Jane's Fighting Aircraft Of World War 1

Pips · 10 July 2006, 03:36 PM

I've had this book for years, and given that it was compiled in 1919 it is a superbly fascinating and detailed read. The range and variety of aircraft that saw the light of day during the WWI period is, given the early development not just of aircraft but manufacturing as a whole, is mind boggling.

But in it's way the book can be slightly frustrating as well. Many of the aircraft mentioned contain just snippets of information, a taster if you will.

Has there been anything issued since, by any publisher, that can rival this all-encompassing book?

crankcase · 17 July 2006, 08:34 AM

i have a copy of jane's and i agree it has really good, obscure stuff in it -- particularly items about the balkan air forces...

since then i have seen nothing as comprehensive, except for the in-depth, but more narrowly-focused works, e.g. "british aeroplanes 1914-1918" by j.m. bruce and "german a/c of the 1st world war", by gray & thetford, which are no doubt well known to you and which contain planes that never made it to operational status.

crankcase