Sopwith Camel vs Fokker Dr I: Western Front 1917-18

Description

Amid the continuous struggle for aerial superiority during World War I, two aircraft types were at the forefront. Both rotary engined fighters, the Sopwith Camel and the Fokker Dr I triplane were relatively slow for their time, but were regarded as the most manoeuvrable machines produced during the conflict, and the classic pair for a tight, evenly matched dogfight at close quarters. In this book Jon Guttman examines the fascinating story of the design and development of these deadly foes. First-hand accounts and innovative cockpit-view artwork give a thrilling insight into the pilots' experiences during the world's first aerial duels and helps explain their successes and failures.

A resident of Leesburg, Virginia, Jon Guttman is senior editor, research director and contributing writer for Primedia Enthusiast Publications. Specialising in World War 1 aviation, he has written eleven titles in the past including the popular Balloon Busting Aces of World War I in Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces series. Harry Dempsey has been passionate about World War I aviation for over 30 years, having produced the most technically accurate artwork on the subject. Jim Laurier is a native of New England and lives in New Hampshire. He attended Paier School of Art in Hamden, Connecticut, from 1974-78, and since he graduated with honours, he has been working professionally in the field of Fine Art and Illustration. He has been commissioned to paint for the US Air Force and has aviation paintings on permanent display at the Pentagon.

"In one of the book's best sections, Guttman compares the training and operational capabilities of British and German pilots. It's a topic too seldom addressed, especially in WWI literature, since manned flight was barely out of its infancy at that point. With more than 50 photos plus a dozen or more excellent profiles, cockpit views and action scenes, Sopwith Camel vs Fokker Dr I maintains the Osprey series' visual appeal. Its 80 pages represent a taut, well-conceived treatment of a topic that could easily fill three times that volume." --Barrett Tillman, Aviation History (May 2009) "In all it is a superb look at two of the more famous aircraft that fought in the Great War. It is a book that I know you will enjoy and one that I can highly recommend to students of the time and enthusiasts alike." --Scott Van Aken, modelingmadness.com (March 2008) "...Sopwith Camel vs Fokker Dr I describes the challenges of establishing aerial superiority over the trenches in 1917... the two aircraft were a good match for one another, which makes them an excellent subject for the Duel Series... [A] great companion to other titles detailing the specific aircraft and can become an important part of any aviation reference library." --Chris BanyaiRiepl, Internet Modeler (April 2008)