The latest journal of Cross & Cockade International - Summer 2016, features a painting of ‘Halton Defenders’ by Michael Turner on the cover. Just taking off is a RFC Bleriot with a farman F.20 in the background. The rear cover shows a two side profiles of Contact Patrol RE.8s (A4267 and C2271) by Juanita Franzi. If you check out the web site link above, you can get additional sample pics of the current issue when they upload them.

Cross & Cockade International is a non-profit UK based group known as the First World War Aviation Historical Society that publishes their journal four times a year. They also provide a free newsletter (sign up on their website) and occasionally publish WWI themed books like the Sopwith Dolphin monograph I reviewed earlier for IPMS USA. This Journal is the sister of the US Journal, Over The Front.

This issue kicks off with an intriguing article on Contact Patrol markings by Mike Meech. These markings, for the most part, were temporary and situation specific (think of the black and white stripes utilized for D-Day). Of course this translates into very few photographs of these markings. Mike Meech presents an analysis of the aircraft and units involved as well as the markings themselves. This included t markings painted on the aircraft, but also included the use of streamers, flafs, banners, and flat boards (as seen on page 47.086).

Malcolm Barrass submits an article written by Lt. Col. Charles Rathborne and compiled by Malcolm Barrass, following his escape from a POW camp in 1918. Page 47.095 illustrates the Sopwith Type 9400L (1 ½ Strutter) that Rathborne was flying when he was brought down. This is a very interesting first person account of being a POW in WWI and their never ending attempts to escape. Paul Leaman chimes in with his latest in his series of Seaplanes with a short article on the Russian flying boat, the Grigorovich M-9. Dmitry Grigorovich designed some eighty aircraft from fighters to bombers, and of course flying boats. Paul Leaman includes photographs of the M-1, M2, M-3, M-9, M-11, M-15, and M-16. Mick Davis provides a three page photo-essay with “Spit & Polish: 78 Squadron Style” showing off gleaming Sopwith Camels.

Colin Owers weighs in with a treatise on “The BE2 Series in Australia”, complete with rare photographs of military and civilian use of the Royal Aircraft Factory BE2. The ‘Galloping’ Third Balloon Company by Lorne Bohn describes the critical role balloons played in intelligence gathering. The Third Balloon Company was but one of sixty-nine that operated under the American Expeditionary Force. The article includes several excerpts from the diary of a Private Paul Norris from Maryland and his interesting experiences. Mick Davis supplies a detailed listing of the RFC aircraft of the British Expeditionary Force as of December 31, 1915, complete with squadron, type, serial number and status.

Stewart K. Taylor does a deep dive into Canadian Sopwith Triplane Pilots of Naval 1 Squadron with Part 1 of “A Little Bit of Heaven…A Little Bit of Hell”. This part delivers short biographies of the pilots along with photographs of the pilots and their aircraft. Stewart includes photos of Combat Reports along with the excellent penmanship of FSL Gordon Beattie George Scott – something (cursive writing) they don’t teach in school anymore. Paul Hare brings up the rear with his article on “The Royal Aircraft Factory and the Press” and the Factory’s ongoing battle with the newspaper and aviation magazines that began in May 1908. Notably, the editor at “The Aeroplane” magazine, Charles Grey, was quite critical of the Royal Aircraft Factory. Charles Grey was finally replaced in 1939 as editor of “The Aeroplane” because of his extreme views. The Bookshelf section is a review of WWI aviation specific books and magazines with this issue totaling twelve.

Topics

• Editorial by Mick Davis
• Markings Worn by RFC/RAF Contact Patrol and Associated Mission Aeroplanes by Mike Meech [Page 47.083]
• The First Great Escape? by Malcolm Barrass [Page 47.095]
• Atlas of German and Foreign Seaplanes: Russiches Beute-Flugboot Grigorovich M-9 by Paul Leaman [Page 47.105]
• Spit & Polish: 78 Squadron Style by Mick Davis [Page 47.107]
• The BE2 Series in Australia by Colin Owers [Page 47.115]
• The ‘Galloping’ Third Balloon Company AEF in WWI by Lorne Bohn [Page 47.126]
• The RFC with the British Expeditionary Force by Mick Davis [Page 47.131]
• A Little Bit of Heaven…A Little Bit of Hell, Part 1 by Stewart K. Taylor [Page 47.142]
• The Royal Aircraft Factory and the Press by Paul Hare [Page 47.150]
• Logbook: On Being Made POW by Capt. S. C. Tinne via Robin Witcham

Bookshelf

It’s another great issue from Cross & Cockade and I’m quite impressed with the quality. If you are into early / WWI aviation; this journal is an incredible source of information that will have you on the edge of your seat for the next issue. My thanks to Cross & Cockade International and IPMS/USA for the chance to review this great issue.

Highly recommended!