Guynemer: Knight of the Air

CincinnatiRedlegs · 14 January 2006, 10:05 AM

I was recently given the book Guynemer: Knight of the Air by Henry Bourdeux printed in 1918. Has anybody else heard of this book? If so, is it pretty accurate? Thanks for your time.

retread · 24 February 2006, 06:01 AM

Bourdeaux was aquainted with Guynemer and his family prior to his death and apparently had access to personal correspondence between them while writing "Knight of the Air". The book cross references fairly well with "Guynemer-The Ace of Aces" which like Bourdeaux's book was written in 1918. "Ace of Aces" was written by Jaques Mortaine who was also familiar with Guynemer in life and wrote his book with access to Guynemer's flight log.How much of these books are history and how much hystorical myth (read b.s.) is more than I can say although my guess is that they are largely accurate.
What us English-speaking types need is a translation of "Guynemer- Les Avions D'un As" by Bernard Klaeyle and Phillipe Osche which is by all accounts the go to book on the French ace.