16.MORANE SAULNIER TYPE L
'WILD HAWK WARNEFORD!'
EMINENT aero historian Jack Bruce has the story of the French Morane Type L 'Parasol' of 1915, first tractor aircraft to be fitted with a machine gun successfully firing forward through the airscrew arc thanks to deflector plates and the prowess of Roland Garros. Contains over 50 photos including a double page image of a Morane with its fuselage fabric stripped to reveal structure and interior detail. Elsewhere are Ian Stair's 1:72 and 1:48 scale drawings and a special photo section on 3253 flown by RNAS pilot Rex Warneford who bombed a Zeppelin out of the air in June 1915: three colour profiles adorn the rear cover. An original first edition with slight corner creases but otherwise in good order.
FIRST published in 1989 and authored by J M Bruce,this unique monograph of 28 pages-plus covers-details the Type L Moranes from their introduction in 1913 to their career during second year of WWI. Used for reconnaissance and fighting with Roland Garros' deflector plates clamped to the airscrew allowing a practical forward-firing machine gun, the Parasol monoplane's second claim to fame was in being the first victor over a Zeppelin in mid-air. Sub.Lt. Reginald 'Rex' Warneford brought down the Army vessel LZ37 with a salvo of light bombs over Ghent, Belgium on 7 June 1915, for which feat, the young RNAS pilot was awarded the VC some days later. Among Jack's rare photos carefully selected for this book are over ten photos of the iconic 'Zepp-Buster' monoplane, together with 25 archive images of other Moranes in British and Russian service. As well as rare close-up shots, there are seven photos of the German Pfalz licence-built version, the A.I and A.II. Ian Stair supplies 1:48 and 1:72 scale plans whilst Ray Rimell contributes colour notes and three rear cover profiles including Garros' historic machine with its Hotchkiss gun. Remaining copy is in good condition with slight corner creasing.