This is another magnificent book from Schiffers, beautifully presented on lovely paper.

The 17th Aero Squadron flew Sopwith Camels under British command for four months in the Summer of 1918, and suffered huge losses. One of the authors had a neighbour whose father had been a pilot, and the family attic contained the original squadron records, which had never been collected by the authorities. This started a thirty year labour of love to write this book. Fortunately, many of those who survived the War were still alive during this time, and were able to recall what happened, and the result is a fascinating, detailed document, starting with the formation of the Squadron in Texas, right up to the Armistice and beyond. Although no official photographer ever visited the 17th, detective work deduced that the one person who did not appear in the mass of photographs that surfaced, must be the man who took them all, and he, too, was traced and his story recorded.

And this is one of the beauties of this book: none of the pictures are at all familiar - there is even one of Mannock that I have not seen before. There are also excellent maps throughout the text. Coupled with a brilliant day by day description of squadron life, which highlights the different attitude the Americans had to the rest of the Allies, and minute descriptions of all the men who served in the squadron, this is a worthy addition to your bookshelf.