Military vehicles Books
Key Publishing Ltd MiG Red Star Fighters
Book Synopsis
£8.54
Grosvenor House Publishing Ltd A Product of Anfield
Book SynopsisA young lad, brought up in a working-class area of Liverpool. Early family tragedies contributed to mischievous teenage years and confrontation with the law courts. Escape came in the form of joining the Royal Navy, which led to a life of love, humour and adventure. Finding the love of his life at an early age he treasured his family, especially after experiencing the horrors of war. An amusing, compelling story of achievement and fulfilment told straight from the heart.Table of ContentsTHE EARLY YEARS 1 LIFE AT SEA 30 TRAINING 30 HMS ROOKE 44 HMS PENELOPE 51 HMS CORUNNA 68 HMS HAMPSHIRE 80 FLEET MAINTENANCE GROUP (FMG) ROSYTH 105 HMS NUBIAN 109 ASSOUTH NAPLES 141 HMS NUBIAN (2nd time round) 172 HMS SIRIUS 174 HMS ARGONAUT - THE TRUTH 190 HMS CAMPERDOWN 230 HMS GUERNSEY 233 SHORESIDE 252 FULL CIRCLE 318 THE TWILIGHT YEARS 325 ANNEX 339 POEMS & THOUGHTS 339
£11.39
Airlife Publishing Ltd Vital Guide: Fighting Ships of World War Ii
Book Synopsis
£9.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Italian Battleships of World War II
Book SynopsisItaly's navy, the Regia Marina was the fourth-largest naval force in the world at the outbreak of World War II, and yet is often overlooked and largely discounted as ineffective. In general the fleet was made up of obsolete vessels, lacked radar functionality, and had a reputation for indiscipline and poorly trained crews. The complex and bureaucratic command system imposed on the fleet further hampered its effectiveness. In this book, Mark Stille details why the Italian battleships were able to maintain a solid reputation, examining their impressive designs and the courage and determination of the fleet at Calabria, Sirte, Cape Spartiveto and Cape Matapan, all illustrated with stunning photographs from the Italian Navy's own archives.Table of ContentsIntroduction • Italian naval strategy and the role of the battleship • Italian naval tactics and the role of the battleship • Italian battleship design and development up until the First World War and the impact of the Washington and London Naval Treaties • Italian Battleship weapons • Italian Battleship • The Battleship classes (Cavour Class, Duilio Class, Vittorio Veneto Class) • Italian Battleships at War • Conclusion
£12.34
Whittles Publishing A Scottish Blockade Runner in the American Civil
Book SynopsisBorn in 1828 near Kelso in the Scottish Borders, Wyllie went to sea as an apprentice seaman in 1852 and quickly rose through the ranks. By 1862 he had gained his masters certificate in Liverpool, and there he took command of his first vessel, the Bonita. He sailed for Nassau, then a booming port involved in running contraband through the Union blockade of the Confederate States, at that time fighting in the American Civil War. Sailors from Britain rushed to man these vessels as great fortunes could be made if a successful run was made into a Confederate port. On the return journey, two agents of the State of North Carolina, Thomas Crossan and John White, were travelling to Britain on the orders of Governor Zebulon Vance to purchase ships to run the blockade. This set Wyllie's career as a blockade runner on course. White and Crossan arranged the purchase of the Clyde-built paddle steamer Lord Clyde and, just five months after docking in Liverpool as commander of the Bonita, Wyllie took command of the Lord Clyde, renamed the Ad-Vance. He was aboard from the start of the vessel's new career until her capture in September 1864. Two more commands of blockade runners followed; he was captured again and then evaded the American authorities through an ingenious, and at sometimes unbelievable, escape to Scotland. After the war Wyllie continued at sea for another two years before returning to Scotland to settle as a farmer. Unlike some of those who ran the blockade, Wyllie appears not to have come back a wealthy man. For over 30 years he gave numerous popular lectures of his time at sea in aid of local charities and was known locally as 'Captain Wyllie'. The role that Wyllie played during the Civil War is explored in depth and reveals that he was a constant face, and force, in the crew of the steamer with his actions and abilities being greatly appreciated by both crew and owners alike. The most comprehensive history of the Ad-Vance is provided, from the day she left Glasgow until her capture off the Carolina coast. Many fascinating contemporary passenger diaries, personal recollections from crew, letters and telegrams between Wyllie and Governor Vance, official records of the war and newspaper reports are included. In association with Glasgow Museums.
£18.04
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936–45
Book SynopsisThe PzKpfw IV was essentially an integrated support weapon, and its involvement in WWII is difficult to separate from the story of the Panzerwaffe as a whole. A powerful and robust fighting machine, the PzKpfw IV was supplied to various allies of Germany, and remained in service with the Spanish and Finnish armies for some time after the end of the war. In the glory years of 1942-43 the PzKpfw IV was the mainstay of the Panzerwaffe, and Bryan Perrett's in-depth examination of this prolific fighting machine does full justice to the fascinating history and technical details of one of the greatest armoured vehicles ever to have fought.Table of ContentsDevelopment history; special purpose vehicles; PzKpfw IV described; organization and tactics; PzKpfw in action; the East 1942-1945; North Africa 1942-1943; North-West Europe; postscript.
£12.34
Hikoki Publications Wings Of The Weird & Wonderful
Book SynopsisThe former test pilot Eric ''Winkle'' Brown is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having flown more types of aircraft than any other pilot in the world. Ever. This achievement is all the more remarkable given that only pilot-in-command flights count and that marks or variants of a basic type of aircraft are not included - so the 14 marks of Spitfire that he has flown, for example, count as just one of the 490 aircraft types in his Log Books.This extraordinary record is reflected in the fact that Captain Brown is also the most decorated Fleet Air Arm and British test pilot and has a string of other records to his name, including the world''s first landing of a jet aircraft on an aircraft carrier. He was lucky enough to be a test pilot through the most extraordinary period in aviation history and now has opened up the pages of his Flying Log Books to reveal his experience of some of the most famous, rare, exotic and unusual aircraft ever built.From the infamous Mitsubishi Zero-Sen, to the US Navy''s piston-engine Grumman F8F- 2 Bearcat; from the supersonic research de Havilland Swallow to dangerous experimental types such as the General Aircraft GAL/56, Eric ''Winkle'' Brown knows their virtues and vices first hand. From rarities such as the North American Savage, designed to take-off from an aircraft carrier with a nuclear bomb, to icons such as the Lancaster, Flying Fortress, Mustang and Seafire, Eric ''Winkle'' Brown has tested their qualities and takes the reader into the cockpits of these exciting aircraft, sharing the joys and hazards of flying 53 of the most weird and wonderful aircraft to ever fly.
£27.96
Panzerwrecks Limited Panzerwrecks 19: Yugoslavia
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Mortons Media Group Eagles of the Luftwaffe: Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor
Book SynopsisThe Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor was conceived for peace but turned to a warlike purpose savaging convoys bringing vital supplies to Britain. The aircraft Churchill called the scourge of the Atlantic became synonymous with the struggle to supply the Allies by sea. As a truly long-range reconnaissance bomber, the Condor acted as the eyes and ears of the Kriegsmarine, while packing a powerful punch itself. As the Allies stepped up their efforts to address the vulnerability of their convoys to aerial reconnaissance and attack, however, the Fw 200's weaknesses became ever more apparent.Naval aviation author Matthew Willis tackles the career of the feared aircraft, from its beginnings as a cutting-edge airliner, through its early development into a military transport and a maritime bomber and spyplane', including the addition of ever more armament and technology such as radar and the carriage of radio-controlled glider bombs. From the expanses of the Atlantic, via the freezing Arctic seas to the heat and dust of North Africa, the operational history of the Fw 200 is examined
£15.29
Imperial War Museum Sherman Tank Flip Book
Book SynopsisThe famous Sherman tank was the most widely used Allied tank of the Second World War, and the sheer number of units produced played a crucial part in the Allies winning the war. Using rare footage from the film archive at IWM, this flip book shows the famous Sherman tank move up to the front, as a tank squadron prepares for action north of Caen in early July 1944.
£6.94
Imperial War Museum World War Two Planes: Colouring Book
Book Synopsis
£9.49
PeKo Publishing Kft. Panzer IV on the Battlefield: World War 2
Book Synopsis
£22.09
PeKo Publishing Kft. Zrinyi II Assault Howitzer: Armour of the Royal
Book Synopsis
£28.28
Kagero Oficyna Wydawnicza Lublin R-XIII. Army Cooperation Plane
Book SynopsisThe Lublin R-XIII was the Polish army cooperation plane, designed in the early-1930s in the Plage i Laśkiewicz factory in Lublin. Since 1927, they started working on their own prototypes. Those were designed by J. Rudlicki and his team of more than a dozen people including engineers Marian Bartolewski, Jerzy Dąbrowski, Antoni Uszacki, Janusz Lange, Jerzy Teisseyre, Witold Grabowski, Jaworski and others. The factory’s first own product was a reconnaissance bomber Lublin R-VIII built in 1928. Its airliner variant, the R-IX, was constructed in a short while. In 1930, they produced a pilot series of 5 Lublin R-VIIIs, 3 of which were converted to seaplanes in 1932. At the beginning of 1929, they performed a test flight of a liaison aircraft prototype designated R-X; a pilot series composed of 5 examples was built in 1931. Prototypes of the Lublin R-IX airliner (1929) and Lublin R-XI airliner (1930) as well as its improved variant, the R-XVI, failed to meet the requirements of LOT Polish Airlines so the production was not started. However, 5 examples of an air ambulance variant R-XVI were built in 1933-1934. In 1931, they created the R-XII sport aircraft that was not put to use.Trade ReviewAnother excellent Monograph from Kagero, which should interest the aviation historian and modeller alike. […] fascinating for providing detail coverage of a Polish aircraft, and the company behind it, which is less well known. * Military Model Scene *An excellent one stop source of information for armchair historians and model-makers alike, highly recommended. * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine *…the quality and accuracy of the account cannot be doubted […] digital renders provide cutaways of the interior, radio, engine and fuselage cross-section, plus eight full-colour profiles. * Airfix Model World 01/09/2021 *
£17.09
Wydawnictwo STRATUS, Artur Juszczak Naa P-51d/K Mustang Rediscovered
Book SynopsisThird edition, revised and extended of the MMPBooks' bestseller on P-51D.The development of the most the most famous American WWII fighter is described and illustrated. This book includes redrawn color profiles and scale drawings of the all P-51D/K and F-6D/K subversions including Swedish, Dutch and Australian reconnaissance versions. American special versions like VLR and Navy are also included. There is a separate chapter on reconnaissance F-6D/K written by Robert Bourlier.For the first time, all differences between P-51D variants are shown. Also, information about every foreign user is included with photos and color profiles. Apart from scale plans and color profiles, there are many period photos and drawings from technical manuals.
£999.99
Wydawnictwo STRATUS, Artur Juszczak Messerschmitt Bf 108b-2
Book SynopsisThis book compiles the 4-view color profiles, scale plans, and photo details of the single variant of the Messerschmitt Bf 108B-2. Scale plans in 1/72 and 1/48 scales plus drawings from wartime technical manuals. Also included are photos of the details in B&W and color.
£10.55
Wydawnictwo STRATUS, Artur Juszczak Scale Plans No. 79 Pzl P.24a & Pzl P.24c
Book SynopsisScale plans in 1/32, 1/48, 1/72 scale of the Polish PZL P.24 A/C aircraft12 pages of A3 size scale plans of PZL P.24 A/C versions.
£8.55
Wydawnictwo STRATUS, Artur Juszczak Bookazine Collection 2
Book SynopsisWorking on this series has become a trip down memory lane, reviewing my own work from five, ten and even as far back as twenty years ago or more. It has also been necessary at times to revamp such work as new and more detailed information has become available since it was created. This gives added value to what is presented here as it is definitely not a cut-and paste job, even though that is what it originally was intended to be. This second volume follows closely the pattern laid out in the first: subjects from World War One, Inter-Wars, World War Two and the post war jet era. The choice fell on popular subjects, and some not as well known. A case in point is the Morane N monoplane which however offers some unusual markings. More flamboyant are the Nieuports of the American Expeditionary Corps, 1st Pursuit Group, made legendary by that top American ace, 1st Lt Edward V. Rickenbacker of 94th Aero Squadron. Two unusual features included in this issue cover the DeHavilland DH.88s and their participation in the MacRobertson Centenary Air Race from Mildenhall to Melbourne of 1934. The Hart is another inter-war subject, an aircraft that sired Hawker's silver wings' family of the 1930s. Anti-Camouflage' is dedicated to Switzerland's use of the Messerschmitt Bf.109D-Es as guardians of its neutrality. The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien is our World War Two feature followed by a close look at the early versions of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier. The diminutive AMX is illustrated in its several styles of colours and markings, in both Italian and Brazilian air forces' service.
£13.50
Wydawnictwo STRATUS, Artur Juszczak Scale Plans No. 80 FIAT G.55 Centauro
£8.55
RN Publishing Point Mugu Test Centers
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Unknown Tides of Triumph
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£23.28
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc SR71 The Complete Illustrated History of the
Book SynopsisSR-71 covers every aspect of the spyplane’s development, manufacture, and active service, all from the insider’s perspective of one its pilots. Features over 200 incredible photos. Flying to a coffee table near you comes the new paperback edition of this authoritative and illustrated history of the most mind-bending military aircraft ever flown! Developed by the renowned Lockheed Skunk Works, the SR-71 was an awesome aircraft in every respect, setting world records for altitude and speed: an absolute altitude record of 85,069 feet on July 28, 1974, and an absolute speed record of 2,193.2 miles per hour on the same day.Written by a former Blackbird pilot, SR-71 covers every aspect of the aircraft's development, manufacture, and active service, all lavishly illustrated with more than 200 photos. The SR-71 remained in service with the U.S. Air Force from 1964 to 1998, when it was withdrawn from
£17.09
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Short Stirling Units of World War 2
Book SynopsisOf the RAF's trio of four-engined heavy bombers in World War 2, the mighty Short Stirling was the first to enter service in August 1940. From its first raid in February 1941, the Stirling was at the forefront of the British night bombing offensive against Germany before unacceptably high losses forced its relegation to second-line duties later in the war.In its modified form as the Mark IV the Stirling fulfilled vital roles with the RAF as a paratroop transport and glider tug on D-Day, at Arnhem and on the Rhine crossing as well as flying countless Special Duties operations over Occupied Europe and Norway. Its last gasp was in 1948-49 when a handful of Mk Vs were acquired by the Royal Egyptian Air Force to bomb Israel in the First ArabIsraeli War.Containing numerous first-hand combat accounts from the crews that flew the bomber and detailed profile artwork, Short Stirling Units of World War 2 uncovers the history of one of the RAF''s greatest World War 2 bombe
£16.14
Amberley Publishing Military Vehicles in Preservation
Book SynopsisExplore some fascinating photographs documenting a variety of military vehicles in preservation since 1960s.
£14.39
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Early French Aviation, 1905-1930
Book SynopsisFrance has been called the cradle of aviation by many - a fact that cannot be disputed, although some have tried. By the end of the 19th century, she led the world in lighter-than-air flight. Any concern about heavier-than-air flight was dismissed as inevitable, and France would achieve it in due course. By the time Bl riot bravely enquired Which way is England?' the country was ready to redress any perceived shortfall. Besides leading European aviation, France was the nation that named all the parts of an aeroplane with words many of which we still use everywhere today. France was also the first nation to stage air exhibitions. Unlike their counterparts in Britain, Germany and America, French designers were thoroughly entrepreneurial and tried a wide variety of adventurous styles from pusher to canard and monoplane to multiplane. In 1909 the first Air Show was held at the Grand Palais. The Exposition Internationale de locomotion a rienne' ushered in what was to become an enduring tradition. Every year, the aircraft exhibitions were a massive success. The interior design by Andr Granet, who since his youth had been fascinated by flying, was such a success that the Automobile-Club subsequently commissioned Granet to do the same for the car shows. It is not surprising that all this derring-do, all these technological achievements and all this innovation drew reporters and photographers like moths to a flame. The men, the machines, the places and the events all were recorded, reported, reproduced and then were filed away. Hundreds of images appeared in print, but thousands were printed up only as contact prints from large-format glass negatives and then disappeared into albums to be forgotten about. In the mid-1990s the author came across one such treasure-trove; a number of dust-covered albums containing around five hundred images of aircraft, airships and expositions - it is doubtful if most have appeared in print before, so this will probably be the first time the events of these French pioneers have ever been showcased.
£13.49
Kagero Oficyna Wydawnicza Yahagi. Japanese Light Cruiser 1942-1945
Book SynopsisYahagi, the second Japanese warship of that name, was the third of the four Agano-class vessels (the other three being Agano, Noshiro and Sakawa). Construction of the Agano-class cruisers was approved by the Japanese parliament (Diet) in March 1939 under the Fourth Naval Armaments Enhancement Program (Dai-Yon-Ji Kaigun Gunbi Jūjitsu Keikaku), also known as “Four-in-Circle” Program (Maru Yon Keikaku), or simply Maru 4. Under the terms of the program, the four light cruisers (kei jun’yōkan), also referred to as type B cruisers (otsu-gata jun’yōkan, or simply otsu jun) and officially classed as second-class cruisers (ni-tō jun’yōkan), were to fulfill the role of destroyer squadron flagships. At that time destroyer squadrons (DesRon), called literarily torpedo squadrons (suirai sentai), consisted of four four-ship destroyer divisions (DesDiv, or kuchiku-tai).Trade ReviewIf you’re building the Yahagi in any scale then this is the only reference book you need. * Model Builder International *
£999.99
Kagero Oficyna Wydawnicza The Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig-3 Vol. I
Book SynopsisThe MiG-3 fighter plane, like the history of the creation of the Mikoyan and Gurevich (Микоян и Гуревич) design bureau, is relatively well known to anyone interested in the history of Soviet aviation. Many books and articles have been published about this machine, but information about the circumstances of the birth of the project and the conditions of its creation are very brief and concise. MiG-1 and MiG-3 were the most numerous new generation fighters in Soviet aviation at the time of the German invasion of the USSR. They played a very important role in the first period of the war. Until now, it has been assumed in the literature that this applies mainly to the use of these aircraft during the battle of Moscow, as well as capital's and Leningrad's air defence, but MiGs also took on a large weight of air combat at the front in 1941.Trade ReviewEnjoyed it. * The Historical Miniatures Gaming Society 07/12/2022 *
£21.68
Skyhorse Publishing The Complete Guide to German Armored Vehicles:
Book SynopsisHere is a jam-packed visual encyclopedia of the armored vehicles used by the Nazi forces in World War II. With over six hundred photos, many of which never before seen by the public, David Doyle book offers military historians a unique look at the German war machine.David Doyle, award-winning author of dozens of books on the subject, provides mechanical information, photos, and usage history for: Armored cars Half-tracks Tanks Assault guns Jagdpanzers Panzerjagers Self-propelled guns, howitzers, and mortars Flakwagens Flammpanzers Recovery vehicles Armored Engineer vehicles An encyclopedic resource by an authority on the subject, The Complete Guide to Armored Vehicles is a must-have for modelers, gamers, and WWII buffs alike.
£25.00
Mortons Media Group The Secret Horsepower Race
Book SynopsisThe piston engines that powered Second World War fighters, the men who designed them, and the secret intelligence work carried out by both Britain and Germany would determine the outcome of the first global air war. Advanced jet engines may have been in development but every militarily significant air battle was fought by piston-engined fighters.Whoever designed the most powerful piston engines would win air superiority and with it the ability to dictate the course of the war as a whole. This is the neverbefore- told story of a high-tech race, hidden behind the closed doors of design offices and intelligence agencies, to create the war's best fighter engine. Using the fruits of extensive research in archives around the world together with the previously unpublished memoirs of fighter engine designers, author Calum E. Douglas tells the story of a desperate contest between the world's best engineers the Secret Horsepower Race.
£999.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The UBoat War
Book SynopsisA unique perspective of the global history of U-boats during the entirety of the Second World War by Lawrence Paterson, one of the world''s leading U-boat experts.The accepted historical narrative of the Second World War predominantly assigns U-boats to the so-called Battle of the Atlantic, almost as if the struggle over convoys between the new world and the old can be viewed in isolation from simultaneous events on land and in the air. This has become an almost accepted error. The U-boats war did not exist solely between 1940 and 1943, nor did the Atlantic battle occur in seclusion from other theaters of action. The story of Germany''s second U-boat war began on the first day of hostilities with Britain and France and ended with the final torpedo sinking on May 7, 1945. U-boats were active in nearly every theater of operation in which the Wehrmacht served, and within all but the Southern Ocean. Moreover, these deployments were not undertaken in isolatioTrade ReviewA high quality publication - highly recommended. * Warship World *A comprehensive and interesting read. * The Armourer *A welcome addition to the history of the U Boat campaign. * The Naval Review *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of Illustrations Glossary Introduction Chapter One: Genesis Chapter Two: War Chapter Three: The Myth of the ‘Happy Time’ Chapter Four: Diverging Objectives Chapter Five: The Descent Chapter Six: Sun and Snow Chapter Seven: Drumbeat in the New World Chapter Eight: Losing the Race Chapter Nine: Tipping Point Chapter Ten: Reinforcing Failure Chapter Eleven: Total Commitment Select Bibliography Notes Index
£23.75
Whittles Publishing Force Z Shipwrecks of the South China Sea: HMS
Book SynopsisThe first book to explore in detail the wrecks of these two vessels from Force Z which in December 1941 was sent to defend Singapore. It grippingly narrates the lead up to the siege of Singapore and the battle far out at sea in which Force Z was decimated in the Royal Navy's greatest loss in a single engagement. The force was attacked by 85 Japanese torpedo bombers, with huge loss of life. It was the first time a modern battleship had been sunk by air power and the loss of Prince of Wales is seen as marking the end of the era of the battleship. The wrecks are explored in detail with illustrations of them on the seabed and underwater photographs.Trade Review'...another outstanding work by established author and diver Rod Macdonald, we are provided with the most complete history of the ships, men, political intrigue and events which led to the loss of these two famous ships so overwhelmingly. The surrender of Singapore and an account of Lt. General Percival's actions are also included. ...should be studied by anyone and everyone who is considering a visit to the two wrecks in question. ...the excellence of this work - which I truly regard as a tour de force and from which I have learned much... ...I do believe this book contains all you ever wanted to know about these two ships and their fate!' Ned Middleton '...this is a beautifully compiled book accompanied with stunning photgraphs of how the wrecks look today. A fitting tribute to the loss of these two fine ships and the sacrifice of the men who served in them.' Sea Breezes '...is laced with glorious black & white photographs. ... it's a fascinating tale well told, and again there are contemporary photographs and explanatory maps. ... it's the text that captures the spirit of the moment. ... I thoroughly recommend reading this book... ...it makes for a fascinating read'. Divernet '...submariners and especially divers will appreciate this book. ... The build-up to, and the invasion of Malaya via Thailand and the battle for Singapore are described in some detail'. In Depth '...gives excellent background on the ships, their role, the build up to the Japanese attacks on the Force Z ships, and the subsequent fall of Singapore. ...a first class book. ... His explanations of the Japanese military build up and campaigns in the Malay Peninsula are both succinct and informative, and to me they are one of the highlights of the book. ...a thoroughly enjoyable book and for anyone who wishes a short but well written account of the fall of Singapore, I can thoroughly recommend this "dive book"!' Warship World '...the story of Force Z, particulary HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse a significant aspect or World War II history. ... Undoubtedly, the detailed work and research that the author dedicated to this publication is reflected in the depth of information provided... ...these chapters are intriguing and easily readable, engaging the reader throughout. As a result this publication would be of particular use to maritime historians, divers and students alike, simply in terms of the detail and wealth of information Macdonald has included about the wrecks and their wartime context'. The Great Circle 'It is a well researched, well written, well illustrated and very interesting. The author participated in a diving expedition on the wrecks of these great British warships in the South China Sea. That experience, combined with a family connection, inspired this excellent book. A good and brief description of one of Britain's worst ever naval disasters, the build-up and its aftermath'. Work Boat World 'Macdonald's descriptions of the sinking of the Prince of Wales and Repulse are well written... The photographs are highly emotive: The human drama is brought sharply into focus, and the illustrations of the wrecks are interesting, insightful, and haunting. ...the book does provide a new angle on the fate of Force Z, and Macdonald's enthusiasm for his subject is evident'. Naval History '...the textual wreck descriptions and colour photographs of the sites at the end of the work are quite fascinating. They are well shot, with enough light and detail to ponder over what exactly caused such damage, and various ancillary effects. ... The rest of the book is well illustrated, and there is a good bibliography. Recommended'. Journal of the Australian Naval Institute
£18.04
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Sherman Tank Vol. 5
Book Synopsis
£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd P8A Poseidon
Book Synopsis
£17.09
Crecy Publishing Propeller Twilight: The Last Generation of
Book SynopsisThis book examines the last generation of high-performance British propeller-driven fighters, types such as the Firecrest, late mark Spitfires and Seafires, Spiteful and Seafang, Sea Fury, late mark Tempests, Hornet and Sea Hornet, M.B.5 and Wyvern. From about 1942 onwards these extraordinary and very complex aeroplanes brought British piston fighter development to its zenith, but then in a very short space of time the new jet engine wiped this generation away. Perhaps it would not have been possible to take piston power any further anyway but the turboprop might have been a longer-term alternative, though in the end the only British type with this form of powerplant would be the Westland Wyvern naval strike fighter.Chapters look at the engines involved including the Rolls-Royce Merlin 130 series, Griffon and Eagle, Napier Sabre and Bristol Centaurus, propellor developments (contra-rotating) and then take each fighter type in turn. The coverage described their development and testing and includes quotes and passes from flight test reports.Additional appendices look at some British one-off designs and testbed programmes, then the only fighter types flown abroad powered by these engine types (the Australian CA-15 and Argentine IAe 30) and finally two similiar unbuilt projects proposed by Sweden (the J 27 Mustang lookalike) and Switzerland (the N-6). Illustrated with over 300 photos, many previously unpublished, this is a must for enthusiasts of World War II aviation and the history of the British fighter.
£999.99
Fonthill Media Ltd King George V-Class Battleships
Book SynopsisFollowing the First World War the major naval powers entered into an agreement restricting the construction of capital ships and limiting the numbers that signatories were allowed to maintain, so numerous ships were scrapped or disposed of and the majority of planned vessel were either cancelled whilst being built or never laid down. By the late 1920s the Royal Navy’s battle force comprised of the two Nelson-class ships, the battlecruisers ‘Hood’, ‘Renown’ and ‘Repulse’, and ‘Revenge’ and Queen Elizabeth-class ships, all designed before the First World War. In 1928 the Royal Navy began planning a new class of battleships which was put on hold with the signing of the Treaty of London. In 1935, realising its battle fleet was becoming dated as other nations laid down new classes of battleships, the Royal Navy recommenced planning capital ships within treaty limitations. The result was the King George V-class battleships. Regarded by some as the worst new-generation battleships in the Second World War the King George V-class were Britain’s most modern battleships during the conflict and saw action in some of the most famous engagements from the sinking of the ‘Bismarck’ in 1941 to the surrender of Japan in 1945. This book charts the story of the King George V-class from its conception and design through to the operational history of the ships in the class.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; Introduction; 1 Treaty Battleships; 2 Anatomy of the King George V-Class; 3 HMS ‘King George V’: Construction and Work Up; 4 HMS ‘Prince of Wales’: Construction and Work Up; 5 The ‘Bismarck’; 6 The Atlantic Charter; 7 Mediterranean Interlude; 8 The Singapore Strategy; 9 The Loss of HMS ‘Prince of Wales’; 10 ‘We Are All in the Same Boat Now’; 11 The Arctic Convoys; 12 ‘The Severest Test of Any’; 13 Operation Husky; 14 North Cape; 15 Tungsten; 16 The Eastern Fleet; 17 Goodwood; 18 The British Pacific Fleet; 19 Operation Iceberg; 20 Victory Over Japan; 21 After the War; 22 The Wreck of HMS ‘Prince of Wales’; Epilogue; Appendix I: Commanding Officers; Appendix II: King George V-Class and North Carolina-Class: A Comparison; Appendix III: HMS ‘Prince of Wales’ Battle of the Denmark Strait Roll of Honour; Appendix IV: The Atlantic Charter; Appendix V: Admiral Pound’s Minute; Appendix VI: HMS ‘Prince of Wales’ Roll of Honour, 10 December 1941; Endnotes; Bibliography; Index.
£32.00
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Imperial Japanese Navy Heavy Cruisers 1941–45
Book SynopsisDesigned with little more than a passing nod to the international naval treaties of the inter-war period, the Imperial Japanese Navy's heavy cruisers were fast and heavily armed. Like the other vessels of the Japanese Navy, the heavy cruisers were technologically superior to and far more innovative than their Allied rivals, whom they met in many of the major Pacific Theatre battles, including Midway and Leyte Gulf. Mark Stille continues his study of the IJN of WWII with this fascinating topic, addressing the design and development of all 18 ships in the six heavy cruiser classes, from pre-war construction and mid-war alterations, to their operational histories and eventual fates.Table of ContentsIntroduction Japanese naval strategy and the role of the heavy cruiser Japanese heavy cruiser doctrine Japanese heavy cruiser design and development and impact of the Washington and London Naval Treaties Japanese heavy cruiser weapons Japanese heavy cruiser radar The Heavy Cruiser Classes Furutaka Class Aoba Class Myoko Class Takao Class Mogami Class Tone Class Analysis and Conclusion
£11.39
Fonthill Media Ltd Focke Wulf Jet Fighters
Book SynopsisThe biggest success of the Focke Wulf company during the Second World War was the choice of a radial engine for the Fw 190 fighter, in this way avoiding to compete against Messerschmitt for the in line engines. The decision of the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe to assign the few turbojets available to the Messerschmitt and Arado firms and the discovery of the terrible aerodynamic effect known as compressibility buffeting by mid-1942, made the life of fighter designers of the time very interesting. The Kurt Tank team proposed to install a centrifugal turbojet of his design in the nose of an Fw 190 A/3 with the intention of replacing it with a Jumo 004 B when available in 1943. Several designs followed that were able to use all turbojets, turboprops, ramjets and rocket engines, either projected or at their disposal. They constitute the documental foundation of this book. After failing in the TL Jagdfleugzeug contests in March 1943, Volksflugzeug in September 1944 and Hochleitungs Nachtjäger in January 1945, Focke Wulf could finally overcome its competitors with the great Jägernotprogramm design Ta 183. Although it was too late to intervene in the Second World War, it served as inspiration for numerous designs of other countries during the first years of the Cold War.
£28.50
Schiffer Publishing Ltd The Horten Ho 9Ho 229
Book Synopsis
£46.74
Fonthill Media Ltd Silent Invaders
Book SynopsisCombat gliders were called by some as Death Crates, Purple Heart Boxes, Flying Coffins and Tow Targets . They were not pretty and had no graceful lines. Viewed from the front, they had a pug nose and a sloping Neanderthal forehead. Their wings looked like the heavily starched ears of a jackrabbit placed at right angles on a canvas-covered frame. Twice the length of the body, these wings were eighty-four feet in length, 70 per cent as long as the Wright Brothers first powered flight at Kitty Hawk. They could not become airborne, let alone fly, unless assisted by an engine-powered tow plane. And for those riding in the back, it was like flying through the gates of hell . The men who were trained and assigned to guide gliders into battle were said to be the only pilots who had no motors, armament, parachutes and no second chances. Like the aircraft they commanded, they were called inglorious names such as The Bastards Nobody Wanted, Glider Gladiators in Wooden Chariots; Hybrid Jackasses and Glory Boys. Beautifully written, profoundly illustrated and researched, Silent Invaders: Combat Gliders of the Second World War is a work that is dedicated to those brave men under impossible odds from the British and American servicemen on D-Day, the doomed Operation Market Garden in Holland and Hitler s radical commando raid to rescue Mussolini."Table of ContentsForeword; Preface; Part I The Machines: The Beginning; Pug Ugly and Deadly; Gliders in the UK; German Gliders; Japan and the Soviet Union; Tugs and Tows; PART II The Men and their Training: The Men; Training: Washed Out, RTU, and LMF; The Devil is in the Details; Part III The Missions (In Chronological Order): “Far Away Places, With Strange Sounding Names”; Another Route to War, Another Destination to Combat; Eben Emael: Old and Conventional vs New and Unconventional; Unternehmen Merkur Operation Mercury Crete; Operation Freshman; Sicily “This was a bad time for the Regiment”; Commando Skorzeny; Burma Operation Thursday/Project 9 “Tonight you’re going to find out if you have a soul”; D-Day Operation Overlord: Voices from Normandy; Southern France Operation Dragoon: Dingson 35A; Silent Invaders; Operation Market Garden; Nuts!; Operation Varsity 3 Hours, 20 Minutes: The Summer of ’45; Endnotes; Acknowledgements; Bibliography; Photographic Appendix; Index.
£22.00
The Crowood Press Ltd Combat Legend: F-4 Phantom
Book SynopsisThe Phantom was developed for the US Navy as a long range all-weather fighter and first flew in May 1958. Phantoms have been used in combat in many conflicts throughout its long service history. This text provides a history of this craft.
£9.99
PeKo Publishing Kft. History of the Totenkopf's Panther-Abteilung
Book Synopsis
£22.95
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Sherman Tank Vol. 1
Book Synopsis
£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd B26 âœFlakBaitâ
Book SynopsisThe definitive history of Flak-Bait, the most accomplished American bomber of the Second World War.
£32.79
Fonthill Media Ltd U-Boats off Bermuda: Patrol Summaries and
Book SynopsisFor the first time, a book exposes an obscure theatre of the First World War in great detail and comprehensively, not just in terms of geography but also from the perspectives of both Allied and Axis participants. 'U-Boats off Bermuda' provides details of specific U-Boat patrols and their commanders, as well as a general overview of the situation in the theatre of war around Bermuda. It is a detailed analysis of individual casualties, broken down by a) background of ship, b) background of U-boat, c) attack method (surface and/or submersed), d) details of survivors and their plight at sea and e) their rescue, recuperation and repatriation.Detailed maps and illustrations provide a human face to what were often tragic attacks with fatal consequences. Did you know that half a dozen German submarines came close enough to the Naval Operating Base in Bermuda to see Gibbs Hill? Or that hardy Canadians from a sunken trading schooner rowed and sailed their way to the remote island-on their own? Allied pilots based in Bermuda sank two German U-Boats, rescued dozens in daring water landings, and several crashed.
£23.75
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Stuart Tank Vol. 2
Book Synopsis
£17.09
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC British Battleships 18901905
Book SynopsisThe Royal Navy''s battleships at the turn of the 20th century were the most powerful battlefleet in the world, and embodied one of the key periods in warship development - the development of the dreadnought battleship.The term ''pre-dreadnought'' was applied in retrospect, to describe the capital ships built during the decade and a half before the launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906. At that moment these once great warships were rendered obsolete. However, until then, they were simply called ''battleships' and were unquestionably the most powerful warships of their day. These mighty warships represented the cutting edge of naval technology. The ugly ducklings of the ironclad era had been transformed into beautiful swans, albeit deadly ones.In Britain, this period was dominated by Sir William White, the Navy''s Chief Constructor. Under his guidance the mastless battleships of the 1880s gave way to an altogether more elegant type of capital ship. The period of trial and errorTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT The era of experimentation White’s first battleships Second Class battleships The Spencer classes White’s last battleships The end of an era GUNS, STEAM AND STEEL Armament Propulsion Armour BATTLESHIPS IN ACTION FURTHER READING INDEX
£10.79
Fonthill Media Ltd Bound for the East Indies: Halsewell-A Shipwreck
Book SynopsisThe loss of East Indiaman HCS `Halsewell' on the coast of Dorset in southern England in January 1786, touched the very heart of the British nation. `Halsewell' was just one of many hundreds of vessels which had been in the service of the Honourable East India Company since its foundation in the year 1600. In the normal course of events, `Halsewell' would have been expected to serve out her working life, before passing unnoticed into the history books. However, this was not to be. Halsewell's loss was an event of such pathos as to inspire the greatest writer of the age Charles Dickens, to put pen to paper; the greatest painter of the age J. M. W. Turner, to apply brush to canvas, and the King and Queen to pay homage at the very place where the catastrophe occurred. Artefacts from the wreck continue to be recovered to this very day which, and for variety, interest, curiosity, and exoticism, rival those recovered from Spanish armada galleons wrecked off the west coast of Ireland two centuries previously. Such artefacts shed further light both on `Halsewell' herself, and on the extraordinary lives of those who sailed in her.Table of ContentsPreface; 1 The Honourable East India Company; 2 The Honourable Company Ship (HCS) Halsewell; 3 The Allure of the East; 4 Captain Richard Peirce, Commander of Halsewell; 5 Halsewell's First Voyage (1778-1781): An Unpleasant Encounter with Horatio Nelson; 6 Halsewell's Second Voyage (1782-1784): An Important Passenger; 7 Halsewell's Third Voyage (1786- ): Her Officers, Crew, and Passengers, 8 Halsewell's Third Voyage (1786- ); 9 The Voyage Begins; 10 Shipwreck; 11 A Glimmer of Hope; 12 Aftermath: Halsewell's Grim Legacy; 13 Analysis of the Disaster: Was Captain Peirce in Any Way to Blame?; 14 `Halsewell': From Whence Did the Ship Derive her Name?; 15 The 1960s: Renewed Interest in the Wreck: Intriguing Artefacts; 16 The Halsewell Disaster is Captured in Poetry; 17 A Re-enactment of the Drama: the King and Queen Pay their Respects: Charles Dickens Commemorates the Tragedy; 18 Halsewell is Immortalized by Artists; 19 Sequel; Epilogue; Appendices: 1 Peirce Family Tree; 2 Halsewell/Tynte Family Tree; 3 Greenland Dock and the Wells Family of Shipbuilders; 4 Uniforms; 5 Required Qualifications for Commanders and Officers (`Mates'); 6 Required Inventory of Equipment etc. Necessary for Commanders and Officers; 7 Required Inventory of Equipment etc. Necessary for a Midshipman; 8 Indulgences; 9 Wages; 10 List of Officers [and crew, excluding ordinary seamen-`foremastmen'] on board the Halsewell, at the time she sailed; 11 Soldiers of the 42nd Foot, transported by Halsewell on her 3rd voyage; 12 The Three Voyages of HCS Halsewell; 13 Halsewell's Logbook: an Explanation; 14 Ships' Stores; 15 List of Officers, Seamen, and Soldiers saved; 16 The History of Walnut Tree House.
£16.00
Schiffer Publishing Ltd M18 HellCat
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPart of the Legends of Warfare: Ground series of pictorially led guides to WWII hardware, this is the M18 tank destroyer. The M18 had a powerful engine, meaning it could hit 50mph and was armed with a 76mm cannon. It was designed to chase and hunt down heavily armoured German tanks. The almost square format means plenty of room for images and these are packed in, to the exclusion of that much text. If you were expecting schematics and masses of technical detail though, youll be disappointed. -- Armourer Magazine and Classic Arms & Militaria Magazine, November 2020
£16.14
