Customer Reviews (1)

High Speed Flight
Richard Hallion is the master of Aviation History. This book looks closely at the USAF's X-1 program and the US Navy's D-558 program and examines the NACA's roll in shaping the avaition research being undertaken at that time.

An interesting historical overview that gives insight in to how the USAF and Navy went about avaition research in their own ways. The book also covers areas of the much less topical D-558, a progam that was well and trully overshadowed by the Bell X-1. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

A Must have for any serious reader of Naval History
This book is an absolute classic, and this edition is superbly presented. Roskill was writing this history of the Warspite's in the 1950 and as such some views on the histories have changed (Hindsight is a wonderfull thing), and the new introduction to this edition gives a very fair and even analysis of the strength and waeknesses of Roskill work. With all that said few books on naval history are as evokative as this. Histories tend to be dry and devoide of emotion. With the benifit of over 50 years we can look back at incidents such as the loss of the Hood Or Repulse and POW, and dismiss them as interesting but inevitable events, and in the detailed analysis lose the larger human picture. Roskill is superb at describing the meaning and emotion of the events to the participants. Warspite was without doubt the most sucessful Battleship of the most successfull Class in History. Her story spans the History of the Royal Navy (and Great Britain) from its zenith to it's twilight, and her story reflects greatly on the elan and skill of the senior service, who with limit resource, fought and won the the last of the big gun naval conflicts and closed this chapter to History

A "biography" that befits the greatest British battleship
HMS Warspite was the most successful British capital ship of the 20th century - you have to go back to Nelson's Victory to find comparable distinction. One of a class of five (her sister ships were Queen Elizabeth, Barham, Malaya and Valiant), she fought at Jutland in 1916, then at Narvik, off Calabria, Matapan, Crete and the Normandy invasion of 1944. Her shooting was generally agreed to be the best in the Fleet - as witness her single-handed ending of the battle off Calabria by hitting the Italian flagship Giulio Cesare amidships at the record range of 26,000 nautical yards (13 miles). And at the second battle of Narvik, she performed a unique feat by accompanying destroyers up the narrow Ofotfjord to sink eight German destroyers and a U-boat.

Although the book focuses on the Royal Navy's seventh Warspite, 60 pages are devoted to the first six. There is also plenty of interesting material about life on board, the personalities of officers and men, and a wide cross-section of events in both world wars. After being severely damaged in the evacuation of Crete, Warspite was repaired in Seattle and returned home across the Pacific - just after the beginning of the Pacific War, while the Imperial Japanese Navy was running riot. Characteristically, she crossed the International Date Line at exactly the right time to miss Friday 13th February altogether!

Old, tired and battered, Warspite was sent for scrapping in 1946 - a decision which many have condemned as disgracefully insensitive. How much better to have kept her as a museum ship, like HMS Belfast! As it happened, she never reached the breaker's yard, due to events eloquently described in the first of two poems included in the book. (How many battleships have had poems written about them?)

The book was written quite soon after these events, and first published in 1957 - allowing the Foreword to be contributed by Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Cunningham of Hyndhope, the victor of Taranto and Matapan, who flew his flag in Warspite through the thick of the Mediterranean war.

A Must have for any serious reader of Naval History
This book is an absolute classic, and this edition is superbly presented. Roskill was writing this history of the Warspite's in the 1950 and as such some views on the histories have changed (Hindsight is a wonderfull thing),and the new introduction to this edition gives a very fair and evenanalysis of the strength and waeknesses of Roskill work. With all that saidfew books on naval history are as evokative as this. Histories tend to bedry and devoide of emotion. With the benifit of over 50 years we can lookback at incidents such as the loss of the Hood Or Repulse and POW, anddismiss them as interesting but inevitable events, and in the detailedanayalsis lose the larger human picture. Roskill is superb at describingthe meaning and emotion of the events to the participants. Warspite waswithout doubt the most sucessful Battleship of the most successfull Classin History. Her story spans the History of the Royal Navy (and GreatBritain) from its zenith to it's twilight, and her story reflects greatlyon the elan and skill of the senior service, who with limit resource,fought and won the the last of the big gun naval conflicts and closed thischapter to History. ... Read more

Book Description
First published in 1957, this revised edition with new photographs and expanded text also features a a revised and augmented collection of three-view drawings. This book provides a comprehensive guide to every aircraft ever used by the RAF since the establishment in April 1918 to the present day, ranging from the Snipe and Bristol Fighter of World War I and the 1920s, to the Tornado and Eurofighter 2000 of modern times. All aspects are covered, including general evolution, service history, the personalities involved, allocation to squadrons, technical and performance data, serial number details and production statistics. The major RAF aircraft are supplemented by a lengthy appendix covering all miscellaneous types, from the Airspeed Courier to the EH 101 helicopter. The book also encompasses other significant subjects, such as civil aircraft impressed for wartime service, RAF gliders, nuclear weapons and missiles, Orders of Battle, and inventories of RAF aircraft on strength at key dates in its history. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

From Flying Boats to Fighters
This is one of the densely written Putnam Aeronautical Books that is a type by type history of Supermarine. Of course the story of that company is widely known in terms of WJ Mitchell, the S6B and the Spitfire. However, as this book makes very clear the work before the Schneider Cup racers was really very tied to very utilitarian operational requirements for marine aircraft that Supermarine met with rather conservative, though well executed designs. Also clear from this is that the the genuis of Supermarine lay as much with Joe Smith as with the prematurley deceased Mitchell. It is well to remember that the last marks of Spitfire had hardly a bolt in common with the Sptifires of the 1930s. Mitchell, unlike Willy Messerschmidt, had created a design that could be grown, but it was Joe Smith who did the growing. The path of Supermarine in the jet age is less inspiring as it joined the long list of British companies that were not sucessful making that transition. Andrews details the specific problems involved but without any general analysis as to why they arose. That is probalby why I didn't give this book five stars but still well worth the read for those with real intest in technical history and aircraft. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
Commissioned by the Cabinet Office and using hitherto untapped British Government records, this book presents an in-depth analysis of the successful project of 1986-94.

This is a vivid portrayal of the complexities of quadripartite decision-making (two countries, plus the public and private sectors), revealing new insights into the role of the British and French Governments in the process. This important book, written by Britain's leading transport historian, will be essential reading for all those interested in PPPs, British and European economic history and international relations.

The building of the Channel Tunnel has been one of Europe's major projects and a testimony to British-French and public-private sector collaboration. However, Eurotunnels current financial crisis provides a sobering backcloth for an examination of British Governments long-term flirtation with the project, and, in particular, the earlier Tunnel project in the 1960s and early 1970s, which was abandoned by the British Government in 1975. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
Four dozen specially commissioned color side-view drawings illustrate this legendary fighter's multitude of variants and operational liveries during and immediately after World War II. A chronological history of the aircraft follows its development from conception through its exceptional combat record and eventual retirement. Numerous sidebars highlight the Spitfire's operational history, personalities behind the drawing boards and in the cockpits, political influences, and other points of interest. ... Read more

Book Description
The Conway Maritime Modeller's SeriesFollowing the continuing success of the Model Shipwright journal and numerous related titles, Conway Maritime Press is proud to announce a new range of user-friendly, high-quality titles for the ship modeller.

Produced in a convenient A4 format each title presents a service history of each ship, maps, numerous scale plans, diagrams, contemporary photographs (some rare), camouflage details, photographs of completed models including close-ups, incredible analytical diagrams as well as cross-sections and a detailed bibliography.

HMS HoodBuilt during the First World War, the battlecruiser Hood was the largest, fastest and one of the most handsome capital ships in the world. Early on in her career she was employed on several international assignments as a representative of the British Empire, culminating in 'showing the flag' on a grand scale in the world cruise of 1923-24. She thus became one of the most recognisable symbols of the Royal Navy; her destruction by Bismarck in 1941 was received with shocked disbelief throughout the country. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Everything you need to know about the Hood.
There was a time when the Battlecruiser Hood was the largest, fastest and most handsome capital ship in the world. She was also adored by the British public and in many ways came to symbolise everything that was supremely good about the Royal Navy. On 24 May 1941 the Hood was famously sunk by the Bismarck with only three of her crew of 1,419 surviving. It was an act which resulted in Churchill giving the order "Sink the Bismarck" and, of course, they did. More recently, the remains of HMS Hood have been located at great depth in the North Atlantic resulting in renewed interest in the ship itself. Elsewhere, there are websites dedicated to the vessel and a very strong HMS Hood Association attended by those who had previously served on this, the most beautiful of ships. This is an excellent book for all such interested people.

Conway Maritime Press are well known for their "Anatomy of the Ship" series in which they provide the finest technical documentation for specific ships or ship types ever published. "The Battlecruiser Hood" is hard-back measuring 10¼" (wide) x 9¾" with 127 pages of detailed and factual information. This wide format allows the publishers to produce first class detailed line drawings of every aspect of this ship in a size that is easy to see and follow. All the information is there - right down to the last nut and bolt.

Laid down in 1916, Hood was designed and constructed when ships got close to the enemy and fired straight at them.By the time she was completed in 1918, however, battleships were able to lob their shells great distances with alarming accuracy. This new dimension of warfare at sea with shells "falling from the sky" meant that all warships required armour plating on their decks where previously it had only been on the sides. This requirement, coupled with an explanation of the financial restrictions placed upon the Royal Navy during the inter-war years provides the reader with all the reasons why HMS Hood was lost in the way she was.

This informative introduction continues with a service history of the ship followed by a series of "Tables" which include comparisons in battleship and Battlecruiser designs and information on the ship's; trials, dimensions, displacement, stability, armament, fire control, ship's boats and modifications. Next is 13 pages of historic photographs followed by 93 pages of detailed line drawings and more specific technical information.

And detailed it is too; Under the first main heading "General arrangements" we commence with an external profile of the ship followed by a series of detailed line drawings showing every aspect of this ship in cross section - deck by deck and room by room, from aft to bows.Then everything is repeated from above as we work our way down through every level of the ship from the highest part of the superstructure to the keel.These are followed with more specific technical information under such headings as hull construction, machinery, accommodation, superstructure, rig, armament, fire control, fittings, ground tackle, ship's boats and finally aircraft arrangements.

The inclusion of an expanded view of the clip which secured the quarterdeck hatch gives an indication of the attention to detail put into this book and, once again, I congratulate both author and publishers for a job well done.

NM

Great technical data and profiles.....
As far as I am concerned, the book is outstanding.The diagrams of the battlecruiser are superb.As a modeler, the book shows clearly, the amount of detail that can be achieved.The profile inside the jacket is cool.For the HMS Hood fan, the book is right up their alley.

The first of the "Anatomy of the Ship" series
This was the first book in the 36 books of the Anatomy of the ship series, published by Conway Maritime Press and the Naval Institute Press.

Each book depicts an historical vessel. The Hood was the pride of the Royal Navy, and like the Titanic, unsinkable. Until it was sunk by the by the Bismarck and the Prinz Eugen. Why, because the deck armour was too thin. Anyway, this book was a revolution in detail, published first in 1982. It tells the story of the ship, then has many photos, and as the benchmark for the series has wonderful line drawings of every aspect of the vessel.

A collectors item that is worth hundreds in first edition, but the new revised editions are somewhat more reasonable.

Sensational.

Complete technical drawings/detail of HMS Hood w/good photos
Not a narrative of the Hoods experiences, other than a brief description of her tragic end, but a complete technical description of the entire ship from stem to stern, keel to topmast, with exhaustive detailed drawingstaken from her plans. It also lays out her complete mechanical history(refits etc).For naval architects, a great book. For history bufs, a bitless so, although there a some excellent rare pictures of what mustarguably have been one of the most handsome ships ever built... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

My father's co-pilots were there...
This is a snippet to share when a book become real life. I sentthe book to my father for his 77th birthday. He immediately checked onhis old unit... the 437th... with whom he served in the European Theatre. The two men pictured were his two copilots during World War II. One had been with him in America, Africa and Italy and had gotten his own command for D-Day. He flew Daddy's wing on D-Day and was the one pilot and plane lost during D-Day.It was a special walk -- or I should say flight --- down memory lane. It was accurate even to the point of the old bicycle turned upside down with the two flat tires... the terrible rubber that was available to civilians in Britain during the war... I thank Mr. Freeman for relistically allowing old eyes to become young again, as my father revisited Britain. ... Read more

Book Description
When the Bank of Scotland recently carried out a survey asking people to name Great Scots, 'Wallace McIntosh - War Hero' was chosen among such illustrious names as John Logie Baird, David Livingstone and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Born into grinding poverty, McIntosh was a few days old when given by his young mother to her parents to bring up. As a boy, he was trailed round Aberdeenshire and Perthshire in the 1920s while his grandparents desperately sought work and shelter. He had not heard of Christmas until he was seven, and never celebrated his birthday until his late teens, but he could steal, kill and skin a sheep before he was twelve and snare anything that could be cooked in a pot. Leaving school at thirteen he was determined to escape the constant struggle to survive.

Gunning for the Enemy tells the moving story of how the RAF finally accepted McIntosh after at first rejecting him, but then initially gave him the lowliest of jobs. Only by a fluke was he trained as an air gunner. During his time with 207 Squadron, based at Langar, Nottinghamshire and Spilsby, Lincolnshire, he flew over fifty sorties in World War Two. Although Bomber Command did not record details of 'kills' by air gunners, Wallace, who shot down eight enemy aircraft with one probable, is widely believed to be its top sharpshooter and at one time he was its most decorated also. He had many hairy incidents and his prodigious memory for detail enables him to recall numerous amazing escapes from death and how each and every night he and his comrades dramatically took the war to the enemy.

This is a story of outstanding courage, told with wit, pace and honesty by Mel Rolfe who has previously enjoyed acclaim with such books as To Hell and Back, Hell on Earth and Flying into Hell. ... Read more

Book Description
A 10-gun brig and survey ship, HMS Beagle became famous for its survey voyages under Commander Robert FitzRoy, especially once Charles Darwin, a passenger on the second expedition, wrote On the Origin of Species which was based on studies undertaken during the four-year voyage. Under the command of her dedicated officers, the ship sailed to some of the most desolate places on earth, mapping the coastlines and passages to make these areas much safer for all future shipping

Despite her fame a three-dimensional model of the ship has been neglected by museums, as specific plans do not exist, but the author has researched the three different ages of Beagle to draw his own accurate plans and build a 1/64 scale model. His research, photographs and plans are now available in this volume to bring HMS Beagle nearer to the heart of model-makers and ship historians and hopefully to restore her to her rightfully-earned place in the parthenon of ships. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Another good Anatomy of the Ship book
While this is another great book in the series, I found it lacking in several departments when compared to other such books. Of course it must be understood that not a great deal of hard evidence is available on this ship as there is on the USS Constitution or the HMS Victory (which both still exist).In a couple of cases, the author seemed to place items on the ship to ease the making of the model rather than to conform to the facts available from other sources.Nevertheless, if a single point of reference is needed for the HMS Beagle, this is, without a doubt, the best available. ... Read more

Book Description
This work traces the development of landplane aircraft testing intended for use by the RAF and the Fleet Air Arm, and tests required for civil aircraft to be awarded Certificates of Airworthiness. It records the testing of 100s of aircraft, as well as equipment and armaments. ? ... Read more

Book Description
Many books have been written about the Battle of Britain and the events leading to it. Some are autobiographies by fighter pilots, some are by historians writing in hindsight, researching documents, and including personal memories of the participants.

The author of this book, a Spitfire pilot at readiness throughout the Battle, has previously written and lectured about this topic and has presented a thesis in defence of Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, the Chief of Fighter Command.

He has now written a book for the generations who have no memories or knowledge of the Battle, and cannot know of its great achievement and its crucial impact on their lives today, and on all the European countries which were ultimately saved. He writes powerfully and persuasively with a still vivid memory of the threat of Invasion, with the addition of the research he has now been able to carry out for many years on official documents, and with acknowledged help from authors of standing.

The book is divided into three major parts. There is a personal presentation of the Battle over the skies of Britain in 1940, a battle without precedent. Then there is a historical analysis of the factors which determined victory, and finally a vigorous defence of Dowding himself, who was unjustly and peremptorily removed from office without due recognition for his great achievement. In so doing, he exposes the conspiracy of the senior offices involved. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
The second of the Legends of the Air series which narrates the operational and development histories of the most important strategic bombers of WW2. Features of Legends of the Air Volume 2 include approximately 70,000 words detailing the three famous bombers, 48 specially commissioned color sideview drawings, specification and production tables, maps of areas of operations, and hundreds of photographs.

Boeing made reality the operational concept of strategic bombing with the B-17 Flying Fortress.In combat, the B-17 had to fight a difficult battle to prove the concept of daylight bombing. In operation through the darkest hours over both Europe and the Pacific, the 17 became the hallmark bomber of WW2 and paved the way for not only for its peers but its successors.

England meanwhile had in the Lancaster possibly the finest strategic bomber of WW2 on a payload/range basis and chose a different operational path than the Americans in optimising their aircraft for night operations against Germany. The development and operational record of this fine aircraft is fully detailed and backed up by a plethora of never before seen photos and specially commissioned artwork.

The ultimate heavy bomber of the era was Boeing's B-29. Pressurised, able to fly above the flak, computerised, and armed to the teeth with automatic defensive .50 guns, the 29 flew missions over distances not even imaginable a decade earlier and ushered in a new era of large aircraft design that would give birth to both the long range airliners and bombers of the postwar era. ... Read more