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Windsock Centenary Special: The Last Flight of the L32
Published on
Review Author(s)
Frank Landrus
Book Author(s)
Ray Rimmell,, Illustrator: Ronny Bar, Drawings: Mick Davis, & Harry Woodman
ISBN
978-1-906798-48-2
Other Publication Information
Softbound, A4 [8.27” x 11.69:], 24 pages
MSRP
$13.25
Product / Stock #
Windsock Centenary Special
Company: Albatros Productions, Ltd. - Website: Visit Site
Provided by: Windsock Datafiles - Website: Visit Site
Publications
Aircraft

Ray Rimell is releasing a limited edition volume (1,000 individually numbered and signed copies) of the ‘true story of the ‘Billericay Zeppelin’. A companion volume on ‘The Last Flight of the L31’ is being released simultaneously. The cover features a painting by Robert Karr depicting 2/Lt. Frederick Sowrey taking off from Suttons Farm in his RAF Be2c 4112 on the night of September 23, 1916. Ronny Bar contributes a color side profile of Sowrey’s RAF Be2c. I counted 55 photographs (including eight in colour) and a 1/48 scale drawings of a night fighting BE2c (RAF1a engine).

This book, along with ‘The Last Flight of the L31’, is the long awaited follow-up to Ray Rimell’s ‘The Last Flight of the L48’ released back in 2006. This volume addresses the crash of L32 near Billericay on September 23, 2016. Ray Rimell opens up with a general introduction to the use of Zeppelins in World War I. Part Two introduces Oberleutnant zur See Werner Peterson, and follows Peterson’s command of L7 to his final voyage as the commander of the L32. The aerial engagement where 2/Lt. Frederick Sowrey shot down L32 is well presented as well as the wide swath of the remains of L32. A two and a half page biography of 2/Lt. Frederick Sowrey is presented at the end. I especially appreciate Ray Rimell’s use of eye witness accounts to enhance the storyline.

Sections include:

  • Author’s Introduction
  • Part One – Opening Moves… [Page 2]
    • ‘Flieg, Zeppelin, Flieg!’
    • Rising to the Challenge…
    • Turning the Tiede…
  • Part Two – Peterson’s War
    • First Blood…
    • The Breithaupt Raid [Page 4]
    • Brief Respite
    • 1916…
    • Luftschiffe 32
    • ‘Zepp Sunday’
  • Part Three: To Valhalla… [Page 9]
    • Deadly Encounter [Page 13]
    • Back on Terra Firma
  • Part Four: Billericay
    • Claims and Counter Claims [Page 17]
    • ‘These Men Here Departed’…
    • The Balance Sheet…[Page 19]
  • Footnotes and Sources
    • ‘The Hero of the Night’… [Page 23]
    • Appendices
    • 2/Lt. Frederick Sowrey’s Combat Report
    • Roll of Honour – Crew of L32, KIA, 24 September 1916
    • Acknowledgements
    • Official Documents
    • Books and Journals
    • Places of Interest
    • Other Airship-Related Titles by Ray Rimell

This is an intriguing story that I am glad that Ray Rimell has finally completed and released. If you have any interest in WWI aviation, I wouldn’t wait on getting this book as, again, it is a numbered and autographed edition that is limited to a thousand copies.

Highly recommended!

My thanks to Albatros Productions Ltd. and IPMS/USA for the chance to review this great book.

Front Cover

Reviewer Bio

Frank Landrus

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Frank retired from the Ophthalmic industry with over thirty-six years of Research and Development experience. Frank's first model kit was a 1959 Hawk 1/72 US Marines Vought AU-1 Corsair and has been building models for over sixty years. Frank's first encounter with IPMS was attending a North Central Texas ScaleFest show in 1984. Frank soon became more involved in Make-N-Take activities and became the IPMS Western Coordinator for Make-N-Takes [West of the Mississippi River]. Make-N-Takes quickly became a local model contest and airshow staple reaching a high of reaching over 1,300 children before the COVID shutdown. Frank has volunteered to assist in contest judging since 1985 and is currently the Nationals Head Figure Judge until he is dead or they find someone better.