Book Review of
British Aircraft of World War One
Author: Lee Chapman
Key Books
ISBN: 978-1-80282-000-3
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $29.95
ISBN: 978-1-80282-000-3
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $29.95
HISTORY:
World War One took place just after the birth of powered flight, when aerial technology was still in its infancy. At the outbreak of war, the military potential of this novelty invention was not fully recognized until commanders began to use the aeroplane to see what the enemy was planning on the other side of the hill.
During the course of the war, the role of the aeroplane evolved from a stable, lumbering observation platform to a more agile fighter, capable of shooting down another aircraft.
In a bid to outdo the enemy, the ongoing arms race saw rapid developments in aeroplane technology, which led to an incredible array of ever-advancing service during this time.
This book features a potted history of the British aircraft that were involved in WWI. It includes the frontline fighters, bombers and reconnaissance aircraft that contributed to the iconic events between 1914 and 1918. The story is supported by high-quality images of surviving, reproduction, replica and restored aircraft.
THE BOOK:
Key Books is based in the UK.
This book is of soft-cover of 128 pages in 9 ½” x 6 ½” page format.
The cover shows a color photo of a Sopwith Triplane in flight with 2 biplanes.
It contains 136 color photos (including the cover) and 23 black and white photos.
Aircraft shown are:
A photo of the Royal Aircraft Factory Be2G. Shuttleworth Trust’s Bristol F2b, a Sopwith Camel and SE-5 flying in formation, a line-up of a Sopwith Triplane with a Sopwith Camel and Bristol M1c at Old Warden, Shuttleworth Collections' crew with a Sopwith Camel on display, a Be-2 in flight, a Vickers Gunbus in museum, a Bristol F2b in fight, a SE5a in flight, a line-up at Old Warden of a Avro 304, Sopwith Triplane and Sopwith Pup, a Avro 504 in flight, Shuttleworth Collection Bristol Boxkite, a Avro Triplane.
A dummy in a wicker basket below a balloon in a museum, walk-around photos of a Bleriot replica in museum, two photos of a replica Boxkite in flight, a Avro Triplane IV in flight and in museum, a Shuttleworth in walk-around photos and in flight, 6 photos of a BE2C on the ground and 2 of it flight also with a shot of it’s dashboard, 2 photos of RE-8’s in museum, 5 photos of the Sopwith Pup replica in museum and 1 photo of a replica on the ground, 2 photos of a Bristol Scout on the ground and in the air and it’s propeller, 2 photos of a Sopwith Pup on the ground and 3 in the air with a shot of it’s dashboard, an Albatros D.V. a replica in museum, a Bristol M1c in museum and in the air and on the ground and it’s dashboard and wheels, 3 photos of Royal Aircraft Factory RE-2 in flight, 2 photos of a Sopwith Type 8700 on the ground, 3 photos of a Vickers FB-5 in museum, a Bristol F2b in hangar and one being built and one in air and 4 walk-around type photos, a Sopwith Camel on the ground, a Wight Quadruplane replica in flight and museum.
Two photos of a Sopwith F1 in flight and it’s dashboard and 4 walk around type photos, A Sopwith Camel on the ground, a German replica Dreidecker Fokker Dr-1 on the ground and in museum, 17 photos of a SE-5a with 3 walk-around photos and the dashboard, a Avro DH-9 on the ground and in a museum, a BE-2, 2 photos of a Royal Aircraft factory FE-2b in museum, 3 photos of an Avro DH-9 in museum with 3 walk-around type photos of a replica and it’s dashboard, 4 photos of a Sopwith Pup on the ground and in the air, a Sopwith Dolphin in a museum, 3 photos of a Sopwith Snipe, a BE-2c in flight, 3 photos of a Fokker Dr.1 triplane in a museum and a replica on the ground and in the air and 2 photos of a French Caudron G.3 in a museum.
There is a bibliography at the end of the book.
This book will be of great interest to modelers planning on doing a British WWI fighter model and to aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. They are the North American distributor of Key Books and all of Key’s titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
World War One took place just after the birth of powered flight, when aerial technology was still in its infancy. At the outbreak of war, the military potential of this novelty invention was not fully recognized until commanders began to use the aeroplane to see what the enemy was planning on the other side of the hill.
During the course of the war, the role of the aeroplane evolved from a stable, lumbering observation platform to a more agile fighter, capable of shooting down another aircraft.
In a bid to outdo the enemy, the ongoing arms race saw rapid developments in aeroplane technology, which led to an incredible array of ever-advancing service during this time.
This book features a potted history of the British aircraft that were involved in WWI. It includes the frontline fighters, bombers and reconnaissance aircraft that contributed to the iconic events between 1914 and 1918. The story is supported by high-quality images of surviving, reproduction, replica and restored aircraft.
THE BOOK:
Key Books is based in the UK.
This book is of soft-cover of 128 pages in 9 ½” x 6 ½” page format.
The cover shows a color photo of a Sopwith Triplane in flight with 2 biplanes.
It contains 136 color photos (including the cover) and 23 black and white photos.
Aircraft shown are:
A photo of the Royal Aircraft Factory Be2G. Shuttleworth Trust’s Bristol F2b, a Sopwith Camel and SE-5 flying in formation, a line-up of a Sopwith Triplane with a Sopwith Camel and Bristol M1c at Old Warden, Shuttleworth Collections' crew with a Sopwith Camel on display, a Be-2 in flight, a Vickers Gunbus in museum, a Bristol F2b in fight, a SE5a in flight, a line-up at Old Warden of a Avro 304, Sopwith Triplane and Sopwith Pup, a Avro 504 in flight, Shuttleworth Collection Bristol Boxkite, a Avro Triplane.
A dummy in a wicker basket below a balloon in a museum, walk-around photos of a Bleriot replica in museum, two photos of a replica Boxkite in flight, a Avro Triplane IV in flight and in museum, a Shuttleworth in walk-around photos and in flight, 6 photos of a BE2C on the ground and 2 of it flight also with a shot of it’s dashboard, 2 photos of RE-8’s in museum, 5 photos of the Sopwith Pup replica in museum and 1 photo of a replica on the ground, 2 photos of a Bristol Scout on the ground and in the air and it’s propeller, 2 photos of a Sopwith Pup on the ground and 3 in the air with a shot of it’s dashboard, an Albatros D.V. a replica in museum, a Bristol M1c in museum and in the air and on the ground and it’s dashboard and wheels, 3 photos of Royal Aircraft Factory RE-2 in flight, 2 photos of a Sopwith Type 8700 on the ground, 3 photos of a Vickers FB-5 in museum, a Bristol F2b in hangar and one being built and one in air and 4 walk-around type photos, a Sopwith Camel on the ground, a Wight Quadruplane replica in flight and museum.
Two photos of a Sopwith F1 in flight and it’s dashboard and 4 walk around type photos, A Sopwith Camel on the ground, a German replica Dreidecker Fokker Dr-1 on the ground and in museum, 17 photos of a SE-5a with 3 walk-around photos and the dashboard, a Avro DH-9 on the ground and in a museum, a BE-2, 2 photos of a Royal Aircraft factory FE-2b in museum, 3 photos of an Avro DH-9 in museum with 3 walk-around type photos of a replica and it’s dashboard, 4 photos of a Sopwith Pup on the ground and in the air, a Sopwith Dolphin in a museum, 3 photos of a Sopwith Snipe, a BE-2c in flight, 3 photos of a Fokker Dr.1 triplane in a museum and a replica on the ground and in the air and 2 photos of a French Caudron G.3 in a museum.
There is a bibliography at the end of the book.
This book will be of great interest to modelers planning on doing a British WWI fighter model and to aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. They are the North American distributor of Key Books and all of Key’s titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.