Search results for ""author martyn chorlton""

The formation of the Pathfinder Force in August 1942 produced a steady but certain change in the fortunes of Bomber Command. Its effectiveness against targets during the early years of the war had been very difficult to gauge. When examined in detail afterwards, aerial photographs showed that only one third of the aircraft were successfully reaching their target area and less than this were actually placing their bombs with target accuracy. It was known during the large-scale bombing of Coventry in the autumn of 1940 that the Germans had used an elite force of pathfinder aircraft, armed with incendiaries, who had acted as target finders for the main force of German bombers. What was now needed for the RAF were some similar specialist squadrons, with crews handpicked for their discipline, courage, high morale and, in particular, skills in a wider than normal range of flying jobs. Sidney Bufton, Deputy Director of Bomber Operations, developed the concept of a new Target Finding Force, and his tenacity in putting pressure upon senior Air Ministry staff to implement his ideas and bring Bomber Command out of the doldrums paid off. The new force was finally accepted and the choice of Don Bennett as its first Commander was inspired. Bennett was restless, imaginative, and receptive to change. He never accepted second best and he became a legend to all who served under him. Pathfinder Squadrons were equipped with the best available aircraft, which included the famous Lancaster bomber and later, increasingly, the Mosquito which was a hugely versatile and successful fighter bomber. Would be aircrew for the RAF came as volunteers from all parts of the world including Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand. To join a Pathfinder Squadron was a rare privilege but with it went a huge leap in the likelihood of being shot down. Pathfinder aircrew and aircraft had to lead the way for their following Bomber Force in hazardous raid after raid. They flew at night but it took a full 25 minutes to run the gauntlet of the Berlin defences from end to end at full stretch. They were highly vulnerable to the wall of flak thrown up by German city defenders, as well as to attacks by night-fighters. By the end of the war some 56,000 crewmen of Bomber Command had lost their lives. Martyn Chorlton has written a gripping account of the RAF's Pathfinder Squadrons, recalling the challenges faced in the smoke-filled skies over occupied Europe. It is also a tribute to the brave young men whose exploits, lives and, in all too many cases, deaths have left a powerful torch to bear for all who care about freedom. The book carries a moving foreward by Michael Wadsworth, Chaplain to the Pathfinders Association.

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This book provides a detailed history of the wartime airfields of the North West of England, including Cark, Crosby-on-Eden, Great Orton and Millom. It is presented in an illustrated format.

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The Blackburn, later Hawker Siddeley, Buccaneer enjoyed an incredible service career that lasted over four decades. Designed as a carrier-borne attack aircraft, the Buccaneer was a solid aircraft designed to take the punishment of carrier operations and the constant stresses to the airframe caused by low-level flying. The aircraft entered service with the Royal Navy in 1962 in place of the Supermarine Scimitar and would continue with the senior service until 1978. The RAF received their first aircraft in 1969 – a legacy of the cancelled TSR.2 and F-111K, which resulted in a capability gap that had to be closed. The Buccaneer went on to serve the RAF in the low-level strike and reconnaissance role until 1994, serving with distinction during the Gulf War of early 1991. A robust and reliable aircraft that was popular with both its air and ground crews, the Buccaneer was a breed apart. A truly great British piece of engineering.

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With its roots dating back to the late 1940s and the de Havilland Comet airliner, the Nimrod already had pedigree when it first appeared in the late 1960s in place of the Avro Shackleton in the Maritime Reconnaissance role. Fewer than fifty were built for the RAF, the type being steadily upgraded throughout its career right up to its retirement in 2011. Compared to the Shackleton, the Nimrod brought comfort and reliability to its multi-role long-range activities, including anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance and anti-surface warfare. The Nimrod saw action during the Falklands War, the Gulf Wars, Afghanistan and a continued contribution (since 1977) to Operation Tapestry – the protection of the UK’s Sovereign Sea Areas. Specialist versions of the Nimrod also served in the signals intelligence role while other attempted developments failed, such as the Airborne Early Warning role and the final, costly MRA.4 versions, neither of which entered RAF service. This book tells the story of this remarkable aircraft.

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