The friendless sky

Alexander McKee is a fine historical writer. He generally deals with war as people (on all sides) found it, not, as he says in another book, with "the chess game side of war" as seen by generals. And he brings his own dry humour and sharp, often cynical or controversial insights into this account of the early years of air to air combat. WW1 air buffs will recognise some of the material already - for example, incidents recorded by von Richthofen in "Die Rote Kampfflieger" or by "Vigilant" in "German Warbirds"; but even here, McKee adds a fresh touch in the re-telling. Other accounts will be new to most. The book gets your attention right from the start, as Leutnant Schroeder takes over at an observation post near the front line in time to see the Red Baron send his 56th victim down in flames, watching in horror thru the telescope as the crew jump or are thrown out, arms outstretched as they tumble to the ground, without parachutes. It's all here. All but those who've really "read everything" on the subject will find much new stuff here and even what's not new is finely re-told. Eschwege, the Eagle of the Aegean, and his fatal obsession with balloon-busting; the brilliant but unstable Navarre, also seen thru an acount by a 2-seater observer he attacked; the incredibily adaptive Australians; the Zeppelins and the Gothas. Brancker and the BE2s; Immelmann, Boelcke, Lufberry, Prince, Fonck, McCudden, Strange. McKee,in his customary, bitter-sweet way, less dry than Ryan or melodramatic than Ambrose, assembles an impressive range of personal experiences, and using his own sharp but human obsrvations and insights, weaves them into a truly memorable history of WW1 air fighting, as they air fighters experienced it. My 1974 NEL paperback is a treasured possession. Not a map or photo in sight but the images McKee's narrative leaves in your mind's eye are as vivid as anything ever caught on camera or canvas. The writer's style lifts this book above other more recent writing on the subject; it matters very little if recent research has more or less planes were lost in this or that fight. McKee has captured the very spirit of those distant days, and portrayed it in very human terms. Very highly recommended.