The advent and deployment of the Royal Flying Corps' Airco DH 2 in 1916 effectively eliminated the 'scourge' of aerial dominance enjoyed by the Fokker Eindecker monoplanes. Spearheaded by No 24 Sqn and led by Victoria Cross recipient Lanoe Hawker, the ungainly yet nimble DH 2 - with its rotary engine 'pusher' configuration affording excellent visibility and eliminating the need for a synchronised machine gun - had wrested air superiority from the Germans by the spring and then maintained it through the Battle of the Somme that summer. However, by autumn German reorganisation had seen the birth of the Jagdstaffel and arrival of the new Albatros D II, a sleek inline-engined machine built for speed and twin-gun firepower. Thus, for the remainder of the year an epic struggle for aerial superiority raged above the horrors of the Somme battlefields, pitting the manoeuvrable yet under-gunned DH 2s - which were also plagued by sundry engine malfunctions - against the less nimble yet better armed and faster Albatros D IIs. In the end the Germans would regain air superiority, three squadron commanders - two of whom were considered pinnacles of their respective air forces - would lose their lives, and an up-and-coming pilot (Manfred von Richthofen) would triumph in a legendary dogfight and attain unimagined heights fighting with tactics learned from a fallen mentor.
DH 2 vs Albatros D I/D II: Western Front 1916 (Duel)
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"Brilliantly helpful illustrations, photos, sidebars, charts, glossary, maps, and index cap this compact chronicle. Recommended."
--David L. Veres, www.cybermodeler.com
--David L. Veres, www.cybermodeler.com
About the Author
James F. Miller is a married father of two who lives in Naples, Florida. A commercial pilot and lifelong student of all aspects of aviation, his current research focuses on the middle years of World War I.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
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Fighter combat 1916
Jun 11 2012
By Barrett Tillman
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Osprey's popular Duel series returns to the Great War with a comparison of two premier fighter aircraft of 1916: the DeHavilland DH-2 and Albatros DI/II series. It's an intriguing matchup, pitting (in modern terms) an "angles fighter" against an "energy fighter": the DH's superior agility vs the Albatros' greater speed and two-gun armament.
The DH-2 had helped end the Fokker Scourge in early 1916 but suddenly found itself on the other side of the technological fault line when Albatrii appeared that summer. Though much of the text focuses on the classic clashes between No. 24 Squadron RFC and Jagdstaffel 2 (Hawker, Boelcke and Richthofen), author Jim Miller accords other players due credit, including VC recipient Maj. Lionel Rees of 32 Sqn.
As with all Duel titles, the specific machines are set within their strategic and tactical context. The actual "box score" of each fighter's wins and losses against each other remains unknown, but Miller provides a list of the most successful pilots against the DH and the Albatros types, with the totals approximately at parity.
Page 60 lists two dates for the epic Hawker-Richthofen duel: 23 November in the portrait caption and the 14th in the text. The 23rd is correct--a correction easily made in the next printing.
The DH-2 had helped end the Fokker Scourge in early 1916 but suddenly found itself on the other side of the technological fault line when Albatrii appeared that summer. Though much of the text focuses on the classic clashes between No. 24 Squadron RFC and Jagdstaffel 2 (Hawker, Boelcke and Richthofen), author Jim Miller accords other players due credit, including VC recipient Maj. Lionel Rees of 32 Sqn.
As with all Duel titles, the specific machines are set within their strategic and tactical context. The actual "box score" of each fighter's wins and losses against each other remains unknown, but Miller provides a list of the most successful pilots against the DH and the Albatros types, with the totals approximately at parity.
Page 60 lists two dates for the epic Hawker-Richthofen duel: 23 November in the portrait caption and the 14th in the text. The 23rd is correct--a correction easily made in the next printing.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
1916: EVOLUTION OF THE AIR WAR OVER THE WESTERN FRONT
Jun 17 2012
By MONTGOMERY
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
As befits any book of the "Duel" Series, Osprey has done a fine job of outlining in this book the characteristics of both the DH 2 and Albatros DI/DII fighters, which fought against each other over the Western Front from late August to December 1916.
The DH 2 fighter had been developed by the British to wrest aerial supremacy from the Germans, who, with their Fokker E-series monoplane fighters (which boasted a synchronized, forward-firing machine gun) had given British 2-seater reconnaisance aircraft a serious drubbing during the summer and fall of 1915. Entering combat in February 1916, by the time of the Battle of the Somme that summer, the DH 2 had been instrumental in winning back control of the skies over the front for the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). Faster in the climb and in level speed, the DH 2 had the measure of the Fokkers.
Then, in late August 1916, the Germans introduced the Albatros DI/DII fighters, which proved faster than the DH 2, more rugged, and boasting 2 forward-firing machine guns synchronized to fire through the propeller arc. This, coupled with the simultaneous development of the Jagdstaffeln (fighter squadrons) and the example and leadership of Germany's premiere fighter ace and tactician Oswald Boelcke, won back for Germany the aerial supremacy that it would maintain over the Western Front til the summer of 1917.
All in all, this was a fantastic, highly informative book. I highly recommend it to any WWI aviation enthusiast.
The DH 2 fighter had been developed by the British to wrest aerial supremacy from the Germans, who, with their Fokker E-series monoplane fighters (which boasted a synchronized, forward-firing machine gun) had given British 2-seater reconnaisance aircraft a serious drubbing during the summer and fall of 1915. Entering combat in February 1916, by the time of the Battle of the Somme that summer, the DH 2 had been instrumental in winning back control of the skies over the front for the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). Faster in the climb and in level speed, the DH 2 had the measure of the Fokkers.
Then, in late August 1916, the Germans introduced the Albatros DI/DII fighters, which proved faster than the DH 2, more rugged, and boasting 2 forward-firing machine guns synchronized to fire through the propeller arc. This, coupled with the simultaneous development of the Jagdstaffeln (fighter squadrons) and the example and leadership of Germany's premiere fighter ace and tactician Oswald Boelcke, won back for Germany the aerial supremacy that it would maintain over the Western Front til the summer of 1917.
All in all, this was a fantastic, highly informative book. I highly recommend it to any WWI aviation enthusiast.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
1916: The Birth of Modern Air Combat!
July 6 2012
By Michael OConnor
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Nineteen sixteen saw the birth of modern air combat with the deployment of purpose-built fighter aircraft organized in dedicated units and tasked with destroying opposing warplanes. The British DH 2 helped end the 'Fokker Scourge,' giving the Allies air superiority. The ungainly but maneuverable pusher occupied the catbird seat for several months before it was de-throned by the faster, more heavily-armed Albatros DI/DII introduced in the fall of 1916. James Miller examines the two opponents in DH 2 VS ALBATROS DI/DII, WESTERN FRONT 1916, a 2012 entry in the Osprey 'Duel' series.
Though this is Miller's first series title, he has the established Duel format down pat. He traces the development of the respective manufacturers, examines the development and combat career of both designs, provides tech specs, etc. Though several RFC squadrons flew DH 2s, Lanoe Hawker's No. 24 Squadron was the outstanding DH 2 operator. Likewise, Oswald Boelcke's Jasta 2 was the 'leading light' as regards DI/DII ops. Both units clashed frequently, each inflicting painful losses on the other. Miller examines one such loss - that of Lanoe Hawker at the hands of Jasta 2's 'Red Baron' - in some depth.
In short, DH 2 VS ALBATROS DI/DII is an exciting and informative overview of the battle for air superiority circa 1916. It's a fine first effort on author Miller's part. Hopefully, he'll contribute future titles. Recommended.
Though this is Miller's first series title, he has the established Duel format down pat. He traces the development of the respective manufacturers, examines the development and combat career of both designs, provides tech specs, etc. Though several RFC squadrons flew DH 2s, Lanoe Hawker's No. 24 Squadron was the outstanding DH 2 operator. Likewise, Oswald Boelcke's Jasta 2 was the 'leading light' as regards DI/DII ops. Both units clashed frequently, each inflicting painful losses on the other. Miller examines one such loss - that of Lanoe Hawker at the hands of Jasta 2's 'Red Baron' - in some depth.
In short, DH 2 VS ALBATROS DI/DII is an exciting and informative overview of the battle for air superiority circa 1916. It's a fine first effort on author Miller's part. Hopefully, he'll contribute future titles. Recommended.
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