Album

The First Fighter Pilot - Roland Garros: The Life and Times of the Playboy Who Invented Air Combat

In the Spring of 1915, a Parisian playboy took to the lethal skies of World War I, becoming the world’s first fighter pilot. Never before had a lone pilot hunted down other aviators. Roland Garros’ aerial exploits unleashed unlimited air combat and changed warfare forever. Before leaving French café society for the Western Front, the young pilot set aviation records, won air races, and introduced manned flight to thrilled crowds in the USA, Europe, and Latin America. Garros scouted for the US Army, strolled as aBoulevardier, sold sports cars, played classical piano, was a lawyer, a professional bike racer, and a world-class athlete. Learn how a pioneering pilot ofLa Belle Epoque, the Gilded Age, descended into the man-made hell of the Great War. He was shot down, escaped, made his way back to Paris and the waiting arms of an exotic dancer before returning to the front lines. Garros needed two more victories to become an ace. The little-known story of Roland Garros’ exciting life and fascinating his times is a riveting tale well worth the telling. This narrative non-fiction biography delivers that stirring account right on target.Read more

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