This is Franks’ sixth book for Osprey (fifth on Aces) and the latest of more than 40 overall. It follows the by now familiar format of these very agreeable volumes, and lives up to the reputation of both author and series. More than 5490 Camels were constructed which accounted for 1294 enemy aircraft between June 1917 and the end of the war. Originally ordered for the RNAS, it was the first Allied fighter to have two machine guns synchronised to fire through the propeller, and was a beast to fly after the more docile Pup. However, once mastered, it was a deadly fighting machine and has to be one of the most famous aircraft of World War I, accounting for Manfred von Richtofen, or at the very least was in at his death, and on two occasions six kills in a single day.

All the Aces are given a short biography with excellent photographs, there are 50 profiles by Harry Dempsey, an Index and a lot of first hand recollections from the brave men who flew Camels. However, according to his log book, Flt Lt W.M. Alexander never flew Camel B6289 of Naval 10 (page 41 of the text and related profile 33) but it was flown by FSL H.L. Nelson, and had chequerboard wheel covers, not the star as shown. 

This noted, it is amazing how much information has been crammed into less than 100 pages. Many books have been written on this charismatic aircraft, and the men who flew them. This one is as good as any.