Editor Dr. Hannes Täger leads with Rainer Absmeier’s article on aviators and anti-aircraft guns in tank warfare. Next, he presents Hartmuth Baldamus’ war diary, and an article on the last flight of the French airship Alsace. Rainer Absmeier is back with the last flight of German balloon ace Erik Thomas, and Dr. Täger gives us the history of Max Immelmann’s cenotaph. Charles Gosse has a follow-up to his (Vol. 33 #4) article on Guynemer’s 8th victory and Mike O’Neal will edify us about Hawa #6, a Hannover CL.IIIa flown post-war by the 12th Aero Squadron. Peter Kilduff’s Between the Bookends and Mike O’Neal’s Mentioned in Dispatches wrap things up.
Colin Owers has assembled a wide-ranging series of articles, starting with his look at the Fokker D.III in the Netherlands and a photo essay of the AFC’s 4 Squadron’s as it prepared to return to Australia after the war. Roberto Gentilli looks at the US Navy pilot training program at Lake Bolsena in Italy, then Colin reviews and expands on Jack Bruce’s conclusions about the true colour of British P.C. 10. The issue continues with three articles about individual pilots, Johannes Koëlle of the Imperial German Navy by Alexander Notopol, Lt. Roger Chapin of the 11th Aero Squadron by Scott Chapin and Lt. Elmer Johansen of the US Navy by John A. Andersen Jr. The issue concludes with Peter Kilduff’s Between the Bookends.
Michel Coiffard’s remarkable rise from infantryman to become one of the top French fighter aces of the war is chronicled by Chrisophe Cony. Sparsely covered in the literature, his 34 victories place him 6th on the French list of aces.
In “A Decorated Soldier” author Will Simpson surveys the combat career and legacy of Eugene Bullard, America’s first black fighter pilot.
Jon Guttman and Frank Bailey trace the combat career of the little-known French Escadrille Spa. 158. One of the few equipped with the Morane A.I monoplane in 1918, its short combat career yielded only 2 air-to-air victories.
Well known by name to most WW 1 historians, Raynal Bolling’s death – the only airmen killed in combat without having flown a single mission – has left his impressive organization achievements largely unknown. Steve Ruffin’s masterful article helps restore Bolling’s rightful place in the pantheon of architects of the US Air Service.
The issue opens with author Michael O’Neal’s study of post-war casualties at the 3rd Air Instruction Center. Steve Ruffin visits France to view the memorials to fallen American airmen, and Thomas Wildenberg examines Spenser Grey’s role in the origins of strategic bombing. Finally, Robin D. Smith views Manfred von Richthofen’s connection to Ostrowo, Poland and a possible romantic relationship there. We conclude with Charles Walthall’s Tangible Links and Peter Kilduff’s Between the Bookends.
