Editor Michael O’Neal opens with author Michael O’Neal’s third article on American training casualties at Issoudun, covering the period from August 1918 to the war’s end. Tom Callen uses inscriptions in a German edition of a French philosophical book to look at the return from captivity of Heinz von Beaulieu-Marconnay and Gustav Bähren. Dr. Peter Fedders examines the battle of the Somme and the role air power (on both sides) played during the six months of the campaign. And finally Mike O’Neal reports on a letter to Charles Forschner Watson before his first solo from J. W. Porcher of the Fall Undertaking Co. of Waco Texas. The issue wraps up with Mentioned in Despatches and Between the Bookends.
Volume 38 No. 2, Summer 2023 is out!
In Witness for the Prosecution by Hugh T. Harrington, we get a look at the testimony by former 2nd Lt. Howard Rath in the Billy Mitchell court-martial.
The History of Escadrille Spa 166 by Frank W. Bailey and Jon Guttman gives us the story of a relatively late-comer to the Aeronautique Militaire, which was formed in late July of 1918.
Claude Vollmeyer 3rd AIC Test Pilot by Michael O’Neal demonstrates once again that not all the action is at the front lines; Vollmeyer spent his time in Flight Test at Issoudun.
Prisoners of War in Film by Lt. Col. Greg Eanes, USAF (Ret) recounts the real-life story behind the Jean Renoir film La Grande Illusion.
The Ponnier M.1 Fighter by David Méchin explores a would-be competitor to the Nieuport XI.
In Briggs Kilburn Adams: The American Spirit Mike O’Neal gives us a look at his all-too-brief time with the American Ambulance Hospital and later the Royal Flying Corps.
Maj. Daniel Pool, USAF has fleshed out the photos in the National Air & Space Museum’s copy of Paul R. Stockton’s scrapbook with information on his military career (from the Spanish-American War on) through his time with the 12th Aero Squadron at the end of World War I.
Our Spring issue, edited by Peter Kilduff, opens with another view of the French 1916 bombing mission against Karlsruhe; this time, by Jos Gelissen, from the receiving end. Peter Kilduff gives us a look (actually, several) of observation balloon operations from both sides of the lines. He then gives us profiles of two American pilots, Carl Dixon who flew Handley Page O/400s for the RFC/RAF, and Hyman Block who flew observation aircraft for the USAS. The final article contains photographs collected by the German Bild und Filmamt and annotated by Peter.
This Winter issue starts with David Méchin's look at the reprisal bombing raids of Karlsruhe.
Cynrik de Decker’s discovery of the logbook of Ltn de Res Erich Sauerbrey gives a useful look into the daily operations of a German crew over Verdun in 1917.
Claude Thollen-Pommerol looks at the aces of SPA 3, commonly referred to as the "Black Band" - Guynemer, Herteaux, Duellin and de la Tour.
Greg VanWyngarden presents a photo essay on the variety of markings used by Flieger Abteilung 208.
Bill Bailey and Jon Guttman chronicle Escadrille 157, the "Bande Bleue" Escadrille, and Michael O’Neal covers the historic “Fokker Scourge” event at the Golden Age Air Museum in September 2022. Plus there’s the usual Between The Bookends from Peter Kilduff.
