Norman Leslie Robert Franks is an English militaria writer who specialises in aviation topics. He focuses on the pilots and squadrons of World Wars I and II.
Biography
He published his first book in 1976. He was an Organisation and Methods Officer with the Nationwide Building Society in London before he retired. He now lives in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, with his wife Heather. They have two sons, Rob and Mike, and five grandchildren. He was a consultant for the Channel 4television seriesDogfight: The Mystery of the Red Baron. His 1995 book on the Red Baron has been published and reissued by three publishers. He is also one of the founding members of the Cross and Cockade society for World War I aviation historians, which was formed in 1970, and a member of Over the Front, the league of World War I aviation historians. In total, he has authored over 120 books covering military aviation.
Published works
Franks, Norman. Double Mission: Fighter Pilot and SOE Agent, Manfred Czernin
Franks, Norman. Fighter Leader: The Story of Wing Commander Ian Gleed, DSO, DFC
Franks, Norman. The Greatest Air Battle: Dieppe, 19 August 1942
Franks, Norman. Aircraft versus Aircraft: The illustrated story of fighter pilot combat since 1914. Grub Street. American ed. was issued by Macmillan 192 pages.
Franks, Norman; Forever strong: The story of 75 Squadron RNZAF, 1916-1990 Random Century
Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank. Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918. Casemate Pub
Franks, Norman; Giblin, Hal; and McCrery, Nigel. Under the Guns of the Red Baron - The Complete Record of Von Richthofen's Victories and Victims Fully Illustrated . 224 pages.
Franks, Norman. Who Downed the Aces in WWI?. Grub Street.
Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell; and Alegi, Gregory. Above the War Fronts: The British Two-Seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-Seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces 1914-1918. Grub Street. 218 pages.
Franks, Norman. The Greatest Air Battle: Dieppe, 19th August 1942. Grub Street
Franks, Norman; Bennett, Alan. The Red Baron's Last Flight: a Mystery Investigated. Grub Street. Reissued as a paperback in 2006
Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank. The Storks: The Story of the Les Cigognes, France's Elite Fighter Group of WWI. Grub Street. 160 pages.
Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank; Duiven, Rick. Casualties of the German Air Service 1914-20: As Complete a List as Possible Arranged Alphabetically and Chronologically. Grub Street. 362 pages.
Franks, Norman; Holmes, Tony. Albatros Aces of World War I . Motorbooks International. 96 pages.
Franks, Norman. Nieuport Aces of World War I . Motorbooks International. 96 pages.
Franks, Norman; Wyngarden, Greg Van; Holmes, Tony. Fokker Dr I Aces of World War I . Osprey Aviation. 96 pages.
Franks, Norman. Buck McNair : Canadian Spitfire ace : the story of Group Captain R.W. McNair DSO, DFC & 2 bars, Ld'H, CdG, RCAF. Grub Street
Franks, Norman; Giblin, Hal. Under the Guns of the Kaiser's Aces: Bohme, Muller, Von Tutschek, Wolff : The Complete Record of Their Victories and Victims. Grub Street. 192 pages.
Franks, Norman. Sopwith Camel Aces of World War 1. Osprey Publishing . 96 pages.
Franks, Norman; Holmes, Tony. Sopwith Triplanes Aces of World War 1 . Osprey Publishing . 96 pages.
Franks, Norman. Jasta Boelcke: The History of Jasta 2, 1916-1918. Grub Street. 224 pages.
Franks, Norman. Ton-up Lancs: a Photographic Record of the Thirty-five RAF Lancasters that Each Completed One Hundred Sorties.Grub Street
Franks, Norman. Sopwith Pup Aces of World War 1.. Osprey Publishing
Franks, Norman. British and American Aces of World War I: the Pictorial Record. Schiffer Military History
Franks, Norman. Frank 'Chota' Carey : the story of Group Captain Frank Carey CBE DFC AFC DFM. Grub Street
