Pioneers of Aerial Combat: Air Battles of the First World War

by Michael Foley

Overview

When the Wright Brothers made their first flight in the early years of the twentieth century it sparked the imagination of those who wanted to fly, both in their country and around the world. In Britain, however, the spark wasn't strong enough to light a fire and it was in other parts of Europe, notably France, where flight began to develop seriously.

Early pioneers of flight faced a high level of danger and many died in pursuit of fulfilling their dream. Although aircraft design had made incredible progress by the time of the outbreak of war, accidents still occurred on a regular basis. For some time, as many pilots died in accidents as they did in combat.

This publication consolidates a range of stories, insights, and facts that, when combined, offer a vivid impression of events as they unfolded. The chaos stirred up during the First World War and the scramble to develop aircraft in response to the threat to homeland security is eloquently relayed, as are the battles that characterized this conflicted era. The reality of conflict gave aviation engineers and designers the opportunity to test their craft in the harshest of environments, pushing the benchmark ever higher in terms of what could be achieved. Sure to appeal to aviation enthusiasts and historians alike, this work offers the reader a full account of the developmental early days of flight.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781399074957
Publisher:	Pen and Sword
Publication date:	08/17/2023
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x (d)

About the Author

Michael Foley spent much of his teaching career in primary schools in the East End of London. After leaving teaching to become a full-time carer to his twin grandsons, who were severely disabled, he began to write seriously for the first time. Since then he has had more than twenty local and military books published. He has also had numerous articles published in magazines such as Best of British, This England, Essex Life and others. He has also had short stories published in My Weekly magazine. He lives in Romford with his wife and grandson.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Early Years of Flight 4

Chapter 2 Early Aircraft Producers 28

Chapter 3 The War at Home 52

Chapter 4 The War in Europe 115

Appendix 1 First World War Airfields in Britain 168

Appendix 2 Early Aircraft Manufacturers in Britain 170

Appendix 3 Aviation Museums and Collections in Britain 173

Sources and Bibliography 179

Index 182