As is often the case in warfare, superiority in weapons will change back and forth as each side strives to improve on older designs. This is probably the most obvious in aircraft design and during WWI when this new weapon was being developed, the change was generally pretty rapid.

Having been bested by British designs after the success of the Fokker Eindekker, the German Air Service was looking for a more rugged aircraft and found that in the work of the Albatros aircraft company. Starting with its D.I and going up through the D.Va, the Albatros was probably the most widely used German aircraft for the remainder of the war. Even when it was being bested by British and French designs, it still soldiered on, a capable machine in the hands of an experienced pilot.

Author Greg VanWyngarden tells us the story of some of the lesser well known aces who flew the Albatros. These men, some who would be prominent in the next war such as Kurt Student, Ernst Udet, and Robert Greim, did not build up huge tallies of enemy planes brought down, but were able to provide a level of success that helped in the war effort.

One thing for sure, these planes were generally quite colorfully marked and thanks to the author's keen eye and the excellent work of illustrator Harry Dempsey, we are able to see how these aircraft might have looked in 11 pages of profiles and plan views. A superb collection of period photographs also helps to tell the story.

If you like to hear first person accounts of early air warfare or have an interest in WWI aviation of any kind then this is one you simply must have on your shelf. It is an excellent read and one that I can most highly recommend.

June 2007

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