First Hats in The Ring: The First Pursuit Group, USAS
By Matt Bittner
Author: Jon Guttman
Publisher: Aeronaut Books
ISBN: 978-1-964637-34-1
Binding: Softcover
Pages: 270
Another excellent release from Aeronaut Books, this time covering the First Pursuit Group (1st PG), USAS, during WWI. The book is broken out in the following way:
- Chapter 1: America's First Fighters
- Chapter 2: First Blood
- Chapter 3: First Bouts with the Flying Circus
- Chapter 4: First American Offensive: St. Mihiel
- Chapter 5: Acid Test Over the Argonne
- Chapter 6: Postwar Show Spads
- Afterward
- Appendix A: 1st Pursuit Combat Log
- Appendix B: Aces Who Flew in the 1st Pursuit Group
- Appendix C: 1st Pursuit Group Flight Personnel
- Appendix D: Aircraft Known to Have Been Flown by the 1st Pursuit Group
This is a mighty tome, covering all squadrons of the 1st PG: the 94th, 95th (the first US squadrons in WWI), and later the 27th and 147th Aero Squadrons. Along with the chapters covered above, the book also has sections devoted to the aircraft of each squadron in picture form; various United States Aero Service (USAS) fliers; a couple of the Axis aircraft brought down by pilots; etc.
Since the US was the only country to fly the Nieuport 28 during the war, plenty of time is spent on that aircraft; in fact, there's a section on post-war Swiss use of the Nie.28 as well. There are almost 500 photos in the book and color profiles of 57 aircraft expertly rendered by Bob Pearson. The section on post-war Showird Spads is an excellent source showing these very colorful 13s. In fact, if you would like to finish your 1/72 Spad 13 in one of these finishes, Starfighter Decals still has plenty of their decals in stock for some of these Showbirds.
I definitely thank Aeronaut Books for sending this book to review. Contact them direct for ordering information.