Australian Fighter Aces 1914-1953 (1999) Signed by A. D. Garrison
 
Air Commodore Garrison has contributed a valuable work of reference to the available written history of the Royal Australian Air Force and in more general terms to Australian aviation. He has provided an extensive and useful bibliography that attests to the solid research, over many years, behind the fascinating stories of some 137 Australians who have achieved the status of a fighter`ace’.
 
There are three main features of this book. Firstly the origin of the term `ace’. Then the author sets the scene with the development of the fighter aircraft and fighter tactics in World War I, including Australian involvement, and continuing developments in World War II. In this section, he presents some interesting information about aces from other countries, comments on fighter action in Korea and Vietnam and narrows the focus to listing the Australian aces of each World War. This provides the basis for the main element of the book – the biographies of the aces.
 
Air Commodore Garrison makes it quite clear that he used the title `ace’ as a term which is generally accepted as applying to any fighter pilot who has destroyed five or more enemy aircraft in air-to-air combat, and that the title, at least in the RAAF and the RAF, is not recognised in an official sense. His selection of these men as ‘Australians’ is related to their country of birth or nationality at the time they joined the Australian Flying Corps, RAAF, Royal Flying Corps, RAF, or the Royal Naval Air Service.
 
Signed by Author and another unknown person.
 
Soft Cover
188 Pages
In Good Condition