Aircraft Colours & Markings of the First World War Era
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
3rd Version
Author: Bob Pearson
Publisher: RN Pearson
Type: CD-ROM
It has been a few years since we have seen a new addition in this comprehensive CD-ROM on early aviation colors and markings, and clearly the author has been busy. The CD-ROM format is ideal for the depth of content here, as there are over 2500 profile illustrations and over 900 separate pages. This would be hugely expensive as a print publication, but the CD-ROM format allows for both the vast content and multiple methods of displaying that content.
The table of contents for the CD-ROM is simple, with links to the Introduction, Profiles, Features, and References pages. The introduction is short and notes that it has been nearly five years since the last update, so there is going to be quite a bit new here. The Features section provides a handful of in-depth examinations of different aircraft such as Barker's Camel, Jacobs' Fokker, and 94th Aero Squadron SPADs. There is also a page on portrait sketches of WWI airmen, a page on the Whippet tank, and some engine drawings. The References section has two entries: a bibliography and a profile index. The bibliography is what you'd expect, a comprehensive listing of reference publications used in creating the artwork. The profile index is broken down by nation and has all the profile illustrations separated by squadron, with image number, pilot, aircraft type, serial, and date. None of these entries are linked, though, so you will have to visit the actual profile page to see the illustrations.
Which brings us to the main part of this CD-ROM, the profile pages. Here you will find all the nations listed, seventeen in all (although Yugoslavia does not have content yet). Each nation page then has a brief introduction, then a listing of the aviation units. Clicking on one of the units takes you to the illustrations of the aircraft from that unit. Some units are light, featuring only one aircraft, while others have lots. Most of the illustrations are recent renditions, but some are original watercolors. In addition to the unit breakdown, there is also an Aircraft page that sorts the content by aircraft type, making it easy to see all of the Italian Nieuport 10s, for example.
With any project of this scope, there are bound to be some issues, and there are a few with this one. Every now and then, a link will open up in a new window instead of the original, which interrupts the flow of browsing through the content. There are also the occasional broken links, but these are few and far between. Given the enormity of the CD, these few small glitches are almost inconsequential, and really are overshadowed by the incredible depth and breadth of information presented here.
If you are interested in the colors and markings of World War One aviation, this is an essential reference to have. It shows the evolution of camouflage and national insignia, as well as the highly varied personal markings worn by so many aircraft. My thanks to RN Pearson for the review sample.
You can order yours directly from the author. The cost is $50 USD/Cdn, 40 Euros or 30GBPÂ payable by Paypal to bpearson@kaien.net or cheque/IMO to
Bob Pearson
1520 Omineca Ave
Prince Rupert, BC
V8J 2C1
Canada