Billy Bishop VC Lone Wolf Hunter
Billy Bishop VC Lone Wolf Hunter

Author: Peter Kilduff

Publisher: Grub Street Publishing

Published: 2014-10-19

Total Pages: 193

ISBN-13: 190980813X

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William Avery Bishop is recognized as the British EmpireÕs highest-scoring WWI ace, credited with 72 combat victories, third-ranking behind von Richthofen and RenŽ Fonck. He scored many of his successes on his own, prevailing only by dint of personal courage, daring and superior marksmanship. This remarkable manÕs story has been detailed in many books and articles, but renowned author Peter Kilduff is adamant that so far the full truth has not been told. Famed for his evenhanded, thorough, exhaustive and forensic research, Kilduff sets out to bring new light to missions and kills so far steeped in controversy. As so many of BishopÕs victories were achieved during solo combat, all will be examined and scrutinized, drawing on German, British and Canadian archival sources, BishopÕs private correspondence, and accounts by friends and foes. Such an approach provides as complete an account as possible which also serves as a valuable reference work containing many previously unpublished images.

Grid
Grid

Author: Adam Claasen

Publisher: Massey University Press

Published: 2024-08-08

Total Pages: 658

ISBN-13: 1991016913

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This gripping biography of Air Commodore Keith &‘ Grid' Caldwell CBE, MC, DFC & bar, Croix de guerre, tells the story of his remarkable exploits during the First World War. Flying single-seat fighters against the best of the German air force, including the Red Baron' s Flying Circus and airmen such as Werner Voss, Caldwell accumulated 26 victories in aerial combat.Over his illustrious career he flew with numerous &‘ stars' of the British air service, including Albert Ball, William &‘ Billy' Bishop and Edward &‘ Mick' Mannock. In the last year of the war, aged only 22, he was given command of the new 74 Squadron. Under his leadership 74 &‘ Tiger' Sqaudron become one of the war' s most feared and revered units.Written by a leading military historian, Grid details Caldwell' s journey from early flight training in Auckland to his death-defying sorties over enemy lines on the Western Front. It also details his pivotal role in sustaining military aviation in interwar New Zealand, and his role in reinvigorating interest in the airmen of the First World War during the 1960s and 1970s.

War Birds
War Birds

Author: Elliott White Springs

Publisher: Casemate Publishers

Published: 2016-11-30

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 1473879612

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Following the declaration of war by the United States, more than 200 American men, unwilling to wait until US squadrons could be raised, volunteered to join the Royal Flying Corps in the summer of 1917. Amongst these men was John MacGavock Grider and Elliott White Springs who both joined 85 Squadron to fly SE.5 fighters.During his service with the RFC and the RAF, Grider kept a record of his experiences from when he joined up until his untimely death in 1918, when he was shot down over the Western Front. Before his death, Grider had made a pact with Elliott White Springs that in the event of one of them dying, the other would complete their writings. Springs went on to write this book, an amalgamation of his own recollections and Griders diary and correspondence.War Birds records in detail the stresses of training and the terror and elation of failure and success during combats with the enemy the First World War. This unique edition of War Birds has been produced from a copy owned by another officer from 85 Squadron, Lieutenant Horace Fulford. In his copy, Fulford made numerous handwritten annotations and stuck in a number of previously unpublished photographs all of which have been faithfully reproduced.

In Our Youth
In Our Youth

Author: Angus Scully

Publisher: Heritage House Publishing Co

Published: 2022-11-02

Total Pages: 178

ISBN-13: 1772034223

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A fascinating, photo-rich exploration of early aviation in Canada, told through the backstories of pilots who flew, fought, and risked their lives in the First World War, through the interwar period, and beyond. In Our Youth explores the lives of thirty-two young Canadian military and civilian flyers, viewed through the medium of archival photography. All of these young men were pilots in the First World War, a time when flying was pure adventure and danger. Some of them were from humble origins, some from elite families, some became heroes, one was cowardly, and most have now faded from our attention. However, all embraced the romance of flight and the danger of war. Although much of the book is focused on military experiences—including the mental stress and injuries faced by pilots who had barely reached adulthood—the book looks beyond war, examining the fascinating world of civilian aviation from 1908 to 1941. Featuring long-hidden photography uncovered from provincial archives, confidential military records, and precious family collections, this book covers the lives of many young Canadians who made important contributions as they flew and fought in what seem today to be the flimsiest of machines.

Royal Flying Corps Kitbag
Royal Flying Corps Kitbag

Author: Mark Hillier

Publisher: Frontline Books

Published: 2020-03-30

Total Pages: 546

ISBN-13: 1526753006

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A complete guide to the WWI uniforms and equipment of RFC pilots and airmen—fully illustrated with color photos. When the First World War began in 1914, the newly formed Royal Flying Corps was put to the ultimate test. As the Great War raged, the developments in military aviation were profound, not only in terms of aerial warfare, but also—as this book reveals—in the uniforms and equipment the aircrew used. All the objects that a Royal Flying Corps pilot or airman was issued for sorties over the Western Front are explored in this book. Amply illustrated with high-definition color photographs, it details everything from clothing and headgear to personal weapons, gloves, goggles and early life preservers. Each item is fully described, and its purpose and use explained.

One in a Thousand
One in a Thousand

Author: Graham Broad

Publisher: University of Toronto Press

Published: 2017-03-20

Total Pages: 202

ISBN-13: 1442607483

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This short microhistory details the life and death of Eddie McKay, a varsity athlete at Western University, who flew with the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War. Graham Broad switches creatively from telling McKay's fascinating story to teaching valuable lessons on how to do history: why the past matters, why historians take different approaches, how to pose historical questions, how to identify relevant source materials, and the importance of thoughtful, intelligent, and respectful treatment of historical subjects. The book includes a timeline of the subject's life, a map of relevant combat areas in the Battle of the Somme, and nine illustrations. It concludes with four unsolved events in McKay's life: a mysterious woman, a strange advertisement for batteries, an empty envelope, and an unknown grave—demonstrating that even a detailed history about one person's life is never really complete.

The Bombers and the Bombed
The Bombers and the Bombed

Author: Richard Overy

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2015-04-28

Total Pages: 609

ISBN-13: 0143126245

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“An essential part of the literature of World War II.” —Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post From acclaimed World War II historian Richard Overy comes this startling new history of the controversial Allied bombing war against Germany and German-occupied Europe. In the fullest account yet of the campaign and its consequences, Overy assesses not just the bombing strategies and pattern of operations, but also how the bombed communities coped with the devastation. This book presents a unique history of the bombing offensive from below as well as from above, and engages with moral questions that still resonate today.

Albert Ball VC
Albert Ball VC

Author: Colin Pengelly

Publisher: Casemate Publishers

Published: 2010-06-01

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781844159048

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Albert Ball’s individuality and his insistence on fighting alone set him apart from other fighter pilots during World War One. His invincible courage and utter determination made him a legend not only in Britain but also amongst his enemies, to whom the sight of his lone Nieuport Scout brought fear. He rose from obscurity to the top rank of contemporary fighter pilots in only 15 months. In that period he had been awarded the MC, DSO and two Bars and was credited with at least 44 victories. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

Stuka Attack!
Stuka Attack!

Author: Andy Saunders

Publisher: Grub Street Publishing

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781908117359

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The Junkers 87 Stuka was an iconic weapon of World War Two and an aircraft name that was, and still is, instantly recognized worldwide. Its roles in Poland and the Battles of France and the Low Countries are almost legendary, but in the UK its import during the Battle of Britain is one that has never been covered in any specific detail. Here, Andy Saunders takes a critical look at every operation by Ju87s against British targets in 1940 - including those on land and at sea. Each raid is charted, covering all aspects of the attacks including participants, defending RAF fighters and those on the receiving end. Myth and reality and truth and legend are all examined and analyzed in this highly illustrated new book, which adds to our knowledge of one of the most significant periods in the whole of British history. Foreword by Dr Hans Migeod, Ju87 Stuka pilot during Battle of Britain.