PDA

View Full Version : WGFA: They Fought For The Sky



Dark Horse
06-21-2012, 02:06
Submit a Book ReviewBook Title:
They Fought For The Sky Author:
Quentin Reynolds ISBN:
- Category:
History Format:
Paperback and Hardback Summary:
“An oldie but a goodie” is an apt description of this book. I think first published in 1957, the book covers the First World War air war in quite a lot of general detail. It centers on the personalities of both sides and records their adventures. The tale is told in a semi-formal narrative style that is engaging and easy to follow and the author can surprise you when he makes a wry observation or a pun.

Obviously drawn from letters as well as historical recounts both written and oral, the author weaves an engrossing tale about these brave young men, their victories and their terrors. Events from the entire war in the air are covered, beginning in 1915 with Roland Garros’ first air combats with his Morane and its new bullet deflecting propeller. Included are about 50 full or half page B&W, good quality photos, (the shiny paper type rather than being printed on standard book paper) as well as an extensive Index and a Bibliography.

The epigram at the front is a quotation from Raoul Lufbery: “There won’t be any after the war for a fighter pilot”. It would have been a sobering thought for pilots at the time and for so many, he was certainly proved correct.

I enjoyed reading this book, which I think is out of print, but seems fairly readily available at good prices on the second hand market, both as a paperback and as a hardback (The hardback editions have the photos, I don’t think that the paperbacks do).

Grey
07-28-2014, 11:30
The paperback edition that I read had no photographs but did include 3-view outlines of some of the planes and a very brief description.

matt56
01-19-2015, 03:15
My paperback version is also picture-less, but it does have drawings of 15 planes (profile and head-on) in 1/72nd scale, credited as having come from Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War.

All the best,
Matt

fast.git
01-19-2015, 07:00
I've not seen this before... thanks! :thumbsup: