Sopwith Camels Over Italy, 1917-1918

by Norman Franks

Overview

During the First World War, Italy was on the side of their British Allies and their fight was against the Austro-Hungarian Empire, bordering on Austria. In October 1917, the Austro-Hungarians managed to push the Italians back during the battle of Caporetto. With the danger signs obvious, both Britain and France sent reinforcements.

Britain’s Royal Flying Corps sent three squadrons of Sopwith Camel fighters, plus one RE8 reconnaissance squadron, and these Camel squadrons fought gallantly over the plains and mountainous regions of northeast Italy, sharing the air battle with aircraft of the Italian Air Force.

Despite the difference in landscape between France and Italy, the Camel pilots employed the same air-fighting tactics and assisted in ground support missions that proved just as destructive in Italy as they had in France. Accompanied by a large selection of photographs depicting the men and the machines that saw action, this book is a welcome addition to Pen and Sword’s Images of War series.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781526723086
Publisher:	Pen and Sword
Publication date:	10/11/2018
Series:	Images of War
Pages:	112
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Norman Franks is a respected historian and author. Previous titles for Pen and Sword include InThe Footsteps of the Red Baron (co-authored with Mike OConnor), The Fighting Cocks, RAF Fighter Pilots Over Burma, Dogfight, The Fallen Few of the Battle of Britain (with Nigel McCrery) and Dowdings Eagles. Over the course of his career, Frank has published some of the most compelling works on First World War fighter aviation, being one of the worlds leading authorities on the subject.

He lives in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 War on the Italian Front 1

Chapter 2 Camels over the Piave 15

Chapter 3 March - VC Action 34

Chapter 4 Before the Battle of the Piave 54

Chapter 5 The Battle of the Piave 77

Appendix Sopwith Camel Aces Over Italy 102