Zeppelin vs British Home Defence 1915-18

When Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin’s rigid airship LZ 1 flew over Lake Constance in 1900, it was the most advanced and impressive flying machine in the world: a colossal, lighter-than-air craft capable of controlled flight. In World War I, Zeppelins were first used in a reconnaissance role, but on January 19, 1915 Kaiser Wilhelm II authorized their use in bombing strategic targets in England.

From then on, ＂Zeppelin＂ became synonymous with terror to the British, and indeed the airship’s effectiveness was more psychological than material. Still, their raids compelled the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service to embark on a program of modernizing their aerial defenses, accelerating a process that would ultimately make the airplane, rather than the airship, the paramount flying machine of the war. Using specially commissioned artwork, contemporary photographs, and first-hand accounts, this book tells the fascinating story of Britain’s first Blitz, from the airships who terrorized the public to the men who sought to defend the skies.

Jon Guttman specializes in World War I aviation, and is research director and contributing writer for Weider History Publications. He has written 19 titles for Osprey in the past, including many on World War I topics, such as: SPAD VII Aces of World War 1 and Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1 in the Osprey Aircraft of the Aces series; SPA124 Lafayette Escadrille, Groupe de Combat 12, ’Les Cigognes’ and USAS 1st Pursuit Group in the Aviation Elite Units series; Sopwith Camel vs Fokker Dr I, SPAD XIII vs Fokker D VII, SE 5A vs Albatros D V and SPAD VII vs Albatros D III in the Duel series; and Sopwith Camel in the Air Vanguard series. He is a resident of Leesburg, Virginia.

Jim Laurier is a native of New England, growing up in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. He has been drawing since he could hold a pencil and throughout his life he has worked in many mediums creating artwork on a variety of subjects. He has worked on the Osprey Aviation list since 2000, and in that time he has produced some of the finest artwork seen in these volumes. He currently lives in New Hampshire.