"It is now seven weeks since the dispatches from Paris reported that Stuart Walcott was attacked by three German airplanes and brought down behind the German lines, after he himself had brought down a German plane in his first combat on December 12, 1917, and that it was feared he had been killed; but even now, after the lapse of nearly two months, it is not definitely known whether his fall proved fatal, or whether the earnest hope of his friends that he is still alive may be realized."

Aerial Warfare Archives: 27 Must-Have Books assembles a capacious documentary and literary record of flight's transformation into an instrument of modern war. Ranging from memoir, battlefield narrative, technical reflection, reportage, adventure writing, and retrospective history, the volume captures both the exhilaration of aviation and its grave human costs. Accounts associated with pioneering fighter tactics and the celebrated culture of the flying ace stand beside less familiar perspec...

Aviation Enthusiast's Library: 37 Books on Airplanes gathers a capacious body of early and popular aeronautical writing, tracing flight from technical curiosity to emblem of modern adventure. Its selections range across instructional exposition, engineering-minded description, speculative fiction, juvenile adventure, travel narrative, and popular science. Together, these works register the exhilaration and uncertainty of aviation's formative public culture, where the airplane appears vario...

"Above the French Lines" by Stuart Walcott is a compelling narrative that delves into the complexities of war and the human experience. The story follows a group of soldiers as they navigate the challenges of combat, camaraderie, and the harsh realities of life on the front lines. Walcott's vivid descriptions and character development bring the emotional weight of their experiences to life, allowing readers to connect deeply with the struggles and triumphs of the characters. The book captu...

In "Above the French Lines," Stuart Walcott delivers a gripping narrative that intertwines the epic struggles of World War I with the intimate tales of the soldiers fighting in the trenches. With a distinctive prose style that blends lyrical descriptions with stark realism, Walcott immerses readers in the emotional and psychological landscapes of his characters. Set against the backdrop of the relentless technological and human devastation of the Great War, this novel explores themes of lo...

A collection of letters written by Stuart Walcott while training to be an aviator in France to prepare for combat. Walcott died in his first aerial combat after first downing a German bi-plane. - Summary by KevinS

The Lafayette Escadrille was a legendary fighter squadron of the French Air Service in World War I. It was founded in 1916 as the Escadrille Américaine, around a core group of brave young American pilots who had volunteered to fight for France. Their well-publicized exploits helped tip American public opinion towards joining the Great War, and have been the subject of many subsequent books and films. These are the original memoirs of the squadron commander, and run from its founding, throu...

In this brilliant book of recollection, one of America's finest writers re-creates people, places, and events spanning some fifty years, bringing to life an entire era through one man's sensibility. Scenes of love and desire, friendship, ambition, life in foreign cities and New York, are unforgettably rendered here in the unique style for which James Salter is widely admired.Burning the Days captures a singular life, beginning with a Manhattan boyhood and then, sat...

"The compelling story of the squadron of adventurous young American pilots who were among the first to engage in air combat." — Tampa Bay TimesIn First to Fly, lauded historian Charles Bracelen Flood draws on rarely seen primary sources to tell the story of the daredevil Americans of the Lafayette Escadrille, who flew in French planes, wore French uniforms, and showed the world an American brand of heroism before the United States entered the Grea...

The dramatic experiences of an ambulance driver in the Great War, told through personal correspondence and photographs.Though the United States was late to enter the Great War, a number of idealistic young Americans wished to take part from the beginning. One of these was Avery Royce Wolf, a highly educated scion of a family in America's burgeoning industrial heartland.Volunteering as an ambulance driver with the French Army in the Verdun sector, Royce sent...

What Manfred von Richthofen was to Germany, Albert Ball was to Great Britain: each, at the time, was the star turn of his country and Richthofen would describe Ball as 'by far the best English flying man'. When Ball was killed in May 1917, during a dogfight with Richthofen's Jasta 11, his body was buried with full military honours, and when the death was announced it was international news. This seminal biography of Ball was first released after his death and features tributes by then Prim...

A WW II EXPERIENCE OF AIR FORCE P.O.W.s IN GERMANY Like many WWII veterans, Richard Matheis had not discussed the details of his WWII flying experiences with either family or friends. All wanted more details as everyone was intrigued about this amazing part of his life. Following a great deal of cajoling by children and grandchildren--little by little a timeline of his very personal memories began to seep out. Pictures are included.