Fighter Aces
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Summary
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Fighter Aces by John Sadler
Just over a decade after the first successful powered flight, fearless pioneers were flying over the battlefields of France in flimsy biplanes. As more aircraft took to the skies, their pilots began to develop tactics to take down enemy aviators. Though the infantry in their muddy trenches might see aerial combat as glorious and chivalric, the reality for these ‘Knights of the Sky’ was very different and undeniably deadly: new Royal Flying Corps subalterns in 1917 had a life expectancy of 11 days. In 1915 the term ‘ace’ was coined to denote a pilot adept at downing enemy aircraft, and top aces like the Red Baron, René Fonck and Billy Bishop became household names. The idea of the ace continued after the 1918 Armistice, but as the size of air forces increased, the prominence of the ace diminished. But still, the pilots who swirled and danced in Hurricanes and Spitfires over southern England in 1940 were, and remain, feted as ‘the Few’ who stood between Britain and invasion. Flying aircraft advanced beyond the wildest dreams of Great War pilots, the ‘top’ fighter aces of World War II would accrue hundreds of kills, though their life expectancy was still measured in weeks, not years. World War II cemented the vital role of air power, and post-war innovation gave fighter pilots jet-powered fighters, enabling them to pursue duels over huge areas above modern battlefields. This entertaining introduction explores the history and cult of the fighter ace from the first pilots through late 20th century conflicts, which leads to discussion of whether the era of the fighter ace is at an end.
Fighter Aces is part of Casemate's brilliant new series: Short Histories* Books Monthly *
These books would be excellent for someone with an early interest in military history or for someone talking history at school. Very readable and easy to understand with some good illustrations. * Army Rumour Service *
These books would be excellent for someone with an early interest in military history or for someone talking history at school. Very readable and easy to understand with some good illustrations. * Army Rumour Service *
John Sadler has been writing and teaching military history for over thirty years with some 34 non-fiction and one historical fiction titles in print. For over two decades he has lectured on war studies at Newcastle and Sunderland Universities Centre for Lifelong Learning, (now the ‘Explore’ Programme). He is also a highly experienced battlefield tour guide for both world wars, classical, medieval and Napoleonic conflicts. His writing draws heavily on eyewitness accounts and he has been interviewing and recording serving personnel and veterans since the 1980s. Rosie Serdiville is a social historian and re-enactor with a particular interest in the wider impact of war on civilian populations. She delights in spending time in archives: some of the most interesting characters in this volume have emerged from archival materials.
| SKU | GOR009048040 |
| ISBN 13 | 9781612004822 |
| ISBN 10 | 1612004822 |
| Title | Fighter Aces |
| Author | John Sadler |
| Series | Casemate Short History |
| Condition | Very good |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Casemate Publishers |
| Year published | 2017-07-10 |
| Number of pages | 160 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us |