This is the true story of Commander R 'Mike' Crosley, a Seafire pilot during WW II. 

An amazing account of a Fleet Air Arm fighter pilot who began serving on HMS Eagle on the Malta convoy run. He graduated to flying the Supermarine Seafire & by the end of the war he had command of his own squadron. The author describes in vivid detail his experiences, both the excitement and the terror of flying a superb aircraft in combat. 

Aviation has revolutionised warfare over the last 100 years, and this new pocket guide gives the reader the essential details of 70 iconic aircraft, including the Sopwith Camel, the Spitfire, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-51 Mustang and the F-4 Phantom. Drawing on Osprey's comprehensive aviation archive, the Plane Spotter's Guide uses detailed profile artwork to illustrate and aid recognition, as well as specification boxes to provide all the technical details.

216 pages, lavishly illustrated 

'January 1972: the tiny outpost of British Honduras is threatened with imminent invasion by battle hardened, US trained Guatemalan paratroops. Britain's response must be immediate and decisive. But there is only one deterrent that the government can offer: HMS Ark Royal, once the Navy's most powerful warship, now a white elephant on the verge of being scrapped.'

'Drawing on extensive first-hand accounts and previously unseen, classified documents, Rowland White has pieced together one of the most audacious and thrilling missions of British military history'.

'Combine pulse-pounding tension with riveting detail. If only all military history was written like this' - Andy McNab.

Paperback.

From service as an aviator in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Korea to Chairman of Playboy Clubs International and the Westland Affair. This is the story of a naval man who has applied boundless energy and enthusiasm to very facet of his life. 

'This is a book that has something for everyone, whether naval, political or industrial, and is a cracking good read to boot.'

• Publisher: Leo Cooper Ltd; Illustrated edition (13 July 2004)
• Language: English
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• ISBN-13: 9781844151349
• Dimensions: 16.56 x 2.77 x 24.08 cm

From cooks and clerks to weapons analysts and air mechanics, generations of women have served in the Wrens (Women's Royal Naval Service or WRNS). The Royal Navy was the first of the UK armed services to admit women during the First World War with the purpose of freeing up a man to go to sea by giving his job to a trained female worker. Disbanded in 1919, the Wrens were reinstated on the outbreak of the Second World War. This book focuses on the work and experiences of Wrens during the two world wars, introducing the kinds of jobs they performed and the places where they served. It contains poignant accounts from the women themselves, along with contemporary images of the Wrens in action and modern photographs of their uniforms, badges and insignia.

The evolution of naval flying has been as fascinating and complex as the evolution of flight itself. Flying from ships at sea presents unique challenges and this book casts an illuminating light on the process from the very first attempts to bring aviation on board ship.

Hardback.

Covers the historical aspects of the battles in the air and at sea in and above The Falklands between the 2nd April and 14th June 1982.

• Historical narrative by Patrick Branly
• Numerous period images
• Colour profiles by Richard J Caruana
• Specially commissioned kit builds:
  - 1/72nd Douglas A-4B/P Skyhawk (Airfix) by Libor Jekl
  - 1/72nd Westland Wessex HU.5 (Italeri) by Libor Jekl
  - 1/72nd Dassault Mirage IIIEA (Modelsvit) by Libor Jekl
  - 1/48th Royal Navy Sea Harrier FRS.1 (Tamiya) by Steve A Evans
  - 1/48th IA-58 Pucará (Kinetic) by Steve A Evans
  - 1/48th Mirage IIIEBR/IIIEA/IAI M5 Dagger (Kinetic) by Steve A Evans
• 80 pages plus covers

HMS Ark Royal and the Fairey Swordfish are two WWII legends. This is the complete and unique collection for anyone interested in their joint and illustrious history. It consists of:

A Limited Edition Atlantic Escorts - print signed by WWII Swordfish crew - for complete description...

Atlantic Escorts - Limited Edition print signed by WWII Swordfish crew – Navy Wings Flight Store

A detailed 1/700 scale model of HMS Ark Royal - Norway 1942.

An HMS Ark Royal patch badge

A 1/72 scale model of Fairey Swordfish W5856

A British Legends Swordfish mug and coaster set

A copy of 'I sank the Bismarck' by WWII Swordfish pilot Jock Moffat who took part in the action against the Bismarck

A Swordfish lapel pin badge

A Fleet Air Arm Remembrance lapel pin badge

The story of the transformation from what was a severely neglected element of the British armed forces at the beginning of WWII into a fine fighting force with an outstanding and influential operational history. From obsolete equipment and 4 aircraft carriers to state of the art aircraft and 59 aircraft carriers. A wealth of information, photographs and diagrams. Essential reading for anyone with an interest in the Fleet Air Arm.

Paperback.

The Fleet Air Arm action at Taranto was a ground breaking initiative. Beyond being very successful in damaging the Italian Fleet it turned the balance of power in the Mediterranean in favour of the British and thus changed the course of the war in North Africa. As the blueprint for the attack on Pearl Harbour, it ultimately changed the course of global history. The book is copiously illustrated with illustrations and photographs and details of the plans and there execution.

Softback.

Geoffrey Higgs' 30 years career as a naval pilot was inspired by the spectacle of Alan Cobham's Flying Circus. Front line service embarked on aircraft carriers was followed by qualification as an instructor, selection for the Empire Test Pilots School and then qualification as an experimental test pilot. Geoffrey flew nearly 100 different types of aircraft and completed close to 1000 deck landings. A fascinating career that contributed to the development of such aircraft as the EE Lightning and Concorde and included being the first person to fly a Royal Naval aircraft across the Atlantic without in-flight refuelling or navigational aids.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pen & Sword Aviation; First Edition (30 Jun. 2010)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
• ISBN‏ : ‎ 9781848842625
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16.26 x 3.3 x 23.37 cm

Perhaps contrary to popular belief, the Royal Naval Air Service played a considerable part in actions on the Western front and were ahead of their RFC counterparts in the use of the Sopwith Pup, Triplane and Camel. This book contains a wealth of information and illustrations about the men and the planes that made a mark in the conflict.

Part 2 A fascinating insight into the Naval pilot aces and their aircraft from both sides of the conflict. Unusually, this was a period when flying boats and seaplanes were often in the thick of the action, so this book delves down paths that are not well trodden.

Paperback.

After the rapid developments in tactics and technology of WWI, the Fleet Air Arm languished during the inter-war years. Immediately upon commencement of hostilities in WWII, they immediately rose to the new challenges. These two famous actions encapsulate the remarkable spirit and endeavour of a military arm that has so often been a world leader.

Hardback.

Jack Thomas flew from MAC ships and his log book includes W5856 - one of the Swordfish that is cared for in the Navy Wings hangar. Jack's poetry captures both the excitement and fear of battle and the peace and tranquility of the ordinary, made not so ordinary, by his observation and combat heightened perception.

Also available signed by the author who sadly passed away this year (2017).

Paperback.

Please note, very limited availability.

Escort carriers and MAC (converted merchantmen) ships made an indelible impact on the safety of the Atlantic (and Arctic) convoys and, once they were a standard part of the escort provision, almost eliminated losses by U-Boat attack.

The Fairey Swordfish proved itself to be perfectly suited to this hostile and unique environment and indeed, few aircraft types were even capable of operating in difficult weather conditions and from tiny decks.

With their open cockpits, being a member of a Swordfish crew was not for the faint hearted. Long patrols, freezing temperatures, storms and 'mother' ships that pitched and tossed as if possessed made life extraordinarily challenging.

The swatches are made of genuine pieces of fabric taken from a Fairey Swordfish and signed by the men who flew in these extraordinary and legendary aircraft on those perilous convoys.

Sadly, there are very few veterans left now.

They are from a limited edition of 50 and each is numbered and has a signature of authenticity. We have pairs numbered 10, 11, 12 and 13. We will supply as singles but, if a pair is ordered, will supply matching numbers if possible.

This is your opportunity to own a piece of history that will look superb in any home.

MAC ship print - signed by:

John Kilbracken DSC (Pilot)
Stanley Brand (Pilot)
Charles Simpson (TAG)

Escort Carrier print - signed by:

W.H. Thomson DSC (Pilot)
G.V. 'Curly' Pickard (Observer)
M.A. 'Andy' Thackeray (Telegraphist Air Gunner)

On the 12th of February1942, six Swordfish set off from RAF Manston to attack Kriegsmarine battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen as they dashed up the English Channel heading away from Brest to safer ports to the north.

The CO of RAF Manston, not expecting them to return, saluted each aircraft as it took off.

The powerful German squadron was escorted by numerous destroyers and E boats and squadrons of fighter aircraft.

Several RAF fighter squadrons were supposed to engage the German fighters and provide protection for the Swordfish, but only one made the rendezvous with the Swordfish. They were hopelessly outnumbered by German fighters and, fighting for their own survival, were unable to support.

The Swordfish, now in two flights of three, pressed home their attacks, but were cut to ribbons by a combination of enemy fighters and the massed guns of the ships they were attacking and their escort screen. All six were shot down and only five of the eighteen crewmen survived.

Flight leader, Lt Commander Eugene Esmonde, who had received a DSO for his part in the attack on the Bismarck, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. 

The German commander, Vice Admiral Otto Ciliax described the courage of the Swordfish crews. “…the mothball attack of a handful of ancient planes, piloted by men whose bravery surpasses any other action by either side that day”.

The Fairey Swordfish achieved legendary status in WWII. The bravery and sense of duty of their crews, in the doomed action that was to become known as The Channel Dash, have become part of the legend.

This limited edition commemorative print by Duncan Robertson is signed by veterans who took part in that ill-fated mission and shows one of the six Swordfish that was lost on that fateful day.

This is your opportunity to own a piece of history that will look superb in any home.

Supplied with a certificate of authenticity.

The prints are all signed by:-

Don Bunce (825 Sqn Channel Dash survivor)
Edgar Lee (825 Sqn Channel Dash survivor)
Pat Kingsmill (825 Sqn Channel Dash survivor). 
Brian Kingcome (Spitfire Pilot – C.O. 72 Sqn)
Tom Gleave (C.O. RAF Manston)

Fairey Swordfish

Fairey Swordfish LS326 and W5856 are both members of the Navy Wings Heritage Flight and veterans of active service in WWII

Approx 71cm x 54cm

N.B. This item is supplied as a print. The image where it is depicted with a frame is for illustrative purposes only.

Aeroplane magazine’s ‘Book of the Month’ (December 2017)

The Gloster Javelin was the UK’s first line of night and all-weather air defence both at home and in RAF Germany. In the 1950s, when it replaced the Meteor and Venom, this revolutionary bomber/interceptor became the focus of many great stories told here in terrific detail.

Here, author Steve Bond has interviewed a number of veterans, all with captivating tales of their time on the aircraft. Alongside their anecdotes is a detailed history of this unusual aircraft, accompanied by photography never seen before in print.

Javelin Boys is bound to appeal to all aviation fans.

ISBN: 9781910690406
Published: 22 September 2017

The Jet Age began in Britain in May 1941 when the Gloster E.28/39, the first British jet aircraft, made its first flight. The first British jet fighter was the Gloster Meteor, which entered service with the RAF in 1944 and went on to serve with air forces all over the world, and the RAF never looked back. This was the start of the first generation of British jet aircraft, from the Meteor and the de Havilland Vampire in the years immediately after the Second World War through the ill-fated Comet airliner and the Hawker Sea Hawk in the 1950s to the Gloster Javelin, the start of the second generation in the 1960s. In this book, aviation historian Guy Ellis looks at the development of this first generation of British jet aircraft.

Drawing on rare, historical photography and specially commissioned artwork, Matthew Willis explores the heroic feats of the few Royal Navy’s obsolescent biplanes that stood between the state-of-the-art Axis warships and their objectives.

Focusing on the technical specifications of both opponents, using original records, and detailed armament and cockpit views, this book explores the key attributes and drawbacks of the disadvantaged Royal Navy torpedo-bombers against the mighty Regia Marina and Kriegsmarine destroyers and raiders, covering a wide range of sea battles, from the more famous attacks such as the strike on the Bismarck, the tragic events of the Channel Dash or the clash with the Italian battle fleet at Taranto, to less covered sea battles such as the Battle of Matapan.

Despite their powerful weaponry and heavy armour protection, the Axis warships proved vulnerable to a skillfully and audaciously flown torpedo-bomber, thanks to innovative commanders exploiting every possible advantage. Including rare personal recollections from the airmen who flew the torpedo-bombers and historical accounts from the Axis warship crews, this book describes each and every facet of this dramatic duel.

On 3 April 1982 British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher announced that Argentine armed forces had landed on British sovereign territory; had captured the men of Royal Marine detachment NP8901; had run up the Argentine flag; and had declared the islands and their population to be Argentine. An immediate response was required and a task force was rapidly assembled to retake the islands. From this point until the Argentine surrender on 14 June, the British forces fought what was in many ways a 19th-century style colonial campaign at the end of extended supply lines some 8,000 miles from home. This volume will detail the major stages of the land campaign to retake the islands, focusing on the San Carlos landings, the battle for Darwin and Goose Green, and the final battles for Mt Longdon, Tumbledown and Wireless Ridge, the mountains that surrounded the island's capital, Stanley.

Biographical note:

Gregory Fremont-Barnes holds a doctorate in Modern History from the University of Oxford and serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of War Studies at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. A prolific author, his books include Waterloo 1815: The British Army's Day of Destiny and many others on military and naval subjects covering the 18th to the 21st centuries. Holding a particular interest in insurgency and counterinsurgency, his wider work for the UK Ministry of Defence on these subjects regularly takes him to Africa, the Middle East and South America. As an academic advisor, Dr Fremont-Barnes has accompanied many groups of British Army officers and senior NCOs in their visits to numerous battlefields of the Peninsular War, the Waterloo campaign, Normandy and the Falklands.

Format: paperback
Number of pages: 96
ISBN: 9781849086073
Published: 20 May 2012

Brian Allen's career began as a naval Aviation Cadet aboard HMS Indefatigable. Starting on the T22 Vampire he moved through Firefly, Gannet, Avenger (yes, Avenger), Whirlwind and Wasp. During this time, in postings around the globe, he was involved in the U.K.'s atomic bomb testing in Operation Grapple and survived several ditchings and forced landings. This book offers an insight into the very different transitional immediate post war years.

• Publisher  : ‎ Pen & Sword Aviation; 1st Edition (18 Mar. 2010)
• Language ‏: ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏: ‎ 9781848841895
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16.51 x 1.91 x 24.77 cm

...Memoirs of the RNAS in the first World War.

Technology has changed at a frightening pace since aircraft first took to the skies. During WW1 not only did the technology change, but also the way in which aircraft were used as all sides learned to understand the potential of this powerful new influence on the battlefield.  'Philip Bartlett's account is a unique and fascinating record of a pilot's life in the dawn of aerial warfare and, as history, of the first use of the bomber in war, strangely, by the Navy's aircraft.'

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pen & Sword Military; Reprint edition (17 Oct. 2013)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 159 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 9781783461813
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16.51 x 1.91 x 24.13 cm

Since 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 navys 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 Skyraider's & 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. 

About the author:

Steve Bond has spent nearly 50 years in aviation. He served in the RAF as an aircraft propulsion technician and was part of the Eurofighter Typhoon project team. He later joined City University London where he developed and ran the world’s first MSc Air Safety Management (ASM) programme, lecturing on the subject all over the world. He has a PhD in ASM, is a chartered engineer, and a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Now a full-time author he was recently elected Freeman of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots in recognition of his contribution to aviation.

N.B. Only sales here will contribute to keeping heritage aircraft flying

This title explores the scope of women's activities in aviation, from the time of the Wright Brothers to the present day. After highlighting the earliest female aviators, as well as the trailblazers of the inter-war period such as Amy Johnson and Amelia Earhart, the book goes on to examine the experience of women in aviation during the Second World War, including the American Women Airforce Service Pilots and those flying with the Air Transport Auxiliary. The post-war years are also covered and the title emphasizes the growth in women's participation in civil and military spheres of aviation -- by the last decades of the twentieth century, women had progressed even further, undertaking many of the jobs previously reserved for men, including space flight and combat flying. From the earliest women to obtain pilot's licenses to the female astronauts of the modern day, this is a concise introduction to the development of American and British women's roles in aviation.