Download or read book The Men Who Flew the English Electric Lightning written by Martin W Bowman and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2021-03-23 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The early 1950s were a boom time for British aviation. The lessons of six years of war had been learned and much of the research into jet engines, radar and aerodynamics had begun to reach fruition. In Britain, jet engine technology led the world, while wartime developments into swept wing design in Germany and their transonic research program were used to give western design teams a quantum leap in aircraft technology. At English Electric, 'Teddy' Petter's design team were keen to capitalize on the success of their Canberra jet bomber and rose to the challenge of providing a high speed interceptor for the RAF. Martin W. Bowman describes the career of the Lightning in detail using first-hand accounts of what it was like to fly and service this thoroughbred. Illustrated with over 200 color and b/w photographs, appendices listing Lightning squadrons, production totals, individual aircraft histories and with the first in-depth analysis into why a third of all Lightnings were lost, The Men Who Flew the English Electric Lightning is a fine record of the last truly great all-British fighter.

Download or read book The English Electric Lightning written by Martin W. Bowman and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2018-01-30 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A photo-packed history of this Cold War-era supersonic fighter aircraft. The early 1950s were a boom time for British aviation. The lessons of six years of war had been learned, and much of the research into jet engines, radar, and aerodynamics had begun to reach fruition. In Britain, jet engine technology led the world while wartime developments into swept-wing design in Germany and their transonic research program were used to give western design teams a quantum leap in aircraft technology. The English Electric Lightning emerged at this time. This supersonic fighter aircraft of the Cold War era is perhaps best remembered for its amazing takeoff performance, its exceptional rate of climb, and its immense speed. Here, Martin Bowman takes us on a photographic journey, illustrating the various landmarks of the Lightning's impressive operational history.

Download or read book Armed Forces written by and published by . This book was released on 1982 with total page 854 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book With Great Sacrifice and Bravery written by Glenn Knoblock and published by Merriam Press. This book was released on 2004-05 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work is presented to the reader with several ideas in mind. First, it is the author''s hope that, in some small way, it will help preserve the memory of a little known pilot who fought, not only for his own country, but also for France and England during the early, dark days of World War II. While Waclaw Lapkowski was an experienced pilot who became one of Poland''s aces during the war, his early demise, like that of so many others, has relegated his achievements to the back pages of history, making them nearly forgotten. However, in referring to pilots such as Lapkowski, the great British ace Robert Stanford-Tuck cites the many men "who were credited with six, seven, or eight victories", pilots that "formed the bulk and guts of our fighter force." The second reason for producing this work is the unique use of official combat and operations reports from the Royal Air Force (RAF). Many of those who are interested in World War II aviation and fighter aces have read the biographies, and first-hand accounts of air combat contained within, of such men as Douglas Bader, Witold Urbanowicz, Adolph Galland, and Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, to name just a few. But what of those "aces" that did not survive to tell their story? How are they to be remembered? In the case of those who served with the RAF, the answer is, in part, through the use of official combat reports and related documents. While these official RAF and Polish Air Force (PAF) records do not sound particularly exciting, a glance at the surviving records quickly proves otherwise. Indeed, the title of this book consists of a borrowed phrase from one such report, and is a small example of the many dramatic events recorded within, often in the pilot''s own words. While these reports have been an important source for many works on the RAF and PAF and its achievements during the war, never before, to the author''s knowledge, have official combat reports been presented to the reading public in their original form. Though not originally intended for public view, they nonetheless make for exciting and informative reading and will be of interest not only to those with a passing interest in World War II aviation, but to the serious student as well. While the author was unable to obtain combat reports for all of Lapkowski''s flights, those that were procured for September 1940 and June 1941 are of particular interest as they highlight all of the "kills" that he made while serving in the RAF. The final reason for choosing to write about Waclaw Lapkowski is due to the availability of wartime artifacts connected with his service in the RAF. About a year ago the author came in contact with a man who owned a portion of Lapkowski''s Hurricane fighter, which was legally excavated in 1979. The author subsequently obtained a small piece of the wreckage for his personal collection, while the collector retained the remains of its Merlin engine, the prop boss, its Browning machine guns, and other items formerly on display at an aviation museum. Once this artifact was in the author''s possession, he became interested in finding out about Lapkowski, his career, and his subsequent fate. While this work gives much information about 303 Squadron, it is not, however, a squadron history. While a book entitled Squadron 303 was published in London in 1942, written by Arkady Fiedler, it was not intended as an exacting history of the unit. Instead, it was a nice work of wartime public relations to help explain the Polish contribution in general terms during the Battle of Britain. Despite its shortcomings, Fiedler''s book deserves its own place in the annals of aviation history. Copies by the thousands were smuggled into Nazi-held Poland and served not only to show that those who had left Poland were still fighting for their country, but served as an inspiration to those left behind to continue their resistance. No definitive squadron history has yet been translated into English. What the author found out, from the official combat reports, and various published sources, uniquely combined with available archaeological artifacts, was fascinating. What emerged from the records is a story worth telling. Waclaw Lapkowski, though not famous like such other Polish aces as Stanislaw Skalski, Jan Zumbach, or Urbanowicz, had an interesting and distinguished career. He was in the thick of battle at the outset of the war, when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, and saw subsequent service during the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain in 1940. He achieved air victories in two out of three of these campaigns, and is one of only a handful of men, less than 150 in number, who served in all three campaigns. To borrow a phrase from the British, Waclaw Lapkowski truly was one of "The Few", men whose skill and bravery helped stem the tide of German aggression and made Allied victory possible, at the cost of their own lives.

Download or read book English Electric Lightning written by Martin Derry and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2016-10-31 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Developed to intercept increasingly capable Soviet bombers such as the Tupolev Tu-16, Tu-22 and Tu-95, the English Electric/BAC Lightning had a phenomenal rate of climb, a high ceiling, and a top speed of over 1,300mph at 36,000ft, and is a favourite of both aviation enthusiasts and aircraft modellers alike.This homage to the only all-British Mach 2 interceptor fighter, follows previous Flight Craft book formats, in that it is split in to three main sections. The first section offers a concise design and development history covering the six main single-seat fighter and two twin-seat trainer Marks; from its first RAF operational squadron deployments in 1960 through to its frontline retirement in 1988, and coverage of the only other two air forces to operate the type, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. This is followed by a 16-page full colour illustration section featuring detailed profiles and 2-views of the colour schemes and markings carried by the type in RAF, Royal Saudi and Kuwait Air Force service.The final section lists most of the plastic model kits, accessories and decal sheets produced of the EE/BAC Lightning in all the major scales, with photos of finished models made by some of the UK's best modellers. As with all the other books in the Flight Craft series, whilst published primarily with the scale aircraft modeller in mind, it is hoped that those readers who might perhaps describe themselves as 'occasional' modellers, or even simply aviation enthusiasts, may also find that this colourful and informative work offers something to provoke their interests too.

Download or read book Britain s Victory Denmark s Freedom written by Mikkel Plannthin and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2017-08-19 with total page 450 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Men of The Battle of Britain written by Kenneth G. Wynn and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2015-07-07 with total page 3288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since it was first published in 1989, Men of the Battle of Britain has become a standard reference book for academics and researchers interested in the Battle of Britain. Copies are also owned by many with purely an armchair interest in the events of 1940.The book records the service details of the airmen who took part in the Battle of Britain in considerable detail. Where known, postings and their dates are included, as well as promotions, decorations and successes claimed flying against the enemy. There is also much personal detail, often including dates and places of birth, civilian occupations, dates of death and place of burial or, for those with no known grave, place of commemoration. There are many wartime head-and-shoulders photographs. Inevitably the high achievers who survived tend to have the longest entries, but those who were killed very quickly, sometimes even on their first sortie, are given equal status.The 2015 third edition will include new names and corrected spellings, as well as many new photographs. Plenty of the entries have been extended with freshly acquired information. The stated nationalities of some of the airmen have been re-examined and, for example, one man always considered to be Australian is now known to have been Irish.

Download or read book Britain s Greatest Aircraft written by Robert Jackson and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2007-09-20 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the last century the British aircraft industry created and produced many outstanding aeroplanes. These aircraft were world leaders in advanced technology, utilizing inventions by British engineers and scientists such as radar, the jet engine, the ejector seat and vertical take-off and landing. This book describes the design-history, development and operational careers of twenty-two legendary military and civil aeroplanes. Each one has played a significant part in aviation history.Sopwith Camel, SE.5, Bristol F2B Fighter and the Airco DH4 were all great successes in the relatively early days of flight. In the thirties the Bristol Bulldog fighter was an outstanding export success and the Short 'C' Class flying boat, later to become the Sunderland of World War II fame, pioneered the long-distance routes to the Empire. The pugnacious foreign policy of Hitler's Reich rung sudden alarm bells, rapid advances in fighting aircraft for the RAF became a premium objective. The brilliant Geodic construction of the Vickers Wellington bomber helped it survive terrible punishment throughout World War II, both the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire saved England from invasion and the Bristol Beaufighter, de Havilland Mosquito and Avro Lancaster took the war to enemy soil. The Gloster Meteor became the word's first operational jet fighter and the English Electric Canberra became the RAF's first jet bomber and was manufactured under licence in the USA as the Martin B-57. In post-war years the Vickers Viscount became the world's first turboprop airliner and eventually became Britain's best selling commercial aircraft, whilst the de Havilland Comet became the world's first jet airliner. Despite Britain's recessionary years in the 50s and early 60s, military success came with the beautiful Hawker Hunter, the super-sonic Fairey Delta experimental aircraft that broke the World Air Speed Record and the Vickers Valiant that pioneered the operational techniques to deliver Britain's nuclear deterrent. Later, there followed the Mach 2 English Electric Lightning and the ill-fated TSR-2, the cancellation of which is still regarded as one of the greatest mistakes ever made in British aviation history. Finally, the Harrier, the world's first vertical take-off and landing jet fighter that is still in service and now only being built in the USA.Finally the Harrier, the world's first vertical take-off and landing jet fighter, still in service and now being further developed in the USA.

Download or read book The Royal Air Force in the Cold War 1950 1970 written by Ian Proctor and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2015-01-30 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Soon after the Second world War, wartime allies became Cold War adversaries, and by 1950 the perceived threat of a Soviet strike on Western Europe or Britain dominated military planning. For the next forty years, the Royal Air Force was in the front-line of the Cold War. In Britain and Germany, light bomber crews exercised in preparation for a future conflict, while interceptor pilots stood by ready to counter incursions by Soviet aircraft. Between 1956 and 1969, the elite crews of the iconic V-Force of nuclear bombers trained to perform the ultimate mission, striking targets deep in the heart of Russia. Protecting British interests overseas, personnel at stations across the Middle East and Far East were regularly engaged in supporting operations during the many colonial conflicts which occurred throughout the 1950s and 1960s.Undertaking these duties were new British-designed aircraft introduced to squadrons from the early–1950s. The names of these extraordinary aircraft, which included the Hunter, Lightning, Vulcan and Canberra, became synonymous with the Cold War.In this book, Ian Proctor uses over 150 highly evocative colour images from a single remarkable Air Ministry collection to portray the RAF and its personnel between 1950 and 1970. He provides a selected insight into service life, the aircraft, recruitment and training, and the operations and exercises undertaken by the RAF during a twenty year period of the Cold War.

Download or read book Lightning Strikes Twice written by Martin W. Bowman and published by Amberley Publishing Limited. This book was released on 2009-08-15 with total page 405 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Martin Bowman tells the story of the iconic Cold War fighter from first prototype to the present day, with many previously-unpublished images as well as narrative from the men who flew Britain's finest post-war fighter.

Download or read book Beaufighter and Mosquito Operations in WWII written by Zbyšek Ne?as-Pemberton and published by Air World. This book was released on 2024-04-30 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Zbyšek Ne?as was just 18, and still a high school student, when he escaped from the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia a month before the outbreak of war in 1939. He managed to make his way to Britain where he had a cousin. Ne?as enlisted in the RAF in 1940, initially being posted as an interpreter at the Czech Depot. Some of his early duties involved the interrogation of captured German aircrew. He was, however, determined to fly. That wish came not as a pilot, but as a radar operator. In time, Ne?as was posted to 68 Squadron, which throughout the war had a large number of Czech exiles on its strength – one flight was entirely Czech-manned. In this moving memoir, he details just what it was like to serve as part of an RAF night fighter crew during the second half of the Second World War. From the organization of squadron and operations, to the directing of night fighters in the bomber stream, problems of maintaining contact with the target, the duration of patrols to interception tactics, all, and more, is revealed in this book. Having trained on the Blenheim Mk.IV, Ne?as’ operational patrols began on Bristol Beaufighters, the squadron subsequently converting to de Havilland Mosquitoes. There are of course, the graphic accounts of victory in the air. This includes combat with a Heinkel He 177 Grief over North Sea, or the explosion of a Dornier Do 217 after another successful interception. As well as nighttime intruder operations over Europe, from the summer of 1944, 68 Squadron, Ne?as included, found itself drawn into the battle against Hitler’s V-weapons, particularly the V1. Ne?as’ crew ended the war with three confirmed kills, one probable, and two damaged. After the war, Ne?as returned to his homeland where he received the tragic news that that none of his immediate family had survived the German occupation This is Zbyšek Ne?as’ story of his part in the defense of Britain’s skies and the final victory against the Third Reich.

Download or read book Airman written by and published by . This book was released on 1975 with total page 574 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book ANG in the 1980s written by Adrian Symonds and published by Amberley Publishing Limited. This book was released on 2022-02-15 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The lavishly illustrated story of the Air National Guard in the 1980s. Take a step inside the day-to-day operations.

Download or read book Operation Big Ben written by Craig Cabell and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2017-03-17 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Hitler unleashed his V1 and V2 rockets on Great Britain in 1944, it was the first military attack on the British civilian population without invasion. Innocent families were wiped out without mercy and terror gripped the nation. Churchill and the Crossbow Committee knew that widespread panic would soon ensue, because the British public were becoming increasingly anxious about the Nazis superior technology, which was destroying their lives. But through important intelligence from Bomber Command, Naval commandos, the French and Dutch Resistances in Europe, and the precise plotting of V rocket activity in the Filter Room of Fighter Command through air reconnaissance, a Top Secret plan was formed to dive-bomb V rocket installations with Mark IX and Mark XVI Spitfires. Craig Cabell is the writer and historian responsible for bringing Operation Big Ben to world attention. He has studied the original documentation since its release from the National Archive in 2004 and interviewed veterans who took part in the operation, such as Flight Lieutenant Raymond Baxter. Cabell's initial research resulted in many accolades and now resides in the 602 'City of Glasgow' Squadron Museum.But now, for the first time, Cabell has put together the whole story of Operation Big Ben, showing the work of the Crossbow Committee, intelligence Commandos under the orders of Commander Ian Fleming, the French and Dutch Resistances, and the brave men who flew the Spitfires of 124, 229, 303, 453, 602 and 603 squadrons. For the sake of accuracy and attention to detail, this book concentrates on the day-to-day activity of Spitfires during Operation Big Ben and the work of the various strands of British intelligence before and during it. In this book Operation Big Ben is separated from Operation Crossbow, (the anti-V1 operation) to show how the British government stepped up its urgency to counter the V2 threat. Although some of the detail could be considered repetitious in places (many cuts of non-operational flying have been made from the histories of each squadron in order to keep the flow of the book thought-provoking and interesting), the focus is on accuracy. The author has noted that in other publications that touch on Operation Big Ben, specific activity has not been documented correctly. This is because squadron histories haven't been cross-referenced in the past.Each squadron history in this book, mentions the work of other Big Ben squadrons (to report on the filtering of intelligence, escort work for other larger operations, or the details of the weather conditions experienced and the plight of the Dutch people during the harsh winter of 1944-45) to create a fuller and more visual picture of what happened. It is appreciated that aviation historians and enthusiasts alike will analyse this volume for the details of the Spitfires used. In a nutshell, Mark IXF Spitfires started Operation Big Ben. These had elliptical wings to begin with and then progressed to clipped-wing (pin-pointing exact dates has not always been possible). The Mark XVI became the cream of the crop for the most important squadrons (602, 603 and to a lesser degree 303; with 602 being the first to have them, followed by 303), Mark V's were used for training purposes. For dive-bombing purposes, two 250 lb bombs were used under each wing for balance, with a 500 lb bomb under the fuselage.Occasionally just the 500 lb bomb was carried, sometime just the two 250 lb bombs, depending on how far they had to fly inland or the difficulty of the job in-hand (the greater weight the more fuel used). Version 5 roundel was used and Operation Big Ben insignia on either side of the fuselage.

Download or read book A Roving Commission written by Kel Palmer and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2011-02-08 with total page 569 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Kel Palmer is a proud Mancunian. On retirement in 2000, he and Rosemarie planned to move from their 17th century haunted Sussex cottage to the sunshine of Cyprus or Kauai, but chose Wales! This memoir, covering the 76 years he can remember, is written so that chapters may be read in isolation avoiding autobiographic boredom. It depicts life during WW2 as seen through the eyes of a young boy, via roller-coaster days at Grammar School, spurning a sporting career to join the RAF leading to commissioning and flying training. His first superiors were men wearied by war, facing new challenges as the jet replaced the piston and the WP replaced Nazism. It was a time before aircraft technology had mushroomed, before ejection seats, and electronic wizardry, but in which the flying was immensely exciting and life as a young officer was about fun and fulfillment. He flew mainly fighters with a mix of frontline squadrons, Operational conversion, Flying College, and service with the USAF and US Navy. He was a pioneer of fighter in-flight refueling in the heady days when RAF squadrons deployed worldwide. Later he held Command posts, served in MOD Operational Requirements, Directed the Air Warfare College, and was Chief of Nuclear Plans at SHAPE, leading to his career in the defence industry. On cancellation of Nimrod AEW he left air defence switching to maritime patrol and battlefield surveillance as those roles became increasingly important. During the 90s life caught up with him and he enjoyed a triple heart bypass, divorced and re-married, and watched his four children complete their education and grow into adulthood. He retired in 2000 to become involved in Community affairs, Youth, the environment and social housing, receiving The Queens Award for Voluntary Service. He has lived in the USA, Germany, Belgium and Cyprus, travelled to 111 countries, and been an accomplished and versatile sportsman playing his last game of rugby at 46 and soccer at 61.An enthusiastic dancer, Kel is a great lover of music and of furry friends. He published his memoirs in 2005 ,updating them in the light of much reflection and some repercussions.

Download or read book The British National Bibliography written by Arthur James Wells and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 1672 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Upward and Onward written by Bob Cossey and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2009-01-19 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: John Howe started his flying career in the post-war South African Air Force, learning to fly on Tiger Moths, Harvards and Spitfires. He was posted to No 2 Squadron SAAF and sent to Korea to fly with South Africa's contribution to the war in support of the UN forces. This is his story.