The era of the combat biplane is usually thought to have been
between 1914 and 1938. By the outbreak of World War II, most of the
advanced air forces of the world had moved on to monoplane aircraft
for their front-line battle forces, both in bomber and fighter
capacities. Yet despite this, many biplanes did still survive, both
in front-line service and in numerous subsidiary roles, and not
just as training machines but as fully operational warplanes. Thus
in 1939 the majority of major European powers still retained some,
albeit few, biplane aircraft. Sadly, and as an indictment of failed
British Government defence policies, it was Great Britain who still
had the bulk of such obsolescent combat aircraft, machines like the
Gladiator, Swordfish, Walrus, Vildebeeste and Audax for example,
while the inferior Albacore, meant to replace the Swordfish, was
still yet to enter service! Germany had relegated most of her
biplane designs to secondary roles, but they still managed to
conduct missions in which biplanes like the He.50, He.51 and Hs.120
excelled. Both France and Italy had biplanes in active service,
Mussolinis Regia Aeronautica attaching great importance to the type
as a fighter aircraft as late as 1941, while the Soviet Union also
retained some machines like the Po-2 in front-line service right
through the war and beyond. In addition, a whole range of smaller
nations utilised biplanes built for larger combatants in their own
air forces. By the time Japan and the United States entered the war
two years later, they had mainly rid themselves of biplanes but,
even here, a few specialised types lingered on. This book describes
a selection of these gallant old warriors of all nations. They
represent the author's own personal selection from a surprisingly
large range of aircraft that, despite all predictions, fought hard
and well in World War II.
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