Fighting the Flying Circus

by Eddie V. Rickenbacker

Captain Rickenbacker, originally from Ohio, was best known as one of the Commanders of the 94th "Hat-in-the-Ring" Squadron, a crack unit of pilots which included many former members of the famed Lafayette Escadrille. The 94th ended the war in France with the highest number of air victories of any American squadron. Captain Rickenbacker later belonged to an association of pilots and Great War air veterans who, in the years immediately following the Second World War, invited many of the new "young" aces from the Pacific and European theaters for informal lectures. These men never lost their keen interest in aviation.

Genres: History, Biography, Aviation, War, Nonfiction, Military History, Military Fiction

241 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1919

About the author

Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. With 26 aerial victories, he was America's most successful fighter ace in the war. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters, and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.

See also: Eddie Rickenbacker and Edward Rickenbacker

Reviews

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just like reading about flying with two or three wings and an open cockpit. This type of flying carried on through the 1920s (barnstorming) and partly into the 1930s.

[Have you ever seen The Great Waldo Pepper with Robert Redford and Susan Sarandon? That’s about barnstorming.]

I almost got a chance to go up in a Tiger Moth, a biplane, a few years ago. Almost.

Rickenbacker was a great pilot, but the writing here is not very exciting considering the subject. I recall I had a hard time finishing the book because it plodded. This is nothing against Rickenbacker’s accomplishments. I simply would have liked better writing about his flying experiences in his SPAD 1917-1918.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really interesting view of WWI, completely different from any others I've read to date. All of them concentrated on the ground war & largely ignored anything related to the air save artillery. To hear Eddie tell it, the air force was a pretty important part including those who went up in balloons to gather intelligence & sight in the artillery.

He had an interesting history as a race car driver before the war & an exciting life even afterward which is quickly described in the introduction. He founded Eastern Airlines & operated the Indy Speedway. Even his Wikipedia entry makes interesting reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_R...

His story is told from his point of view, much of it gleaned from a diary he started keeping about halfway through the book &, I think, his time in service. That was short. Not only was the US very late in coming to the Great War, but its fledgling air service originally relied on old planes from the French & British forces.

The planes they flew were death traps. All too often they would pull up too quickly & literally tear the covering off their wings. Guns jammed & engines died constantly. Even when everything worked, a single tracer could ignite the fuel tank which gave them only a couple of hours of flying time. Their compasses often didn't work, there were no radios, & seemingly little oversight from higher authority. He often flew where & when he wanted either alone or with a willing buddy or two.

It's interesting how when a German did something like follow in a damaged plane for the kill or turn for home, they were dastardly or cowards. When he or his fellows did it, it was common sense. And yet, he had a lot of respect for most of his enemies most of the time. Flyers were routinely captured & traded back. Until the end of the war when everything was in short supply, they were well treated by the Germans.

A lot of the flying maneuvers have French names since they were the earliest flyers as well as the theater in which he & his fellows operated most of the time. They were a special class, most seemed to be Harvard graduates & men of the highest caliber that were the most missed every time one died. The whole tone was quite old Ivy league. It took 1000 men to support a relative handful of flyers complete with a few mechanics per pilot & a lot of stewards & orderlies - all great fellows, but obviously not of the pilot's class. They were enlisted men, after all. I don't think I would have liked working for him.

All in all, it was a fast, interesting read. I wouldn't recommend it as a first or only book on WWI since his view of the war is so different than most. I certainly took a lot of what he said with a grain of salt. I'm sure the truth was a lot grittier than what he implies, but I can see why he became such a darling of the media.

[KOMET · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a First World War aviation enthusiast of 40 years standing (I bought my first book on the subject when I was a preteen in April 1977), I had known about "FIGHTING THE FLYING CIRCUS" for some time. But it was only a few days ago that I made the time to read it. And truly it is a fantastic story.

Before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1917, Eddie Rickenbacker had achieved national renown as an auto racer. Though he had little formal education (comparatively most of his squadron mates were college or university students or graduates), he had worked at a variety of jobs and had become a skilled mechanic with a deep, intimate knowledge of engines. Rickenbacker managed to transfer into the U.S. Army Air Service (USAS), received his flight training in France, and was assigned in March 1918 to the newly established 94th Aero Squadron - one of 2 U.S. trained fighter units on the Western Front at that time.

In the book, Rickenbacker shares with the reader the full scope of his combat experiences. Despite the 94th Aero Squadron lacking armament for its fighters when first activated for combat, it began flying over the lines to give its pilots a feel for the challenges and perils of frontline flying. Rickenbacker flew many of his first combat missions with who was then America's leading fighter ace, Raoul Lufbery, who had had extensive experience flying with the Escadrille Lafayette in France's Aéronautique Militaire during 1916 and 1917. Lufbery had been brought over to the 94th as a steadying influence after transferring to the USAS. For instance, in describing his first experience with German anti-aircraft fire (dubbed 'Archy'), Rickenbacker admitted that "[n]ever before did I, and never again will I quite so much appreciate the comfort of having a friend near at hand. I suddenly noticed that Major Lufbery was alongside me. Almost subconsciously I followed his maneuvers and gradually I began to realize that each maneuver he made was a direct word of encouragement to me. His machine seemed to speak to me, to soothe my feeling, to prove to me that there was no danger so long as I followed its wise leadership."

This marked the beginning of a long and overarching learning curve for Rickenbacker. And as a reader, it was fascinating to see how he developed in skill, confidence, and knowledge over the following months. The 94th Aero Squadron would, after flying a few weeks lacking armament, acquire machine guns for its Nieuport 28 fighters (the unit would be re-equipped with the robust and redoubtable SPAD XIII fighter by August 1918), and be in the vanguard of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in its offensive actions against the Germans during the summer and fall of 1918. By war's end, Rickenbacker would be commanding the 94th, having scored 26 confirmed victories. (The 94th Aero Squadron would emerge as the top scorer among all the 20 U.S. frontline fighter squadrons.)

This is a book in which Rickenbacker shares with the reader the full gamut of life at the Front as he lived and experienced it. He speaks in considerable detail about his combat missions, which read like something out of the movie, "The Blue Max" --- flying through barrages of 'Archy' above the trenches, as well as the thrills and perils of aerial combat. Rickenbacker also conveys the pain and sorrow from losing friends in battle --- such as his buddy Hamilton Coolidge, an ace whose SPAD received a direct hit from anti-aircraft fire, disintegrating it in mid-air. This happened less than 2 weeks before the end of the war.

Anyone who has an interest in reading eyewitness accounts from the First World War or like to read thrilling tales of aerial combat will enjoy reading "FIGHTING THE FLYING CIRCUS."

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was one of the most famous and accomplished flying aces of World War I, and his adventures in the war were striking. As a record of those adventures, this ghost-written memoir suffers from repetitiveness, drawn as it is from Rickenbacker’s diary. It reports the daily flights, missions, and dogfights with clarity and some insight, but the overall sameness of each day, despite the life-and-death nature of those days, results in a reader having a hard time distinguishing one adventure from another. Some may also find dismaying the sense of sport in killing that is part of Rickenbacker’s rather joyous reportage. This is an interesting book, but primarily for the die-hard aviation combat aficionado.

[Richard Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the most brutal and unromantic war up that point in human history was being fought in the trenches beneath them, the pilots of Eddie Rickenbacker's Hat In The Ring squadron fought a romantic and glamorous war in the air. They followed a code of fair play and good sportsmanship worthy of the knights of old. Against this promising background, Eddie Rickenbacker, the top American ace of the war, writes a surprisingly bland story. This book was a disappointment to me. He had so much to work with and yet produced so little of interest. I think that part of the problem is Rickenbacker's modesty and desire to be a regular guy, which is admirable, but takes away a lot of the potential fun of the book. Even if Rickenbacker himself was a somewhat colorless regular guy, it would have been nice to have gotten more colorful portrayals of the other American and allied pilots. And it would have been better if there had been a more personalized portrayal of the Germans, who are mostly just a faceless bunch of dehumanized Huns, Fritzes, Heines and Bosches to Rickenbacker. I am sure that the allied pilots had to make themselves feel that way about their enemies to be OK with killing them, and it is the nature of war for there to be little personal contact with the enemy. To give Rickenbacker credit, he does show the Germans in moments where they display some personality, sometimes smart, resourceful and even gentlemanly, mostly methodical and relentless, but I would have liked it more if there could have been some portraits of individual German pilots and some description of the air war from their perspective.

[Carlex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars

An interesting reading for its historical value, from someone who has experienced it first hand. Also because it illustrates the air war in the Great War, for me at least little known.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very nice Bio of America's WW1 ace. Well written and and nice read. recommended

[Ben Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Striking picture of "modern" war - flight, but no radio or ability to communicate beyond rudimentary signals, and if you pull up too fast, the cloth on your wings will rip off. Also a disturbing picture of human beings dehumanized to simply the highest-status big game trophy.

[Billy Leon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a reprint of the original writing completed by Eddie Rickenbacker, shortly after World War I.....I believe it was written in 1919. Captain Rickenbacker was an exceptional fighter pilot in the early days of the evolution of what being a fighter pilot was all about. As such, he treaded on what was often virgin territory. The story in this book was told from the perspective of the fighter pilot in the cockpit of his aircraft. While one has to fully appreciate the man as a warrior, fighter pilot and hero. The skills as an author did not transfer on the same level. The book had its share of misspellings and grammatical errors, including the misspelling of "fuselage" (fusilage) threw the entire book. Mr. Rickenbacker attempted to make the subjects in his book animated and more lifelike. Even though this was obviously his attention, he slightly missed the mark. I would guess that if he had co-written this book with an accomplished author this writing could have earned that 5th star in my opinion. The stories were interesting and thought provoking, but probably needed to be "punched up" just a bit. Still, it was a fascinating read written by a fascinating person. Perhaps, I just expected too much. It is still a very worthwhile read. You just can't smell the gunpowder as you turn the pages.

[Malachi Cyr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really cool historical memoir of the American WWI Ace of Aces, detailing his life as an All-American pilot from the Hat-in-the-Ring squadron from his first flight over the lines to the end of the war. Not only is this a great piece of history, it reads very much like a story and by the time you're done you feel like you've gotten to know Captain Rickenbacker and some of the pilots who flew with him. There is some minor language if I remember correctly, but very little. I actually listened to this one off of Librivox.org, and this one actually has a good reader, so I would recommend checking it out there if you like audio books. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates history

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fighting the Flying Circus is the wartime journal of Eddie Rickenbacker, America’s top surviving fighter ace in World War I. The narrative, told casually and in first person, is a fast paced, fun, and exciting read that details the many harrowing flights that put this pilot among the best of the best. Conversely, this is not a comprehensive big picture accounting of the Great War, as the author does not expend much time detailing the major battles or political events surrounding him and his famous 94th Aero Squadron.

Rickenbacker’s journal is largely a compilation of stories about his experiences during the numerous combat missions he made. His early flights are mostly confounded by a series of mistakes common to rookie fliers during wartime. As Rickenbacker reasons, he was lucky to survive these mishaps and live to fight another day. He explains that each incident taught him a valuable lesson about combat, and in this way, the inexperienced pilot gradually improved. This long line of survived blunders slowly developed his skills and allowed for his natural talents to make him an ace pilot.

He was often willing to challenge enemies when outnumbered and score wins for his side. Rickenbacker was also an intense risk taker, routinely taking his fighting machine up alone for voluntary patrols over enemy lines. These extraordinary actions are stunning in their show of bravery and selfless commitment to the cause, though he modestly never uses such words to describe himself.

Perhaps not unusual among top fighter pilots, Rickenbacker developed a heightened interest in victory totals – the official count of enemy planes downed during aerial combat. In later missions, he was engrossed with scores, record setting, and souvenir trophies, bringing an almost sports-like competition to the war in the skies. Though this focus, late in his writing, does not explicitly reveal any deep reflection on the horrific truths of warfare, it does make for a spirited read. Likewise, Rickenbacker’s victory counting inadvertently provides a stunning insight about the way in which some of the most dominant warriors perceive combat.

While the book contains plenty of terrifying battle encounters, Rickenbacker’s experiences and outlook about the war differed considerably from that of the common infantryman hunkered down in the trenches, as evidenced by other authors. Though hazardous work, the role of the glamorous fighter pilot took him thousands of feet above the mud and rats lining the Western Front. His quick missions possessed both a clear beginning and an end to the danger and squalor. So conceivably, this elevated method of combat made it easier for Rickenbacker to retain a somewhat brighter picture of this weighty conflict. He did not express any doubt about the larger cause. It isn’t clear from this tale how the other American fighter pilots in his famous squadron viewed the same job. Were the others gloomier or less confident than their stunning ace; did they care about their victory counts?

Overall, this is an interesting and enjoyable recounting of a great World War I fighter pilot, though some mission accounts begin to feel redundant near the end of the read. Rickenbacker’s descriptions of scouting flights over Germany’s collapsing lines provide a much welcomed summation of the war’s final climax.

[Al · Rating 2 out of 5]

Captain Rickenbacker's account of his exploits as a fighter pilot in WW I; drawn from his journal, but ghost-written by someone else so it's hard to tell (except for some excellent annotations by the editor) where fact turns into imagination. There's no doubt Rickenbacker was a fearless and brilliant fighter pilot. His judgment falls a bit short, though, and there are echoes of this in his later life and the various mistakes he made and setbacks he endured. In the case of the war, though, I was particularly disturbed at his decision to let four pilots under his command fly a needless mission on the eve of the armistice (which he knew was coming the next day), and then to crow about how his pilots downed two German fighters and an observation balloon on that mission. He notes that three of the flyers returned safely (although not easily) leaving the reader to guess what happened to the fourth, who was one of his stalwarts. I guess we've seen worse, but still it was disappointing. I was also not impressed by the fact that he seemed willing and took the time to drive all over the war zone to obtain confirmation of his various "kills" so they could be added to his statistics. A good guy to have on your side in a battle, but perhaps not as the decision-maker.

[Relstuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

A classic WWI memoir. Rickenbacker manages to be serious and somber but yet preserve a positive overall feel to his story. The dark hopeless notes of some of the veterans who spent time in the trenches is absent here.

He tells his story, learning to fly combat missions, making mistakes, living thru them, and growing in skill and ability. He tells some of the overall story of his squadron and a mentions some of the other American squadrons around them. He doesn't work very heard to place their efforts in the wider context of the war. He just tells his story.

[Patrick Luther · Rating 5 out of 5]

A first hand account of the Ace of Aces battle through World War 1. Though America's involvment in the war was much shorter than the French and English, the American aviators still made quite a reputation for themselves. Eddie Rickenbacker gives his account of the 26+ victories credited to himself. I particularly enjoyed the details into the other pilots who flew alongside Eddie as well as the respect for the German aviators.

[George Ulicny · Rating 5 out of 5]

GOOD READ

The best WWI air combat book that I have read. The matter-of-fact way that death, loss, and the thrill of flying are presented to the reader I liked. Richenbacher's extensive positive comments regarding American Ace Frank Luke are especially magnimous. The number of extra ' voluntary ' combat patrols, often solo, taken in disregard of his own life clearly marks Richenbacher as an American hero.

[John Hastie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had zero interest in WWI or air warfare when my dad gave me this book. But I had forgotten the power of books to immerse you in another world. My world had grown since reading this, and I have a new appreciation for Snoopy to boot. Check this out.

[Joseph Spuckler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eddie Rickenbacker an amazing pilot and a gifted story teller. His account as a member 94th Aero Squadron reads like a well written story rather than a dry history. He brings all aspects of the air war into play: the good and the bad.

The 94th started with members of the somewhat illegal Lafayette Escadrille coming under American control as President Wilson threw his hat into the ring. The hat in the ring would become the painted symbol on the side of the 94ths aircraft. America unprepared for war and proud of its neutrality, had no planes to provide for its pilots. The 94th and other American squadrons had to rely on older French planes. France sold the US its previous generation of planes for American pilots to use. American squadrons took the these planes and excelled.

World War I was the point in history where America became a major player on the world stage. From being the new player who both France and England want to use as filler for their depleted armies, America walked away from the war respected and its soldiers and Marines decorated. It was a different time; a time when the world moved from the 19th century into the 20th (although few years late by the calendar) and set the stages for all the struggles of the 20th century.

Fighting the Flying Circus is an outstanding read for anyone interested in the air war or someone just looking for a great story of some truly brave men. As a former Marine, I am a bit hesitant to sing the praises of the other services, but these men had what it took and are an example to all that have served.

[Elijah Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always been super interested in world WWI aviation given that it was only 10 years before that the Wright brothers had even performed their first flights and here we are with aviators engaged in dogfights in three-dimensional space quickly becoming pros.

I found Rickenbacker's narrative style to be very engaging and I loved his technical descriptions of the dog fights and how predominant those anecdotes were in the book.

WWI was just on the edge of modern documentary processes with pictures and film and audio recordings such that there is enough recorded to give us an idea of the level of detail that existed (as it exists in everyday life).

A history more more well defined than previous wars which are only documented in writing and falling short of current current wars which are documented in full real-time broadcast color. This always leaves me with a somewhat unfulfilled longing feeling with WWI history, somewhat like a dream that you just woke up from but can't remember it all - you know there was much more to it than what you're seeing but you only have the slightest clarity of what actually took place.

I'm sure I'm not communicating this feeling right but needless to say I very much enjoyed the level of detail that Rickenbacker went into in his recounting of various battles and life as an aviator in those early days.

[Sarah Bodaly · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I made it through the War!” “We won’t get shot at any more!” Those were the cries of Rickenbacher’s fellow pilots, at the news that the Great War was finally over.
Aerial combat was new in 1918, and highly dangerous. Many an ace pilot never made it to receive his medal, or died shortly thereafter. The honor of “top ace” was ever fluid as “one more mission” became their last, and another rose to take their place.
Eddie Rickenbacher was a skilled pilot in an era when planes were still novel. He did a great service to our country, the war, and his squadron. A comprehensive look at his life reveals an extremely intriguing personality - he was a racecar driver, founded an airline, and survived adrift at sea.
That said, I found this book to be extremely egotistical. Of course, he’s writing about his own exploits, but so much of it was bragging, and at times using “idiot” to describe other pilots who didn’t measure up to his unspoken expectations. After a while (by the third chapter…), all the dogfights began to seem the same as all the rest, and the narrative coasted along on autopilot.
I hate to give this a negative review, but a biography would be a much more interesting look at his life than a 36-chapter play-by-play of every air battle.

[Niki (nikilovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fighting the Flying Circus by Edward V. Rickenbacker is a memoir of one of America's top pilots in World War I. Well, the story is kind of a memoir. It's based upon Rickenbacker's diary that he kept throughout his service in the war. However, fearing that he was not talented enough at writing, he hired a ghost writer to transform his diary entries into a cohesive, compelling story. The problem, for this reader anyway, is that ghost writer, Laurence Driggs, sensationalized and changed what really happened during many exploits until the stories became unrecognizable when compared with the facts of what actually happened. If I'm reading a historical fiction story, that's all well and good, but I prefer a memoir to actually tell the story and not to embellish it until it is just a fictional story. There were many times where the reader is reading about something only to come across a footnote that says "Hey, none of what you just read actually happened." I would rate the memoir 3 stars for Driggs's interference with the facts. However, there was enough of the story of life on the front during WWI for American pilots that it did make for an interesting read if one ignores the unnecessary embellishments. So, I bumped it up a star.

[Betty Pickard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captain Rickenbacker's story begins with the first official victories of the 94th Aero Squadron in April 1918 and ends with the last victory 10 November 1918. Each chapter, I believe, was taken from his flight journal. He was, at the end of WWI, the US "flying ace", but his story is of the brave men who were a part of the aviators during this period. He modestly writes of the heroes of this time period and does not spend ink or paper on his own exploits. Published in 1919, I quote the last sentence in this book, "When again will that pyramid of entwined comrades (he is referring to the 'pile on' of the aviators-one on top of the other-in joyous celebration at the end of the war) ---interlacing together in one mass boys from every state in our Union---when again will it be formed and bound together in such mutual devotion?" The Great War---100 years later, there have been wars and rumors of wars and men and women are still bound together in trust, bravery and comradeship. I am very glad to have read this book.

[David Gillett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing first-hand account of aviators in the first World War. Rickenbacker puts the reader in the pilot's seat and reveals what it actually felt like to be in aerial combat, fighting for his life against dangerous and capable opponents determined to kill him. (Spoiler: they didn't).

Basically a series of vignettes, stories of his combats and those of his comrades. He talks about losing men who were dear to him and how he dealt with that loss, day after day, month after month.

Suprising "down-to-earth" (ha!), Rickenbacker tells his stories very simply and directly. A description of the aerial maneuvers would have helped, but there is always Google to look them up.

A quick read that left me wanting more. On to "Laugh or Fly: the Air War on the Western Front"! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

As America’s top WWI ace Eddie Rickenbacker recounts his greatest flying stories as recorded in a personal journal. Far different from the strategic and operational accounts of the war, let alone the rest of his life as an airline pilot president and other exploits. This book is about aerial combat and camaraderie…about wooden planes and propellers being shot up…about seized engines and forced landings…about great shootouts in the sky and spectacular kills on German aircraft and reconnaissance balloons…about respect for the adversary. Though late to the war, the US would come on strong with pilots the likes of Rickenbacker who seemed fearless, yet bright and calculating. A very fast and enjoyable read!

[Curtis Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. This gives a real insight to the early flying machines and their addition to warfare. The early pilots' courage to take to the skies against the unknown odds was truly remarkable. Lt. Rickenbacker tells the story from his side. He doesn't sugar coat the horrors of the warfare but he does add that little bit of humor to get one through the battle. The Life and Death battles in the skies over the enemy, the daring tales of the seasoned pilots, and the realization that it all could be over in a blink of the eyes are just some of the items that cover the pages of this great book. To you Sir, Hand Salute! Master Chief Out.

[Ira Livingston · Rating 4 out of 5]

The personal journal or memoir from America's WWI flying Ace Eddie Rickenbacker.

He gives the reader a first hand fast paced account of aerial combat, giving you the parameters of his missions, the loss of friends during the war, and the comradely feeling of the pilots in his squadron.

From getting his start as an automobile racer, and being good with motors, despite his lack of education he's able to join the ranks of his college grad equals in the world of pilots.

Very fast read, and I'd recommend for those interested in WWI or military memoirs.

[Don Alesi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit. I was slightly disappointed in this book. I did not realize that Captain Rickenbacker had a Ghost writer. I did not realize that I had picked up a later version of the book. The book had several notes that mentioned many discrepancies.
Several people I know have told me that there are few decent books written about WWI flying and this is no exception. I did give it three stars because I was entertained and not bored.
I do think that I have had my fill of reading about Eddie Rickenbacker.

[Janis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply, this is an awesome book. It was written by a ghost writer from Rickenbacker’s WWI journal. It almost reads like a collection of short stories. It is super readable. I personally haven’t read any other books from this point of view. My favorite story was about Rickenbacker loading up his plane with newspapers & dropped them over American trenches so the Doughboys would know what was going on. This version includes a 70 page biography of him & a postlude telling what he did after the war ended. Footnotes point out differences between the book & his journal. I highly recommend it.

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a firsthand account of what it was like to be a fighter pilot in World War I from the most decorated American pilot in the war. It's especially interesting because they were literally inventing aerial combat. Their planes would fall apart during maneuvers and their instruments were a pocket watch and a compass.

He took detailed notes in his journals, so his adventures--in the air and on the ground--are spelled out in vivid specifics.

There's no explicit teaching in this book, but it is very entertaining and full of historically interesting information.

[David Knapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

WWI American Aviation by the famous Eddie Rickenbacker e

Rickenbacker was the leading ace of the American flying service in France during WWI. He uses diary entries and his recollections to tell the story of American fighting in the air during WWI. Very interesting. He is also the author of another book, Ten Came Through, describing the time his B17 crashed in the Pacific during WWII. Both books are highly recommended.

[Eric V Anderson II · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding!

From one of America's first living air aces at the end of WW1, is the story of his time at 94 Squadron. Well written in first person and his story takes you along with him. You can almost feel the win in your face as he drops to attack the enemy. Lots of fact verifying his and 94 Squadron's illustrious early history.