The Kaiser’s Flyers in Macedonia 1914–1918: A Study of Military Aviation in South-East Europe Paperback – December 10, 2021

Contrary to another review which downgrades the product for a printing issue, I give this 5 stars as a measure of the quality of research, page design and layout, and value of this book as a general read, for reference or as a research tool. Writing from the UK (where it was printed on demand) the printing issue is the same in that pictures on pages 58-59 are missing and the text just on those two pages is faint. But this should not detract from a commendable piece of work as constituted by the book's content.Almost non-existent in any other form outside academic institutions, coverage of this aspect of First World War aviation is to be welcomed and the publisher applauded. Perched on the edge of the Balkans, an ancient civilization with a very long history stretching back into the Bronze Age and before, Macedonia has been the center of world events for two centuries. Its role in the First World War is seminal, yet the drama of aerial warfare of the Western Front has snatched attention away from a hotly contested part of the Great War.This is one of those monographs published by Aeronaut Books that one wishes could have been hardbound at whatever the purchase price. Very few compilations even approach the coverage given to this theater elsewhere. Aeronaut have a list of outstanding hardback books and this is one of those that this reviewer wishes could have been printed on high quality paper and with a more durable binding - but such things are driven by the potential purchase price matched against sales. So be it.The book itself has a dual role: in telling the story of the aviation units and, as well, in describing the turbulent story of the region and the mix of Serbian, Romanian, Hungarian, Greek and Balkan inputs as well as Turkey, Italy and the tattered remnants of the decaying Austro-Hungarian Empire. Assembled through a collaborative team of respected historians, the book is a remarkable assemblage of information, much of which was new to this reviewer - himself a lifelong 'student' of the 1914-18 Air War and no stranger to these events.Publisher Jack Herris has done a great service in bringing this assembled history to a more general readership - the photographs alone are worth the price of this book. The quality of the scholarship is without question and the work can be highly recommended, despite the printing flaw on two pages as mentioned above. Brought alive by this monumental work, it stands proud alongside a vast range of equally inspiring monographs by this leading publisher in aviation history. Thanks Jack!