Eugen Bönsch, War Diary of a Figher Ace & Fliegerkompagnie 51J on the Italian Front 1917-1918

A portrait of Austro-Hungarian aviation ace Eugen Bönsch. This publication guides the reader through the life story of this Czech-German pilot, a native of the Giant Mountains, operator of the renowned Luční Bouda chalet, and pioneer of glider aviation in the region. The greatest attention is devoted, naturally, to his military aviation career—particularly his service with the most successful Austro-Hungarian fighter unit, Flik 51J, on the Italian Front.
The impetus for the creation of this book was the discovery of Bönsch’s more than one-hundred-year-old personal diary, kept during the war years 1917–1918. In it, virtually day by day, he recounts his entry into aviation service, the course of his pilot and fighter training, and above all his combat deployment over the Isonzo and the Piave with Flik 51J. The preserved diary, covering the period from mid-February 1917 to early May 1918, represents a unique and valuable testimony to Austro-Hungarian fighter aviation and to aerial warfare on the Italian Front. It offers numerous new insights, enriches the existing archival records, and adds a more personal and dramatic dimension. Bönsch’s firsthand account of the fierce engagement with British RFC fighters on March 30, 1918 near Ghirano airfield even significantly revises the long-established British interpretation of this episode. Following the narrative of Bönsch’s wartime story, the book includes brief biographical sketches of several pilots connected to his military service.
The text is complemented by tables summarizing the activities of Fliegerkompagnie 51J and Eugen Bönsch, as well as numerous documents and several maps. Model builders will appreciate the colour profile drawings of the Albatros D.III (Oef) (various versions), Fokker B.II, Hanriot HD.1, and Sopwith F.1 Camel.324 photos, 10 colour profiles, charts, maps,