Jack Herris

Part of an ever-expanding series covering German warplanes of the Great War, the particular virtues of this series is how each book puts a manufacturer, or given type of aircraft in its proper context. This is besides providing good color profiles and drawings of all the machines covered. Less good is that while the photos are well chosen, that this series is apparently print-on-demand means the reproduction values are not necessarily of the first order.

If I have a particular problem with show more the volume in question, it's that Herris doesn't draw any conclusions about whether the German armored warplanes were an influence on American experiments with comparable aircraft after the war. Still, I do expect to be acquiring further books by the author. show less

An effort to put into context the last wave of Second Reich fighter aircraft, this is a story of trying to achieve excellence under constraint, with the solution being using advanced aerodynamics to offset stagnant engine development. This is to be contrasted with the Entente tendency to marry more powerful engines to more routine airframes.

A typical production of this author which while I didn't mind buying on the cheap, I also suspect that I'd prefer his book devoted to just "G" bombers. There is the continued theme of how the stagnation of German aviation engine development held back their aviation efforts.

A useful picture guide to German Seaplanes of WW1. Includes a complete serials list, BUT no technical data, for that you need to look elsewhere.
If you don't want to go to the expense of buying all the Aeronaut individual manufacturer volumes try German Aircraft of the First World War (Putnam) by Peter Grey and Owen Thetford. A little dated (originally published in 1962, revised in 1970) but it remains a prime reference source.