RAF_Louvert 101 Posted February 18, 2011 . Greetings All, Right now on eBay the Battery Press is offering it's seven-volume hard cover reprint of Raleigh and Jones "The War in the Air: The Part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force". Price: $199.95 US dollars. Here is the link: "The War in the Air" They currently have over 10 sets available. Let me say, this is the best price I have ever seen for the entire reprint of this absolute definitive work on the subject. Here is a brief synopsis of some of what you will find in this massive set, (courtesy of the Byrd Aviation Books website): Vol. I Deals with the beginnings of the navigation of the air, the invention, gradual improvements, aerial forces of the British Empire, achievements in 1914. Vol. II Dardanelles Campaign, Western Front to Battle of Loos, Battle of Somme 1916, RNAS. Vol. III Flying Operations in German East & Southwest Africa, air raids on Great Britain 1914-1916, supply, recruitment & training 1914-1916, Western Front, Battle of Arras, 1917. Vol. IV Aircraft with the Fleet 1917-1918, U-boat Warfare, Naval Air Operations from Dunkirk, Battle of Messines, Battle of Ypres, German Offensive, First Battles of Somme, Battles of Lys. Vol. V Raids on Great Britain, Air Operations in Egypt, Darfur & Palestine, Fall of Jerusalem, Campaign in Mesopotamia, Air Operations in Macedonia, Naval Air Operations in Mediterranean & Near-Eastern Waters. Vol. VI Creation of RAF, Supply, Manpower, Independent Bombing Force, Operations in Palestine, Mesopotamia, Persia & India, Italian Front, Mediterranean in 1918, Naval Air Development & Operations, 1918. Appendices Describing in detail the war effort of the British air weapons, includes numerous tables and charts. What the reprint does not have are the map cases that accompany Volumes III and V, and the only way you will ever get those is to purchase the original Oxford University Press edition printed between 1922-1937. Keep in mind that said original sets cost between $1,200 and $2,500 depending on condition. While I am extremely lucky to own one of the near-mint, complete, original sets that used to reside in the RUSI at Whitehall, few others are so fortunate. However, if you do happen to purchase one of these reprints and during the course of your studies find you need one of the accompanying maps, I might be persuaded to scan and assemble an electronic copy of said map, (there are more than 50 such maps and many are quite large, so I won't be doing the entire set for you, but I would do one or two here and there as needed). If you are looking for the best single information resource concerning the RFC/RNAS/RAF in the Great War, this is it hands down. Cheers! Lou . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bullethead 12 Posted February 18, 2011 Right now on eBay the Battery Press is offering it's seven-volume hard cover reprint of Raleigh and Jones "The War in the Air: The Part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force". Price: $199.95 US dollars. Here is the link: Damn, that's very tempting.... And my birthday's coming up. But I know I'd never read the whole thing, and my owning it would remove it from the hands of somebody who'd really use it. So I'll pass. Thanks for the offer, though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Panama Red 22 Posted February 18, 2011 Thanks for the link, just bought my set (one down and nine to go) and you are correct, it's quite a bargain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasse Wind 46 Posted February 18, 2011 They are great books and contain so much historical information that it would be pointless trying to remember it all. A couple of years ago I bought them as paperback reprints, for a very reasonable price. Definitely more than worth their price. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted February 20, 2011 . Well done Panama Red, I hope you refer to the set as often over time as I have. And my offer about the map scan still stands, so if you or Hasse Wind, (or anyone else with this set), need a chart or two just let me know. Bullethead, the same company is offering the equally complete set on WWI naval operations as well, if you're interested Sir. WWI Naval Operations 5 Volume Set Nearly as much reading here though, so the time issue may still be the same for you. . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasse Wind 46 Posted February 20, 2011 Damn! That's a nice set of books and I've always been interested in those histories. But I imagine the shipping costs to Finland would be millions, and I really need to save money for a new PC. Thanks for the map offer, Lou. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cptroyce 0 Posted February 20, 2011 Lou- Thanks for posting this thread. I wasn't aware of Battery Press and the histories they reprint. What a trove! Not sure if I have the time now to indulge in a multi volume history of British aviation..but I may buy them to have for when I have more "study time". Have an interest in the Victorian wars as well, and see that there is some offerings there too. Thanks for the heads up. Royce Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bullethead 12 Posted February 21, 2011 Bullethead, the same company is offering the equally complete set on WWI naval operations as well, if you're interested Sir. WWI Naval Operations 5 Volume Set Nearly as much reading here though, so the time issue may still be the same for you. Oh no, I HAVE to read stuff like this for my game job :). Thanks muchos! Ordered already. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted February 21, 2011 . You are more than welcome Gents, happy to help. Bullethead, I had a hunch the "Naval Operations" set might be something you could make use of, given the sim project you've been working on. Also, once you receive the books and see what is included in terms of the maps you might want to consider the following two additional purchases as well: Map Set to Volume I Map Set to Volume III The first set has 18 maps and the second has another 46 maps. If memory serves there are two more map cases that accompanied the original book set, and if I happen to run across those for sale at a reasonable price I will get you the links. Cheers! Lou . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 21, 2011 (edited) Seeing such books offered, and then their prices, I am always feeling like Tevje, the milkman: "If I were a rich man... Teebideebideebideebi - Teebeedeebideebi-Dum!" Edited February 21, 2011 by Olham Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasse Wind 46 Posted February 21, 2011 That's true, Olham. Books can be an expensive hobby. I often feel exactly like that myself. I wonder why they don't reprint the map volumes? Won't they sell enough? My War in the Air has all the other volumes, but not any special map books. There are maps sprinkled among the text though, but I guess the actual map volumes have better quality and bigger maps. Unless they scanned the maps and included them in the reprint (not very likely). My version is by the Imperial War Museum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 21, 2011 I guess, the maps are in colour? That makes a book all with colour maps quite expensive to print. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasse Wind 46 Posted February 21, 2011 Yeah, you must be right Olham. Lou, you have the original books. Are the map volumes printed in colour? Are they thick? If they are, they alone must be more expensive than the rest of the books put together! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted February 21, 2011 . Yes Gents, the maps are in color and are quite large. Here is a scanned example of just one of the dozens of maps included in the two map cases that accompanied the original set of books: As you can see, there is a great deal of additional information and detail found on these. Cheers! Lou . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasse Wind 46 Posted February 21, 2011 Okay, that proves Olham was indeed right. A beautiful map. Thanks for posting it, Lou. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 21, 2011 When you have ever been to the English countryside, you wouldn't understand, how anyone could throw bombs on there. Sightseeing: yes - bombs: never! Good, that they weren't very successful - 1 person killed and a damage worth only 599 Pounds cannot have been worth sending out 5 Luftschiffe and putting them at such risk. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasse Wind 46 Posted February 21, 2011 It was not necessary to cause heavy damage and numerous casualties - the bombings of British targets forced the British to devote considerable resources into creating a major air defense organisation that employed a large number of people and required massive material resources. All those men and resources could have been used on the front directly against the Germans if there had been no bombings. The same happened in Germany during WW2. The air defense measures put a heavy strain on the already limited German resources, and of course the bombings themselves were much more destructive than any strategic bombing of WW1. Strategic bombing always has both direct and indirect consequences. The direct ones are always more visible, but not necessarily more important than the indirect ones. This was the case in WW1. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 21, 2011 Ah, I see - I don't seem to be quite the strategist. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasse Wind 46 Posted February 21, 2011 You're a hot-headed fighter pilot. You're not supposed to be a strategist. Strategy is boring and should be left to the old mustachioed men with strange Prussian von names and wearing Pickelhauben. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest British_eh Posted February 23, 2011 Hi there, Why did I have to read this?????????????? No birthday in sight, not Christmas, no, no, no. It's not fair. OK, thanks for the link. I'll have to check the kids piggy bank while they are at school tomorrow :) Cheers, British_eh Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
