The French Air Service War Chronology, 1914-1918: Day-To-Day Claims and Losses by French Fighter, Bomber, and Two-Seat Pilots on the Western Front [Hardcover]

Frank W. Bailey (Author), Christophe Cony (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 2002

From the very beginning of the Great War, the French Air Service possessed dedicated fighter aircraft and units, and like all the air forces of that war, her pilots had to learn from harsh experience the lessons of how to fight in the air and survive. Many did not. Frank Bailey, an acknowledged expert on French aviation during this period, has created as detailed a list as possible covering all the claims and losses of the French fighter force on a day-by-day basis. Unlike their British counterparts, the French did not credit pilots with kills if they could not be confirmed, although they acknowledged "probable kills". Confirmed and probable claims are all listed, therefore, along with the escadrille the pilot flew with, and the pilot's running total of confirmed victories. This a companion volume to "The Jasta War Chronology" (published in 1998), presents detailed information and previousy unpublished photos, and should be of interest to historians and researchers alike.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Grub Street (April 29, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1902304349
• ISBN-13: 978-1902304342
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,355,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An extensive reference listing all the claims and losses, September 19, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The French Air Service War Chronology, 1914-1918: Day-To-Day Claims and Losses by French Fighter, Bomber, and Two-Seat Pilots on the Western Front (Hardcover)

The collaborative effort of military historian Frank W. Bailey and French aviation history expert Christophe Cony, The French Air Service War Chronology 1914-1918 is not a narrative-style history, but rather an extensive reference listing all the claims and losses of the French fighter force on a day-to-day basis. Previously unpublished black-and-white photographs add a visual touch to the extensive and exhaustive tables that succinctly summarize the day-to-day lives and deaths of brave fighters and flyers. A meticulously researched and detailed resource, The French Air Service War Chronology 1914-1918 is an original, definitive, and very strongly recommended contribution to World War I Military Aviation History library reference collections.

4.0 out of 5 stars Stats on France's Air Force in World War I!, May 2, 2009

By 

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

This review is from: The French Air Service War Chronology, 1914-1918: Day-To-Day Claims and Losses by French Fighter, Bomber, and Two-Seat Pilots on the Western Front (Hardcover)

It seems to me the French Air Service has gotten short shrift in terms of historical coverage of late. In the last ten years there have been a number of books on RFC/RAF, U.S. and German WWI air ops but not as much on the French effort. THE FRENCH AIR SERVICE WAR CHRONOLOGY 1914-1918, published in 2001 by Grub Street, is a step in the right direction. Although dry as a bone, Bailey and Cony's book gives you a statistical record of French Air Service claims and losses on the Western Front.

Under the heading 'French Combat Log,' the book provides a day-by-day record of victory claims and losses. Claims listings include the pilot/crew involved, unit, type claimed, location, the e/a's fate (destroyed, down in flames or forced to land), etc. Casualty details include pilot/crew, unit, the crew's fate (KIA, POW, etc.), location, and so on. The book includes 16 pages of b&w photographs of aircrew, aircraft and downed e/a.

Bailey and Cony's book is quite useful in providing the statistical backbone of the French Air Service war effort. It would have been even more useful if the authors had provided background information on each year's developments BEFORE presenting that year's combat log.

WWI air war buffs will definitely want to add THE FRENCH AIR SERVICE WAR CHRONOLOGY 1914-1918 to their collections. It provides information found no other English-language resource and gives the reader an overview at the exploits of those long-ago aerial warriors. Recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars The French Air Service War Chronology, 1914-1918, February 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The French Air Service War Chronology, 1914-1918: Day-To-Day Claims and Losses by French Fighter, Bomber, and Two-Seat Pilots on the Western Front (Hardcover)

Anyone that wants to do more then just scratch the surface on WW1 aviation should seriously consider this book. This book is very comprehensive, in that it takes each day and breaks down in chronological form the claims and losses of both fighter and two- seater units. Any known details are included, such as time, location, victim and unit details. A useful reference book that should be cross referenced with 'The Jasta War Chronology' to allow for a clearer picture of 'who got who' or the probability of such an encounter. Highly recommended.