63. Aviatik C.I

These early war German  Aviatik designs, with their gently-swept wings, heart -shaped tails and distinctive comma rudders, performed many valuable tasks from mid-1915 onwards. Alongside the LVG C.I and Albatros C.I (also covered in the DATAFILE series), the Aviatik C.I was employed on bombing raids,photographic reconnaissance and artillery spotting. The C.I placed the pilot in the rear cockpit with the observer occupying the front seat,his machine gun clipped to a sliding bar mount either side of the fuselage. Operational experience soon highlighted the shortcomings of this arrangement which were not considered a serious problem for German aviators but rear gun positions proved much more effective as the pace of air warfare rapidly increased-the British persevered with established tradition for some time after with disastrous results for many crews. Almost 500 Aviatik C.I biplanes were built during the war being produced not only by the parent company, but also the Hannover works-the type soldiering in as trainers well into 1918. Peter M Grosz relates the type's full history and supports his narrative with over 80 rare photos;scale drawings in 1:48 and 1:72 from Ian Stair take up the centre- folds and there are three rear cover colour profiles. Another first class package for the modeller.