Download or read book Borneo Boys RAF Helicopter Pilots in Action written by Roger Annett and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2013-02-19 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author, Roger Annett, experienced first-hand the events detailed here. Flying with 215 Squadron, and co-piloting Argosy transport aircraft deep over Malayan jungle terrain from 1963 to 65, he is well placed to provide a colorful account of this dramatic period. Following a reunion of RAF Whirlwind veterans of Borneo, Annett began work on this record of their collective experience, attempting to stir the memories of both war veterans and civilians alike, riveted by the drama as it played out by opposing forces attempting to control the island of Borneo.The book describes the oppositions, antagonisms, victories, and defeats experienced on the island. Borneo itself, with its difficult terrain, jungles, and lack of adequate road networks, proved to be one of the biggest challenges from a military perspective, and it is brought to life here. The story of the 'Borneo Boys' of the title traces a journey from new recruits at boot camp to flying training, and on to Borneo itself. It was here where a fraternal bond was to be forged to last a lifetime and provide an impetus for this book. The process of Theatre familiarization jungle training, nursing Whirlwind 10s over and around the mountainous Malayan jungle is recorded here with first-hand authenticity.Setting this journey in context, Annett fills out the history of the wider conflict in which the boys were embroiled. The Far East colonial tensions, which bred antagonism and ultimately led to the conflict, are detailed, as are the cross-border raids and riots, which bred a fever of revolt.Much is written already on the Borneo conflict, a lot of it dealing with the politics of the situation. This book swoops its focus on the young men who were called upon to fly over such confusion, far away from home. It is their daily adventures, camaraderie, and learning trajectory, which we are faced with. All the excitement of the Aviator's adrenalin ride is translated into eloquent prose, strengthened by the kind of confident delivery that only a man involved in such proceedings could achieve.
Download or read book RAF College Cranwell written by Roger Annett and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2020-01-19 with total page 492 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A history of Great Britain’s Royal Air Force College in Cranwell, told from the perspective of former cadets. “We Seek the Highest” has been the motto of the thousands of Officer Cadets who, over ten decades, have passed through the rigorous training regime at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, Lincolnshire. The words embody the College ethos: to strive to reach the tough standards demanded by the RAF, in the air and on the ground. This book tells the 100-year story from the point of view of the Officer Cadets themselves. The College was founded in 1919—some eighteen months after the birth of the RAF itself—with the aim of providing a cadre of disciplined, highly trained officers, ready to lead the service through the uncertain postwar and post-Empire times to come. Since then, it has responded continuously to the UK’s political, economic, and military requirements. The RAF Officer Cadets’ world has thus been one of change. The author documents these changes from 1919 to today, overlaying the historical and social scene with the candidly related airborne and ground-based exploits of three-score ex-cadets. The core narrative is based on the three years at Cranwell of 81 Entry of Flight Cadets, who graduated in July 1962 with thirty-seven jet pilots and eight navigators, having launched a curriculum-changing experiment in degree-level studies. With a foreword from an Air Chief Marshal former cadet, 130 illustrations, and a full index, this is a cadets’ tribute to a world-famous military academy on its centenary.
Download or read book From Borneo to Lockerbie written by Geoffrey Leeming and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2013-06-19 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Geoff Leeming belongs to an elite group of helicopter pilots. He describes his flying experiences in under-powered, and by todayÕs high-tech standards, basic choppers such as the single-engine Whirlwinds and its successor, the Wessex, whether in turbulent tropical conditions, windswept mountains or low level over raging seas. Much of GeoffÕs flying career was in Search and Rescue (SAR) calling for the highest flying skills and the coolest of nerves. It fell to the pilot to make life-and-death decisions for both their crews and those they were rescuing. In addition to many great SAR accounts, this book begins with accounts of action in Borneo in the 1960s and ends with GeoffÕs fascinating account of his flying involvement in the aftermath of the Pan Am Lockerbie disaster. The result is a medley of cockpit experiences Ôpar excellenceÕ.
Download or read book The First Helicopter Boys written by David Taylor and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2019-06-30 with total page 414 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Indonesian Confrontation that raged from 1963 to 1966 stemmed from Indonesia’s opposition to the creation of Malaysia. Fighting in the challenging jungle terrain of Borneo and in the countryside straddling the Malaysia/Indonesia border, where there were few roads, posed significant logistical challenges to both sides. That the conflict was ultimately a victory for the Commonwealth forces was in due in no small part to the fact that they enjoyed the advantage of vastly superior helicopter resources and better trained crews – many of which were provided by British units. During the Confrontation, many of these vital helicopter assets were flown by pilots and crews who had gained their knowledge and experience firsthand during the Malayan Emergency, one of the Cold War’s first flash-points which had begun in 1948. Without doubt, the Malayan Emergency marked the formative years of the RAF’s and Royal Navy’s helicopter operations – the very early days in fact, when equipment and knowledge were much more basic. It was a time when operational procedures were still under development, even though the helicopters were already being flown on front line service. Told in the main through their own words, by the RAF and Royal Navy air and ground crews involved, this is the story of how these ‘guinea pigs’ undertook many of Britain’s first rotary wing combat operations and, therefore, cemented their rightful place in the history of the helicopter.
Download or read book Drop Zone Borneo written by Roger Annett and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2006-09-15 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1963 the Indonesian Army that threatened Borneo numbered 330,000 men, plus three thousand Commandos. Of these, six thousand were within 20 miles of the Borneo frontier. This grew to thirteen thousand in early 1965. From mid-way through 1964, British troops and their allies who were defending the border started to make offensive incursions into Indonesian Borneo—these operations were codenamed "Claret". Taken into account the confrontational nature of the campaign, casualties sustained in Borneo were surprisingly light. That in the whole of the Borneo campaign there were no fatalities among the RAF supply-dropping transports was extraordinary. The border area between the Indonesian and Malaysian parts of Borneo was one of the most inaccessible areas of mountainous jungle anywhere in the world—an entire army was kept supplied in the field for the complete campaign. This is the exciting account from a pilot who flew the dangerous flying missions and relates the tenseness and stresses of Jungle life in those dangerous days.
Download or read book Drop Zone Borneo written by Roger Annett and published by Pen and Sword Aviation. This book was released on 2011-02-20 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Subtitle on cover: "Life and times of an RAF co-pilot Far East 1962-65."
Download or read book From Auster to Apache written by Guy Warner and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2013-05-10 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the 70th Anniversary year of 656 Squadron, which first formed on 31st December 1942. Over the intervening years the Squadron has served with great distinction in India, Burma, Java, Malaya, Borneo, Hong Kong, the UK, the Falkland Islands, Bosnia, Kosovo and, most recently, in Afghanistan. This is 656s story, told in full and for the first time.656 Squadrons story is a diverse one, characterized by active deployment in a diverse range of wartime theaters. It was the only Air Observation Post (AOP) squadron to serve with the Forgotten Army, 14th Army under General Sir Bill Slim in Burma and, after the successful conclusion of this campaign, the Squadron was posted to Malaya, from where it took part in the little known but fierce campaign countering separatists in Java. This was followed by the long campaign against Chinese communist terrorists in Malaya (Malayan Emergency). In addition, many members of the Squadron served in the Korean War. Subsequently there was considerable involvement in the Confrontation with Indonesia in Borneo and policing and internal security work in Hong Kong. Following its return to the UK in 1979, there were deployments on active service to Rhodesia, the Falkland Islands (both during and after the war) and Bosnia and Kosovo. In 2001 the Squadron was chosen to be the Armys first Apache Attack Helicopter Squadron, and has now undertaken three operational tours in Afghanistan. Overall it has amassed well over 200,000 operational flying hours making it the most operational squadron in the entire history of army air warfare. It was also, of course, most recently on active service as a sea-based strike unit over the skies of Libya.It is a quite remarkable fact that the Squadron, and indeed the British Army, have both come full circle; directing fire from the air in 1944, to being the artillery in the air, directed from the ground in 2011.
Download or read book Air Force Combat Units of World War II written by Maurer Maurer and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 1961 with total page 520 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Confrontation written by Nicholas van der Bijl and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2014-05-19 with total page 549 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For over four years in the Swinging Sixties the armed forces of the UK were engaged in a little publicized but crucial jungle war against communist aggressive on the vast island of Borneo.At any one time up to 50,000 troops (half of the Armys strength today) were deployed along a 1,000 mile front. Their enemy were the communist led Indonesians whose leaders were determined to seize the states of Sarawak, Sabah and the oil rich Brunei, all of whom for their part wished to maintain their Commonwealth links. The catalyst for the war was the 1962 uprising in Brunei which was quickly crushed by the bold intervention of British army units.The arrival of Major General Walter Walker, himself a controversial figure, gave the subsequent campaign a clear direction. Indonesian incursions were rigorously defended and ruthlessly pursued. Top Secret Claret operations took the fight to the enemy with cross border operations initially using Special Forces and later with Chindit-style long range patrols. The outcome was a text book military victory thus avoiding a British Vietnam debacle.
Download or read book Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II written by Maurer Maurer and published by . This book was released on 1969 with total page 856 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of squadron histories has been prepared by the USAF Historical Division to complement the Division's book, Air Force Combat Units of World War II. The 1,226 units covered by this volume are the combat (tactical) squadrons that were active between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. Each squadron is traced from its beginning through 5 March 1963, the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the 1st Aero (later Bombardment) Squadron, the first Army unit to be equipped with aircraft for tactical operations. For each squadron there is a statement of the official lineage and data on the unit's assignments, stations, aircraft and missiles, operations, service streamers, campaign participation, decorations, and emblem.
Download or read book American Airpower Comes Of Age General Henry H Hap Arnold s World War II Diaries Vol II Illustrated Edition written by Gen. Henry H. “Hap.” Arnold and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2015-11-06 with total page 927 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Includes the Aerial Warfare In Europe During World War II illustrations pack with over 180 maps, plans, and photos. Gen Henry H. “Hap.” Arnold, US Army Air Forces (AAF) Chief of Staff during World War II, maintained diaries for his several journeys to various meetings and conferences throughout the conflict. Volume 1 introduces Hap Arnold, the setting for five of his journeys, the diaries he kept, and evaluations of those journeys and their consequences. General Arnold’s travels brought him into strategy meetings and personal conversations with virtually all leaders of Allied forces as well as many AAF troops around the world. He recorded his impressions, feelings, and expectations in his diaries. Maj Gen John W. Huston, USAF, retired, has captured the essence of Henry H. Hap Arnold—the man, the officer, the AAF chief, and his mission. Volume 2 encompasses General Arnold’s final seven journeys and the diaries he kept therein.
Download or read book Aerospace power in the twenty first century a basic primer written by Clayton K. S. Chun and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2001 with total page 351 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dr. Chun's Aerospace Power in the Twenty-First Century: A Basic Primer is a great start towards understanding the importance of aerospace power and its ability to conduct modern warfare. Aerospace power is continually changing because of new technology, threats, and air and space theories. However, many basic principles about aerospace power have stood the test of time and warfare. This book provides the reader with many of these time-tested ideas for consideration and reflection. Although Aerospace Power in the Twenty-First Century was written for future officers, individuals desiring a broad overview of aerospace power are invited to read, share, and discuss many of the ideas and thoughts presented here. Officers from other services will find that this introduction to air and space forces will give them a good grasp of aerospace power. More experienced aerospace leaders can use this book to revisit many of the issues that have affected air and space forces in the past and that might affect them in the future. Air Force officers will discover that Aerospace Power in the Twenty-First Century is a very timely and reflective resource for their professional libraries.
Download or read book RAF Helicopters written by John Dowling and published by Stationery Office Books (TSO). This book was released on 1992 with total page 574 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides a comprehensive insight into the first 20 years of Royal Air Force helicopter operations, covering their various roles and theatres of operation. The book also describes many of the decisions taken by each of the three services on the future employment patterns of this aircraft type.
Download or read book The Spectator written by and published by . This book was released on 1964 with total page 912 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A weekly review of politics, literature, theology, and art.
Download or read book Spearhead of Logistics written by Benjamin King and published by Government Printing Office. This book was released on 2016-02-25 with total page 584 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Spearhead of Logistics is a narrative branch history of the U.S. Army's Transportation Corps, first published in 1994 for transportation personnel and reprinted in 2001 for the larger Army community. The Quartermaster Department coordinated transportation support for the Army until World War I revealed the need for a dedicated corps of specialists. The newly established Transportation Corps, however, lasted for only a few years. Its significant utility for coordinating military transportation became again transparent during World War II, and it was resurrected in mid-1942 to meet the unparalleled logistical demands of fighting in distant theaters. Finally becoming a permanent branch in 1950, the Transportation Corps continued to demonstrate its capability of rapidly supporting U.S. Army operations in global theaters over the next fifty years. With useful lessons of high-quality support that validate the necessity of adequate transportation in a viable national defense posture, it is an important resource for those now involved in military transportation and movement for ongoing expeditionary operations. This text should be useful to both officers and noncommissioned officers who can take examples from the past and apply the successful principles to future operations, thus ensuring a continuing legacy of Transportation excellence within Army operations. Additionally, military science students and military historians may be interested in this volume.
Download or read book Introduction to the United States Air Force written by and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2001 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To lead the US Air Force into the future, it is necessary to understand the past and present nature of the force. With this in mind, Air Force leaders have always sought to arm members of the force with a basic knowledge and understanding of Air Force culture and history. This volume is a contribution to that ongoing educational process, but as the title states, this is only an introduction. The information provided here merely scratches the surface of the fascinating stories of the people, equipment, and operations of the Air Force Topics that are covered here in only a few short paragraphs have been, and will continue to be the subject of entire books. We hope this volume will be a starting point and a reference work to facilitate your continuing study of aerospace power. The reader should keep in mind that all the people, operations, and aerospace craft included in this book have been important to the US Air Force, but they are not the only ones that have been important. The US Air Force has gained much from other nations, other US military services, and civilian organizations and these outside influences on the US Air Force are not included in this volume. This Introduction to the United States Air Force is organized into two parts and five appendices. The first part is organized chronologically and groups significant operations and personalities together in several critical periods in the development of the US Air Force. The second part covers aerospace craft and is organized by type (fighters, bombers, missiles, etc,) in order to show the development of each type over time. Following Part II are appendices listing the senior leaders of the early air forces (before the creation of the US Air Force in 1947), the Air Force Chiefs of Staff, the Chief Master Sergeants of the Air Force, Fighter Aces, and Medal of Honor Winners.
