Description
ABOUT THIS PRODUCT
Although the Russian Imperial Army Air Service consisted of no more than
four BAGs (Boevaya Aviatsionniy Gruppa - battle aviation groups), each
controlling three or four smaller AOIs (Aviatsionniy Otryad Istrebitelei -
fighter aviation detachments) equipped with a variety of aircraft types, its
fighter pilots nevertheless gave a good account of themselves. Indeed,
during three years of war they claimed more than 200 Austro-Hungarian and
German aircraft shot down, creating 13 aces - these elite aviators accounted
for around half of the victories claimed on the Eastern Front. Pilots flew a
variety of fighter types, with French Nieuport scouts and SPAD VIIs proving
to be the most popular, and effective, aeroplanes to see service on this
front. The exploits of these aces are detailed here, with information based
on material newly sourced by the author from Russian military and private
archives. Many previously unpublished photographs are used to illustrate
this book, supported by full-colour profiles that reveal how striking some
of the aces' fighters were in this often-forgotten theatre of World War 1.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Victor Kulikov has had a lifelong interest in Imperial Russian aviation in
World War 1, and has been particularly active in gathering information from
Russian archives. Many of his articles, devoted to the history of Imperial
Russian aviation, have been published in magazines in the UK (Windsock
International and Cross & Cockade), France (Avions and Aero-Journal), and
the USA (Over the Front, WW I Aero and Air Power History). He is also the
co-author of the volume Imperial Russian Air Forces, published by Flying
Machine Press in 1995.Berkshire-based Harry Dempsey is a talented profile
artist who specialises in fighter aircraft of World War 1. He has
illustrated all of Osprey's World War 1 Aircraft of the Aces titles to date.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Fighter aviation in Russia
Aces of the 1st BAG
Aces of the 7th AOI
Aces of the 9th AOI
Other Aces
Appendices
