World Famous Comics: SE 5/5a Aces of World War I (Aircraft of the Aces)
SE 5/5a Aces of World War I (Aircraft of the Aces)
By: Norman Franks Publisher: Osprey Publishing Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Osprey Publishing Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 96 Publication Date: June 19, 2007 Release Date: June 19, 2007
The SE 5/5a British single-seat aircraft was one of the major fighting scouts of the last 18 months of the war in France during World War I and was a true workhorse of the Royal Flying Corps, handling fighter-versus-fighter actions, combating the high-flying German photo-reconnaissance planes as well as balloons. A total of five SE 5/5a pilots, including the legendary Albert Ball, received the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest award for gallantry.
A detailed account of the SE 5/5a, this title covers the development of the machine and its first tentative initiation into combat on the Western Front until it grew in stature to become a machine feared by the German Air Service. Packed with first-hand accounts and combat reports, this is a thrilling insight into the dangerous dogfights and fearless actions of the pilots who flew the SE 5/5a, bringing to life the deadly exploits of these "knights of the air" as they dueled for dominance over the Western Front.
SE 5/5a Aces & Units! The Royal Aircraft Factory SE 5a was one of Britain's two best fighters, the other being the Sopwith Camel. While the Camel reigned supreme at lower and medium altitudes, the SE 5a handled affairs at higher altitudes. Almost 100 British, Commonwealth and American pilots made ace in the SE 5/5a, many of their exploits being chronicled in this Osprey 'Aircraft of the Aces' volume by Norman Franks.
The SE 5a aces list reads like a 'Who's Who' of famous WWI pilots - Ball, McCudden, Mannock, Beauchamp Proctor, Rhys Davids, 'Taffy' Jones, George McElroy, Bill Lambert, 'Grid' Caldwell, etc. Relating the exploits of all those men would obviously require a book double or triple the length of this Osprey volume.
Within the book's 80-odd pages of text however Franks does a good job of touching upon each SE 5/5a squadron as they were formed and highlighting the backgrounds and successes of each's top-scoring pilots. Inclusion of several first-person accounts of dogfights is a definite plus.
Eleven pages of color profiles by Harry Dempsey and over 110 black & white photographs help illustrate the combat career of this sturdy warhorse and its brave pilots.
Nicely done, an excellent introduction.
Over a hundred photos, nearly forty new color art works, and detailed biographies of all pilots. Norman Franks' SE 5/5A ACES OF WORLD WAR 1 joins others in Osprey's 'Aircraft of the Aces' series to chart the Royal Aircraft Factory and its famous unit No. 56 during World War 1. Collections strong in either military history of the era or aviation history will find it packed with over a hundred photos, nearly forty new color art works, and detailed biographies of all pilots.
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