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A Nice Little Book

** The quirky and barely stable Sopwith Camel
had a 30 percent attrition rate in training but
was a formidable opponent in a dogfight.**
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The article reviews Robert J. Hing's book "Searching for the Epic of Flight," which catalogs aviation classics, but primarily focuses on V. M. Yeates' WWI novel, *Winged Victory*.
  • *Winged Victory* provides a grim, autobiographical account of a Sopwith Camel pilot's experiences in WWI, detailing the monotonous dangers, moral conflicts, and psychological strain of air combat.
  • The novel offers in-depth insights into the Sopwith Camel's unique, challenging flying characteristics, including its agility and difficulty for novice pilots, which led to high casualties.
  • The article praises *Winged Victory* as a powerful and immersive work that vividly evokes the harrowing realities of early aerial warfare and its profound impact on those who fought it.
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From time to time I find myself in the study of some aviation aficionado — former Flying editor Stephan Wilkinson comes to mind — admiring the cargo of his bookshelves. Many a volume that I would like to sit down with on a rainy afternoon; many that I have never heard of. The lavishly illustrated large-format ones you find remaindered at Barnes & Noble aren’t likely to be the most interesting; it’s rather the old cloth-bound volumes, mostly now out of print, that will take you deeply into other worlds of flight.

It is seldom convenient to note down titles in those situations, but one pilot sent me a nice little book of his that might save one the trouble.

Peter Garrison

Peter Garrison taught himself to use a slide rule and tin snips, built an airplane in his backyard, and flew it to Japan. He began contributing to FLYING in 1968, and he continues to share his columns, ""Technicalities"" and ""Aftermath,"" with FLYING readers.

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