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. Issues are available as printed as well as digital copies (or both). 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.

The Summer 2024 journal of Cross & Cockade International features a color photograph of three Russian flying boats beached near Sevastapol, the largest city in Crimea. The front two aircraft are Curtiss F aircraft [Later designated Curtiss Model 7]. These two seaplanes were part of two batches of the Model F purchased in 1913 and 1914. Notable is the interplane Curtiss ailerons mounted between the upper and lower wings. Later Model F hydroaeroplanes had the ailerons re-located to the upper wing. The only surviving Curtiss F that had crashed in New Haven Connecticut has been fully restored to flight status and now resides in Stowe, Massachusetts. flying boat at the top of the photograph is the sole Shchetinin M.2 flying boat [designed by their lead designer Dmitry Pavlovich Grigorovich] that is clearly winning the popularity contest. The Shchetinin M.2 flying boat was similar to the Curtiss Model K, essentially an enlarged Curtiss Model F. The Shchetinin M.2 crashed on October 10, 1915 damaging beyond repair. Note that the ailerons are on the upper wing. The rear inside and outside cover is connected to the 26589 AM2 Harry Macey: 45 Squadron, RFC/RAF photo-feature. The center section, The Gazetteer Part 18, covers THU to WAM, however, no fold-out map is included with this issue as in the past. The section consists of seven black and white photos and fifteen black and white maps. The Gazetteer is expected to be completed in the next issue.

The second part of Andrei Alexandrov’s history [edited by Harry Woodman] of the The Imperial Russian Naval Air Service spans sixteen-pages and includes 37 period photographs. Many of the photographs are sourced from the Russian State Archive. The Morane-Saulnier Seaplane ‘Monaco 1913’ was one of three aircraft delivered to Sevastopol in early 1914 [Page 55-083]. This photograph is thought to be when this aircraft was testing a bombsight designed by Staff Captain V. I. Tolmachev. The photographs below show a Curtiss K flying boat and another picture of the Morane-Saulnier Seaplane ‘Monaco 1913’. The background of this photograph shows off two more Curtiss seaplanes and the Russian pre-dreadnought battleship, Panteleimon. Originally named the Potemkin, she became famous during the 1905 Revolution when the crew mutinied and found asylum in Constanta, Romania. Once Russia recovered their ship, the Potemkin was renamed the Panteleimon.

Paul Barnes presents an academic paper on the aerial re-supply of Kut-al-Almara in 1915-1916. This operation was a complete disaster, but through that failure, it was a major learning experience. Covering ten pages and twelve photographs, Paul Barnes covers the hurdles that were faced and the learning that were eventually generated. Page 55.098 depicts two aircraft that were involved in this operation. An RAF BE 2c from 30 Squadron is at the top of the page shows off a modified bomb rack that was used to carry bags of grain to Kut-al-Almara. The lower photograph is of a Henri Farman F.27 that demonstrated the success of steel frames in a desert environment over wood frames.

‘Memories of 40 Squadron’by F. T. Gilbert via Andy Thomas is up next with five pages and 11 photographs. Make sure you read about the SE 5a pilot who jumped out of his burning plane at 80 mph some 10 feet above the trenches and survived. Page 55.105 features a detailed photograph of SE 5a D3540 flown by Captain Gwilym Hugh Lewis who ended up with 12 aerial victories. Notable are the black and white stripes on the outer wing struts. Captain G. H. Lewis ended up surviving the war and made it to the age of 99. The lower photograph is of Colonel Reed Gresham Landis who was credited with 12 aerial victories. Landis was later transferred to command the 25^th Aero Squadron which ended his days in combat. A three-page feature by Colin Owers is up next, trying to answer the question: What Was The Camel Like To Fly? This includes five black and white photographs and several pilots' views on the ease [or difficulty] in flying the Sopwith Camel. Page 55.108 includes photographs of Cecil Lewis, who flew Sopwith Camels in three different squadrons, and authored Farewell To Wings. The photograph on the left shows off F3097 rolling over Scotland when flying with the Fleet Practice Station and Aircraft Depot.

The late Stewart K. Taylor leads off this issue with a 30-page, 42-photographs, feature that focuses on 2Lt. David McKay McGoun. Similar to previous Stewart K. Taylor features on Canadian pilots, aviators that served in the same units are also included. McGoun started out in the 24^th Battalion [Victoria Rifles] of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, managed to get shot, which ended up getting infected, before ‘escaping’ into the Royal Flying Corps. He started out as a pilot of a Bristol F.2 Fighter with 20 Squadron before being appointed Flight Commander of 22 Squadron. He scored nine aerial victories. Captain McGoun returned to Canada in June 1919 and was re-employed at the Bank of Montreal from where he retired from in 1957. The upper photograph on Page 55.128 shows a Bristol F.2 Fighter of 22 Squadron with its pilots and observers on April 1, 1918 at Vert Galand aerodrome. Another photograph on the same day shows Bristol Fighter B1152 with 2Lts H.F. Davison and J.L. Morgan.

26589 AM2 Harry Macey: 45 Squadron, RFC/RAF is a photo-feature from the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection with 14 photographs [including the inside and outside rear cover]. Modeling: New Releases and Kit Reviewshas Joe Moran highlighting market news for kits and accessories. This issue sees Bob Gladding building a Choroszy 1/72 Macchi M-5 and Joe Moran building an KP 1/72 Nieuport Triplanex that was originally released in 2021. The Bookshelf section is a review of WWI aviation specific books and magazines with this issue totaling eight.

Topics:

• Editorial by Mick Davis
• The Imperial Russian Naval Air Service Part 2 by Andrei Alexandrov, Edited by Harry Woodman [Page 55.083]
• ‘Complete Failure: The British and Dominion Aerial Re-Supply of Kut Al-Almara, 1915-1916’ by Paul Barnes [Page 55.098]
• ‘Memories of 40 Squadron’ by F. T. Gilbert via Andy Thomas [Page 55.105]
• ‘What Was The Camel Like To Fly?’ by Colin Owers [Page 55.108]
• ‘Out of the Frying Pan…Into The Fire’ by Stewart K. Taylor [Page 55.128]
• 26589 AM2 Harry Macey: 45 Squadron, RFC/RAF
• Modeling: New Releases and Kit Reviews compiled by Joe Moran
• Bookshelf – Edited by Paul R. Hare

There is no surprise that this is another incredible issue from Cross & Cockade International and I am always impressed with the quality of the articles, both from a research perspective, and readability. The period pictures, maps, and drawings in this journal come off looking great thanks to their printing on the journal's glossy paper. 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 waiting for the next issue.

My thanks to Cross & Cockade International and IPMS/USA for the chance to review this great issue.

Highly recommended!