During the cradle of aviation, at the beginning of the Great War, France had access to only a few dozen military aircraft, with a staff who didn't quite know what to do with them. However, during the course of the conflict, the embryonic Air Force, dedicated to the creation of reconnaissance and bombing missions, evolved like wildfire to the point that by the Armistice of 11 November 1918, French military aviation had become one of the world's most powerful as a result of the construction of 10,000 aircraft spread throughout nearly 300 squadrons. Having became the first nation equipped with an air force, the French aviation industry in its infancy before the war, had been able to produce in four years 50,000 aircraft, may of which would go on to support a number of her allies, including Britain, Russia and especially the United States.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of the French Air Force from 1914 to 1918 through a historical narrative peppered with anecdotes and illustrated with many unpublished pictures from the period and profiles of the most iconic devices. The work is complete with full specifications of aircraft built and used by France during the four years of the Great War.
Reviews
This is a nostalgic look at the origins of the French Air Force - the illustrations are simply superb, and the technical information accompanying each picture is first class. Some staggeringly beautiful paintings as well as the many fantastic photographs make this a joy to read. Model makers as well as aviation history buffs will find this book absolutely invaluable and quite fascinating. * Books Monthly 17/02/2016 *



Book Information
ISBN 9782352503705
Author Vital Ferry
Format Paperback
Page Count 192
Imprint Histoire & Collections
Publisher Histoire & Collections