No Parachute PB

Explore the thrilling saga of aerial combat in World War I with 'No Parachute PB'. This compelling paperback recounts the experience of young airmen who bravely took to the skies in their fragile aircraft, facing formidable foes in fierce dogfights. Author Arthur Gould Lee masterfully captures the stories of legendary aces such as Ball, Bishop, McCudden, Collishaw, and Mannock, alongside the countless unsung heroes of the Royal Flying Corps. Through poignant letters penned during the war, the narrative unveils the harrowing journey of a pilot evolving from a novice to a seasoned fighter, providing an unprecedented view into the daily challenges faced by these aviators. The vivid descriptions of intense air battles, including skirmishes with the infamous Richthofen Circus, make this a must-read for history buffs and aviation enthusiasts alike. With insightful appendices analyzing the tragic shortcomings of military leadership in not equipping airmen with necessary resources, like parachutes, this book not only pays tribute to their sacrifices but also raises critical questions about wartime command decisions. Dive into this timeless account, and appreciate the extraordinary courage of those who soared above the trenches, risking everything for the aerial supremacy of the skies during a pivotal moment in history. Perfect for readers interested in military history, aviation, and personal narratives from the Great War.

Author: Arthur Gould Lee Publisher: Grub Street
Bind: paperback
Dimensions: 135 x 210 mm
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 01-06-2018

From the young airmen who took their frail machines high above the trenches of World War I and fought their foes in single combat there emerged a renowned company of brilliant aces - among them Ball, Bishop, McCudden, Collishaw and Mannock - whose legendary feats have echoed down half a century. But behind the elite there were, in the Royal Flying Corps, many hundreds of other airmen who flew their hazardous daily sorties in outdated planes without ever achieving fame. Here is the story of one of these unknown flyers - a story based on letters written on the day, hot on the event, which tells of a young pilot’s progress from fledgling to seasoned fighter. His descriptions of air fighting, sometimes against the Richthofen Circus, of breathless dog-fights between Sopwith Pup and Albatros, are among the most vivid and immediate to come out of World War I. Gould Lee brilliantly conveys the immediacy of air war, the thrills and the terror, in this honest and timeless acount. Rising to the rank of air vice-marshal, Gould Lee never forgot the RFC’s needless sacrifices - and in a trio of trenchant appendices he examines, with the mature judgement of a senior officer of the RAF and a graduate of the Staff and Imperial Defence Colleges, the failure of the Army High Command to provide both efficient aeroplanes until mid-1917 and parachutes throughout the war, in addition to General Trenchard’s persistence in a costly and largely ineffective conception of the air offensive.