South African Airpower: Seeds of Flight and Pioneer Aviators

During the Second Anglo-Boer War the British forces used air balloons to conduct various tasks during their campaign, in southern Africa. Following the War, and the first flight by the Wright-Brothers, a number of forward thinking pioneers started to conceptualise military aviation in the Union of South Africa, they lay the ground work to establish both the South African Aviation Corps that took to the air in WW1 over German South West Africa. Many South Africans also participated in the 1st World War flying for the Royal Flying Corps, Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Air Force, the later being formed following publishing of the findings of the 'Smuts Reports' recommendations to the British Cabinet, by General C.J Smuts. The early thoughts and exposure to military air operations would lead to the establishment of the South African Air Force in February 1920. This book, is the first in a series documenting the development and history of South African Airpower (the people, the equipment, the operations), covering the early days up an till 1919.

Pagina's: 275, Paperback, Independently published