Category: WW1 Era (1914-18)

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Three Volume SPAD XIII Series Concludes With Study of Late Variants

New from Aeronaut Books and author Martin Schütz is The Spad S.XIII (Spa 13 C1): Volume 3: Late Version.

In the third and last Volume about the legendary Spad S.XIII all the available information of the late produced version by manufacturers Blériot and Kellner are provided. Detailed information about both manufacturers including their production blocks, their different camouflage systems, their lettering, hallmarks and their types of cockades used are provided in detail. A detailed look of all the units of the US Air Service that flew the type as well as listings of all the Spad aces of WWI and those US pilots in particular that made ace on a S.XIII are included. The internal and external bombing systems used on the S.XIII is explained as well as all the propellers in use and their manufacturers. This volume also throws a spotlight on the post war use of the S.XIII. More than 20 all new basic drawings, around 40 basic camouflage drawings and 37 all new 3- or 4-view color profiles of late type S.XIII for the USAS complete and round out this extraordinary and meticulously researched work. A benchmark for the hobby historian and modeler as well.

The book follows Vol 1 focused on early versions and Vol 2, which dealt with Mid/Late versions manufacturers Blériot, Bernard, Levasseur, and S.C.A.F. The new third volume spans 287 pages and is now available in paperback.

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Skyhookers: An Illustrated History of Parasite Fighters

New from Air World and author William Wolf is Skyhookers: An Illustrated History of Hook-on Aircraft and Their Dirigible Motherships.

From the First World War’s Zeppelins to the Second World War’s large bombers, military aircraft were vulnerable to fast, manoeuvrable interceptors. To address this, fighter escorts were used, but their limited range often left bombers exposed. A solution was the use of Composite aircraft, where larger bombers carried smaller, short-range fighters, which could be launched and retrieved as needed.

Zeppelins, particularly vulnerable to interceptors, were ideal for this concept. During the First World War, Germany briefly experimented with carrying parasite aircraft, while the British conducted post-war trials using airships like His Majesty’s Airship R-23 and R-33, carrying fighters such as the Sopwith Camel and de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird. However, successful hook-on/retrievals were only achieved with the Humming Bird.

The US Navy and Army further developed this concept. In 1918, the Navy launched a Curtiss JN ‘Jenny’ from a C-1 Blimp, and in 1924, the Army successfully flew a Sperry Messenger from a TC-Class airship. The US perfected the carry/launch/retrieval method for airship defence and scouting, notably with the USS Los Angeles, which carried aircraft on a ‘trapeze’ device. The Akron and Macon airships, with internal storage for aircraft, further advanced this technique, making them some of the most remarkable aircraft of their time.

The 200 page book is currently available in hardcover and Kindle editions.

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From Sopwith Camel to Harrier: Hawker’s Naval Fighters Chronicled in New Book

The naval fighters of Sopwith and Hawker will take center stage in author Christopher Budgen’s upcoming book Hawker’s Naval Fighters: Camel to Sea Harrier, released by Pen & Sword.

In 1912, TOM Sopwith transitioned from running a flying school to manufacturing aircraft, leveraging his nautical interests to create designs purchased by Britain’s Royal Navy. The onset of the First World War solidified the Sopwith Aviation Company’s reputation with aircraft like the Sopwith Camel widely used onboard the ships of the day. After the war, cancellations of government orders forced Sopwith Aviation into liquidation, However, a new company, the HG Hawker Engineering Company, was quickly formed, having been named after Sopwith’s test pilot, Harry Hawker. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Hawker produced designs that continued to be purchased by the Royal Navy, being used on the early aircraft carriers as well as the larger vessels of the fleet. With the outbreak of the Second World War, the RN’s Fleet Air Arm found itself woefully unprepared for battle, having mainly biplanes and slow monoplanes with which to face the modern German fighters and bombers. As a temporary solution, Hawker adapted the Hurricane into the Sea Hurricane. Hawker later developed advanced piston-engine fighters like the Fury and its naval counterpart, the Sea Fury, which saw action during the Korean War and Suez Crisis in 1956. The Sea Fury was succeeded by Hawker’s first jet, the Sea Hawk, marking the Fleet Air Arm’s transition into the jet age. The Sea Hawk also served the Indian Navy during its conflicts with Pakistan. Hawker’s successful Hunter, although primarily for the RAF, was used by the Royal Navy for land-based operations. Meanwhile, Hawker’s next design, the ground breaking Harrier, was ordered as the Sea Harrier; it saw action during the Falklands War, and, in due course, in the conflict in the former Yugoslavia and in Iraq. From its earliest days then, the Hawker Aircraft Company has supplied winning designs to the Royal Navy and to many navies overseas, a feat that few other companies could match.

The 232 Page hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release scheduled for April 30.

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RFC in Combat: Rare Archive Images of WW1 Aerial Warfare

Coming soon from Pen & Sword and author Chris Goss is Royal Flying Corps In Combat: Rare Archive Images of Aerial Warfare Over the Western Front in WW1, which showcases an extraordinary collection of photos and stories of downed aircraft from the Western Front.

Each image tells the tale of the aviators behind them. For example, Second Lieutenant Gilbert Insall and Air Mechanic Thomas Donald, after their Vickers FB 5 Gunbus was damaged, made repairs under enemy fire and returned to base. They were shot down again weeks later, but Insall later escaped captivity and received the Victoria Cross. Chris Goss delves into the stories behind the crashes, even identifying enemy pilots who shot down some of the planes. The mysterious case of Second Lieutenant John Holtom’s DH 2, whose body was never recovered, remains unsolved. This book also reveals how many surviving pilots went on to have distinguished careers, including Montagu Chidson, who, after being captured in 1915, later rescued vital diamonds from Amsterdam in 1940 while serving with M.I.9. Royal Flying Corps in Combat is a captivating account of the aircraft, battles, and aviators of the First World War.

The 224 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release set for Feb 28.

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New Book Explores All WW1 Russian Aircraft Types

New from Aeronaut Books is Russian Aircraft of WWI by noted aviation historian Viktor Kulikov.

The book covers all aircraft of Russian design and all aircraft of foreign design built under license in Russia. It includes more than 600 photos and drawings and scale drawings of 17 aircraft. In addition it has 17 color profiles.

The 422 page book is now available in paperback format.

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Build Log: Vintage Model Company’s Free Flight Sopwith Triplane [Video]

New on our YouTube channel DX Modelworks is a video build log for The Vintage Model Company’s 18″ Sopwith Triplane balsa kit.

The new video concisely details the project, and like the channel’s previous videos, its photo documentation and tips will likely be helpful to anyone who would like to build the model themselves (eBay Product Link).

Click below to check it out. If you’re pleased with what you see, please consider subscribing to the channel. Likes and shares are also greatly appreciated!

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Coming Soon: The Definitive Book on Modeling the Pfalz D.III / D.IIIa

Coming soon from Fonthill Media and author M. R. Bentley is The Pfalz D.III and D.IIIa: First World War Aircraft in Scale, which focuses on what is arguably the most beautiful aircraft produced during WW1.

While not as numerous or well-loved as the famous Albatroses, the Pfalz D.III/D.IIIa was nonetheless critical to the strength of the German Luftstreitkräfte in the First World War. From a technical perspective the aircraft was innovative and its advantages were proven on the aerial battlefield: several of Germany’s greatest pilots achieved fighter ace status in the cockpit of a Pfalz D.III or D.IIIa. First World War Aircraft In Scale: The Pfalz D.III and D.IIIa is the definitive book on modelling this iconic fighter. As well as providing detailed information on the aircraft’s design, construction and marking variations, it presents, with extensive illustrations and superb attention to detail, five different builds: Roden’s 1/32 kit of the D.III, and of the D.IIIa, Valom’s 1/144 kit, MAC’s 1/72, Roden’s 1/72 and Eduard’s 1/48. Moreover, via illustrations of the aircraft’s virtual form within the flight simulator game IL2 Sturmovik: Great Battles, this book explores the world of digital paint schemes and their use in model making.

The 176 page paperback book is currently available for pre-order with release set for Feb 28.

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From Biplanes to Jets: The RAF’s Long Watch in the Far East

Newly released from author Steve Bond and Grub Street Publishing is RAF Boys in the Far East: True Tales of the RAF in India, South East Asia and Hong Kong.

For 82 years the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), which in 1918 became the Royal Air Force (RAF), maintained a permanent military aviation presence in the Far East. Throughout that time a huge variety of squadrons, flying many different aircraft types, together with all the necessary operational, technical and administrative support, took on all that was asked of them. The first RFC units arrived in India in 1915. RAF India grew substantially in the interwar period and throughout World War Two. Various changes in the command structure finally saw the creation of the Far East Air Force (FEAF) in June 1949, covering South East Asia and Hong Kong. In the 1960s the UK government decided to withdraw all forces East of Suez and on 31 October 1971 the FEAF disbanded and most UK forces withdrew from Singapore at this time. The last RAF unit to leave the region was 28 Squadron flying. They had been operating Whirlwind and Wessex helicopters in Hong Kong until the territory was handed back to China in 1997. RAF Boys in the Far East illustrates what it was like for those air and ground crew who were there by telling their stories in their own words, supported by explanation of the situations at the time and photographs primarily drawn from veterans’ own collections. The stories are as varied as the locations, the units and the personnel; everyday operations, exercises, triumph and tragedy, off duty time, and of course, the humour for which the RAF is renowned. Chapters focus on differing aircraft roles and their operations, including emphasis on the war years in India and Burma, and the Singapore era with actions such as Operation Firedog and the Indonesian Confrontation. Today those veterans who look back on their time served in the FEAF do so with a great deal of pride, and rightly so. This is their story.

The 256 page book is available in hardcover, Kindle and audiobook editions.

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Microaces’ New “Donner Wetter” Sopwith Camel From Unboxing to First Flight [Video]

The latest video build log from DX Modelworks focuses on Microaces’ new “Donner Wetter” (Thunderstorm) RC Sopwith Camel representing B7190 of 10 Squadron RNAS.

The new video concisely details the project from unboxing to maiden flight, and like the channel’s previous videos, its photo documentation and tips will likely be helpful to anyone who would like to build the model themselves.

Click below to check it out. If you’re pleased with what you see, please consider subscribing to the channel. Likes and shares are also greatly appreciated!

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See What the New England Air Museum Looked Like in 1992 [Video]

Our YouTube channel DX Modelworks has taken a break from model aircraft build logs to bring you a new video showing what the New England Air Museum looked like in 1992.

The brief video tour provides general views, close-ups of aircraft such as the F6F Hellcat and the Fokker Dr.1, and a look at the models on display. It is a wonderful time capsule that shows how the museum has evolved over the years, and it also evokes nostalgia for those who visited during this period.

Check it out below.

Continue reading See What the New England Air Museum Looked Like in 1992 [Video]