Cross & Cockade International Winter 2024
The non-profit UK based group known as the Great War Aviation Society publishes their journal, Cross & Cockade International, four times a year. Issues are available in English as printed [Softbound, A4 (8.27” x 11.69), 80 pages plus centerfold] as well as digital copies (or both). A new magazine, Contact!, is now available in both print and digital download. The Society also provides 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 Great War Aviation Society also hosts a lecture series available through Zoom. If interested, you will need to register early as the call is limited in attendance. The Great War Aviation Society is also on Facebook and on X [Twitter].
The Winter 2024 journal of Cross & Cockade International features a black and white photograph of Curtiss HS-2L flying boats at the Brest Naval Air Station in 1918. Crated Curtiss HS-1 and HS-2 flying boats were shipped to Brest and assembled for service there. Note the hanger construction in the background and the beached rowing boats. This U.S. Naval Air Station in France was switched from a Naval Base to a Naval Air Station in February 1918. This base supported kite balloon facilities and seaplane patrols before being closed in February 1919. All Curtiss HS flying boats were scrapped that were based at Brest. Curtiss HS flying boats continued to serve in the United States by the US Coast Guard until 1926 and by the US Navy until 1928. Many later found utility in Canada as their first ‘bush’ plane. Part of a rear tail section survives in the Canada Aviation Museum in Ottawa. The rear inside and outside cover includes four black and white photographs from the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection, all from Walter Carter’s personal collection. The two photographs of the crashed Royal Aircraft Factory RE8 shown of the rear cover was based at RFC Harlaxton, Lincolnshire. The 40 TDS [Training Depot Station] was based there from 1917 to 1918 when Lt. A.W. Mather spun in from about 500 feet on October 29, 1918. The pull-out center section, The final edition of the Gazetteer Part 20, covers Addendum and Appendixes 1 and 2. There is no fold-out color map included as in the past. The section consists of four black and white photos and eight black and white maps. Three additional maps with detailed legends focus on the standard layouts of camps for single seater squadrons, two-seater squadrons, and corps squadrons in 1918 France.
Mike Kelsey leads off with the second part ofThe Last Days of Rudolf von Eschwege History, Myth and Fiction. Part two starts off on Saturday, November 17, 1917, when the decision to deploy a balloon bomb was begun. Lt. Rudolf von Eschwege was the highest scoring ace [20 confirmed and 6 un-confirmed] on the Macedonian front up to his death on November 21, 1917. He was attacking a kite balloon in his Albatross D.IIII that had an additional surprise of 500 pounds high explosives to curtail Lt. Eschwege’s balloon busting. This twenty-one-page feature includes 37 period black and white photographs and illustrations. The black and white illustration at the top of Page 55-230 depicts a FE2b turning from a German balloon just as the basket explodes. Captioned a “German Trick”, it appeared in the Sphere newspaper. The right top black and white photograph shows a balloon basket hosting a dummy observer that could have been a “German Trick”. This final part includes a detailed bibliography and end notes, providing plenty of opportunity to dig deeper into this topic.
The second part of The Memoirs of Reginald Mandeville Rodwell, 2 Sq RFC is up next, covering Lt. Rodwell’s BEF service from 1914 to 1915. This fifteen-page article includes eighteen period black and white photographs and two black and white maps. A nice clear black and white photograph on Page 55-248 depicts 2 Squadron Royal Aircraft Factory BE2a two seaters undergoing maintenance in the field. The two aircraft that can be identified in this photograph are 233 and 327. The first, 233, was received from the Bristol Co. and erected by Bristol mechanics on September 20, 1913 and handed over to 2 Squadron on October 13, 2013. 233 left England on August 13, 2014 and landed at a field north of Amiens. She was damaged on October 11, 2014 and Struck Off Charge on November 9, 2014.The second BE2a, 327, in the foreground also left England on August 13, 2014. Unfortunately, while she was at Namur, Belgium, 327 was run into by a Belgian car on August 21, 2014, during the Siege of Namur. Spare parts were sent for, but she was Struck Off Charge on August 31, 2014.
Philip Jarrett is up next with What Was The Camel Like To Spin? This six-page feature has five black and white photographs along with photographs of nine period charts and tables. Philip Jarrett was intrigued by Colin Ower’s article in the Summer of 2024 on what the Sopwith Camel was like to fly. Period spin test data is presented and is reviewed by the Chief Pilot, Roger ‘Dodge’ Bailey, of the Northern Aeroplane Workshop’s 2015 Camel reproduction. A clear black and white photograph is shown on Page 55.260 of this F.1 Camel reproduction prior to fitting the engine and propeller. This reproduction’s first flight was achieved on May 18, 2017, at Old Warden. This Sopwith Camel is the third, and last reproduction funded by the Shuttleworth Collection, with the first two reproductions being the Bristol M1C, G-BWJM, and the Sopwith Triplane, G-BOCK.
The fourth part of Andrei Alexandrov’s history [edited by Harry Woodman] of The Imperial Russian Naval Air Service spans sixteen pages and includes 12 period photographs. Many of the photographs are sourced from the Russian State Archive. There also are four pages of 3-view drawings (I’m guessing by Harry Woodman since they have the initials HW on them). The photograph at the top of Page 55-268 shows an overhead view of the sole Villish VM-1 flying boat. The VM-1 was powered by a 98 hp Gnome Monosoupape driving a two bladed wooden propeller. The VM-1 was tested at Revel on November 20, 1915, but on landing it hit an ice flow and sank. The following VM-2 flying boat was an improved VM-4 that was tested and accepted by the Russian Navy in June 1916.
Paul R. Hare presents a four-pager on SE5 A4561 titled Folland’s Pixie. Designed by Henry Folland at the Royal Aircraft Factory, Scout Experimental 5, A4561, was the beginning of a legend. The first flight was planned for Tuesday, November 21, 1916, but the new 150 hp Hispano-Suiza 8 engine failed to start. Wednesday, November 22nd was more successful as Major Frank Gooden took A4561 up for a twenty-minute maiden flight. Her last flight was on January 2, 1917, after which A4561 was relegated to ground structural tests. Frank Gooden had transferred his attention to the second prototype, A4562, which made its maiden flight on December 22, 1916. The third prototype, A4563, joined the fun on January 12, 1917, with its first flight.Sadly, Frank Gooden died in a crash of A4562 on January 28, 1917. A4561 proved instrumental in determining the cause of the wing failure and improving the wing design.
The From The Albums two pager shows off sixteen black and white photographs from the Walter Carter album from the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection. Four more photographs are on the previously mentioned inner and outer rear magazine cover. Modeling: New Releases and Kit Reviews has Joe Moran highlighting market news for kits and accessories. This issue sees Bob Gladding building two kits: Valom’s 1/144 Hannover Cl.II and KP’s 1/72 Sopwith Swallow. The Valom 1/144 kit comes as two complete kits and a total of four decal options. Bob Gladding chose to finish his Hannover Cl.II as C.622/18 marked in the Bayerische Fliegerschule 5 [Flight School) of the last half of 1918. KP has released the Sopwith Swallow, and its predecessor the Sopwith Scooter. The plastic for both kits are identical, although the Sopwith Scooter is definitely different. The Sopwith Swallow is what you get for both kits although the Sopwith Scooter is not a major modification. The Bookshelf section is a review of WWI aviation specific books and magazines with this issue totaling nineteen.
Topics:
- Editorial by Mick Davis
- Obituaries: Barry Gray, 1940 - 2024
- The Last Days of Rudolf von Eschwege History, Myth and Fiction Part 2by Mike Kelsey [Page 55.230]
- The Memoirs of Reginald Mandeville Rodwell, 2 Sq RFC Part 2 – With the BEF 1914 - 1915via Tom Rodwell[Page 55.248]
- What Was The Camel Like To Spin?by Philip Jarrett [Page 55.260]
- The Imperial Russian Naval Air ServicePart 4by Andrei Alexandrov/ Edited by Harry Woodman [Page 55.268]
- Folland’s Pixie: SE5 A4561by Paul R. Hare[Page 55.278]
- From The Albums– Boscombe Down Aviation Collection
- Modeling: New Releases and Kit Reviewscompiled by Joe Moran
- Bookshelf– Edited by Paul R. Hare
There is no surprise that this is another great issue from The Great War Aviation Society, 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 The Great War Aviation Society and IPMS/USA for the chance to review this great issue.
Highly recommended!

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