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No Parachute: A Classic Account of War in the Air in WWI Kindle Edition

by Arthur Gould Lee (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 632 ratings
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This account of the Great War puts you right in the action—from one of the fighter pilots of the Royal Flying Corps.
 
From the young airmen who took their frail machines high above the trenches of World War I and fought their foes in single combat, there emerged a renowned company of brilliant aces—among them Ball, Bishop, McCudden, Collishaw, and Mannock—whose legendary feats have echoed down half a century. But behind the elite pilots in the Royal Flying Corps, there were many hundreds of airmen who flew their hazardous daily sorties in outdated planes without ever achieving fame.
 
Here is the story of one of these unknown flyers—a story based on letters written in the day, telling of a young pilot’s progress from fledgling to seasoned fighter. His descriptions of air fighting, sometimes against the Richthofen Circus, of breathless dogfights between Sopwith Pup and Albatros, are among the most vivid and immediate to come out of World War I.
 
Arthur Gould Lee, who rose to the rank of air vice-marshal and also authored the classic Open Cockpit, brilliantly conveys the immediacy of air war, the thrills and the terror, in this honest and timeless account.
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  1. Print length
    311 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Grub Street Publishing
  5. Publication date
    August 19, 2013
  6. File size
    15827 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Aviation enthusiasts and historians will be transfixed by Gould Lee’s accounts of both life in the skies and on the ground."
Library Journal

"This excellent book remains a copper plated gem and has stood the test of time with gusto...This is a very serious book. It takes the form of the letters the author wrote to his young wife and there are odd occasions when he leaves out descriptions of adventures away from flying that I would like to have seen included. It is annotated with details of comrades lost in combat which are very poignant in their own way. A brief account of the later careers of some of his surviving chums appears in the appendices. Make no mistake; what we have here is a classic which gives a genuinely warm and detailed look at the life of a pilot on a typical fighter squadron during the violent days following Bloody April and into the last year of the war. We meet many characters, some with short time on this Earth and others who went on to greatness in another war. It’s got the lot."
War History Online

"The book is a true gem and a must read for those interested in the World War I air war and the stresses of war."
Air & Space Power History

“… new edition nicely complements the earlier work… covers Lee’s experiences with No.46 Squadron, RFC, during the shorter but much more intense period from May 1917 to January 1918. It is based largely on his wartime letters and includes as appendices his later observations, reflecting a longer view of history and his experience as a two-star RAF officer…wartime exploits still resonate in the stirring, first-hand narratives contained in this nicely-illustrated book.
Over the Front

About the Author

Arthur Gould Lee was born in 1894 and served in the Sherwood Foresters, RFC, and RAF from 1915 to 1946 when he retired as an air vice-marshal. He took up writing on retirement from the RAF and published eight nonfiction books, all of which have become classics in aviation nonfiction.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00IYSGMJ8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grub Street Publishing (August 19, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 19, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 15827 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 311 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 632 ratings

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Arthur Gould Lee

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
632 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

AndrewW
5.0 out of 5 stars Experience the life of a WW1 pilot - highly recommended
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2021
Verified Purchase
Fantastic book. Well written, entertaining & informative. The author wrote detailed letters home almost daily so you get to truly experience his fascinating transition from rookie pilot to veteran, losing many friends along the way. Very descriptive narative about life as a WWI fighter pilot at a time when most people had never flown in a plane so you also share his joy as he dives into clouds for fun and tries to describe the experience to his wife. And then the next day might be filled with the terror of a dogfight. I'm keeping the book to read it again someday.
2 people found this helpful
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Terri
4.0 out of 5 stars wonderful history!
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2021
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this is the diary entries and letters written home of an rfc pilot during ww1.
they offer a dramatic uncut narrative of what it really was like to be a scout pilot (which was what fighter pilots were called in world war 1) . for myself it was a fairly good page turner and really had me hooked till the end. a must read as well!
One person found this helpful
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Airplane Driver
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2016
Verified Purchase
I've read a lot of books about the war in the air during WW1. This is absolutely the best. It is well written and thoroughly engrossing. The author seamlessly blends the human side of his story with the technical elements of air combat. As a pilot, I felt as though I was right in the cockpit with him.

Flying these crude and cranky aircraft under the conditions they had to endure is a true testament to the courage, skill and dedication exhibited by those men.

If you want to know what WW1 aviation is all about, then read this book. It is truly a story for the ages.
3 people found this helpful
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Mark
5.0 out of 5 stars Vivid and Compelling
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2014
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To read the words of a pilot who actually flew Sopwith Camels and other planes in combat is a rare and gratifying experience for history buffs and anyone interested in the evolution of flight. This, combined with the author's reflections on the politics and prejudices of the time, and their effects on morale and tactics, contributes to a valuable literary resource. With a laptop at my side to view pictures of the mentioned planes, and GoogleEarth to follow Lee around France (and to even see the exact farm fields where he crash landed), I found this book irresistible. Few WW1 pilots survived more than a few weeks, which makes Lee's writing all the more valuable.
7 people found this helpful
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dapeustis
5.0 out of 5 stars As good an account as has ever been written in combat flying. Have read many, many books on aerial combat but not one matches the story documented in this book.
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2021
Verified Purchase
Because this book was written in detailed letters to his wife the accounts are written with the details fresh in the authors mind. He lost so many friends and knew just how lucky he got many times. If you read only one book on world war 1 aerial combat this is the one you want to read. How amazingly brave all those pilots were.
One person found this helpful
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Brian Falkner
4.0 out of 5 stars A worthwhile read
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2016
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A very interesting, first hand account of the air war, that, although clearly written with the benefit of hindsight, still gives the reader an authentic insight into life (and death) as an airman during the Great War. Not as good as Sagittarius Rising by Cecil Lewis, but still a very worthwhile read.
One person found this helpful
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Philip Sciabarrasi
5.0 out of 5 stars WW I British pilot diary
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2020
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Fascinating account of the day to day life of a 22 year British pilot flying combat missions I’m 1917. Well written and excellent account of what it felt like to fly bi-planes during first WORLD WAR. I felt like I was there with him. Highly recommend!
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Cheryl A. Fuller
3.0 out of 5 stars I got it for my husband. He actually read ...
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
I got it for my husband. He actually read a few diary entries/letters to his wife to me. Interesting details that a pilot would especially relate too. My hubby was a pilot! He said it was 'fun to read, but not full of excitement'. Just an honest and tender day-to-day recounting of WW1. He bought 3 for some pilot buddies
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Top reviews from other countries

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Bernhard Schaefer
5.0 out of 5 stars Unbedingt empfehlenswert
Reviewed in Germany on December 21, 2021
Verified Purchase
Eines der besten Bücher, welches zum Thema I. Weltkrieg geschrieben wurde bzw. zumindest eines der besten, welches ich gelesen habe.
Frei von Pathos, Polemik und zudem reich an Einblicken in den Kriegsalltag einer "bevorzugten Gattung" von Soldaten, den Piloten - was der Autor auch offen zu gibt - doch alles vor dem Hintergrund der Frage: Warum keine Fallschirme?
Gehört meines Erachtens zur Pflichtlektüre.
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ken eiric christensen
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in Canada on March 24, 2016
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in some ways better than the somewhat disorganized open cockpit that precedes it.
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J. R. Richardson
5.0 out of 5 stars Quite possibly the real James Bigglesworth
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 21, 2013
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To those who, like me, have always believed that Capt ('Biggles') Bigglesworth's ability to crash his aeroplane amongst the Front-Line trenches and survive was unbelieveable; here is the story of the man who did just that, and more. I do not think that there can be any doubt that many of Biggles's fictional escapades are based upon the actual life of Arthur Gould Lee.
Biggles may have sustained the fascination with primitive air warfare during the intervening period; but it is this book, No Parachute, that finally reveals that it was all true and helps to unravel some of the unanswered questions, which have been raised in all our minds.
The Author acknowledges that he eventually attained that degree of skill and instinct necessary to survive in aerial combat; but that luck remained the key factor in selecting him as a survivor. The nervous exhaustion, which is only alluded-to in Biggles's story, is soberly acknowledged here; as is the ability of one's Comrades or Commanding Officer to recognise it more clearly than one could oneself. Arthur Gould Lee was a lucky man to emerge with his MC and the rest of his life, to enjoy.
13 people found this helpful
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Neil Sidwell
5.0 out of 5 stars Review of "No Parachute"
Reviewed in Australia on May 10, 2014
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Excellent account by a WW1 pilot of the day to day life experienced in France, and his views of the war. Well-written and thoughtful. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and would recommend it to anyone interested in the life of Allied WW1 pilots.
One person found this helpful
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Michael Harwood
5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading for anyone wishing to understand Air Power
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2020
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In conjunction with "The Flatpack Bombers", Arthur Gould Lee's masterful "No Parachute" is a must for anyone interested in the limits of human endurance, stress, life and death, innovation, and leadership. After a lifetime of flying aircraft and being involved with war and deterrence and all things in between, I've come way too late to the party in realising just how much can still be learned from the lives of people in the First World War. Buy this book. Don't leave it too late.
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