A detailed study of one of the greatest warplanes in aeronautical history, made famous by Manfred von Richthofen and other leading German aces. This profusely illustrated book includes a brief outline of the history of the Fokker company, the development of the Triplane, its initial employment and its subsequent use over the front line. There is also an analysis of unit and individual markings. A leading reference work on the subject. Includes 250 b&w photos, b&w drawings and illustrations, maps, and 30 color aircraft artworks by noted aviation illustrator Harry Dempsey.

This book presents the evolution and development of perhaps the most iconic German fighter of WWI--the Fokker Dr. 1 triplane or "Dreidecker." The Dr. 1 was born from experiments in cantilever monoplanes and the excellent combat record of the Sopwith triplane, which appeared at the western front at the end of 1916. Only 320 Fokker Dr.1s were built, yet their imprint on aviation history was and is far reaching and enduring--perhaps due to those who flew them. Baron Manfred von Richthofen and his brother Lothar, as well as Werner Voss, Ernst Udet, and many others, all flew the triplane, helping burnish their image in collective memory. This book highlights the design and construction of the legendary Dr. 1, as well as showcasing many flying replicas and where they can be found. Also included are selected museums from around the world where Dr. 1s can currently be seen.

This book is written by the Red Baron, the famous German flying ace of the Great War who was credited with 80 combat victories in flying battles. It is an autobiography, talking about his early life and love of horses and dogs, and his family. A fascinating insight into a famous figure.

This hardbound volume examines the role of Anthony Fokker's inventive company at the dawn of aerial combat. Fokker monoplanes were the first aircraft to be armed with a machine gun synchronized to fire through the propeller. These Fokkers took a heavy toll on Allied planes over the Western Front during the Fokker scourge of 1915-1916. Fokker also produced the Red Baron's famous triplane and many other notable World War I aircraft. Hardcover - 8-1/2" x 11" - 192 pages - 300 b/w

Three Wings for the Red Baron explores the career of Manfred von Richthofen, top fighter pilot in the Imperial German Air Service during the First World War, and tells the story of his famous three-winged airplane, the Fokker Triplane. A descendant of prosperous landowners, Baron von Richthofen was no revolutionary. And yet, while seeking to fit in with his peers, he was often driven to move into new directions dictated by personal logic. Trained for the cavalry, he switched to the Air Service when machine guns doomed the fate of the horse soldier: if he were to die, it must not be a pointless death. As a flier, having to overcome a lack of talent for aerobatic maneuvering, he chose the duel as a role model: pilot versus pilot. He learned that much could be achieved with a powerful single-seater machine against a low powered and poorly maneuvering enemy two-seater. This became Richthofen's preferred form of combat, leading to an extraordinary series of victories. With the advent of fully aerobatic combat, Richthofen was forced to rethink his approach. The chance sighting of an agile British Sopwith Triplane demanded a fresh response. He enlisted the services of Anthony Fokker to design a competing German Triplane. This machine, the Red Baron's Three Wings, led to his final victories, and to his death. His death was unclear. Within the time span of minutes he was fired on from three different sources: fighter pilot Roy Brown, several ground based anti-aircraft machine gunners, and numerous infantry riflemen. One succeeded, but who? Fresh examination of the available evidence suggests that the unknown rifleman possibility deserves more attention. While not conclusive, much aerodynamic and probability reasoning favors the rifleman version. Strangely, a thorough examination of the triplane's characteristics by the British Sopwith, the French SPAD, the USA Curtiss and MIT revealed little that was praiseworthy. If anything, the six wingtips were a sure sign of high drag and a corresponding low speed. The resulting British rejection of the concept seems understandable. Yet in Fokker's hands, three wings, aided by fat airfoils and low weight design, supplied superb maneuverability. His design approach is fully detailed in the book. The special tactics employed by the Red Baron were crucial to the success of his Three Wings, in particular those downplaying speed and stressing agility. Numerous sketches included in the book serve to make the Red Baron's combat tactics clear. Three Wings for the Red Baron represents an important contribution to the study of the Red Baron and WWI aerial combat tactics.

Volume 53 in this series covered Fokker D VII aces from the four elite Jagdgeschwadern of the German army, and this follow-on volume charts the story of the many aces who flew the famed fighter in other units committed to combat in the final months of World War 1. D VII operations covered the entire Western Front, from the North Sea to the Swiss border. In the latter half of 1918 the Fokker was not only the mainstay of the army Jagdstaffeln, but also the most potent fighter flown by home defence Kests and the pilots of the German navy in Flanders. The D VII easily proved the equal of the many British, French, Belgian and American aircraft it met in combat, and served in such roles as day bomber interceptor, 'balloon buster' and nightfighter. Though handicapped by a lack of fuel and other supplies as the German war machine fell apart, aces such as Sachsenberg, Degelow and Rumey utilised the D VII to rack up impressive scores against consistently superior odds.

Nineteen-year-old Werner Voss was a legend in his own lifetime and the youngest recipient of the Pour le Merite, Germany's highest award for bravery in World War I. At the time of his death, he was considered by many, friend and foe alike, to be Germany's greatest fighter ace. Had he lived, he would almost certainly have overtaken Manfred von Richthofen's victory total by early spring 1918. Voss is perhaps best remembered for his outstanding courage, his audacity in the air and the prodigious number of victories he achieved before being killed in one of the most famous dogfights of the Great War; a fight involving James McCudden and 56 Squadron RFC, the most successful Allied scout squadron. The life of Voss and the events of that fateful day are surrounded by mystery and uncertainty and even now aviation enthusiasts continue to ask questions about him. The author set out to find out the truth about the fighter ace and analysed every scrap of information he could find about him.