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In 1941, as the Battle of the Atlantic raged and ship losses mounted, the British Admiralty desperately tried to find ways to defeat the U-Boat threat to Britain's maritime lifeline. Facing a shortage of traditional aircraft carriers and shore-based aircraft, the Royal Navy, as a stopgap measure, converted merchant ships into small `escort carriers'. These were later joined by a growing number of American-built escort carriers, sent as part of the Lend-Lease agreement. The typical Escort Carrier was small, slow and vulnerable, but it could carry about 18 aircraft, which gave the convoys a real chance to detect and sink dangerous U-Boats. Collectively, their contribution to an Allied victory was immense, particularly in the long and gruelling campaigns fought in the Atlantic and Arctic. Illustrated throughout with detailed full-colour artwork and contemporary photographs, this fascinating study explores in detail how these adaptable ships had such an enormous impact on the outcome of World War II's European Theatre.

 

Somerset has played an important part in the history of British aviation. Aircraft have been built in the county since the time of the First World War and the county's airfields played an important part during the Second World War. The growth of Westland, at Yeovil and Weston Super Mare, has seen Somerset become a world-renowned centre for the design and construction of rotary-wing craft. Before their reliance on helicopters, Westland made such famous aircraft as the Lysander and Whirlwind, as well as the Wapiti and Wildebeast (and the rather bizarre Wendover!). Airports at Weston Super Mare and Whitchurch became important for passenger travel while the Royal Navy's Air Station at Yeovilton continues to home several Naval Air Squadrons. In times past, the aviation industry was important to the county and today, while still important, aviation heritage brings many tourists to Somerset. Colin Cruddas tells the story in words and pictures of the airfields, manufacturers and aircraft that were made or flown over the county of Somerset.

The Aerospatiale / Westland Gazelle is one of the longest serving and most successful reconnaissance and light attack helicopters. The Gazelle soon made an impression with its high speed, smooth looks and design innovations such as the Fenestron ducted tail rotor and composite main rotor blades. In this readable book, aviation expert David Oliver tells the full story of the development of the Gazelle as well as its various air force, military and naval roles and deployments.

The Royal Navy saw the potential of taking aircraft to sea just 6 years after man's first controlled powered flight. Ultimately, the aircraft carrier became a game changer in how wars were fought and won and often not just at sea. Dave Morris' fascinating book picks out so many things to illustrate how flying from ships at sea involves, and conquers, a completely different set of challenges to those faced by land based aircraft.. Excellent read.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Amberley Publishing (15 Aug. 2019)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 96 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 9781445689029
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16.26 x 1.02 x 23.11 cm

This book covers the author's flying career from the finish of World War II until his final appointment as CO of the Naval Test Squadron at Boscombe Down. Having had an outstanding wartime record 'Mike' Crosley became heavily involved with the introduction of Britain's first carrier borne jet aircraft. The book explains how modern techniques, such as the angled flight deck, steam catapult and deck-landing mirror sights were developed and tested. At Boscombe down he developed the 'hand's-off' launch technique for the Buccaneer which saved it from probable cancellation at a very difficult time for British naval aviation.

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. 

The Wasp is a key part of the story of evolution in naval tactics. The Westland Wasp was the first helicopter whose design was specifically for use from the confined spaces on smaller warships like destroyers and frigates. It proved an immediate success in extending the range of a surface ship both in defence and offence, above and beneath the surface. Much loved by those who flew in them, it was reliable and versatile and taught valuable lessons about this new development in naval warfare.

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

...The Story and Diaries of Captain JM McCleery RNAS/RAF.

Guy Warner has been given access to McCleery's wartime diary, his letters home, other memorabilia and three remarkable albums with hundreds of photos taken by Jack and others of the events described in the book. His intention is to edit Jack's diary and letters to provide an introduction and conclusion and to annotate the text with explanatory details of important events, people, places, ships and aircraft.

Hardcover

Spitfire Evolution is the first book to identify 73 variants of Supermarine Spitfire and Seafire.

Its commentary follows the evolution of this remarkable aircraft from its earliest forbears to the final marques (and includes Seafang, Spiteful and numerous small production specialist types).

 There are over 80 beautiful illustrations by Jon Freeman with additional diagrams illustrating both the technical differences and also a huge variety of liveries.

 The author, Paul Beaver, is a well-known writer, biographer, pilot and historian.

 This is a very convenient and extremely comprehensive companion/guide and is ideal for the spotter or aircraft enthusiast.

• Publisher‏: Beaver Westminster Limited (5 Mar. 2016)
• Language: English
• Pages: 68 
• ISBN: 9780993554506

Many people don't realise that the Fleet Air Arm were in the thick of the fighting in Afghanistan.

'Day and night, the Fleet Air Arm crews were on constant alert, ready to scramble their heavily armed Harrier jets at a moment's notice in support of the men on the ground.'

This book 'offers an unprecedented, heart-stopping insight into the realities of modern air warfare'.

Paperback.

'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.

'Captain Alan William Frank Sutton's enthralling biography starts when, as a young midshipman, he was in command of a picket boat returning a potentially mutinous crew to the battle-cruiser HMS Repulse....and ends in the open cockpit of a Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber during the legendary attack on the Italian Fleet at Taranto.'

Hardback.

'The Royal Navy called them auxiliary carriers. To the crews of endangered merchantmen in the Atlantic and Arctic they were heaven sent protection. To the men who manned them they were Combustible, Vulnerable and Expendable.'

David Wragg reveals the full story of these ships' crucial role and contribution.

 Hardback.

'Robert le Page flew with the Fleet Air Arm from 1941-45, mostly in 816 Squadron's carrier based Fairey Swordfish. He saw action mine-laying of Cherbourg, hunting U-boats in the Atlantic with the elite Escort Group 2, protecting convoys in the Arctis and covering the D-Day landings.'

'His story is full of insights into wartime naval flying.'

Hardback

Only finally recognised in 2012 with the Arctic Star Medal, this was one of the hardest campaigns in military history. Almost unimaginable hardship, risk and sacrifice. This is the story of the convoys that helped to keep Russia supplied with munitions.

'Drawing on hundreds of oral histories from eyewitnesses and veterans of the convoys, plus original research into the Russian Naval Archives at Murmansk, Walling offers a fresh retelling of one of World War II's pivotal yet largely overlooked campaigns.'

Paperback.

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

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

What an extraordinary aircraft the Fairey Swordfish turned out to be. Born at the end of the biplane era, this was an aircraft apparently totally unsuited to fight the war in which it became embroiled. Despite being deemed obsolete at the onset of hostilities, it not only outlived aircraft designed to replace it, but it gave sterling service, virtually unchanged, in all theatres throughout the war.

This reliable and manoeuvrable aircraft, much loved by its crews, had it's major honours at Taranto and in the sinking of the Bismarck, but it also played a huge part in the Battle of the Atlantic and with the Arctic convoys as well as campaigns across the globe.

This is the story of the marathon 26 month restoration of the world's oldest flying Fairey Swordfish, W5856, filmed at their Brough factory by British Aerospace in the 90's. 

W5856 is currently hangared with the Navy Wings Heritage Flight at RNAS Yeovilton and is still a regular and popular display aircraft at air shows around the UK.

Format: All regions

Duration: c:60 mins 

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

 

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.

...Aircraft & Events as recorded in official documents.

It's unbelievable to see how much fascinating detail has been packed into this tome. It draws on 5 key documents.

1) Diary of Important Operations, Flanders, 1916
2) Disposition of Aircraft, 24 February, 1917
3) Royal Naval Air Service Communiques Nos 1 to 14;
4) Truing up of Aeroplanes: Issued by the Air Department Sept 1st, 1916.
5) The Grain drawings

This unique treasure trove of visual reference will appeal to historians, students and enthusiasts.

Hardback.

This is the good, the bad and the ugly of the history of RNAS/RAF/FAA.  Set during a period across two world wars, the book highlights a series of triumphs and tragedies which shape the history of British Naval Aviation.  Adlam presents a highly entertaining and controversial study which is sure to appeal to a wide variety of aviation enthusiasts.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pen & Sword Aviation (24 Sept. 2014)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16.51 x 2.54 x 24.13 cm

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.