Shores, Christopher. British and Empire Aces of World War 1.

Osprey (UK). Distributed in the U.S. by MBI Publishing, 729 Prospect Ave., PO Box 1, Osceola, WI 54020. 2002. Ill. 96 pp. $18.95.

Chris Shores is no stranger to aviation literature, especially dealing with aces. This new book is a fine overview of the first air war and the aviators of the British air services. Besides the well-known aces of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force, he has included less famous but equally successful aces. For instance, he notes India's only air ace who flew with the RFC. Keith Woodcock's cover painting illustrates Major William Barker's epic battle against a horde of German Fokkers in October 1918, in which he was wounded three times and received the Victoria Cross.

The folio of side views is especially good in this volume because it doesn't concentrate on one or two main types, but features a wide variety of British fighters not often displayed in such fashion, including six Spad VII and six Nieuport profiles.

Following chapters that describe the air war chronologically, the author discusses how kills were credited, then offers A-Z biographies of the aces. Credit for WW I kills has caused historians problems over the years. Shores gives an ace's overall score, but then refines it into single-credit kills, shared and out-of-control, a unique category that often boosted a pilot's total. For example, if we use only the single-credit kill as a measure of where a pilot stood in the rankings, Major Mick Mannock's accepted score of 73 drops to 61, lowering him to the third spot on the list of British aces.

Naval pilots and their experiences are well described, including the highly successful Sopwith Triplane pilots whose skills and maneuverable little fighter so stunned the Germans that they copied the layout for their Fokker DR. 1 triplane.

This new volume is an excellent reference from an acknowledged authority.