Inhoudsopgave:
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âSimply superb! . . . easily the best book (in English) available on the French Air Service . . . The book is a gem.ââThe Aerodrome  In comparison to their British and German counterparts, the French airmen of the Great War are not well known. Yet their aerial exploits were just as remarkable, and their contribution to the war effort on the Western Front was equally important. That is why Ian Sumnerâs vivid history of the men of the French air force during the war is of such value. He tells their story using the words of the pioneering pilots and observers themselves, drawn from memoirs, diaries, letters, and contemporary newspapers, magazines and official documents. The recollections of the airmen give an authentic portrait of their role and their wartime careers. They cover recruitment and training, reconnaissance and artillery spotting, aerial combat, ground strafing and bombing, and squadron life. They also highlight the technical and tactical innovations made during those hectic years, as well as revealing the airmenâs attitude to the enemyâand their thoughts about the ever-present threat of injury and death.  âNo stone unturned, well researched and well written, Kings of the Air should become the âgo toâ title for information about the French contribution to the air war of the Great War.ââThe Past in Review  âThe narrative provides a complete overview of developments in technology, service organization, naval aviation and the principle missions of the French Air Service, all laced with first-person accounts . . . Kings of the Air should be in the collection of any student of the first air war.ââOver the Front |
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