AUSTRALIAN HAWK OVER THE WESTERN FRONT: A Biography of Major R S Dallas DSO, DSC, C de G avec Palme

Major Roderick Dallas is Australia's leading air ace of all time and, with fifty victories, also one of the highest-scoring Commonwealth aces.

Even so, until this excellently researched volume, there has never been a full biography of this exceptional pilot, whose fighting career spanned from 1916 to 1918. Flying Nieuport Scouts, Triplanes and Camels with the RNAS and RAF, he was an ever-present threat over the Western Front and the scourge of the German Air Force.

Hellwig's book has been taken principally from primary sources (Dallas' own letters, log book and service record, in addition to squadron record books, combat reports and contemporary accounts), and his resulting conclusions will surprise many. Here is a fitting tribute not just to Australia's greatest war hero of the air but to a man any country would be proud to call their own. It will be read avidly by all those interested in WWI history.

Adrian Hellwig has had articles published previously in Cross and Cockade International, Over the Front, and the Australian Association of WWI Aero Historian's Journal.

REVIEWS

"very thorough...works hard at showing many discrepancies between various records, other books and letters written."Over the Front, 09/2009

Customer Reviews:

Welcome Addition to World War I Aviation Literature

By John Matlock "Gunny" - June 28, 2006

The survival time of a new pilot flying for the British in April of 1917 was 17 1/2 hours. Stan Dallas flew in combat from the end of 1915 (there's come confusion about the exact date) to June 1, 1918 after having fifty victories, one of the highest scores on the allied side. (Eddie Rickenbacker, America's top scoring pilot had 26 victories.)

An interesting little fact. On June 1st a letter was mailed from RAF headquarters to Dallas promoting him to Wing Commander and taking him off of combat duties. It arrived to late and he was killed in combat with three Fokker Triplanes.

This is a very well researched biography based on his logbook, official records, and letters and notes from people he flew with. In addition there are several appendicies to the book: one reprints an article Dallas wrote titled 'Notes on Air Fighting.' Others give details of the aircraft he flew, his victories and a collection of drawings that he made.

All in all, a very welcome... read more