The daring life story and astonishing adventures of Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown - Britain's greatest-ever pilot.

Brown's extraordinary flying career saw him fight in the Battle of Britain, narrowly escape death on a torpedoed aircraft carrier, achieve a litany of new records and firsts as a test pilot, and fly more kinds of aircraft than any other pilot in history.

With a life as remarkable as his flying, Brown faced imprisonment in Germany at the outbreak of WWII, and after the Allied victory his fluent German saw him interviewing senior Nazi officials and participating in the liberation of Belsen - an experience that haunted him for the rest of his life.

A rival to Chuck Yeager and hero to astronaut Neil Armstrong, by the time of his death in 2016 Winkle Brown had become a legend in his own lifetime and a national treasure.

Drawing on Brown's own papers and fascinating new research, Paul Beaver uncovers surprising new truths and incredible achievements in the definitive account of a pilot and man who was revered around the world.

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.

This is a vivid and powerful story of life on board the last of our great Second World War-era aircraft carriers, modernised to serve beyond their time. It is a story of the Cold War which conveys the trials and tribulations of flying one of the best-loved military aircraft in history.

Steve Kershaw joined the Royal Navy in 1963. He began flying training in 1968 and progressed to the Blackburn Buccaneer - a world-class naval strike jet that was designed to fly very fast at ultra-low altitudes. In 1970, Steve joined 800 Naval Air Squadron, which embarked on HMS Eagle on its epic final cruise.

The voyage to the Far East was far from trouble-free - an aircraft crashed into the sea, there was a devastating explosion on board the carrier, and then two sailors were arrested for murder in Auckland. New year 1972 saw HMS Eagle decommissioned and 800 NAS disbanded.

Steve was transferred to 845 Naval Air Squadron, on which he flew Wessex helicopters. Embarked on HMS Hermes, the squadron supported Royal Marines Commandos during their deployment to the mountains of Norway under NATO plans for a European war. During this time, helicopters were strangely sabotaged on board and one of them crashed into a fjord at night.

By 1974, HMS Ark Royal was the last remaining Royal Navy fixed-wing aircraft carrier to which Steve returned to fly Buccaneers on 809 Squadron. It was in this period that he participated in a NATO exercise in Norway and a Mediterranean cruise.

On return, the squadron prepared for a bombing competition between the RAF and Royal Navy Buccaneers. As part of this, Steve flew a low-level sortie off the Lincolnshire coast. The light was fading, and he was struggling to see the target ahead. He failed to see they were losing height. The aircraft hit the sea. Steve and his observer, David, were ejected into the water.

In this book, Steve's story is revealed by his son, Simon, through the words of his father, drawn from a mass of letters sent by him, and the recollections of those who served alongside him.

• Publisher: ‎Air World 
• Language: ‎English
• Hardcover: ‎240 pages
• ISBN: 9781399040129

Airframe Extra No.11: The Falklands War– 2nd April to 14th June 1982 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.

This book cover's 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.

Details are as follows:
• 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

One of the many ingredients required for creating a great aircraft company is the ability to diversify, and this was just one of the strengths that would keep the Fairey Aviation Company in business from 1915 through to 1960. Like so many other aircraft manufacturers of the day, it found its feet by taking on sub-contract work, and, while this was being carried out, it began to build on its own aircraft portfolio.

Fairey did not just sit back and produce aircraft in line with specifications, they designed new features that would be incorporated in all aircraft in the future. The company's greatest, and most surprising, success story came about when the ubiquitous Swordfish, affectionately known as the Stringbag' entered production in 1936. The company's venture into rotary wing aircraft would eventually become its undoing, despite huge technical achievements being achieved in a very short space of time. Soaked up by Westlands in 1960, the legacy of the company's final aircraft, the Rotodyne, still lives on today, and only now, in the 21st Century, is the world really ready for such a fantastic machine. This book explores the fascinating history of the company and the aircraft it produced.

The full visual history of the special forces combat diver from World War II to the present day.

Combat divers are an elite within an elite. Every special forces combat diver is required to pass selection twice – first into the elite military unit and then a combat diving qualification. The combat dive units themselves are tiny and the operations highly classified. The role of a military diver is inevitably a lonely and a dangerous one, whether clearing mines or striking from the sea against enemy-held targets. Fully illustrated with rare and unusual images, Combat Divers reveals their little-known yet fascinating operations, from Dutch Special Forces combat divers covertly operating against Somali pirates to the actions of Soviet Spetsnaz divers in Swedish territorial waters during the Cold War. It also examines how the most famous units, such as the US Navy SEALs and the Royal Navy's SBS, are currently operating and adapting to threats in a multitude of theatres.

Combat Divers gives an insight into specialist kit and vehicles presently used and equipment that is being developed and trialed throughout the world. Covering a variety of kit, from dry deck shelters to mini-submarines and swimmer delivery vehicles, former Royal Marines Commando Michael G. Welham draws on his own extensive diving experience to reveal exactly how this equipment is used by special forces dive teams. As their kit and equipment constantly evolve, so does the nature of their work and even the team element. Combat Divers also details the first female combat divers and includes their own first-hand accounts about their groundbreaking roles within their respective units to create a fascinating history of these elite special forces operatives.

Hardcopy

This is a unique account of the Falkland War, told by former Commando Medic, Malcolm Hazell, who led a team of 39 men, initially at Ajax Bay, and subsequently at Teal Inlet where they were alongside members of the Special Boat Service (SBS) and the Commandos specialist Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre (M&AW Cadre).

Detailed accounts are given of the facilities the medical team provided at both locations, and the largely untold military role Teal Inlet played in defeating the Argentine Forces. Above all this is a graphic account of the war, and its many battles, including Naval gunfire support provided by destroyers and frigates, and the damage and losses resulting both ashore and afloat. Having written the account, shocking anomalies regarding fatalities from both sides of the conflict are uncovered and remain unresolved.

The pivotal role played by the Commando Helicopter Pilots of 845 and 846 Naval Air Squadrons and 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron is fully emphasised, and the author is clear that the remarkable success his men enjoyed in saving so many critically injured lives from both sides of the war, was in no small measure also due to the heroic endeavour of these pilots, often flying in the most appalling weather conditions and visibility, to evacuate the wounded.

Malcolm Hazell's medical team played a full part in the reception and treatment of around two thirds of all the casualties treated ashore, ably supported at Ajax Bay by both Royal Navy and Parachute surgical teams; but they subsequently had to negotiate very hard to secure any surgical support at Teal Inlet, and in the end gained the vital support of a single Parachute surgical team, comprised of just one surgeon and a handful of other medics to manage an operating table. When weather conditions deteriorated as the war reached its climax, the team at Teal Inlet were the sole receiving medical facility, placing an unimaginable strain on the facility, much of which was under-canvas. If this was not enough, Argentine and British fatalities were also being flown back to the facility - something that has proven highly controversial and contentious as the author has sought to clarify anomalies he identified in 2020, only to be met with denials and silence.

Also told in some detail is the conversion of the British Merchant liner Uganda, into a Hospital Ship. Complete with a helicopter flight deck, the conversion remarkably took just a few days to complete at Gibraltar, and the author explains the crucial role this ship and its Royal Navy medical staff played in receiving and treating casualties from the medical facilities ashore, and their subsequent evacuation out of the war zone to Montevideo, utilising Royal Navy survey ships, re-rolled as ambulance vessels.

This is not just a medics story however, and the reader is given a full understanding of the tactical situation throughout the account, on a day by day, blow by blow basis - how each piece of turf had to be proven to be free of the invading Argentine forces, or recaptured, and herein the book gives a detailed description of the extensive mine threat that confronted the British Forces ashore. Commando Medics in the Falkland War provides a complete insight into almost every aspect of this brutal war.

Little has been written about Royal Marines rotary aviation, the small and select unit which operated light helicopters between 1965 and 1995. Officer and senior non-commissioned officer pilots had the unique privilege of being both Commandos and aviators, flying from warships and operating ashore in support of the Royal Marines. Initially called Unit Air Troops, which then coalesced into 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron Royal Marines, they operated in hostile environments, including the Arctic, mountains, jungles and deserts. Robert Wilsey served in the Royal Marines from 1969 to 2000. Having qualified as a pilot he served through much of the existence of the Royal Marines Air Squadron, from a junior pilot right up to becoming its commanding officer. In this unique book, the author tells of the evolution and technological advances of Royal Marines aviation, flying the Westland Sioux, Scout, Gazelle, and, ultimately, Lynx helicopters. He describes the rigorous training undertaken, including flying from ships at sea, and of operating globally from Malta, Northern Ireland, the jungles of Brunei, the Pyrenees, Arctic Norway and, in 1991, Northern Iraq, protecting the Kurds during Operation Haven. Colonel Wilsey also describes the challenges of the British military's basic and advanced rotary flying training, from both a student's and flying instructor's perspectives. He explains the pressures of leading a flying display team and relates stories of accidents and incidents, many amusing, several chaotic and some tragic, previously unknown to the general public. This is a vivid first-hand account of military rotary wing flying which will appeal to aircrew both civil and military, aviation enthusiasts and military historians. AUTHOR: Robert Wilsey served for 31 years as an officer in the Royal Marines as both an infantry commander and aviator. He was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air for N Iraq and the United States Legion of Merit. After retiring from the Royal Marines, Colonel Wilsey worked for nine years for a US aerospace company, following which he ran his own avionics consultancy business. Recently retired, he is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Robert has written over 50 articles on aviation, military history and early breech-loading military rifles and is the author of two books on antique firearms. He and his wife live on the Welsh borders and have two grown-up children. 42 b/w illustrations and 3 maps.

The late and much lamented Surgeon Captain Rick Jolly OBE compiled this classic and definitive book during his service as a Royal Marines Doctor. For this, among many other things, we owe him a debt of gratitude.

Illustrated by Tugg

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Osprey Publishing; Illustrated edition (22 Feb. 2018)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 544 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 9781472834133
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.98 x 3.85 x 21.41 cm

A 'warts and all' perspective of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm post-WW2.

The Fleet Air Arm has always had an elite status and an image of 'derring-do' and living on the edge.

To mark the millennium, 95 members of the Fleet Air Arm Officer's Association have recalled their experiences of over 55 years of post-war naval flying.

These first-person accounts pull no punches. Some are highly amusing, others serious, even tragic. Covered within are the piston-engined planes, early jets and supersonic nuclear-capable fighter-bombers as well as the full range of helicopters so vital in many theatres.

Fly Navy is a unique and entertaining anthology of flying stories, which will delight all with even a passing interest in service life and aviation.

The subtitle says it all - this is how it was - for better or for worse.

What were the thoughts and feelings of my grandfather as an Artificer Engineer down in the Engine Room as on1 November 1914, in the half light of evening, HMS Glasgow raced towards the Magellan Straits escaping from the one sided Battle of Coronel. The author, despite intensive research will never know. 

This lack of knowledge of his grandfathers career led the author to writing a record of 'what grandad did in the war' for his own three grandchildren. The record morphed into a tale of events, amusing and sometimes frightening, that occurred during a 32 career between 1960 and 1992. This period saw the Fleet Air Arm helicopter fleet go from piston to jet power and from 'kick the tyres - light the fires' to the advanced electronic suites that equip todays highly professional Fleet Air Arm aviators. In 1960 helicopter aircrew were as dedicated and professional, but a lack of sophistication in the aids available sometimes meant results were dependent upon experience and gut feeling.  

There are many aviation books which cover specific topics or events, but few which span a Fleet Air Arm Observer's career. This book aims to fill that gap.

Historical context has been included in many of the events which the author took part, from Iraq first threatening Kuwait in 1960, the Borneo Confrontation, through to the Falklands campaign in 1982. Service in the Fleet Air Arm not only involved flying, but also non-flying appointments ashore and afloat. As this book demonstrates there was satisfaction and a lot of fun to be had in what may be described as more mundane jobs.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grosvenor House Publishing Limited (18 Nov. 2021)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 234 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 9781839758119
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.24 x 1.63 x 22.86 cm

In August 1944 the British Pacific Fleet did not exist. Six months later it was strong enough to launch air attacks on Japanese territory, and by the end of the war it constituted the most powerful force in the history of the Royal Navy, fighting as professional equals alongside the U.S. Navy. How this was achieved by a nation nearing exhaustion after five years of conflict is a story of epic proportions in which ingenuity, diplomacy, and dogged persistence all played a part. This ground-breaking new work by David Hobbs describes the background, creation, and expansion of the British Pacific Fleet from its first tentative strikes, through operations off the coast of Japan, to its impact on the immediate post-war period. It includes the opinions of U.S. Navy liaison officers attached to the British flagships. A fascinating read.

 Highly recommended.

• Publisher: ‎Seaforth Publishing; First Edition (16 Jun. 2011)
• Language: ‎English
• ISBN: 9781526702838
• Dimensions: ‎15.6 x 23.4 cm
• Paperback

In May 1945, with victory in Europe established, the war was all but over. But on the other side of the world, the Allies were still engaged in a bitter struggle to control the Pacific. And it was then that the Japanese unleashed a terrible new form of warfare: the suicide pilots, or Kamikaze.

Drawing on meticulous research and unique personal access to the remaining survivors, Will Iredale follows a group of young men from the moment they joined up through their initial training to the terrifying reality of fighting against pilots who, in the cruel last summer of the war, chose death rather than risk their country's dishonourable defeat and deliberately flew their planes into Allied aircraft carriers. A story of courage, valour and dogged determination, The Kamikaze Hunters is a gripping account of how a few brave young men helped to ensure lasting peace.

So many eminent writers have written excellent books about the Swordfish and the actions for which it is most famous - Taranto, Bismarck, Channel Dash etc. 

The Swordfish is known for these actions, but they far from define its capability.

We have concentrated on the aircraft, its versatility, its ability to operate in conditions where others couldn't and, most importantly, its crews. All this with reference to its operational tasking and environment rather than specific actions.

We have drawn on a range of sources, but in particular the autobiographies of a number of Swordfish crew members.

It's crammed with over 40 pages of information and pictures and we hope you find it a fascinating read..........and it's free!

We hope you enjoy it.

Everyone knows about the Supermarine Spitfire and its part in the Battle of Britain and thereafter in the battle over Europe. However, few are familiar with the part its maritime counterpart, the Seafire, played with the Fleet Air Arm. Despite teething troubles and not being ideal as a carrier based fighter, it nonetheless gave the Navy a superb interceptor at a time when the allies were beginning to go on the offensive. 

Packed with illustrations, photographs and development and operational details, this is a great book set in a period when the Fleet Air Arm was growing into a formidable force on a global scale.

Softback: A4

Steve Bond is back with the final volume in this popular series. Unlike his previous three tomes, with their focus on air/rotorcraft, this book is uniquely dedicated to the personnel of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) themselves. Each chapter will concentrate on the memories of contributors who served in a range of roles, including those below the flight deck. Accounts will focus on the everyday life upon an aircraft carrier as well as the extraordinary challenges faced during operations. There is a fascinating chapter covering exchange services with the RAF and other navies including the French and US; and also insight into the Indian navy’s experience with the Sea Hawk and Sea Harrier.

Within the previous volumes, we met some remarkable characters and there is a chapter devoted to people’s memories of them. The closing section entitled ‘Thoughts’ sees contributors reflect on their FAA career with many deeply moving responses and discourses on the future of the service.

The book is heavily illustrated throughout in colour and black and white with personal photographs from the contributors, artwork and tongue-in-cheek cartoons for which the FAA is famous. Volume Four is the perfect conclusion to the ongoing post-war story of a truly astounding branch of the armed forces.

Signatories.

Pls note that, owing to the nature of the event, we cannot guarantee that all books will be signed by all signatories.

Co-authors Steve and Heather Bond and John Davies (Grubstreet Publishing)

Some recent reviews...

“I have to say this is very much the best, ‘leaving the finest to last’ has a Biblical provenance. The inclusion of many of the ‘non-flyers’ is excellent.” 

William Nicol-Gent 

“As I scanned through the pages, my eye caught sight of Jane Cole-Hamilton's - A Pilot's Wife - and I had to stop and read it. From that alone, your book is a winner with me.” 

Mel Evans 

“Ah, those were the days! A great read."

Mike Turner

“I've enjoyed all the books in the series and I found Vol.4 a particularly thought provoking read. The more action events featured in the earlier books were lapped up by me. I never tire of reading about other flyers experiences and adventures. Interesting, too, to hear the stories from ground crews and maintainers. Vol.4 was more reflective in character and reminded me of a few more sober moments experienced in my eight years in.”

Tony Wilson

 “All four books in Steve Bond's Fleet Air Arm Boys series have been absorbing, filled with the tales of the activities of various areas of naval aviation life, both ashore and when operating from a carrier. This last volume in the series is more concerned with personal reflections of what that life meant to the various individuals involved, particularly poignant were the reflections by those remembering the lives of those lost in flying accidents, and even more so the consideration of the tragic effects on wives, girlfriends and families left behind as a result. A thought promoting consideration of the drives and motivations of those involved in the ever perilous and rarely seen daily working lives of those Fleet Air Arm Boys and Girls who chose this life as a profession. Eminently readable and thoroughly absorbing and enjoyable.”

Tony Wilson on Amazon, rated 5 stars

 “I love Vol.4!! I also suffered a flew flashbacks (all good!)”

Bob Turner

 “I did enjoy reading it and had a few laughs. It was interesting - no doubt. It was a bit of an odd feeling reading about incidents on the Carriers that I do recollect very well, even to this day. Sad at times. I found the article written by Arun Prakash Indian Navy, particularly interesting, more especially his description of the Russian replacement for the Sea Harrier! John Fords ‘In defence of Aircraft Carriers’ was ‘bang on’.”

John Keenan

Wing Commander Bob Crane. Observer.

893 Sqn Sea Vixen HMS Hermes, RAF Phantom, US Navy VF-171 F-4J USS Forrestal, RAF Tornado F.3

 Rear Admiral Tom Cunningham CBE.

Observer. 750 Sqn Sea Prince, 737 Sqn Wessex, 826 Sqn Sea King, 360 Sqn Canberra, 702, 815, 829 Sqns Lynx HMS Amazon, HMS Battleaxe and Gibraltar Flt, Ops Officer HMS Illustrious, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff Air and Carriers

 Leading Wren Beverley McDermott

Radio Operator, Communications Centre Yeovilton

 Leading Airman Richard Dickinson.

Aircraft handler. Portland Wasp and Wessex, HMS Ark Royal, HMS Blake Sea King, 846 Sqn Sea King

 Chief Petty Officer John Keenan.

Aircraft Engineering Artificer. 800 and 809 Sqns Buccaneer, HMS Eagle, Hermes, Victorious, 892 Sqn Phantom HMS Ark Royal.801 Sqn Sea Harrier HMS Invincible, 360 Sqn Canberra

 Petty Officer Terry McDonald.

Radio and radar technician. Hunter, Sea Hawk, Sea Vampire, Sea Venom Lossiemouth. 899 Sqn Sea Vixen HMS Eagle, 848 Sqn Whirlwind HMS Bulwark

 Lieutenant Commander Andrew Murray AFC. Pilot.

705 Sqn Gazelle, 706, 771, 820, 814, 820, 849 Sqns Sea King. 857 Sqn Sea King Afghanistan.. Gulf War 2. HMS Ark Royal, Illustrious, Invincible. 824 Sqn Merlin. Flew last Sea King to HMS Sultan 2018. Deputy Command Flight Safety Officer

 Commander Mike Norman OBE AFC.

Aircraft Artificer, 728 Sqn Meteor, 750 Sqn Sea Venom. Observer. 826 Sqn Wessex 3, Wessex 5, Wasp and 814 Sqn Sea King 2. HMS Sheffield XO and 2 i/c, with the ship until it was sunk by an Exocet missile in the Falklands War. Naval and Air Attache in Portugal, Head of Service in Northern Ireland., Head of service in the Falkland Island garrison, Naval Base Cdr in Hong Kong.

 Lieutenant Kim Sharman. Pilot.

899 Sqn Sea Vixen HMS Eagle, ‘C’ Sqn A&AEE Sea Vixen, 750 Sqn Sea Prince

 Lieutenant Commander Digby Stephenson. Observer.

824 Sqn Sea King HMS Ark Royal, 800 Sqn Buccaneer HMS Eagle, 809 Sqn Buccaneer HMS Ark Royal, US Navy VA42 A-6 USS Nimitz, FRADU Hunter

 Leading Wren Catherine Davies van Zoen. Aircraft Mechanic (Airframes and Engines).   

Visiting Aircraft Section Yeovilton, Hunter, Canberra, Buccaneer, Phantom, Sea Prince, Sea Devon, Wasp, Whirlwind, Tiger Moth, Swordfish 

Hardback
ISBN: 9781911667438
Publisher: Grub Street Publishing

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

Comics normally feature the unbelievable or the fantasy superhero. 'The Stringbags' features both of those - the unbelievable achievements of the World War Two Swordfish and the heroism of their crews.

Produced in graphic form, this excellent book is superbly illustrated. Both writer and artist have paid a great deal of attention to detail as they portray events in which the Fairey Swordfish played a pivotal role - The Battle of Taranto, the sinking of the Bismarck and the Channel Dash etc. 

Written and illustrated by a multi award winning team who have worked with DC and Marvel!

Young or old, the graphic presentation enhances the pithy narrative rather than detracting from it.

Comic in format, but not in content. Very much like the FAA itself, this book has real heart and deals well with being simultaneously academic, informative, entertaining, respectful, reverential and emotive.

A4 Hardback

Images are from The Stringbags by Garth Ennis and PJ Holden (Dead Reckoning, 2020) and are used with publisher permission.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we’d like to introduce you to ex-matelot, now author, Paul White.

Paul White walked through the gates of HMS Raleigh in 1973 and never looked back.

During a long career, including time on HMS Tiger where he came to know the Sea King and Lynx pilots and crews of 826 NAS (and their passion for eggy bacon butty's when night flying), Paul became imbued with the traditions of the Royal Navy. Who better to write books about the food, tales and vernacular of the Senior Service?

He now lives on the outskirts of a quiet Yorkshire market town but is often away traveling - the wanderlust he acquired in the Royal Navy never left him.

Apart from his fictional books, Paul's focus is on recording Royal Naval social history, capturing the true and honest essence of naval life told by those who lived it.

The result is a collection of books Paul refers to as his 'Blue Books', including 'The Pussers Cook Book', 'Jack's Dits' and 'The Andrew, Jack & Jenny' and 'When I was on the Massive'.

 Now, let Paul introduce you to his books

 When I was on the Massive

When I was on the Massive highlights the collective customary witticism prevalent throughout the Royal Navy.

This book does not solely contain ‘Massive’ jokes, but includes the whole spectrum of Jack's humour, Jokes, Dits, Ditties and Shaggy Dogs, oddities of Royal Naval life, along with the expected boastful entries, known colloquially as 'Black Catting'.

There is an adage which states, 'That many a true word hath been spoke in jest', and this is true of 'When I was on the Massive', where honest and accurate historical attitudes of our society during such times are recorded within the mirth and merriment of this book.

The content is often bawdy, ribald, and rude but always full of ‘Jack’s Humour.

Enjoy.

THE PUSSERS COOKBOOK (revised and updated)

The Pussers Cook Book contains many of the most popular and loved traditional dishes served in the Royal Navy’s Galleys from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s.

Some of these dishes are still being served on the ships and shore bases of today's modern navy, although some have been slightly altered and others given, let's say, more politically correct names.

Woven between the recipes in this book are true facts and tidbits about the food, the cooks and general life aboard ship.

Along with the recipes, this book aims to preserve a segment of British history, Royal Navy social history, which is fading all too quickly and would otherwise be lost in the grey sea-mists of oblivion.

 THE ANDREW, JACK & JENNY

Unlike the civilian nicknames we get labelled with, those our classmates called us at school, the names various work colleagues may apply to us from time to time or the ones our siblings find amusing, a military nickname has greater significance, it holds a value only fully comprehended by our contemporaries.

Arguably, the Royal Navy has the most entrenched tradition among the services for bestowing nicknames, names not only for each sailor but for places, equipment and actions.

This book, The Andrew, Jack & Jenny, focuses primarily on the names given to each skin and essence the moment they became a matelot.

Royal Naval nicknames are not chosen by the recipient, they are bestowed, irrevocably, by custom and tradition. Yet, each sailor soon becomes attached to their 'new' name, which grows into a large part of their identity, even influencing their character. It soon becomes the name which is spoken with pride in answer to the question "Who are you?"

JACKS DITS

With hundreds of men, tons of military paraphernalia, complicated machinery, technological equipment, weaponry, stores and various other forms of kit, you can be assured not every day in the Royal Navy was straightforward and undemanding.

Equipment failed. People made mistakes. Accidents and mishaps occurred. Personalities and characters clashed.

Add to this mix the activities of matelots on a 'run ashore' in far-flung, unsavoury and questionable seaports. Include beer, spirits, wine, women and song into the equation and the resulting concoction is a wonderful hothouse for the creation of imaginative narrative.

The goings-on of Sailors, both aboard and ashore, created astonishing accounts of events to be told at stand easy or after a watch; when the exaggerated telling's of the day's happenings or those of last night's run ashore, would be shared in the mess squares of Royal Navy ships and shore bases throughout the world.

This book is not one which simply and only harks back in nostalgic fashion to the past, Jack's Dit's is an authentic validation, a historical record of Royal Naval Social History; one told by the voices of those who served, those who were there. It is a true and genuine recording of life during the Royal Navy's heydays, the late 1950s through to the earlier part of the 1980s.

One I was proud to be part of.

Jack's Dits 2 – More Tales from the Mess, continues spinning humorous yarns, fables, anecdotes and jokes which originate in the mess squares and on the decks of Royal Navy ships.
Continuing from the original 'Jacks Dit's – Tall tales from the Mess Deck', Jacks Dit's 2 mixes more dit's and more hilarious jokes, interspersed with a further flurry of ditty's, quotes and oddities which will entertain and amuse, along with evoking fond memories.
It is, in a large part, the sharing of such humour between the men who served which made the Royal Navy the best navy in the world. 

The war in the Mediterranean was always about so much more than the Mediterranean itself. O'Hara illuminates the complexity and far reaching ramifications of this critical conflict and avoids the trap of rehashing the myths by introducing research from British, Italian, German, French and US sources - all sides of a gritty and hard fought story.

Hardback

One tends to think of promotional brochures as being associated with a new car or double glazing rather than (what was) a state of the art warplane.

However, we have obtained a rare original Hawker Aircraft Ltd brochure extolling the capabilities of the Sea Fury from which we have made faithful reproductions. It gives details of the specifications, variants, usage and performance of this great aircraft as it was promoted to the public and military customers across the globe in the 1950's. 

If you're a fan of this superb aircraft, this will tell you all you need to know and is an essential addition to any collection.

20 are available that have been signed by Sea Fury Pilot Brian Ellis who, while flying a Sea Fury, shot down a MiG15 jet during the Korean War..

Size A4

Soft cover

Silver foiling on cover.

Paperback.

Marvellously colourful first hand stories about the 'Jungly' Squadrons and their missions. Often out of the limelight, the rotary wing of the FAA plays a vital role, both aggressive and supportive, ship to ship, ship to sea and ship to land. So much of what the Navy and Fleet Air Arm have achieved, and continue to achieve, is the result of the rotary wing units.

As HRH Prince Charles puts in in his introduction -

'Over the years, both in peace time and in war, the Junglies have earned an enviable reputation for 'getting the job done'; a reputation as justified in the current theatres of conflict as it was in those early days in the jungles of Borneo. This has called for qualities which we readily associate with the Junglie: determination, resourcefulness, quick thinking and courage, all of which I witnessed in abundance during my time in 845 (SQN). The other ubiquitous quality I greatly enjoyed was the Junglies' irrepressible sense of humour, examples of which are much in evidence in this book.

The book, I feel sure, only scratches the surface of the veritable mine of Jungly tales, some no doubt apocryphal, some very slightly embellished, but all definitely worthy of re-telling. I warmly commend it to you.'

Collated by (the legendary) veteran pilot John Beattie, edited by Rick Jolly and with illustrations courtesy of Lee Howard.

Forgotten Few is a homage to the 57 naval pilots who flew in the Battle of Britain. For 20 years, the Admiralty and the Air Ministry did not recognise the valiant efforts of these young men – now historian Paul Beaver has compiled their biographies and explains the award of the coveted Battle of Britain clasp.

Nine of the Forgotten Few died in combat but five became aces. There is no doubt that they contributed to the ultimate victory, even though they were mostly flying their obsolete Sea Gladiator biplanes and obsolescent Fairey Fulmar. Twenty-three more pilots joined famous RAF Fighter Command squadrons and one achieved local notoriety as Douglas Bader’s wingman in fights over London.

In his endeavour, Paul has been supported by the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, the London Memorial team, the Fly Navy Heritage Trust (Navy Wings), Matthew Willis and Geoff Simpson.

• Publisher : ‎ Paul Beaver (1 Jan. 2019)
• ISBN: ‎9780993554537