Publisher's Synopsis
A unique and insightful volume that deomonstrates the remarkable role of the elite high-scoring aces played in the development of military aviation. One of the German stars remains the most famous pilot of all time - Manfred von Richthofen, 'The Red Baron' - but the eighty other 'Blue Max' winners are here; full biographies, career details, the aircraft they flew and their contribution to the air war of the First World War. Primary research in Germany, past meetings with four surviving aces and a lifetime of sifting through data and information have enabled Peter Kilduff to make this the most exhaustive and accurate volume on the subject ever produced. It will be a major contribution to coverage of the formative years of air combat, the nature of early air warfare strategies, and the calibre of the early pilots.
