Air forces and warfare Books

Book SynopsisThe dramatic untold story of the first US Army unit to cross the Pacific and strike back at the Japanese after Pearl Harbor

Read more less

Book SynopsisIan McLachlan has spent many years researching a brand new collection of exciting United States Army Air Force fighter stories of the Second World War. He has trawled official archives, interviewed survivors and gained privileged access to personal letters, diaries and photo albums to relate a series of compelling stories of the USAAF''s fighter squadrons at war. Each story is self-contained and looks at a particular incident or theme. Among the selection of diverse stories are the following examples: In broad daylight - Dutch resistance operatives spirit a young 4th Fighter Group P-51 pilot away from his captors. Osce Jones - crash-landing just after D-Day, Osce journeys on foot through enemy territory, but will he escape? Frank Klibbe - an eventual 56th Fighter Group ace is fined USD50 for damage to Government property - one P-47 Thunderbolt. Back from the dead - Harry Howard, a 339FG pilot turns up to tell the tale after his memorial service.

Read more less

Book SynopsisModern war is total war.’Zeppelin Blitz is the first full, raid-by-raid, year-by-year account of the Zeppelin air raids on Britain during the First World War, based on contemporary official reports and documents.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA quiet market town with no military presence was chosen as the secret communications centre for Britain as the country prepared for war with Germany in 1937.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWritten by 303 squadron leader Johnny Kent, One of the Few is a superb memoir and surprisingly one of only a handful ever written by a Battle of Britain pilot.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMayday. Mayday. Mayday . . . Every member of the Goldfish Club has been forced to broadcast these terrifying words from a stricken aircraft, making them one of the most unusual fellowships in the world. Formed during the Second World War to foster comradeship among pilots who had been forced to bail out over water, the Goldfish Club has taken on new airmen (and one woman) ever since and there are hundreds of tales to be told. All are different. All are utterly gripping.Award winning journalist and author Danny Danziger has brought together some of the most powerful stories of this extraordinary brotherhood. A few will leave you open-mouthed, others may reduce you to tears, but all are a fascinating testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSouthern England. Late summer 1940. The nation is fighting for its very survival and the Luftwaffe''s aerial offensive is unrelenting. All that lies between invasion and salvation for Britain is the ''thin blue line'' of RAF Fighter Command and its pilots. This newly illustrated anniversary edition of Life as a Battle of Britain Pilot reveals what it was like to fly a fighter plane in the Battle of Britain. Who were the Spitfire and Hurricane pilots of 1940? How did they spend a typical day? And when pitched together in combat at 30,000 feet, which was the better machine - Spitfire or Me109? Read Life as a Battle of Britain Pilot and then ask yourself: would I have been up to the job?

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith humble beginnings as an RAF apprentice, Johnny Wells progressed to pilot and rose to the higher echelons of command at the Air Ministry. From idyllic pre-war training, he would fly bombers against rebels over Iraq, combat Fw190s over England in the newly introduced and equally dangerous Typhoon; he would undertake hazardous low-level anti-shipping strikes in the English Channel, as well as train-busting sorties over occupied territory at night and close-support ground-attack operations across northern Europe following D-Day. Indeed, Wells ended the Second World War as one of the most successful and highly decorated Typhoon Wing Leaders in the Tactical Air Force. This well-researched account of one man's rise through the ranks of the Air Ministry is finely illustrated with contemporary images and is an excellent testimony of what was required of air pilots during the Second World War. Wells' story is both an inspiration and a gripping account of one man's journey through a service

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe legendary B-17 Flying Fortress has been covered very many times by books over the years -- some good, some not so much. This fresh pictorial examination, though -- by noted researcher/historian David Doyle -- is a fine starting point for those new to the subject. It covers all sub-types up to D format and offers a wealth of useful photographs with accompanying captions. Some shots of the very early models are truly excellent and ooze the pioneering spirit of the era, while the sprinkling of colour views provides welcome extra detail in terms of paint schemes and markings. Certain individual studies are most revealing, such as the B-17B at Bolling Field in Washington DC, wearing water-soluble camouflage and the image showing technicians applying de-icer boots to the vertical stabiliser of another B. Each variant-specific chapter gives a potted account of the structural differences/additions and the book ends with period and restoration photos of B-17D The Swoose, held by the National Museum of the USAF. FlyPast Magazine, February 2021

Read more less

Book SynopsisA unique, illustrated history of the US Navy Fighter Weapons School's 50-year history.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Legends of Warfare guide to Douglas's high-powered attack bomber

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis essential book offers a compelling and original interpretation of the rise of military aviation. Jeremy Black, one of the world's finest scholars of military history, provides a lucid analysis of the use of airpower over land and sea both during the two world wars and the more limited wars of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Considering both the theory and praxis of air power, the author begins with hot air balloons, and then highlights the use of zeppelins, piston engine fighters, jet bombers, and finally the so-called Military Revolution of today. While discussing the growth of American and European military aviation, Black, a pioneer in emphasizing the importance of non-Western military history for understanding global developments, also traces the emergence of air power in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Black breaks new ground by exploring not only to conventional warboth inside and outside Europebut also to the use of air power in unconventional wars, especially crTrade ReviewSynthesizing numerous secondary sources and combining them with some primary research, Black offers a synthetic history of air power that emphasizes the post–WW II era, when military aviation matured considerably, then carries his survey all the way to recent air operations and military aircraft acquisitions. Over the course of 13 chapters, this remarkable book shows the context of aerial combat not only through evolving technology but also through economic exigencies, political prestige, and shifting sensibilities on such matters as civilian casualties. By reminding readers that military aviation does not solve matters alone, the author also hints at the considerable intricacies associated with any aerial campaign, from political decision making to the incorporation of naval air power. However, to distill such complexity, Black assumes readers will be familiar with the variety of aircraft named yet neither described nor pictured. Lay audiences with a prior interest will appreciate the wider context offered as well as the brief glossary and supplementary reading list. . . .Summing Up: Recommended. Most levels/libraries. * CHOICE *[Jeremy Black] is an outstanding scholar. . . . [The] intelligent predictions that Black makes here . . . are much more subtle and nuanced. As a result, they are likely to stand the test of time. . . . To conclude, this is a useful introduction to airpower and it is particularly good in looking at it, not in isolation, but in the larger context. Airpower is not presented here as the silver bullet resolving all problems, but as a game-changer in many respects. It opened the door to city bombing on a scale that has made some think of genocide, but also to precision targeting, with the arrival of smart missiles. All this is ably demonstrated in this volume. * RUSI Journal *An excellent general history of airpower and an indispensable work for anyone who has anything to do with the employment of air assets. A range of audiences, from policymakers, to military personnel, to students of military history, should read it. . . . Black seeks to look beyond airpower as an asset in armed conflict to its varied and important roles in achieving strategic aims short of war. This is an immensely important and much overlooked aspect of airpower’s enduring strategic utility. . . . This work also diverges from the vast majority of airpower histories in its careful assessment of the air weapon’s utility in smaller air forces and also within larger ones in emerging major powers with rapidly evolving military capabilities, such as China and India. . . . Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Black engages energetically with policymaker failures to use airpower in realistic ways to achieve strategic aims in various armed conflicts. . . . Black’s superb insights regarding the enduring strategic value of airpower across the spectrum of conflict, from humanitarian crises and conflicts short of war to high-intensity conventional or even nuclear wars, are a highlight of his work. . . . Most of all, it reminds us that deemphasizing airpower would be a serious error. Black’s outstanding work warns us about this in no uncertain terms. * U.S. Military History Review *There are currently many books and accounts about air power available. Dr Peter Gray’s book goes much further than all of them. It accurately describes itself as a textbook. It draws upon an impressively large number of sources and bibliography to offer the student a series of detailed discussions on various aspects of the subject. It covers in some depth air power’s evolution, history, theory and practice. It looks at the political and legal aspects, the ethics and morality of air campaigns over the decades, reviews the huge body of literature on the subject, looks at many of the influential leaders and practitioners over the years, such as Mitchell, Douhet, Trenchard and Portal and discusses how to study and write about it. * Aerospace *[A] well-written summary of a broad topic.... Air Power: A Global History will be most useful for readers new to the topic who are looking for a beginning overview. More knowledgeable readers will still find much of interest. * Parameters *Air Power offers new insights about the global reaches and dynamics of air power.... Black offers readers a concise historical context to understand air power scholarship. Air Power serves as a helpful entry point for students, young scholars, or general readers... [I]t is a fine addition to Black’s large and growing oeuvre. * H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online *Readers of military aviation history will find Air Power: A Global History comes from one of the world's leading aviation historians and provides a compelling examination that goes beyond the usual consideration of conventional warfare to consider unconventional wars around the world. Chapters employ a chronological approach in detailing events from the 1920s to modern times, showing how air power was a significant part of conflicts between states, how it ultimately revolutionized military thinking about how warfare was conducted, and how refined organization and evolving doctrines affected military choices. Changing values, perspectives, and strategic operations are documented throughout, creating a powerful survey highly recommended for military history and aviation history collections alike. * Donovan's Bookshelf *[A] stand out volume in the history of air warfare. Black covers the traditional subjects of the great wars, but he goes into great depth in lesser known conflicts. . . . Black covers the history of air power from balloons to drones and presents often overlooked information in the development of air power as well as its successes and failures. . . . A very detailed look at the history of air power in a surprisingly short book. * Evilcyclist's Blog *Combining conceptual insight with clear, readable descriptions of technology, Jeremy Black describes how air power evolved from modest beginnings into a major national instrument of both deterrence and compellence. By covering the societal and psychological aspects of air warfare as well as air power’s hundred-year history of delivering air superiority, situational awareness, maneuver and strike, this excellent book fills a real void in the existing literature. Highly recommended. -- Col. Prof. John Andreas Olsen, Royal Norwegian Air ForceJeremy Black’s Air Power is destined to be the go-to book on the subject. While inspiring in its breadth and scope, the work does not lose sight of the key issues that propelled the development of military aviation such as leadership, technological advances, and political considerations. Most important, Black does not fall victim to air power theorists’ propaganda, instead maintaining a clear-eyed focus on the limitations of air power and its integration with land and sea forces. -- Jason W. Warren, U.S. Army War CollegeThis book couldn’t be timelier. As desperate governments search for ways to avoid the quagmire of ground combat in the Middle East and elsewhere, the notion that air power on its own can achieve strategic objectives is rapidly taking on the dimensions of a panacea. But eminent military historian Jeremy Black, writing for informed citizens and decision-makers alike, assays the historical record of military aviation’s contribution to victory in war and concludes that governments would do well to exercise caution in putting all of their strategic eggs in the air power basket. -- Bruce Vandervort, Virginia Military InstituteTable of ContentsAbbreviations Preface 1.Introduction 2.The Start of a New Arm 3.The First World War 4.The 1920s 5.The 1930s 6.The Second World War 7.The Early Cold War, 1946–1962 8.The Cold War: The Middle Period, 1963–1975 9.The Later Cold War, 1976–1989 10.Air Power and the Revolution in Military Affairs, 1990–2003 11.A Complex Reality, 2004–2015 12.Into the Future 13.Conclusions Notes Selected Bibliography Index About the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisBrought to life by the personal accounts of six Navy pilots and one British POW, this is the history of the U.S. Navy airstrikes on Japanese-held Hong Kong.Commander John Lamade started the war in 1941 a nervous pilot of an antiquated biplane. Just over three years later he was in the cockpit of a cutting-edge Hellcat about to lead a strike force of 80 aircraft through the turbulent skies above the South China Sea. His target: Hong Kong. As a storm of antiaircraft fire darkened the sky, watching from below was POW Ray Jones. For three long years he and his fellow prisoners had endured near starvation conditions in a Japanese internment camp. Did these American aircraft, he wondered, herald freedom?Trawling through historic records, Steven K. Bailey discovered that the story of the U.S. Navy airstrikes on Japanese-held Hong Kong during the final year of World War II had never been told. Operation Gratitude involved nearly 100 U.S. Navy warships and closTable of ContentsAcronyms Place Names List of Illustrations Maps 1. January 1945 2. December 1941 3. We Are Now Prisoners of War 4. Boxing Day, 1941 5. Training Days 6. Little Jack and the Big John 7. Manila Bay 8. Convoy Hi-87 9. Crew Two 10. Hot, Straight, and Normal 11. Shootin’ Star 12. The Most Frightening Thing 13. Blanket Missions 14. A Complete Failure 15. Target 8 16. Fifteen to Twenty Seconds of Flotation 17. Intense to Unbelievable 18. Three Planes Down 19. Triple X 20. The Man in the Harris Tweed 21. The Bombing of Bungalow C 22. The Results Were Not Commensurate with the Losses 23. The Navy Department Deeply Regrets to Inform You 24. Houseguests 25. Eager Beavers 26. Courts of Inquiry 27. Killed on a Sunday 28. Ten Centuries 29. The Bombing of Bungalow A 30. On the Beach 31. Forever and a Day 32. Reparations, Reassignments, and Record Jackets 33. Ninety-four Pounds 34. Hungjao Road 35. Unknowns Epilogue Acknowledgments Endnotes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Damien Lewis is both a meticulous historian and a born storyteller' Lee ChildIn the summer of 2007 the British Army's 662 Squadron deployed its most potent weapons system in combat for the very first time - the iconic Apache attack helicopter. This is the definitive story of the aircraft and of the crew who fly her, and of their baptism of fire in the battle for Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Under the call-sign Ugly, four of the Army Air Corps' finest pilots flew a relentless series of missions during their 100-day deployment, stretching the aircraft, and themselves, to the limit. Apache Dawn recounts these operations from the perspective of the aircrew, plus the soldiers on the ground who owe their lives to the Apaches' intervention during the white-hot heat of battle. Bestselling author Damien Lewis has been given unprecedented access to the pilots of the Apache Attack Squadrons - an elite band of warriors operating at the very limits of modern warfare. Apache Dawn is their story, and it is one of untold bravery and resilience against all odds.'As good as any thriller I have ever read' Freddie Forsyth'Reveals a true story of British courage and daring' The Sunday Times'Riveting' Richard & Judy Show'The most dramatic story of a secret wartime mission ever' News of the World

Read more less

Book SynopsisMark Baker is one of Australia's most experienced journalists. A former senior editor of The Age, editor of The Canberra Times and managing editor (National) of Fairfax Media, he is now publisher of Inside Story. He is the author of Phillip Schuler and The Emperor's Grace.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBetween 1945 and 1963 over 2 1⁄2 million 18-year-olds were called up for national service. Alf Townsend was one of them, and here he tells his story – the highs and lows of life as a lowly Aircraftman Second Class in the early 1950s. Before national service intervened Alf was ‘heading down the criminal road at top speed’, having grown up in a North London slum where money was short and local villains were revered.Bad Lads is a warts and all account of Alf Townsend’s time in the RAF, when he was transplanted into a completely new world of misfits and officer types, rogues and entertainers, all amusingly described in the author’s inimitable style.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe British designed and built the Harrier, the most successful vertical take-off-and-landing aircraft ever made. Combining state-of-the-art fighter plane technology with a helicopter's ability to land vertically the Harrier has played an indispensable role for the RAF and Royal Navy in a number of conflicts, most famously the Falklands War. Jonathan Glancey's biography is a vividly enjoyable account of the invention of this remarkable aeroplane and a fitting tribute to the inspiration and determination of the men and women who created it, and the bravery of the men who flew it, often in the most dangerous conditions.Trade ReviewA wonderfully entertaining book, a rich mixture of science, social history and politics written with the verve, expertise and infectious enthusiasm we have come to expect from Glancey. Unlike the politicians and the MoD, this man knows what he is doing. -- Patrick Bishop * Sunday Telegraph *Takes you on a vivid tour through the history of the aircraft and the men and women who created and flew it. * Daily Express *Honestly and passionately told, this is a powerful tribute to the ingenuity of the Harrier's creators and the courage and skill of those who flew it * Good Book Guide *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Royal Air Force is synonymous with its heroic achievements in the summer of 1940, when Winston Churchill's 'famous few' held Goering's Luftwaffe at bay in the Battle of Britain, thereby changing the course of the war. For much of the twentieth century, warplanes were fixed in the world's imagination, a symbol of the perils and excitements of the modern era. Aviators have always seemed different to soldiers and sailors - more adventurous and imaginative. Their stories gripped the public and in both wars and air aces dominated each side's propaganda, capturing hearts and dreams. Writing with the verve, passion and the sheer narrative aplomb familiar to many thousands of readers from his bestselling Second World War aerial histories, Fighter Boys and Bomber Boys, Patrick Bishop's Wings is a rich and compelling account of military flying from its heroic early days to the present.Trade ReviewIn this superb, pacy, often moving portrait of brave young men and women maintaining their sang-froid against hopeless odds, Patrick Bishop has done full justice to this subject, and confirmed himself as one of our finest popular military historians. * Mail on Sunday *Magisterial sweep and range are combined with succinct and lucid analysis, all in prose as crisp as fresh lettuce. * Daily Express *For better or worse, we have needed wings and skilled, swift airmen and women to wear them. Mr Bishop leads us brilliantly through these violent skies. * Country Life *Highly recommended * Military History Monthly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the early hours of 26th June 1942, six airmen from 102 Squadron return from Bremen in their Halifax, Q for Queenie, having taken part in the third Thousand Bomber Raid. These airmen formed a truly international crew, each one having an interesting back story that had led to their being together, including Len Starbuck, the Wireless Operator and Air Gunner on his 26th operation who is close to the end of his tour. As operations continue, events on the squadron are recounted such as the inevitable toll of losses. German defences develop from uncoordinated concentrations around major towns and cities into a coherent barrier known as the Kammhuber Line. More new crewmen arrive on the squadron as the year progresses and with the arrival of winter, the ageing Whitley is phased out, replaced by the Halifax. As the squadron became familiar with the Halifax, they exchanged six of their new aircraft for six from 35 Squadron who were about to mount an attack on the Tirpitz in a fjord near Drontheim. These aircraft were equipped with the revolutionary new navigational aid known as GEE, which was of no use to crews flying to Norway, but suddenly gave 102 Squadron an accurate blind-bombing capability they had not previously enjoyed. On 25 May 1942, American air gunner Jack Fernie arrived on the squadron. Five days later he was on his first operation, caught up in the demand for maximum effort to support the first of Arthur Harris' Thousand Bomber Raids to Cologne who believed that Bomber Command could win the war from the air. Two days later, 102 Squadron again provided maximum effort for another massed attack on Essen, followed three weeks later by the third and final Thousand Bomber Raid to Bremen. Beginning the journey home at the tail end of the bomber stream, a night fighter was guided to an intercept position by a ground-based radar station that resulted in a fight to the death. This is an incisive look at the RAF's bombing campaign during 1941-42 through the prism of a multinational crew which faced mounting risks from an increasingly organised and integrated German air defence capability.Trade Review'...provides in depth information about the technicalities and performance of these warplanes, but the execution of flying operations is always told as seen through the eyes of its crewmembers. ... Not only the German air defence developments are described but, quite exceptional, also the crews of opposing night fighters are identified... ...is entertaining an easy to read for both technically and people-oriented readers'. Aviation Book Reviews; '...As sometimes occurs when a writer begins researching a book... the subject expanded into something greater, more involved and more interesting... presents a vivid day-to-day record of what it was like for the men who risked their lives night after night over enemy territory during the early phase of Britain's bomber offensive'. Aviation History; '...this highly detailed record of 102 Squadron... is dense in operational technical detail overlaid with the personal stories of 102 Squadron members and the tragedy of war and losses'. Australian Naval Institute

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 2000 aircraft restorer Guy Black of Aero Vintage located the hulks of at least two Airco DH9 bombers in a remote part of India – hidden away in what had been a Maharaja’s elephant stable at his palace in Bikaner, Rajasthan. They were truly remarkable finds, and extremely rare examples of a near-extinct and important WWI aircraft type – none of which had survived in Britain. Recognising their importance to the UK’s aviation heritage, and excited by the challenge of restoration, Guy set about negotiating their purchase and returning them back to England. Here the whole intriguing story is told – fully illustrated step-by-step – from discovery to recovery, through to research, restoration, re-construction and first flight, all in fascinating, meticulous detail. Also covered is the account of the restoration of the first DH9 to be completed, now housed as a non-flying exhibit at the IWM Duxford.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThree years after the devastating Pacific War, tensions run thick across China. Inside Peking, groups once aligned against external forces now bicker among themselves. Streets churn as Communists and Nationalists jostle for position, threatening to unravel a delicate peace. A decade of struggle has taxed the citizenry to their limits, their daily struggles exacerbated by an overstretched and corrupt government. Into this world steps Feng Meng’ao, a hotshot young fighter pilot for the Kuomintang Air Force. He reorganises his flying brigade into a relief unit for those in need, trying to stem the breakdown of order.When an important mission sends him to the old northern capital, his presence draws unwanted attention and he is swept up in accusations meant for his father. Will his drive to help those in need be enough to weather this political firestorm? Or is he due for an untimely crash?

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAir Chief Marshal Sir Richard Johns was commissioned at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell in 1959 after completing flying training on Piston Provost and Meteor aircraft. For the next nine years, apart from a short intermission as an ADC, he served as an operational fast-jet pilot which included tours on Javelin night fighters and then fighter recce Hunters operating from Aden and Oman. Thereafter he qualified as a flying instructor, initially on the Gnat, and then the Jet Provost as a squadron commander at Cranwell. In his last year as a flying instructor he taught The Prince of Wales to wings standard. During the 1990s, Sir Richard held a succession of senior national and NATO appointments. During the first Gulf War, he was the Director of Operations in the National Joint Headquarters for all British Forces deployed to the Middle East. At the end of the conflict he led the British Recce Team to Turkey and north Iraq which resulted in the deployment of British land and air forces to the coalition that guaranteed the security of the Kurdish population in Iraq. Later, as a NATO C-in-C he was responsible for training and bringing to full operational capability the new Regional Command of Allied Forces, North West Europe. During this three-year tour, he acted as a supporting commander for joint operations in the Balkans while developing partnership for peace exercises with former Warsaw Pact countries. He returned to national duty in 1997 on his appointment as Chief of the Air Staff, responsible for the operational efficiency and morale of the Royal Air Force. During his last three years of service, the Air Chief Marshal was fully involved in the decision-making process of the Strategic Defence Review, the commitment of RAF aircraft to operations over and within Kosovo and continuing air operations over north and south Iraq. His illustrious career gave him the privilege of a rare, if not singular, perspective of the RAF, our sister services and national defence matters, witnessing a steady decline in the combat power of the UK’s armed forces as financial management took precedence over identifying strategic priorities and maintaining the vital skill-set of service personnel. His views are forensic and forthright, balanced and thought-provoking and this autobiography should be essential reading for anyone interested in the development of Allied air power over the last fifty years.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEssentially a development of the Avro Lancaster via the later Lincoln, the Avro Shackleton was the RAF’s first line of defence in the maritime role from 1951 for twenty years, thereafter continuing to serve as an airborne early warning aircraft for another twenty, until 1991. The ‘Old Grey Lady’, the ‘Growler’, ‘20,000 rivets in loose formation’, but mostly known simply as the ‘Shack’, it is viewed with great affection by those who flew and maintained it. In addition to its traditional sub-hunting role, it was also used extensively for search and rescue operations, and even as a conventional bomber in the Aden theatre. Operating around the world with squadrons based in the UK, the Mediterranean, Middle East and Far East, ‘Shacks’ were also used to support the blockade of oil supplies to Rhodesia during the UDI crisis in the ’60s and ’70s, and searching for gun-running boats during the Indonesian Confrontation. All of the Boys’ stories are from air and ground crew veterans themselves, and because there are so many vital and entertaining accounts, Steve Bond has divided his subject into two volumes. Consequently this volume will cover UK-based units flying from Ballykelly (including Aldergrove), Farnborough, Honington, Kinloss, Lossiemouth, St Eval and St Mawgan, plus many overseas detachments including Christmas Island and Majunga. To complement the detailed personal accounts and anecdotes are hundreds of original photographs and extensive appendices. A feast for any ‘Shack’ or military aviation aficionado. Volume Two (coming in 2019) will cover those units based overseas at Changi, Gan, Gibraltar, Khormaksar, Luqa (and Hal Far), and Sharjah, plus the South African Air Force operations from Ysterplaat/Malan.Trade Review“highly recommended” -- Ben Dunnell * Aeroplane Monthly *Saluting an unsung RAF warrior of the Cold War, this book is a fitting tribute to the personnel that kept this veteran on Britain’s front line. -- Glenn Sands * AirForces Monthly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAfter World War II the Royal Air Force went through a considerable downsizing, but retained an essential maritime reconnaissance role for the protection of British interests overseas. These areas were primarily the Mediterranean, Middle East, Far East to Hong Kong and all associated trade routes linking them to Britain and each other. With the arrival in service of the Shackleton from 1951, re-equipment with the new type initially concentrated on the home fleet of Coastal Command. The first overseas station to get them was Gibraltar in 1952, followed by Malta, Singapore, Aden and finally Sharjah. In addition to their daily routine of maritime patrols, the overseas squadrons took part in a number of significant operations. From dealing with rebellion in Aden, Rhodesia’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence to the Indonesian Confrontation, the Shackleton played a vital peacekeeping role. There was even a permanent detachment on the island of Gan for search-and-rescue cover for aircraft transiting to and from the Far East.The last overseas RAF Shackletons were based at Sharjah until late 1971, with a detachment from the UK remaining in Singapore until 1972. The only other operator of the type was the South African Air Force, who flew eight examples of the MR.3 from 1957. The survivors were finally withdrawn from use in November 1984. Thus, after almost thirty-three years the Shackleton’s overseas story was essentially over. Following the outstanding success of Volume 1, published in 2018 and still available, Steve Bond has garnered another exceptional group of Shack operators who delight in giving the reader their tales of derring-do. Another one for the Boys’ kitbag!

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisSince the end of World War 2 the primary role of the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm has been airborne power projection; the ability rapidly to respond to any trouble spot across the globe and to protect the interests of the United Kingdom and its partner nations. The principal tools in that response were the strike aircraft which took the offensive to the aggressor. Although from 2010 to 2020 fixed-wing carrier aviation was not part of the Fleet Air Arm, with the advent of the navy’s two new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, that capability has been restored. This renewed focus has not only seen the return of flying high performance aircraft from a carrier, but also the regeneration of the necessary skills, and courage, needed to cope with the extremes of weather and the nature of air operations in a very high-risk environment. However the lessons of the past have not been forgotten, and so many of those previous experiences are related within these pages – true stories of the last 76 years from aircrew, maintainers, aircraft handlers and many other supporting staff both men and women. Following on from the success of volume one, this second volume covers every fixed-wing aircraft type flown from carriers in the strike, anti-submarine warfare and the vital airborne early warning roles; from Scimitars to Hunters, Buccaneers to Skyraiders and many more, plus an extensive fleet of land-based aircraft. As with the first volume, involvement in operations such as Suez, the Beira Patrol, the Falklands, Belize, Bosnia and elsewhere is included. Despite the intensity and all-to-frequent tragedy of operations, the esprit de corps, and the ability to find the necessary release through laughter, shine through. Here are the words of the men and women themselves, profusely illustrated in black and white and colour.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less