The Illustrated History of the Air Forces of World War I & World War II

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The airplane was just a decade old when Europe entered the First World War, its military potential largely untested. Aerial warfare was in its infancy, with pilots learning through experience. The interwar years brought significant advancements in aircraft design and performance, as major powers invested heavily in their air forces. Germany, despite post-war restrictions, secretly trained the Luftwaffe in Russia. This era also marked the transition from biplanes to all-metal, stressed-skin monoplanes, producing iconic combat aircraft like the Spitfire and the Messerschmitt BF109. The author traces the evolution of global air forces from early Zeppelin attacks and heroic dogfights to the Blitzkrieg and strategic air power. He explores the growth and traditions of air forces in Germany, Britain, France, Russia, Japan, the United States, and smaller nations, assessing the effectiveness of their personnel and machines and their decisive impact on the wars. The text examines both organizational and technical aspects of air services, culminating in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which underscored air power's strategic significance. This authoritative narrative is enriched with color and black-and-white photographs, along with specially commissioned illustrations, maps, and diagrams.