Italian Aviation in the First World War

[Stig Jarlevik]

Since I am pretty interested in early Italian aviation I wonder if any member has ordered/received
any of the above three titles

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Italian-Avi...53201792&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Italian-Avi...53201806&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Italian-Avi...53201814&psc=1

Vol 2 and 3 seems to have received one review (extremely bad ones) while vol 1 also is listed
having one review, but when checking there is nothing there.

Since Amazon seems to have some kind of exclusive rights for Aeronaut Books in Europe
(Print by demand?) I am puzzled why they are listed as currently unavailable.

Appreciate if someone can give me an update

Cheers
Stig

[musec04]

Hi Stig,

I have these volumes. I've not checked the Amazon reviews you mention,but I can confirm that you should think very hard before spending any money on these. I was particularly disapointed as I'd expected more from James Davilla based on the French Aircraft of WWI.

Volume One Operations is arguably the least poor of the three volumes,though I think you could get most of the information from Italian Wikipedia using search engine translation.That seems to have been lifted wholesale from Gentile and Varriale's I Reparti. I'm really not sure that Volume I adds much to this.Another element where little is added is the photographs, most of which seem very familiar.

I was most interested in Volumes 1 & 2 when I purchased. What a disappointment! My comments concerning photos in volume I also apply to the two succeeding volumes. As you know my main interest in Italian WW.I aviation is aircraft serials and nothing is added here in comparison to the various WDFs. In fact the serial information seems to have been lifted wholesale from the WDFs with no thought applied to whether the information is accurate or not. My overall impression of these volumes is that they add nothing new and no new research has been done. Save your money.

Regards,

Clint

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Clint

Not sure if I mentioned it, but I was very disappointed that my friend Gregory Alegi was not tasked
to do these books.

Very sorry to learn you had to waste your own money buying them, but very grateful to get the
information supplied!!

Cheers
Stig

[Jim Oxley]

That is indeed very disappointing news, on the quality of the books.

James Davilla did an exceptional job on French Aircraft of the First World War

[musec04]

Jim, yes that fact that James Davilla had done such an excellent job on French Aircraft of the First World War certainly increased my sense of disappointment. The same publisher too.Unfortunately when French Aircraft of the First World War and Austro Hungarian Aircraft of World War One,also a great book were published,fewer but better books were released. Now it is very much hit and miss.


Picking up on Stig's point about Gregory Alergi,I too think an Italian writer would have been preferable and I've been favourably impressed by Paolo Varriale in earlier works. Looking at Aeronaut's output it seems that some of the better works published have beeen by writers with a native background in relation to the subject covered David Mechin's work Oriental Adventures of the French Air Force and the book by Breuer and Waiss The Kaisers Flyers in Macedonia were both good as are the volumes released so far covering Jasta colours.This is not to say that none native writers haven't produced some good work.Colin Owers two volumes on Junkers aircraft are good and show research.


Where Aeronaut fall down in my eyes is in there preparedness to publish books containing little to zero original research,which given the price of the volumes on Italian aircraft is unacceptable. I might say the same about their first volume on Halberstadt aircraft.Still they've published a second edition of Aviatik aircraft.Dare one hope that one day they will do Italian aircraft of World War One the justice they deserve?


Regards,


Clint

[musec04]

Stig,

For your information:Italian Aviation Units in the First World War: Volume 1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/19532019...s%2C138&sr=8-3

The first of five volumes apparently.Based on,or in fact even a translation of, Gentilli and Varriale's I Reparti dell'aviazione Italiane nella Grande Guerra, which I think you already own. However, that book numbers 491 pages including the index whereas this first volume has 262.

TBH my trust in Aeronaut publishing is not particularly pronounced and not only due to the Davilla volumes.If you or anyone else decides to go ahead and purchase this volume I'd be very interested in your impressions as in the Who's words personally I 'Won't Get Fooled Again'. A pity it has come to this.

Regards,

Clint

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi Clint

I confess this volume looks interesting. I do have Gentilli/Varriale's Italian book, but to get a translation is
(I hope) worth the expenditure.

With regard to Waiss The Kaisers Flyers in Macedonia it is actually one of the worst aviation books
I ever purchased. The photos are OK, but the text is an endless story about the ground fighting and
diplomatic discussions between the leaders from the countries involved. Probably terrific if that
is your interest. Only the appendices is about aviation related matters.
The text is even duplicated at some points which didn't make me any happier...

Cheers
Stig

[Edward]

Are there any strong opinions on Gentilli's 2003 book for Schiffer?

Italian Aces of World War I and Their Aircraft
(Schiffer Military History 2003)
by Roberto Gentilli, Antonio Iozzi and Paolo Varriale
496 pages w/ b&w photos and color profiles

"For the first time, a detailed history of a little known aspect of the Great War in the air: the forty-two Italian aces. From legendary personalities such as Francesco Baracca and Scaroni to completely forgotten aces, each biography details their personalities, and their combat careers during and after the war. Charts report all their victories, with careful cross-referencing to Austrian and German losses. An introduction puts the air war on the Italian front in perspective, showing the development and actions of the Italian air force including many orders of battle, and brief histories of all fighter squadrons. Over 500 previously unpublished photographs from private sources, as well as twenty-four pages of color profiles of Nieuports, Spads, Hanriots and Macchis provide a stunning visual complement for the historian and modeler."

[musec04]

Stig,


If you do go ahead and buy a copy, I'd be very interested in a view from yourself with regards to the number of new photos both with regard to the Italian original and more broadly. Looking at the Amazon page I linked to,the written content in so far as it is possible to judge from just the contents list for the five volumes doesn't at least appear to vary much,but again if there is much new material, obviously it might twist my arm towards buying.


Edward,


I like the Fighter aces book. Not sure if you've checked out the content,but the format after the introduction,which contains among other things, very brief histories of the Italian fighter squadrons, is pretty uniform with each ace having a few pages of biography and tables showing details for the aircraft in which he achieved his victories and the enemy aircraft he shot down as well as the time & place.As a person interested particularly in serials, I might wish that more serials were known for the Italian aircraft,the aircraft they shot down is slighly better.But at least a starting point is provided.All of the preceding is accompanied by nice large photos of the Italian fighter aircraft for each ace.The book is rounded off by the colour profiles section. So what are you looking for in a book with this title?


Regards,


Clint

[Jukka Juutinen]

Originally Posted by musec04

Stig,


If you do go ahead and buy a copy, I'd be very interested in a view from yourself with regards to the number of new photos both with regard to the Italian original and more broadly. Looking at the Amazon page I linked to,the written content in so far as it is possible to judge from just the contents list for the five volumes doesn't at least appear to vary much,but again if there is much new material, obviously it might twist my arm towards buying.


Edward,


I like the Fighter aces book. Not sure if you've checked out the content,but the format after the introduction,which contains among other things, very brief histories of the Italian fighter squadrons, is pretty uniform with each ace having a few pages of biography and tables showing details for the aircraft in which he achieved his victories and the enemy aircraft he shot down as well as the time & place.As a person interested particularly in serials, I might wish that more serials were known for the Italian aircraft,the aircraft they shot down is slighly better.But at least a starting point is provided.All of the preceding is accompanied by nice large photos of the Italian fighter aircraft for each ace.The book is rounded off by the colour profiles section. So what are you looking for in a book with this title?


Regards,


Clint

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