Hello,
All of the books Ed mentioned are obligatory; I especially think
The First of the Few would help your research. For a perspective from outside the aviation/military circles, read the "The Aces" chapter in "A Passion For Wings: Aviation in the Western Imagination by Robert Wohl. Actually the entire book is excellent and covers early aviation in an indirect but very rewarding approach I haven't seen elsewhere. It is widely available in libraries and bookstore from my experience. I'd be curious to othere's reactions to it, if anyone else has read it out there.
Good Luck on the project!
Chris