Here, Norman Franks tells the story, in words and images, of the emergence of some of the greatest fighter aces to see action during the first half of the First World War. He explores the manner in which the situation developed from late 1914 to the late summer of 1916, the point at which Oswald Boelcke helped form the German Jasta system that would prove so devastating to the RFC and RNAS. Utilising images drawn from his large personal archive of photographs, Franks profiles some of the greatest and most notorious aces, as well as the aircraft in which they flew. The first years of the war saw some of the bravest acts of pilot gallantry and ingenuity play out. Franks celebrates the legacy of just a handful of these individuals, participants on both sides, including Boelcke's premier ace Manfred Von Richtofen, Lanoe Hawker, Georges Guynemer, Albert Ball, Lionel Rees, Wilhelm Frankl, and Stanley Dallas amongst many others.REVIEWS From first glance, the images and detailed captions are noteworthy: Photographs of pilots and their aircraft complement an insightful account by Franks on air weapon development. The evolution of technology and tactics is described as providing opportunities for aggressive pilots to emerge and invent the principles of air combat...In the closing lines of the final chapter, the stage is set for the rapid advance in air war developments about to occur in 1917. This foreshadowing provides encouragement for the reviewer to be on the lookout for a companion volume to complement this focused, pictorial gem. Images of War – Great War Fighter Aces 1914-1916 is well-recommended.Over the Front Spring 2015
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