Christopher Shores - Aviation Historian

[Russell]

Dear all,

I am sad to to pass on the news that Chris Shores the renowned avaition historian passed away on Wednesday 23 October 2024, after a lengthy illness. He was 87. He is survived by his wife and three children and his many grandchildren.

May he rest in peace, safe in the knowledge that he has left behind a monumental body of work in his approximately 90 published books, often translated into many languages.

His signature innovations were the detailed biographical study of fighter aces and his campaign series covering the air foces of all countries in WW II, for all aerial campaigns outside of the United KIngdom. He also wrote on RFC/RNAS/RAF aces of WW I. He found it slightly amusing that of all his books the only one that has not gone out of print was Those Other Eagle, his biographical compendium of fighter pilots of the RAF who were NOT aces.

Russell

[BrianC]

RIP Chris

Brian

[Steve Coates]

Russell

Sorry to hear this. He was not only a very nice person but also an indefatigable researcher and there are many on this board who owe him an immense debt of gratitude.

Steve

[Chris Goss]

One of the first bits of advice he gave me 30 years ago was the first time he knew his daughters had grown up was when he was walking them down the aisle. He strongly suggested I do not make the same mistake. Sad loss

[Nick Hector]

A massive loss to the Aviation Historical Research community, as saddening as the passing of Frank Olynyk...

[Martin Gleeson]

I am very sorry to learn of the passing of Chris Shores. I have always regarded him as the pre-eminent aviation historian. The amount of work he – and many of his co-authors, including some on this thread – carried out is hard to comprehend, much of it in a pre-digital age. He also lived at a time when it was possible to meet many of the aces and other aviators from all over the globe.

One of his works was responsible indirectly for me getting on the research trail over 35 years ago. I can say it changed my life in a positive way.

Rest in peace Mr. Shores.

Martin Gleeson.

PS. I have often wondered why he and other aviation, naval and military researchers and historians who have contributed so much to public knowledge, of a type that official bodies and governments are unable to, have not received state awards or recognition (Jim Halley and Ray Sturtivant aside).

[Adriano Baumgartner]

A SAD loss indeed.
RIP "Old Eagle" and thank you for so much lovely books.
Martin Gleeson, I do agree with you....paraphrasing Churchill "never in the field of Military History" so many owed so much to so few (Historians like him).

[FalkeEins]

French-language obituaries are referring to Chris Shores as the last of the 'greats'.. after Olynyk and Franks. His last-published work was 'Batailles Aeriennes' No. 100 from Lela Presse on the combats over Kos and Leros in the eastern Aegean (Dodecanese) during September-November 1943 following the Italian change-of-sides.

[Chris Goss]

Martin: Someone needs to nominate you for such an award as opposed to the government awarding. Example is Dilip Sarkar who apparently got it for services to aviation history nominated by Lady Bader without the knowledge of the AHB

[James A Pratt III]

RIP Chris I have read many of the books he has written over the years and found them usefull and informative