Books You Might Be Looking For?

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I always have my eyes open to see what books are being auctioned, so I figured I'd start a new thread to share some of the more interesting volumes I find. Reading through posts here it occurs to me that some of you folks are pretty resourceful in "discovering" interesting reading. I'm hoping forumites will participate; these old books are my passion.

I'll start with this one. I have never seen it before:

Battle of Chatillon WWI Flying School France Signed
Battle of Chatillon WWI Flying School France Signed - eBay (item 360085495888 end time Sep-10-08 14:29:09 PDT)

The Battle of Chatillon: A Graphic History of the Second Corps Aeronautical School [Chatillon, France], American Expeditionary Forces, France, published in 1919. Features men and units assigned to the school, which specialized in training pilots and observers for the American Air Service observation aero squadrons. 136 pp., with numerous photos, rosters, articles, poems. The units at Chatillon included the 157th Aero Squadron, 370th Aero Squadron, 639th Aero Squadron, and 89th Aero Squadron. Signed on first blank page inside the front cover by Harold P. Jackson with a note that states he was stationed at Chatillon in February 1918 attending artillery corps school. The book was apparently a gift for Brigadier General BenjaminWeir, as another note on the page says that the book is for him. (See related item I am listing pertaining to General Weir, containing his signature). Large (8 x 11 inches) hardcover book in good/very good condition. Cover design is in good shape; some loss of color. Relatively little wear on corners, top and bottom of spine. Decorative end paper statrting to crack inside front cover. Interior contents clean and tight. See my other military and aviation listings!

This one has the rather steep starting price of $199.99
Wayyyyyy beyond my little budget, but I was wondering if anyone has seen this book. Is it in Noffsingers? Anyone?

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Here's another one I haven't seen:

BRAVE YOUNG WINGS Canadian Pilots RFC RNAS WW1 HC BOOK
BRAVE YOUNG WINGS Canadian Pilots RFC RNAS WW1 HC BOOK - eBay (item 380060802709 end time Sep-09-08 16:59:42 PDT)

Ontario, Canada: Canada's Wings, 1980. First edition.
Hardcover book size is 5 3/4" x 8 3/4"
Condition of this book is very good+ with jacket. Jacket
has some edge wear, slight creasing to jacket, front and
rear jacket flaps have been taped to book covers,
slight tanning to pages.
299 pages with index and photos.

The story of the Canadian pilots flying with British
during World War 1.

Again, this one's kind of pricey... $27.95 ... but what a GREAT cover illustration!

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...And another I haven't seen on EBAY before:



WWI DEATH IN THE AIR RFC DIARY & HOAX PHOTOS + rare d/j
WWI DEATH IN THE AIR RFC DIARY & HOAX PHOTOS + rare d/j - eBay (item 380061388932 end time Sep-14-08 11:53:02 PDT)

Most of you are probably already familiar with this. It's the original source of those famous "Cockburn-Lange" photos that have been kicking around for so many years (and graced scores of other book covers).

I think this one is fairly rare. I bought the Greenhill paperback reprint earlier this year for $10 (which I haven't read yet), but would love to own an original copy. Alas, with a starting bid of GDP 29.99 this isn't going to be the one for me.

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And for the forumite with too much money, ha ha:



BIGGLES AIR ACE W E Johns Mint New Hardback D/J RFC
BIGGLES AIR ACE W E Johns Mint New Hardback D/J RFC - eBay (item 190249309062 end time Sep-13-08 14:31:33 PDT)

Here on offer is the Hardback 'Biggles Air Ace' comprising ten previously uncollected Biggles tales, eight being RFC yarns from the Western Front and two Air Police adventures. This mint copy with mint dustjacket features one of Andrew Skilleters finest covers showing Biggles flying over the ravaged landscape. Numbered #282 of the limited edition of 300 this is the latest publication from the Norman Wright W E Johns series. Postage in the UK is £5 to cover Special Delivery. Postage overseas is £6 - please note I send overseas carefully packaged but at the buyers own risk.

If it has not sold by 6th September I'll consider SENSIBLE offers, thanks

This one is being offered at... take a deep breath.... GDP 260.00
Well, it IS a nice cover!

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...and lastly, before I go to work, three more, all much more reasonably priced... each of these has a starting bid of GBP 9.99



WAR WINE AND WOMEN WW1 RFC RAF British Army 1934
RARE GREAT WAR FIRST HAND ACCOUNT @@HUGE!!@@
WAR WINE AND WOMEN WW1 RFC RAF British Army 1934 - eBay (item 380060773529 end time Sep-09-08 14:24:47 PDT)
Very rare hardback copy of WAR,WINE AND WOMEN by Wilfred Saint-Mande.A mammoth (556 pages),fine first hand account of life in the British Army and then Royal Flying Corps and RAF during the Great War.He recounts his start in an infantry regiment at the start of the War,before he transferred to the RFC.Much on trench warfare,gas attacks,'going over the top', then learning to fly and dog fights.A great rip-snorting story!! Hardback,blue cloth cover,1934 edition.Published by Cassell.Anecdotes and much good humour.Pages generally clean and tight.Slight foxing to endpapers.Some edgewear and sunning to spine and covers.All in all a very fine copy of a very scarce book.

RECOLLECTIONS OF AN AIRMAN WW1 RFC RAF 1935 Strange
RARE GREAT WAR FIRST HAND ACCOUNT
RECOLLECTIONS OF AN AIRMAN WW1 RFC RAF 1935 Strange - eBay (item 380060772365 end time Sep-09-08 14:18:50 PDT)
Very rare hardback copy of RECOLLECTIONS OF AN AIRMAN by L.A.Strange.A fine first hand account of life in the Royal Flying Corps and RAF during the Great War.He recounts his start in the gentry before the War,where he learned to fly.With the outbreak of war,he naturally went into the fledgling Royal Flying Corps.Much on early flying techniques and dog fights.A rip snorting story!!Hardback,blue cloth cover,1935 edition.Published by Hamilton.Pictures,anecdotes and much good humour.Pages generally clean and tight.Slight foxing to endpapers.Some edgewear and sunning to spine and covers.All in all a very fine copy of a very scarce book.



FIVE YEARS IN THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS WW1 RFC RAF 1918
RARE GREAT WAR FIRST HAND ACCOUNT

FIVE YEARS IN THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS WW1 RFC RAF 1918 - eBay (item 380060771031 end time Sep-09-08 14:12:39 PDT)
Very rare hardback copy of FIVE YEARS IN THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS by the great British Ace James McCudden.A fine first hand account of life in the Royal Flying Corps and RAF during the Great War.He recounts his start in the infantry as a 16 year old private, and life flying over the trenches.He was killed very near the end of the War, and this autobiography was published shortly after.Much on early flying techniques.A rip snorting story!!Hardback,blue cloth cover,1918 edition.Published by Cassell.Pictures,anecdotes and much good humour.Pages generally clean and tight.Slight foxing to endpapers.Some edgewear and sunning to spine.All in all a very fine copy of a very scarce book.

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This one's not rare, but this is a good starting price for a good book: $9.99



Up and At 'Em (1st Pursuit Squadron WW I) Hartney
Up and At 'Em (1st Pursuit Squadron WW I) Hartney - eBay (item 350094698914 end time Sep-09-08 11:36:07 PDT)
Hartney, Harold E., Up and At 'Em: The War Memoirs of the Renowned Commander of the First Pursuit Squadron the Most Celebrarted Group in World War I. Hardback, published by Doubleday in 1971. A fine copy in very good, price-unclipped dust jacket. Buyer pays $3 shipping. Thanks.


If you haven't read Hartney's book, you'll find it a very interesting account by this Canadian flier who commanded the 1st Aero Pursuit Group. With all the Frank Luke material coming out this season, this one makes a nice addition to that area of study. Peace.

[dpolglaze]

Jan,

The Battle of Chatillon is Noffsinger #1249 (presuming you're using the 1997 edition of Noffsinger). It's a very nicely done book, on glossy paper, with many photos, a number of poems, a short written history of the Second Corps Aeronautical School (AEF), short histories of several squadrons, material on observer training, gunnery, spotting, etc., and a list of graduates. It's very nicely done, and well worth picking up. It's not particularly rare, and can sometimes be found around $100.

The Brave Young Wings dust cover wraps around the full cover, with the art by Don Connolly. It's well-researched, is about Canadians flying with the British in WWI, and includes some stuff on bomber and other two-seat aircraft pilots.

Dodds, who wrote The Brave Young Wings, also co-wrote Air Command with Ray Collishaw, and contributed to Canadian Airmen and the First World War.

Dan

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Wonderful Dan! Thanks for the info. I have to say, your reply is exactly what I am hoping to get out of this particular thread; sort of a quick forum to "pick the brains of the experts" as these volumes come and go. Other forumite's experiences with pricing will be an exceptionally valuable resource also. In my own online bibliography (so far, just books that I own) I am attempting to build a realistic pricing guide to these books.

I suspect "The Battle of Chatillon" is not going to get snapped up with it's $199 starting bid. I'll have my eyes open and see how it's listed next time.

Noffsinger's looks essential, but I don't own a copy of it yet. I've seen a couple examples come and go on ebay, but always for a little beyond what I had to spend at the time. Some day..........

[dpolglaze]

Jan,

Noffsinger is very nice as a reference. It doesn't often sell for much less than $50. If you want some of the information, there was a first edition printed in 1987. It has fewer entries, but still quite a few, and I saw a copy for under $20 not too long ago.

Dan

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Not Rare, but a nice book and a good starting bid: $5.99

WW1 German Air Aces Photo Essay by Alex Imrie

German Air Aces of World War One Vintage Warbirds No 8 by Alex Imrie. 1987 by Arms & Armour Press, U.K., 120 B&W photos, PB. Photo essay of WWI German ace pilots by a noted authority. Good coverage of Blue Max aces. Good cond., buyer pays shipping.

I really like this series. These books are just brimming with pictures that you may have or haven't seen.