Book Review

“Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War,” by O. G. Thetford and E. J. Riding (31s. 6d.).

Readers who are interested in aeroplanes of the Kaiser War will welcome this comprehensive survey of that period. Practically every type of British, French, American, Italian and German aeroplane is covered, a description, performance figures, maker’s name and list of subcontractors, list of squadrons. and history, being given for each, besides one or more excellent photographs and 3-dimensional 1/72nd-scale drawings. Not content with this, the authors have provided a table of experimental and prototype aircraft of 1914-18, further detailed information on lesser-known operational types with variants and experimentals, photographs of further rare machines of the period.

The book covers some 105 separate types, and the standard of presentation is fully up to that of present-day America and the vanquished countries, or of prewar Britain.

What is particularly pleasing is the inclusion in the histories of rumours that spread around the R.F.C. and R.A.F. as new types were introduced, followed by data on the actual flying qualities of the famous and less-famous machines and how they compared with contemporary enemy aircraft. Those who still retain a soft spot in their hearts for things like “Camels,” “Pups,” “Brisfits,” and “Rumpeties” will find this book a very worth-while purchase indeed.