Nikon Owner Issue 16
GHOSTS OF THE GREAT WAR Aviation in World War One by Philip Makanna
A special preview of images from world-famous aviation photographer Philip Makanna's forthcoming book: GHOSTS OF THE GREAT WAR, Aviation in World War One.
The Philip Makanna article that appropriately appeared in Issue XIII contained a cover feature of Ghosts of the Sky by the world-famous aviation photographer, Philip Makanna. This article drew a huge response from our readers who were stunned by his breathtaking images of vintage aircraft. Philip has kindly supplied us with some advanced proofs of his forthcoming book, GHOSTS OF THE GREAT WAR, Aviation in World War One. The description of the book from the publisher follows:
“The First World War hammered aircraft into reliable flying form only ten summers after man’s first flight. These first warplanes, born as sport planes, soon evolved into the lethal aircraft that swarmed over the bloody trenches of Europe. They altered the history of the world and carried the dreams and the nightmares of all mankind on their wings.
Renowned aviation photographer Philip Makanna has captured the essence of this era in the forthcoming GHOSTS OF THE GREAT WAR, a hardbound book that weaves his stunning colour photographs with an extraordinary collection of archival duotones. Makanna has spent thirty-one years taking aviation photography to amazing heights. In this edition, his images depict the beginnings of military aviation with Bleriot’s wing warping Model XI, Fokker’s “Spider”, a web of wires and wood, and Sopwith’s simple seaplane racer. The book continues through to the advanced aircraft that appeared near the war’s end.
Javier Arango has written a passionate and informative text that describes these extremely rare aircraft and the history of their development. Arango also offers a unique perspective as he writes about the flight characteristics of these aircraft from his personal experiences as their pilot.
Stunning images and evocative words combine to describe the beauty, the romance and the tragedy of military aviation’s early days. The timeless words of Cecil Lewis who, in 1915, plunged into the war as an eager seventeen-year-old, provide the poetry and wisdom that guide us through this complex of experiences and emotions that changed the world forever.
The ancient flying machines featured in GHOSTS OF THE GREAT WAR form the Aeroplane Collection, one of the largest collections of flyable World War One aircraft in existence. The Collection, based in California, is currently home for twenty-one aircraft of the WWI period. Of these, seventeen different types are fully airworthy.
GHOSTS OF THE GREAT WAR, Aviation in World War One is the fifth volume in Philip Makanna’s classic series of aviation books. Its 192 pages are filled with 160 colour photographs, 110 archival images and 27 drawings.
In support of the American Air Museum in Britain, GHOSTS will publish a ‘Special Limited Edition’ of 2000 copies. This publication will include, bound inside the front cover, a unique copy of Aircraft Records, ‘The Sounds of GHOSTS OF THE GREAT WAR’, an extraordinary audio CD recorded on location as the book was being photographed. It portrays the sounds of five different WWI engines, all built before 1918, all recorded in flight. The ‘Special Limited Edition’ of GHOSTS OF THE GREAT WAR will be available in November/2005 for $50(US) plus shipping.
The ‘Regular Edition’ of GHOSTS OF THE GREAT WAR will be available in November/2005 for $40(US) plus shipping from GHOSTS, 665 Arkansas Street, San Francisco, California, 94107, U.S.A..”
All of the GHOSTS’ publications are described and available at: www.ghosts.com