When World War I began in 1914, few members of the opposing armies and navies expected aeroplanes to prove of any value except as a type of unarmed aerial cavalry, capable of observing the movements of man on the ground and ships over the horizon at sea.  By 1918, however, pilots were shooting each other down using heavily armed fighters as well as using aircraft for reconnaissance and as bombers against army positions and naval units.  During the war, vast industries produced aircraft in the numbers as follows: 1) Royal Air Force, 22,000; 2) France, 15,000; 3) Germany, over 20,000 and 4) United States, more than 15,000 aircraft during their 21 months of involvement.  The book Jane's Fighting Aircraft Of World War I is a compendeum of annual publications that were originally released between 1914 and 1919.  This book offers a comprehensive look at the history and changing technology of military aircraft during these years of dramatic invention and rapid development.  This book is highly recommended as a fascinating single-volume reference work for anyone with an interest in the history of flight during World War I.  Included in this book are over 1,000 illustrations with hundreds of vintage black and white photographs.  The aircraft reviewed are covered by country of origin.  This book is 320 pages and is in excellent condition.  This book includes a forward by John W. R. Taylor.  Edition published in 1990.