| |  | Author: Stephen Longstreet
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Category: Book
List Price: $3.95
Buy Used: $0.01
You Save: $3.94 (100%)
Used (27) Collectible (2) from $0.01
Avg. Customer Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 1146269
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.1
ISBN: 0345308913
EAN: 9780345308917
ASIN: 0345308913
Publication Date: March 12, 1983
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 6-9 of 9 | | « PREV | | |
 the canvas falcons, the men and planes of WW1 March 11, 2002
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
As a non history buff (but an aircraft buff, pilot and antique aircraft builder and flier), I enjoyed this book about fliers and planes of WW1. It is about the gut feelings of those who flew and died in the beginnings of combat aircraft. An insight of those who had guts that sometimes got disturbed by events around them.
 Most error-filled WWI book I've ever read February 18, 2001
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
I've accumulated quite a library of WWI aviation books, and this is undoubtedly the most error-filled I've ever come across. The Red Baron's death ocurring in an Albatross? Triplanes with prop spinners? Twin Lewis guns in a Sopwith Camel? Mislabeled/misidentified aircraft too numerous to mention. I'll give the author good marks for conveying the "feel" of what an airman's life was like and how the war wore them down, but it was just impossible to get past the glaring factual errors. Any of the new info I gleaned was impossible to take at face value since he obviously got so much of the basic stuff wrong. Oh, yeah, a large portion of the photos are either of plastic models or the box art from old Revell model kits. At least it was inexpensive...
 Not technical but good February 17, 2001
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I take some issue with the above review. This is not the book if you are looking for technical breakdowns of the various aircraft. However, if you want to try to catch an image of what life must have been like in the aerodromes, Longstreet does a good job of telling us about the aviators and their (often very short) lives.I failed to detect any animosity toward any individual flyer, including the famous Baron. Longstreet is open in his views about the foolishness of war but seems to respect the pilots. At least that was my take. He does point out that all of the claims for all of the aces are probably exaggerated. If you're looking for horsepower ratings of Hispano-Suisa or Le Rhone engines this is not your book. If you're looking for a human story about the first air-battles The Canvas Falcons is a good place to start. Besides "Canvas Falcons" sounds better than "Linen" or "Plywood" would. Doesn't it?
 A very poor book! June 28, 1999
There is very little fact in Mr Longstreet's book, "The Canvas Falcon". To begin with the Aircraft of World War 1 were covered with either linen or plywood, none were covered with canvas. Mr Longstreet's hatred of Germans and especially of Manfred von Richtofen clouds the book with more fiction than fact. While the book is easy for all to read, it should not be considered a history book. There are many other books on World War 1 aviation which are much better. As a World War 1 historian I have read many books on the subject and I would have to rank "The Canvas Falcons" at the bottom of the list. Richard D. Schrader
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