Page 56 - Aviation News - September 2017

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THE ROYAL NAVY LYNX – AN OPERATIONAL HISTORY YANK BOMBER BOYS IN NORFOLK –
A CENTURY OF AIR WARFARE WITH NINE (IX)
Book A PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD OF THE
SQUADRON RAF – STILL GOING STRONG
Written by: Larry Jeram-Croft USAAF IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR
Book
Price: £25.00 Book
Written by: Gordon Thorburn
The author spent 30 years in the Royal Navy, rst as an aircraft Written by: Peter W Bodle FRAeS
Price: £25.00
with a radar re ector, which gave a bigger return than a
engineer and then as a helicopter pilot, which included service in the Price: £25.00
nearby ship, would act as a decoy. In theory, a sea-skimming missile
Given IX Squadron’s century of service – it formed set to y at pre-determined height to strike a vessel would y harmlessly
Falklands War and then as a maintenance test pilot. He is thus well
as a Royal Flying Corps unit in December 1914 – Compiled from the photographic collections
quali ed to describe the development and achievements of the Lynx,
under the helicopter, but it still required a huge amount of aircrew courage.
author Gordon Thorburn begins his history with a of individual troops and station photographic
Moving on to the First Gulf War, its performance was outstanding,
beginning with Westland’s innovative adoption of a titanium rotor head.
look at the origins of bombing and airborne radio. sections, this unusual book gives a view of
After opening chapters covering design, avionics and weapons,
with two aircraft effectively destroying the Iraqi Navy in just two days.
The unit was a pioneer in both elds. US Army Air Force operations in Norfolk. The
The story is rounded off by coverage of disaster rescue and relief ights,
comes a lengthy and often gripping compilation of aircrew experiences
The excellent narrative describes the
counter drug, and Antarctic operations. In the author’s words, “It would
during the Falklands War. Here the type was used in both its primary primary aviation fare is the Consolidated B-24
squadron’s early and inter-war history in Liberator, but a scattering of other types,
roles of anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, as well as several
not be unfair to claim that it has been the most successful weapon system
considerable detail, before the author embarks into an unusual US and RAF, appears, including a Bristol
others for which it had never been designed, such as airborne early
employed by the Royal Navy since 1945.” Illustrated with 20 black and
presentation of its World War Two campaign. A run through of aircraft Beau ghter, captioned on page 218 as a
warning and anti-Exocet missile countermeasures.
white and 70 colour photographs.
types and operations might be expected – IX Squadron Lancasters “British medium bomber”. It is regrettable that some photographs
Tests to foil the anti-shipping missile were rst conducted in the
Published by Pen and Sword Aviation: ISBN 9781473862517 and
may or may not have been responsible for causing Tirpitz to capsize appear to have suffered in quality from being reproduced beyond
Cardigan Bay Ranges by the author, the idea being that a Lynx equipped
available from www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
in an attack own alongside 617 Sqn, for example (opinions on which their scanned dimensions, rather than from being more than seven
unit dropped the vital Tallboy depend on which squadron personnel decades old.
BRITISH AIRWAYS – ENGINEERING AN AIRLINE
Ju 52/3M BOMBER AND TRANSPORT UNITS 1936-41
one is talking to) – but instead the story is presented through the eyes The captions are generally weak, but sufficient to identify
Book Book
of different aircrew and groundcrew. The result is as engaging as it is locations and the units depicted, although most readers will simply
Written by: Robert Forsyth
Written by: Paul Jarvis in association with British Airways
Written by: Paul Jarvis in association with British Airways be absorbed in the photographs. There are scenes of domesticity
informative.
Price: £18.99 and regular air eld life, as well as more harrowing images of crashed
Price: £13.99
Through the Cold War, IX Squadron operated the Avro Lincoln and
English Electric Canberra, before returning to Avro with the Vulcan. The and, in some cases, burning bombers. Those fortunate enough to
The author is curator of the British Airways Heritage
The opening chapter covers the development of the
latter gave way to the Panavia Tornado as the unit once again took on live in or around Norfolk will enjoy the possibility of spot
Ju 52 from its original single-motor con guration to the ting a familiar
Collection and his father was a ground engineer for BOAC.
Collection and his father was a ground engineer for BOAC.
a pioneering role, introducing the swing-wing strike aircraft into RAF air eld, pub or other location. This is a book to be dipped into at
three-engined variant in order to increase speed and
The book has a selection of well-chosen photographs
service. There are hair-raising accounts from crews involved in the leisure, rather than read cover to cover.
load-carrying capability. Lufthansa began to operate the type in 1932
with detailed captions (100 colour and 16 black and white) supported by a
with detailed captions (100 colour and 16 black and white) supported by a
Published by Fonthill Media; ISBN9781781553565, available from
Tornado’s rst combat operations over Iraq in 1991 and coverage of and by three years later it formed about 85% of the airline’s eet.
linking narrative. This is divided into four sections – ‘From Sheds to a Listed
subsequent action over the Balkans, Afghanistan and Libya. www.fonthillmedia.com
Chapter Two is called ‘Spanish Skies’ and contains a very detailed
Building’, ‘Make-Do-and Mend’, ‘Engineering a Merger’ and ‘Engineering an
All of the many photographs are reproduced in black and white,
Airline’. The rst describes the early years, moving on to the 1940s with the account of the type’s use in the Spanish Civil War both as a transport
which is a pity given the many colour images of IX Squadron’s FROM SPITFIRE TO METEOR
and as a bomber. Then comes ‘Whether Men, Fuel, Bombs or
creation of BEA and BOAC and the building of the remarkable hangar block
operations from more recent times. Readers will notice that the Bristol Book
Bread’ describing the vital role in support of the invasion of Poland
for the latter at London Heathrow, still in use and now listed.
Scout shown on page 18 is a Bristol Fighter and might puzzle at Litening in September 1939. Chapter Four – ‘Attack in the North’ – covers the
The second section describes the new types entering service from
the days of the Argonaut, Stratocruiser, Ambassador and Britannia to ut
being described as a radar defence pod rather than a targeting pod, b Written by: Albert Horton
campaigns in Denmark and Norway and the rst use of airborne troops
given the extent of the book’s coverage, these are minor criticisms. Price: £9.75 plus postage
the Comet, VC10, Trident, Concorde, Boeing 707 and 747. Next comes
by the Luftwaffe. ‘Attack in the West’ tells how this new means of assault
Published by Pen & Sword Aviation; ISBN1783036346, available
a brief account of the merger which formed British Airways and how Given the quality of reproduction of its black
was employed with success in the Netherlands and Belgium. The
from www.pen-and-sword.co.uk and white photographs and inconsistent
nal chapter, ‘Powder Keg’, centres on the invasions of Yugoslavia and
it affected the engineering task, then the nal section which mainly
illustrates the hands-on part of the job. typography, the self-published origins of this
Greece and how Ju 52s supplied ground troops in bad weather and
This is not intended as a technical tome more an overview of an
OSPREY AIRCRAFT OF THE ACES book are immediately apparent, but neither
over mountainous terrain.
The Ju 52 proved to be a good workhorse and this book does full
– SPITFIRE ACES OF NORTHWEST
oft-neglected but vital aspect of running an airline. This book gives a detracts from the excellence of its content,
justice to the type’s early career. Illustrated with 30 colour pro les by
EUROPE 1944-45
fascinating insight into what goes on behind the scenes to ensure aircraft which essentially comprises the memoirs of
Jim Laurier and 67 black and white photographs.
and passengers can y in safety. Royal Air Force ghter pilot Albert Horton.
Book Horton graduated onto the Supermarine Spit re in June 1949,
Published by Amberley Publishing: ISBN 9781445667065 and is
Written by: Andrew Thomas Published by Osprey Publishing: ISBN 9781472818805 and
available from www.ospreypublishing.com
available from www.amberley-books.com after training on the de Havilland Tiger Moth and North American
Price: £13.99 Harvard. Moving on from the Merlin-engined Mk 16, he accumulated
This new title from Osprey is number 122 in its the majority of his Spit re hours on the PR.Mk 19 and FR.Mk 18,
ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING T5
acclaimed Aircraft of the Aces series and the both of them Griffon engined. Photographic reconnaissance became
Flight Simulator Add-on
fact that it is written by RAF authority Andrew Thomas, with cover his speciality and Horton was posted to the Middle East with 208
Produced by: Aerosoft
artwork by Mark Postlethwaite and colour pro les by Chris Thomas, Squadron.
System requirements: Flight Simulator X or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D His was a fascinating time, for the RAF was transitioning to jets
all under the careful editorial guidance of Tony Holmes, will add up to
Price: €25.16 (download) and he made the change from piston power to the Gloster Meteor
recommendation enough for many readers.
For those not familiar with Aircraft of the Aces, this would be an
brake chute. Additionally, users can choose to have a variety of
Aerosoft has already produced a single-seat Lightning and so this FR.Mk 9, gleefully noting that he ew faster in a Spit re than he was
excellent rst volume. Dealing with the Supermarine Spit re in its permitted to in the Meteor. Horton gives engaging recollections of
rendition of the two-seat version completes the set. Four variants
different missile combinations (Red Top, Firestreak, inert or none)
last year of service over Northwest Europe, it abounds with artwork, ying in the relative freedom of the immediate post-war world and the
are included: the RAF T4 and T5 plus Royal Saudi Air Force T55
or select a gun pack if using the Saudi and Kuwaiti aircraft. Sounds
photographs and rst-hand accounts set into Andrew Thomas’s excitement of service life.
and Kuwait Air Force T55K. There are a dozen colour schemes,
were created using recordings taken from aircraft of the Lightning
This is a book written by someone who was there, and his
authoritatively researched narrative. The beautifully rendered pro les Preservation Group. The engine start sequence is faithfully
among them a T4 in RAF 74 Sqn markings, T5s in the colours of 11
– 36 altogether – illustrate Mks VB, VII, IX and XVI, and are complete passion for ying and the Spit re in particular, shines through.
modelled, complete with venting from beneath the aircraft and from
Sqn (green and also grey), 226 Operational Conversion Unit (silver),
Cyprus Station Flight, Lightning Training Flight, Empire Test Pilots’ es,
with extensive captions. An appendix detailing individual pilot scor Although it repeats a couple of photographs and would bene t from
the port side as each engine sequence is initiated. There is also
a bibliography and comprehensive index round off another superb tighter editing in places, this modest book is recommended as an
School, Cran eld-based XS458 in its current scheme, plus ZU-BBD
a detailed set of manuals listing normal and emergency operating
package from Osprey. engaging, illuminating and entertaining read.
procedures.
from Thunder City. The aircraft have detailed, interactive cockpits and
Published by Osprey Publishing Ltd; ISBN9781782003380,
Put together, this is an excellent package.
there is the option to y solo or with both pilots. Published by Robert Davies; ISBN9781291969085, available from
available from www.ospreypublishing.com www.lulu.com
Available from Aerosoft at www.aerosoft.com
Externally there are the usual animations, as well as a realistic
36 Aviation News incorporating Classic Aircraft November 2014
56
Aviation News incorporating Jets September 2017
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