewhere.). The lack of top down pictures is a problem, but often with the make, squadron & pilot name, google images can come to the rescue. Although even there, a fair amount of cross-referencing would probably need to go on. I have encountered a number of pictures which are at odds with others. I think the illustrator or model maker just made up stuff they could not find out (on the balance of probabilities...), but I really wish that if that is the case they would say so...

  9. #9

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    It is a good book but there are some errors, on page 124 Allied Aircraft on the Italian Front 1918 the Italian and British columns are switched. The data for the Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter two seater is switched with the single seater on pages 50 and 51. There are other errors also.

  10. #10

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    I bought this book only recently, but I love it.
    Ok, it's got some flaws and doesn't go into that much detail - But I found that it painted a good enough picture of the machines and the aircraft action throughout the war, nicely separated into well chosen topics/arenas.

    The info is on a level that makes it a good read and a decent reference, rather than something you'd have to spend days or weeks studying in detail to get your moneys worth out of. I think this is a plus.

    I'd recommend this book to anyone as a WGF reference - For hobby or scenario use both.

    /Niclas

  11. #11

    Hunter's Avatar May you forever fly in blue skies
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    Terry
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    It was my very first WWI A/C book, given to me by Clipper1801, before I obtained most all of the Osprey books. It is still my go to book on A/C color schemes and history.

  12. #12

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    I was lucky enough to find new copies of this a Half Price Books in softcover. It has been a blessing for a relative newcomer to WWI aircraft & the war in general.

    Included are multiple pictures of all aircraft that participated in the war in different paint schemes, each accompanied by a blurb with pertinent details about that aircraft, performance spec's, armament & crew, etc. as well as details about those models.

    Another highly useful aspect is the way the book is broken up into chapters that each detail the different aspects of the air war, from beginning to end. Informative & filled with many details on "firsts" it helped me, as a newcomer, understand the scope of the air war, the evolution of the aircraft, the details of the war, the timeline of events, etc.

    I'd highly recommend it as the first book for a newcomer as a good, general education on the subject.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by MoonSylver View Post
    I was lucky enough to find new copies of this a Half Price Books in softcover.
    Amber books, who publishes this book, also publishes aircraft books of WWII that are quite useful. Half Price Books is one of my favorite stores. If ever in Dallas visit their flagship store there. It is incredible, dwarfing other stores in the chain. It has a large area with several aisles of military history books at great prices.

  14. #14

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    Just got a copy this weekend. Great fodder for starting the search for new alternate paint schemes. No full three view drawings, but in the age of the internet, one can always look for the other views once so inspired.. If none exist, well then, I am free to imagine what it might have been..... ;-)



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