Albatros Aces of World War I (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No 32) [Paperback]

Norman Franks (Author), Harry Dempsey (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Aircraft of the Aces | Publication Date: March 25, 2000

The Albatros family of fighters were amongst the most effective aircraft employed by the Idlfieg (Imperial German Air Service) for much of World War 1, with the D.III and D.Va being flown by most of the 363 pilots who qualified as aces at some point in their often brief careers. The Albatros was the scourge of the RFC on the Western Front in 1916-17, with pilots of the calibre of von Richthofen, Boelke and Schleich cutting swathes through their opponents. Well over 4000 Albatros scouts were built between 1916 and 1918, and they were also extensively used by the Austro-Hungarians against Russian, Italian and British aircraft until war's end.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"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

"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)

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

Praise for the Aces Series: '[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 text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces series combines full colour artwork, the best archival contemporary photography, and first hand accounts from aces to bring history's greatest airborne conflicts to life.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (March 25, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855329603
• ISBN-13: 978-1855329607
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.3 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #327,598 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Albatros Aces, April 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Albatros Aces of World War I (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No 32) (Paperback)

Albatros Aces #32 has everything I like in a book about the pilots and airplanes of the First World War. Franks generously supplies contemporary photographs--and ones not often seen to boot. The colorplates of aircraft are very fine indeed, an excellent source for modellers. Franks also provides short but informative, absorbing biographies of the pilots of Albatros single-seaters. I cannot speak highly enough of this fine work.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Tales of Albatros Aces!, September 12, 2007

By 

Michael OConnor "Wordsmith" (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Albatros Aces of World War 1 Part 2 (Aircraft of the Aces) (v. 2) (Paperback)

Albatros fighters made up the backbone of the German Air Service in World War I. Most, if not all of Germany's aces, flew some version of the sleek Albatros craft during their combat careers. The exploits of Albatros aces were so widespread that Osprey Publishing has produced a second volume on Albatros aces, this one authored by Greg VanWyngarden.

VanWyngarden's book differs from the earlier book, written by Norman Franks, in that he covers many of the lesser known Albatros aces not covered previously. Ernst Udet is probably the best known ace described along with the likes of Max Muller, Julius Buckler, Kurt Student, Theodor Rumpel, Kurt Schonfelder, Karl-Emil Schafer and others.

VanWyngarden is a gifted author, his text flowing smoothly. He includes several first-person accounts that help give a human flavor to those long-ago dogfights. The text is complimented by 100 black & white photographs, several plan views and 11 pages of color profiles by Harry Dempsey.

World War I enthusiasts will want to purchase this book. It compliments and supplements the earlier Franks book with more tales of intrepid aces flying one of the sleekest fighters of the Great War.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have for Fighter Ace and WWI Fans, August 9, 2007

By 

J. W. Herris (Indio, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Albatros Aces of World War 1 Part 2 (Aircraft of the Aces) (v. 2) (Paperback)

The author is one of the top authorities on WWI German aces and his knowledge shows in this exceptional book, Osprey's second title on Albatros aces. Covering many of the less well-known aces, the text is well-written and highly informative. It puts the flight operations in context of the wider operational picture and has many quotes from the German aces themselves. There are a number of photos that have never been published before and many new color profiles by the excellent artist who has done all of Osprey's WWI color profiles. This book is a 'must' for anyone who enjoys Osprey's series on aces and for all enthusiasts of WWI aviation.