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CAVALRY OF THE CLOUDS Air War over Europe 1914-1918
£4.99
Undoubtedly the best brief history of the Royal Flying Corps on the Western Front. Beautifully researched, it has a fine grasp of detail. It strikes a very effective balance between the individual stories and hardship facing the RFC/RAF airmen including the terrible losses suffered at the hands of enemy pilots during the Fokker Scourge of 1915 and Bloody April in 1917, through training accidents, equipment failure as well as friendly fire and the need to understand the vital role played by the RFC and later the RAF in overcoming the technical advantage afforded to the German Justas (fighter squadrons).
In stock
Description
In 1917, David Lloyd George declared that airmen were the ‘cavalry of the clouds … the knighthood of this war’. But such a romantic image, lavishly embroidered post-war by writers of adventure stories and Hollywood film makers, was roundly condemned by British veteran Harold Balfour and German ace Manfred von Richthofen. Both were aware of the harsh and deadly reality of aerial warfare and the impact of mounting casualties on families at home. For the first time, bombing raids hit civilians in their own houses as well.
In Cavalry of the Clouds John Sweetman traces the evolution of air power in North-West Europe, which culminated in the formation of a separate air force, the RAF. Extensively researched, Cavalry of the Clouds draws on a wide range of personal correspondence involving British, Australian, Canadian, South African, American and German airmen, as well as a wealth of more formal records and documents.
Additional information
| Author/Editor | John Sweetman |
|---|---|
| Product Code | 30921 |
| Delivery | This item is usually dispatched Next Day |
| Format | Softback 244 pages |
| ISBN | 9780750994798 |
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