Comprehensive History of the War from the Air

Maureen Dig Aire · 20 November 2008, 12:33 PM

There are loads and loads of books that have been written about The Great War. Some are complete histories of the entire war on the Eastern and Western fronts. Plenty of books have been written about various aspects of the air war, the pilots and planes and tactics used by some of the aces. There are even books written about just what all the mechanics did (From the Ground Up) --well, about the British ground crews, anyway. (I have yet to find one written about the French ground crews....in English. Anyone know of one????)

My question is...are there any comprehensive histories of the war strictly about the air battles? Know what I mean? A comprehensive history will talk about what and how cavalries and infantries and artilleries did during each battle.....Battle of the Somme, First and Second Ypres, etc. In these books there is mention of how the air arm helped or supported the efforts on the ground. Are there any books that focus specifically on the major battles fought from (or in) the air?

rainbase · 23 November 2008, 01:03 AM

Hi Queen, this is what I have...

1964 Decisive Air Battles Of The First World War Whitehouse, Arch
1966 Great Battles Of World War 1 In The Air Platt, Frank C. (Editor)
1995 Bloody April... Black September Franks, Guest & Bailey
1995 Under The Guns Of The Red Baron Franks, Giblin & McCrery
1997 Under The Guns Of The German Aces Franks & Giblin

Barrett · 23 November 2008, 11:54 AM

If ever there was an oxymoronic title, it's DECISIVE AIR BATTLES OF WW I!
Sheesh.

Maureen Dig Aire · 23 November 2008, 07:06 PM

Rainbase, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

I'll look for those books...in my local library (which is a desert of WWI books) as well as on places like Amazon.

Anyone else have anything else to recommend?

JFM · 23 November 2008, 09:42 PM

I suggest you read Somme Success (The Royal Flying Corps and the Battle of the Somme, 1916) and Bloody April (Slaughter in the Skies over Arras, 1917), both by Peter Hart.

Maureen Dig Aire · 23 November 2008, 11:14 PM

Thank you, JFM. I'll look for those, too.

And.....anyone else have anything?????? Can anyone EVER have TOO MANY books????? (I don't think so!)

Frederic Mason · 24 November 2008, 04:06 PM

Hello; Bibliographies will get you a long ways. Any good WWI book will have a decent biblio. Thats how I found my way many years ago and still use them every chance I can. From those the inter-library loan system will get you almost any title to look over. I can send you a nice AEF Air Service biblio to give you a running start. PM me for e-mail addresses exchange. Best of success. Cheers; FM.