Strike from the Air

“Follows the development of US aviation from the captive balloons of the Civil War, through WWI and into the post war years . . . Highly Recommended.” —Firetrench

Strike from the Air looks at the early development of the U.S. military aviation branches, starting with the Civil War and moving to the first use of military aircraft during General Pershing’s pursuit of the revolutionary Pancho Villa. Before the country was drawn into the First World War, a number of Americans traveled to Europe to volunteer for the Lafayette Escadrille in France, as well as the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. Many of these men eventually joined the newly created United States Air Service, taking their valuable experience and knowledge with them. Among the notable early US aviators were individuals such as Eugene Bullard, the first African-American military pilot, and eccentric loners like Frank Luke. The part played by the US Navy and USMC is not neglected.

At the end of the First World War, a group of American pilots joined together to form the Kosciuszko Squadron that fought against the Russians in the Polish/Russian War. 

The final part of the book contains escape reports by USAS pilots and observers, which gives a real insight into the conditions they were subjected to in German prison camps during the First World War. To complete this fascinating look at those exciting and challenging early days, Strike from the Air includes approximately 250 photographs, many of which have ever been seen before.

“A remarkable book that shows just how difficult a start American military aviation endured.” —New York Journal of Books