The Camel Drivers: The 17th Aero Squadron in World War I [Hardcover]

George Roland (Author), Otis Lowell Reed (Author)

Book Description

Series: Schiffer Military/Aviation History | Publication Date: January 1, 2000

The 17th Aero Squadron flew Sopwith Camels under British command along the Western Front during the summer of 1918. This definitive work on the 17th Aero Squadron in World War I is drawn from a wide range of official and personal sources, including original squadron records (found in an attic!), numerous interviews, letters written home, and half a dozen diaries including one kept by a German pilot flying in opposition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764300717
• ISBN-13: 978-0764300714
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,434,386 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Up-Close-and-Personal: The 17th Aero Squadron at War!, September 7, 2008

By 

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

This review is from: The Camel Drivers: The 17th Aero Squadron in World War I (Hardcover)

The 17th Aero Squadron had a unique WWI combat career. Although part of the U.S. 1st Pursuit Group, the 17th was one of two units transferred to British command. Instead of flying SE-5s, which the pilots had trained on, the 17th found themselves equipped with under-powered and tricky-to-fly Sopwith Camels. Once committed to combat, the 17th took some heavy losses but pressed on till war's end. The warts-and-all story of the 17th Aero Squadron is engagingly told in this in-depth 1996 volume from Schiffer Publishing.

The 17th's first combat came on 7 July 1918, an inconclusive scrap with Fokker D-7s. The green Americans suffered losses to the experienced German fliers and to ground fire since the squadron was to fly many ground-attack missions throughout its career. Victories were few although pilots such as Lloyd Hamilton, Bob Todd and Bill Tipton began running up scores that would eventually lead to acedom. In August the squadron was transferred to a more active front where the 17th faced some of Germany's top fighter wings. Disaster struck in short order. Within six weeks 18 pilots were lost including flight and deputy commanders and several aces. Replacements were brought in but the squadron was often hard-pressed to "do its duty," especially given the increasing number of hazardous ground-attack missions that came its way. Near war's end, the 17th was transferred back to U.S. command but saw no further combat before the Armistice.

Rarely has a unit history offered the depth of coverage of the Reed and Roland book. Along with recounting the squadron's combats, the book gives an unparalleled, insider's look at the pilots and groundcrew. You really get to know Tood, Hamilton, Sam Eckert, Howard Knotts, Mert Campbell and the others as living, breathing HUMAN BEINGS.

Over 240 rare photographs and several maps help illustrate the history of this hard-luck outfit.

As much as I enjoyed the book and marveled at its depth, I had to rate it four stars. (I would have given it 4 1/2 stars, if that was allowed). It got that rating because nowhere in the book do Reed and Roland summarize the accomplishments of the 17th Aero - victories claimed, losses suffered, unit aces, etc. To my mind, that's a serious omission since a fighter squadron exists solely to down enemy aircraft. (For the record: the 17th was credited with 53 e/a destroyed plus 11 out-of-control; suffered 13 KIA and 6 POWs; and had 6 aces).

Despite the above criticism, CAMEL DRIVERS is a wonderful, evocative chronicle of some brave and determined aviators at war. Though the 110-hp Camel wasn't a top-notch fighter, the pilots of the 17th ran up a record of bravery second to none. Highly recommended.