Baldrick62
04-30-2012, 12:39
Submit a Book ReviewBook Title:
Fall of the Red Baron: World War I Aerial Tactics and the Death of Richthofen Author:
Leon Bennett ISBN:
978 1 906033 92 7 Category:
History Format:
Hardback Summary:
While invoking MvR as a good marketing tool, and to be fair maintinaing some focus on him throughout the book as a device to move the narrative along, this 212pp book's real focus, and value to gamers and those with an interest in aerial warfare, is on the development of tactics as the character of the war changes and technological advances allowed what was previously impossible to become reality. Chapters cover:
1. Richthofen versus the rifleman
2. Air Combat: Real or nonsense
3. Fokker Fodder
4. After the Fokker (ie, the E.III Eindecker)
5. Richthofen versus Two-seaters
6. Richthofen versus Scouts, 1916
7. Maneuverability Truimphs, 1917
8. Formations and Combat
9. Tactics and the Right Kind
Illustrated throughout with photos, drawings and charts, Bennett debates the strengths and weaknesses of manoeuvre, speed and marksmanship as decisive factors in achieveing success in aerial combat. There are also in-depth discussions on ballistics and aircraft design, and while I'd like to see some of his assertions debated by test pilots, aeronautical engineers and ballistics experts, he does make some compelling arguments. While many will disagree with his conclusion over who caused the death of MvR, his analysis and argument are certainly statistically well-found - that MvR most probably shot from the ground by an anonymous rifleman; one of potentially thousands who raised their weapon to take a pot-shot at a low flying enemy aircraft on 21 April 1918.
43945
Fall of the Red Baron: World War I Aerial Tactics and the Death of Richthofen Author:
Leon Bennett ISBN:
978 1 906033 92 7 Category:
History Format:
Hardback Summary:
While invoking MvR as a good marketing tool, and to be fair maintinaing some focus on him throughout the book as a device to move the narrative along, this 212pp book's real focus, and value to gamers and those with an interest in aerial warfare, is on the development of tactics as the character of the war changes and technological advances allowed what was previously impossible to become reality. Chapters cover:
1. Richthofen versus the rifleman
2. Air Combat: Real or nonsense
3. Fokker Fodder
4. After the Fokker (ie, the E.III Eindecker)
5. Richthofen versus Two-seaters
6. Richthofen versus Scouts, 1916
7. Maneuverability Truimphs, 1917
8. Formations and Combat
9. Tactics and the Right Kind
Illustrated throughout with photos, drawings and charts, Bennett debates the strengths and weaknesses of manoeuvre, speed and marksmanship as decisive factors in achieveing success in aerial combat. There are also in-depth discussions on ballistics and aircraft design, and while I'd like to see some of his assertions debated by test pilots, aeronautical engineers and ballistics experts, he does make some compelling arguments. While many will disagree with his conclusion over who caused the death of MvR, his analysis and argument are certainly statistically well-found - that MvR most probably shot from the ground by an anonymous rifleman; one of potentially thousands who raised their weapon to take a pot-shot at a low flying enemy aircraft on 21 April 1918.
43945