Nieuport Flyers of the Lafayette

By Chris Banyai-Riepl

The recent release of the movie “Flyboys” has many people rekindling their interest in WWI aviation, and specifically the story of the Escadrille Lafayette. This much-anticipated title from Albatros Publications opens up the world of the Lafayette in ways not seen before. Building on new research, both in terms of operations and camouflage, this book covers the history of this famous unit like no other book has before. The written text of the book is nicely done and reads well.

What really captures the eye, though, is the color artwork. The research here is quite new, and very exciting. From Nieuport 11s to 24s, there is something for everyone here. Clear doped linen, silver dope, exotic multi-colored camouflages, all accented by colorful insignias and personal markings. The decal makers are going to be in overdrive with this one, especially with the recent re-release of the Eduard 1/48 Nieuport 17 and the recent announcement of a new-tool 1/72 Nie 17. For those big scale modelers, this book also includes a set of 1/32 drawings, which will be of great help to those building the Special Hobby or Hobbycraft kits.

If you haven’t explored WWI aviation, this book could be a great introduction. The interesting color schemes, coupled with the fascinating history, make the Escadrille Lafayette a great way to begin modeling WWI subjects. My thanks to Albatros Publications for the review copy.