This is the story of the origin and development of fighter aviation during World War I, the first air war, and the legend of the fighter ace. The story combines the exploits of the aces, the evolution of combat tactics, and the technical development of fighter aircraft from its primitive beginnings to the armistice, presaging the aerial arms race that continues today, when the fighter is the key offensive aerial weapon. The book has 550 photos (36 in color), 170 color profiles, and 280 pages.