Cross & Cockade International Autumn 2013 Vol. 44/3

Published on
March 30, 2014
Review Author(s)
ISBN
1360-9009
Other Publication Information
Publication (soft cover with text, photos, maps and technical drawings)
MSRP
$33.50
Front Cover

The Cross & Cockade International is the quarterly publication of a non-profit organization known as The First World War Aviation Historical Society. The UK based organization has been publishing these journals since 1970 with the objective of furthering the study of First World War Aviation History. The Company overview on its Facebook page says “Cross and Cockade International can trace its history back to the 1960s. We have always attracted some of the premier historians in the field. Our current President is Air Vice Marshal Peter Dye (Rtd), Director-General of the RAF Museum. We publish a high-quality quarterly journal of original research into the subject.”

NOTE: The journal is apparently not available as single issues, but by volumes. Back issues sell for $33.50 per volume.

Volume 44/3 (Autumn 2013) features a beautiful cover painting of an Armstrong Whitworth FK3 in Bulgarian Hands by artist Ken Warmer. This issue, much like previous issues, covers a variety of well-researched subjects (including the subject of the cover art) in a highly professional manner.

Following an Editorial page, the contents includes:

  • The Armstrong Whitworth FK3 in Macedonia
  • The Aerial Crusader: Guy Duncan Smith: Pt 2
  • The Crusader’s Brother: Harold Beaumont Smith
  • Premier Serbian Fighters
  • Serbian Supplement: Photographs
  • Flt. Lt. L. C. Carr RAF, RCAF
  • Atlas of German and Foreign Seaplanes
  • Working At The Factory
  • The Moss on the Rolling Stone of History
  • Center Pull-out Section featuring Gazetteer of Flying Sites: Pt 15
  • Fabric (a regular feature)
  • Bookshelf (Reviews of recent books on the subject)

Within the full color covers of this issue are 80 pages that feature an astounding 140 B&W period photographs, numerous maps, line drawings and technical renderings of aircraft and details along with a well-documented historical narrative. The Cross & Cockade International is testimony to the society’s commitment to publishing accurate and thorough information about their reason for being. It is an enjoyable and informative read.

Cross and Cockade sell annual subscriptions to their society (which is a registered charity) at 20.00 GBP per year plus postage. To the US in 2014 that equates to $56.00 surface mail or $64.00 airmail, for four issues. That’s for cheques (and they do accept US$ cheques), while members paying by credit card or via the web site (we accept cards and PayPal) get the exchange rate prevailing on the day, which can vary slightly. To maintain even stock levels for each volume, they only sell the last five years’ journals as full volumes. Older than that they sell individually – and prices reduce as the journals get older. We also offer back issue sales via PDF download through the web site for all journals older than five years – which saves ALL the postage cost!

Cross and Cockade also publish a quarterly email newsletter, Wind in the Wires, which is free to all – not restricted to just members.

This publication is highly recommended to those with a serious interest in WWI aviation or anyone who would like to become serious about the subject. Each volume provides comprehensive information on myriad WWI aviation subjects. My thanks to The First World War Aviation Historical Society for providing the publication sample and to IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review it.

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