British Aircraft of World War I: 1914-18

British Aircraft of World War I: 1914-18

Organised chronologically by type, British Aircraft of World War I offers a highly-illustrated guide to the main types of aircraft used by British and Commonwealth air forces during World War I. At the start of the war, the fledgling Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) were engaged mainly in artillery spotting and photographic reconnaissance for ground forces, which led the British pilots into aerial battles with their German counterparts. As the war progressed, the RFC also attacked German frontline airfields and bombed German strategic and transport facilities, leading to the development of specialist bomber types. All the major and many minor aircraft types are featured, including single-seat fighters, reconnaissance aircraft, bombers, floatplanes and airships. This includes the highly-successful Sopwith Camel, which is thought to have achieved more aerial victories than any other fighter in the war; the French-made Farman MF.11 Shorthorn reconnaissance plane, which served with the Royal Navy as well as in the Dardanelles and Mesopotamia; the Handley Page Type O, Britain's first true heavy bomber, which was used to attack industrial targets in the Rhineland; and the highly-manoeuvrable Felixstowe F.2 flying boat, which flew patrols over the North Sea throughout the war, often fighting U-boats and Zeppelins. Each featured profile includes authentic markings and colour schemes, while every separate model is accompanied by exhaustive specifications.