Albatros Aces of World War 1 Part 2

(Paperback)

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Description

From September 1916 until late 1918, biplanes from the Albatros firm formed the primary equipment of Germany's fighter forces. Starting with the D I of 1916, these aircraft underwent a continuous programme of development and production to the D Va of late 1917. Albatros fighters reached their zenith of deadly efficiency in the spring of 1917, when the Albatros D III took a heavy toll of Allied aircraft. Nearly every one of the 81 Jagdstaffeln, or fighter squadrons, operated one or more types of highly decorated Albatros aircraft at some point in their history. This book is a follow-up to Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 32 World War 1 - Albatros Aces, and provides a look at the design and production of the Albatros series. It also details the careers of some of the war's best known and lesser-known aces. The exploits of such luminaries as Ernst Udet, Max Mller, Karl-Emil Schfer and Julius Buckler are recounted through their own first-hand accounts, rare archival photography and superb colour artwork.

Reviews

"Part 2 deliberately avoids repeating coverage found in Part 1 (No 32 in the series), written several years previously by Norman Franks. Franks' book is organized by unit, while VanWyngarden takes a chronological approach. Both contain the usual color profiles and planform drawings. Chris Savaglio's technique for presenting natural wood in small scales...is ideal for the varnished wood finishes commonly seen on these attractive aircraft." --Aerospace Modeler (January 2009)

"[Aircraft of the Aces books] are so extremely well-written that it makes them very easy to read . . . All of the books have terrific color plates, with views of the profile, top of the wing and tail, followed by a more detailed description of the plate, by number, at the end of the book. For those of you who are into modeling or painting your counters, these books are a 'must have.' The color plates detail individual color schemes by squadron, individual pilots, as well as by the plane's home airfield. These books also have a glut of black and white photographs throughout . . . an excellent addition to your collection and I strongly recommend them." --Aerodrome

"This lavish 96 page production is quite simply excellent . . . very highly recommended." --Model Mart

"Almost every page of the book has interesting black & white photographs of either the pilots, the airfields or the Albatros itself. The author does discuss each of the plane's strengths and weaknesses as expressed by the pilots themselves, as well as the factories which produced the aircraft. Being an Osprey book, there is also an eleven-page set of color plates of various Albatros showing the paint schemes used by specific aces -- some from the side and some from the top. These are a nice reference for those looking to make their own counters for the game of Dawn Patrol." --Earl Leyda, Aerodrome

Author Bio

GREG VANWYNGARDEN has had a lifelong interest in World War 1 aviation, and has been particularly active in deciphering the colours and markings that decorated the various German fighters flown by the leading aces. This is his seventh book for Osprey, and he is currently working on the Aviation Elite Units volume chronicling the exploits of Jasta 'Boelcke'. HARRY DEMPSEY has been passionate about World War 1 aviation for more than 30 years, resulting in the production of some of the most technically accurate artwork on the subject for Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces series. He has illustrated all the World War 1 titles in Osprey's ever-growing range of best-selling aviation titles.