Aeronaut books The Blue Max Airmen - Vol 7 - Aeronaut Books

[Fran]

The Blue Max Airmen

(German Airmen awarded the Pour le Mérite)

Bernert|Schaefer|Wolff

Vol. 7

 

 

Aeronaut Books

Author: Lance J. BRonnenkant, Phd

ISBN: 978193881377

Price tag: £ 19.99(plus shipping)

 

Aeronaut Books is a born child of Jack Herris and their goal is to ensure that all types of WW1 aircraft are documented.

All the titles from Aeronaut Books are POD (Print on Demand) to allows to make all the books financially feasible.

Aeronaut goal is to ensure that all types of WW1 aircraft are documented.

When Jack Herris owned Flying Machines, it was published Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War One, French Aircraft of the First World War, British Airplanes 1914-1918 so those are covered. In late 2014, was published American Military Aircraft 1908-1919 and Icarus Press published Russian Aeroplanes 1914-1918 and Flying Machines also published The Imperial Russian Air Service about 1995, so Russian airplanes are covered.

So Jack is long and reputed WWI historian, so my expectation from Aeronaut books was really high.

 

If you go to Amazon their synopses is a quite complete one:

 

“The Blue Max Airmen series is the real story of the German airmen awarded the Pour le Mérite during the Great War. Author Lance J. Bronnenkant, PhD., and Aeronaut Books are pleased to bring you the most detailed and graphically lavish account of these heroes ever produced, covering the men in context with the war’s chronology of events. For each recipient a comprehensive, well-illustrated biography of the man is given, together with photos of the aircraft he flew, followed by details of his service, including other awards won. Color profiles of the aircraft are also provided for interest to enthusiasts and as references for modelers. Volume 7 covers three fighter aces, Otto Bernert, Emil Schaefer, and Kurt Wolff. Volume 7 includes 133 photographs, 4 of them in color, and 12 color profiles of aircraft flown by these men in its 118 pages.”

 

Let`s see if it´s in fact all that!!

 

 

The series already goes on the 7 volume.

The cover and back cover are in very nice satin paper with very good colouration and the rest of the book is in paperback.

 

 

(I just love this Bernert`s Pup profile)

 

The goal of the series is to show up the real history of German airmen awarded the “Pour le Mérit” during the Great war.

We could think that the resume their study to their wins but no… its more than that.

 

This volume covers 3 fighters aces  - Otto Bernert, Emil Schaefer and Kurt Wolff.

 

To each of the aces, the content to each one is versed in man, used aircraft, the military service and the victory list.

 

 

The text is quite fluent and attractive pulling the reader's curiosity to an eager and always attractive reading.

In the chapter "The man" several photographs of ace in pose and in the company of his squad friends with historical background of youth and early carries in aviation.

The whole story in war, accidents / slaughters, injuries, evolution and squad transfers and reports on the person of the obtained victories or a report by the ace himself are clearly portrayed in this chapter with an interesting and well-structured narrative.

 

 

This is accompanied with photographs of the time, well framed and depicting periods of life ace in question, even from their own funeral or pics of the crash after being shoot down (this with the report of their last fly).

 

 

(Emil Schaefer corpse on the wreckage of his Red Albatros D. III)

 

 

 

[Wolff funeral after being shoot down in the Fokker F.1 102/17 at 15^th September of 1917 (while the previous “owner”, Manfred Van Richthofen was away in leave)]

 

This is main chapter of each ace, because bring us, in a brief but comprehensive history, with their main victory, when they received the “Pour the Mérit” and the questions and uncertain, quite typical of this period of time.

 

 

 

 

However the author do not leave the reader without an answer as he indeed points which way and the most credible story and the reasons why has this opinion.

 

 

The aircraft chapter has very good profiles of the machines in the battle front and more important, real photos of the aircraft with the each one of the aces.

 

 

(Emil Schaefer Albatros D. III)

 

 

(Wolff Fokker Fokker F.1 102/17 in which lost his life)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Theses photo are simply fantastic looking pictures that have an historical value unmeasured.

 

 

There`s a lot more….. believe me.

The Military Service is a chronological list of the most important dates in the military ace in question, from promotions, Jasta squadron changes and moves and death.

 

The Victory list is, as the name report, a list of victories with the date and downed plane with very comprehensive information.

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

This was my first contact with Aeronaut Books… And I must say, this is a killer to any WWI modeller. It’s all there like Amazon says.

 

It has fantastic photographs, accompanied by a fluid and clear text that captures the reader's attention, becoming a really nice and easy book to read. The only little lowdown to some is the paper back but in this book at this price tag and subject, this is not a relevant or a defect.

 

This “Blue Max Airmen” series is dedicated to German airmen that were awarded with "The Pour Le Mérite", now in its seventh volume and I can assure you that I have to get all the others, because it is inspiring for modeller and enriching for the historian.

It’s a TOTALLY MUST HAVE! So go ahead and treat yourself.

 

VERY Highly Recommend

 

Francisco Guedes

 

Our thanks to the Jack Herris and Aeronaut Books for this review sample and all the support.

 

 

To purchase this directly, click THIS link.

 

If you found this review helpful and decide to purchase this product, please tell them you read about it at Large Scale Modeller!

 

Disclaimer: all photos all in low quality to preserve and prevent all copyright.

[JeroenPeters]

Nice one!

Some cool photo's in there.

Lovely.

[Fran]

JP Thanks!

Is in fact one great book! i now need to get all other 6...