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#4225127 - 02/04/16 01:04 AM Recommended sources on WW1 tactics and history?  
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Akmatov Offline
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A book/website discussing the development of air fighting during WW1 would be very interesting. Also, a treatment of the WW1 history from an air perspective. I have a few books on WW1, but the air war is usually a brief chapter.

Just started The Aviator's Apprentice and a German tactic that is described sounds very like something the US aviators used in WW2 in the Pacific, the Boom and Zoom. Is this realistic or was the author confused?


Last edited by Akmatov; 02/04/16 01:08 AM.
#4225133 - 02/04/16 01:29 AM Re: Recommended sources on WW1 tactics and history? [Re: Akmatov]  
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Akmatov, for a fairly concise overview try, "The Great War In The Air: Military Aviation from 1909 to 1921", by John Morrow. Also, the slightly older work, "The Great Air War: The Men, the Planes, the Saga of Military Aviation, 1914-1918", by Aaron Norman. There are hundreds and hundreds of books about WWI aviation but one or both of these will get you started.

As to the BnZ being used in WWI, it most certainly was provided you had a plane capable of pulling it off, such as the SPAD XIII. However, the term "boom and zoom" would be anachronistic if used to describe the tactic in the Great War.

Oh, and new lads buy the drinks! cheers

Cheers!

Lou

.


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Three RFC Brass Hats were strolling down a street in London. Two walked into a bar, the third one ducked.
_________________________________________________________________________

Former Cold War Warrior, USAF Security Service 1974-1978, E-4, Morse Systems Intercept, England, Europe, and points above.
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#4225229 - 02/04/16 11:27 AM Re: Recommended sources on WW1 tactics and history? [Re: Akmatov]  
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I'm not sure that the term "Boom and Zoom" isn't anachronistic whatever the timeframe. wink

I've never heard it used nor read it outside flight sim discussions that I can recall. The more technical term would probably be "Energy Fighting" or in older use, "Bouncing", though that is probably more a WWII term.

But yeah, the idea of swooping in on an adversary at the very least has got to be as old as maneuvering air combat itself.

#4225233 - 02/04/16 11:52 AM Re: Recommended sources on WW1 tactics and history? [Re: Akmatov]  
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Deacon, I agree about the term "Boom and Zoom", and if it was/is used by actual combat pilots it is likely more recent. As for "bouncing", I have seen that term used on occasion in the writings of WWI pilots, though to be fair I would have to go back and see if those were contemporary writings or recollections penned years later. Either way, as you say, the tactic of swooping down on your opponent, hitting him with a volley, and using your energy to climb back up into a position of advantage, is one of the earliest air combat maneuvers.

.


[Linked Image]

Three RFC Brass Hats were strolling down a street in London. Two walked into a bar, the third one ducked.
_________________________________________________________________________

Former Cold War Warrior, USAF Security Service 1974-1978, E-4, Morse Systems Intercept, England, Europe, and points above.
"pippy-pahpah-pippy pah-pip-pah"

#4225344 - 02/04/16 05:35 PM Re: Recommended sources on WW1 tactics and history? [Re: Akmatov]  
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Akmatov Offline
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Somewhere or other I definately remember reading that an American pilot in the Pacific developed the Boom and Zoom technique so that the less maneuverable American fighters could defeat the incredibly nimble Japanese Zero. The text called it the Boom and Zoom, but, of course, that might have been the author's words, not those of contemporary pilots. And, ofc, the 'inventor' might have just been 're-marketing' an older WW1 technique for a then modern problem.

I think the book was Full Circle : The Tactics of Air Fighting 1914-1964 by J.E. Johnson.

Btw, on the topic of books, I'd highly recommend the novel I discovered last night: Winged Victory by Victor Yeates published in 1937. ". . . Victor Maslin Yeates, was a WW1 Sopwith Camel pilot who served on 46 and 80 Squadrons and whose novel Winged Victory is widely considered to be one of the classics on aerial warfare in the Great War."

There is a great description of the author going 'contour-chasing' - if you have ever seen a cat indulging in what is called the 'kitty cat crazies' zooming from place to place and ricocheting off furniture, imagine a young pilot harassing the the countryside and passing staff cars at basically null feet and full throttle.

" Serving with No. 46 Squadron, to which he was posted in February 1918. Yeates flew 248 hours in Sopwith Camels, crashed four times, was shot down twice and scored five victories thereby achieving "ace" status.[2]"

Last edited by Akmatov; 02/04/16 05:47 PM.
#4225556 - 02/05/16 02:03 AM Re: Recommended sources on WW1 tactics and history? [Re: Akmatov]  
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Akmatov, Yeates' "Winged Victory" has been discussed here numerous times over the years and it is indeed a must read, as is Arthur Gould Lee's "No Parachute", among others. If you want a list of recommended readings as regards the personal accounts of Great War pilots, just ask. You'll get many suggestions I've no doubt.

.


[Linked Image]

Three RFC Brass Hats were strolling down a street in London. Two walked into a bar, the third one ducked.
_________________________________________________________________________

Former Cold War Warrior, USAF Security Service 1974-1978, E-4, Morse Systems Intercept, England, Europe, and points above.
"pippy-pahpah-pippy pah-pip-pah"

#4225597 - 02/05/16 08:27 AM Re: Recommended sources on WW1 tactics and history? [Re: Akmatov]  
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Russkly Offline
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We put together a bibliography thread a while ago:

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3924229/Bibliography_Thread#Post3924229

It's in the FAQ & Reference section of this forum, if the link doesn't work.

R

#4225635 - 02/05/16 12:35 PM Re: Recommended sources on WW1 tactics and history? [Re: Akmatov]  
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Deacon211 Offline
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Akhmatova,

Interesting, I'll need to look up that book. I always assumed that "Boom and Zoom" was purely a sim community term. I flew in the '90s and we never used it there, but terms come and go and come to life again. Actually, after a generation or two of pilots who cut their teeth on Falcon and Red Baron, I wouldn't be surprised if the term was more common now than ever. Sort of life imitating art!

I can't remember if it was Jimmie Thatch who was the father of the "High Side Attack". He was certainly one of the group that developed things like it and the "Thatch Weave" to give the Wildcat pilots a chance against the Zero. The book Pacific Air is a great account of that development.

I'm sure it's in there already, but both Peter Hart's books: Bloody April and Aces Falling are great accounts of the war and very well written. Not exactly tactical, but you can glean a great deal from the innumerable quotes there.

#4226010 - 02/06/16 01:42 PM Re: Recommended sources on WW1 tactics and history? [Re: Akmatov]  
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Rob de Vries
#4226018 - 02/06/16 02:22 PM Re: Recommended sources on WW1 tactics and history? [Re: Akmatov]  
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Rob, the McMinnies' book referenced in that thread is one I've also been recommending for years. I even made it available in one of my library downloads over at CombatAce, quite some time ago now. Here is the link to those downloads for folks who might be interested:

WWI Aviation Book Sets

Happy reading!

.


[Linked Image]

Three RFC Brass Hats were strolling down a street in London. Two walked into a bar, the third one ducked.
_________________________________________________________________________

Former Cold War Warrior, USAF Security Service 1974-1978, E-4, Morse Systems Intercept, England, Europe, and points above.
"pippy-pahpah-pippy pah-pip-pah"

#4226212 - 02/07/16 12:19 AM Re: Recommended sources on WW1 tactics and history? [Re: Akmatov]  
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RobdeVries Offline
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Thanks sir, much appreciated!


Rob de Vries

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