Book Description
The naval mutiny of 1797 is the most astonishing recorded in British history; astonishing by its management rather than by its results, for other mutinies had been successful. Though it shook the country from end to end, it was largely ordered with rigid discipline, a respect for officers and an unswerving loyalty to the King. Moreover, it was so rationally grounded that it not only achieved its immediate end, the betterment of the sailor's lot, but also began a new and lasting epoch in naval administration.

Here are familiar names: the aged hero Lord Howe, the indecisive Lord Bridport, the giant Admiral Duncan who held a mutineer over the side of his ship until the wretch admitted his error, the ever unpopular Captain Bligh, and less familiar figures such as Richard Parker, who led the mutiny at the Nore and paid for his insurrection at the end of a rope. This fascinating account will appeal to all who love Horatio Hornblower, Jack Aubrey and other fictional heroes of the era.

The value of The Floating Republic does not merely reside in its excellent treatment of its theme - but likewise in the light it sheds upon the history of the eighteenth century generally. ... Read more

Book Description
Flight Lieutenant Rob Lea, Royal Air Force Harrier GR.7 display pilot for 1993/94, gives a 'from the cockpit' account of his airshow flying, providing a detailed expose of what goes into creating the ultimate display routine, with each manoeuvre graphically illustrated. This book also contains a wealth of colour photographs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An interesting look at a rare subject
An excellent book with many great color photos. Harrier demonstration pilot Rob Lea writes a journal of his RAF pilot training, his selection to be a display pilot, and then a detailed description of his first seasonflying airshows in the unique vertical takeoff/landing Harrier attack jet.The balance between text and photos is very good (half and half). The lastthird of the book involves demo pilots for many other RAF aircraft and whatit's like to perform in them at airshows. Highly recommended for fans ofthe Harrier, the Royal Air Force, airshows, or just military jets ingeneral. ... Read more

Book Description
The Royal Air Force Handbook provides the only official definitive guide to the structure of the RAF of today and the future. From the front-line fast-jet forces, tankers, transport, and helicopter forces, to the training squadrons, Search-And-Rescue squadrons, the RAF Regiment and reserve forces, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the Red Arrows aerobatic display team this is the complete work of reference for enthusiasts and professionals alike. Every aircraft and weapon system is included with a brief background, exhaustive specifications and a color illustration. The guide also includes details of the future procurement plans of the RAF, including the F35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Hawk 128 as well as future missile systems, and includes color photographs of RAF operations in the recent conflict in Iraq and elsewhere. Following the attractive format and structure of its successful sister volume The Royal Navy Handbook (Conway, 2003, reprinting), The Royal Air Force Handbook will be the premier resource for the layperson with an interest in the UK's air arm. ... Read more

Book Description
The Supermarine Swift was rushed into surface with the RAF during 1954 to become Britain's first second-generation jet fighter.In this role it was not deemed a success and has been burdened with a bad reputation since that time.It was eventually replaced by the famous Hawker Hunter that had been extensively delayed because of teething troubles.

Although not successful as an interceptor fighter because of it's poor performance at high altitude, it eventually found a vital role as a low-level short-range reconnaissance aircraft operating on the edge of the Iron Curtain at the height of the Cold War.Two RAF squadrons flew the Swift FR.5 for five successful years.The book covers the development and operational history of a vital aircraft that is a part of aviation legend. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A little too "Tally Ho"
This book is recognised amongst the aviation cognoscenti as something special.So it was that I started reading the book filled with great expectations - you can consider me disappointed.Nigel Walpole makes a fair stab at describing the Swift's early life and the the section on test flying is really rather good, but as soon as we get into the service life of the FR.5 and the antics of Nos. 2 & 59 squadrons, the book quickly turns into a back slapping tale of how much 1950's RAF jet pilots like to drink and behave like public school twits.Nigel never seemed to tire of telling stories of heavy drinking which ended with the line "of course no one remembered anything the next day" ha, ha, ha, ho, ho.

Didn't someone say this was an aircraft book.I expected something a lot closer to the Pilot's Notes on the Swift, not some juvenile skit about pilots getting drunk and acting like idiots.If this was how unprofessional our pilots were in the 1950s, thank god we never went to war, it would have been a shambles.

Swift Justice, by Nigel Walpole.
This is a well writen book.I applaud the author's honesty, who, for the first time, as a pilot, has written not only about the exploits of his peers, but also about the groundcrew servicing the Swift. It was a difficult aircraft to maintain.However, due to the professionalism of those who flew the aircraft, and groundcrew, they helped salvage a hitherto problematic image of the earlier mark 1 aircraft into a measured triumph for the FR5 variant.This book puts the record straight, and is a very good read. ... Read more

Book Description
Formed as a light bomber unit of the Auxiliary Air Force in October 1925, it was at the height of the Battle of Britain that the CO of RAF Hornchurch, Group Captain 'Boy' Bouchier described 603 as 'perhaps the greatest squadron of them all'. And indeed, the Squadron has enjoyed prestigious and distinguished service second to none.

This extensive history details the 603 story through the early years with its colorful characters, through the Phoney War and into the Battle of Britain. Here pen portraits and narrative tell of acts of incredible bravery, heroism and loyalty to the cause by pilots and ground crew alike.

Following the Battle, the reader is led through 1941 and on to 603's part in the siege of Malta, through the anti-shipping strikes by the Beaufighters of the unit, to its return to England for re-equipping with Spitfires for operations in support of bombers and against V2 launch sites. Postwar 603 was returned to Auxiliary status, re-equipped again with Spitfires and then Vampire jets prior to disbandment in 1957. Re-formed in 1999, the story ends with the Squadron's duties in the modern day air force.

The team of authors comprises the most knowledgeable historians on the subject who between them have compiled the most comprehensive collection of documents and photographs, the selection of which, throughout the two volumes, is marvelous and unique.

The appendices are absolutely comprehensive and the narrative is full of fascinating anecdotes and memories. The Squadron heritage is deeply felt still by personnel at HQ in Edinburgh, and is supported by the 603 Association, consisting of the surviving ground crew members. Through them and this two-volume history, the memory of the Few and their countless other achievements will live on. ... Read more

Book Description
The de Havilland Aircraft Company was founded in 1920, but had its origins with the first steps in biplane design made by Geoffrey de Havilland, who in 1908 left his job with the Motor Omnibus Construction Company to embark on a career as an aeroplane designer. During the First World War, his D.H. 4 bomber design was supplied in hundreds to both the Royal Flying Corps and the United StatesArmy Air Service. A D.H.4 variant was also the first aeroplane to provide a passenger service, between Paris and London. The tradition built on the reputation of de Havilland's work during the First World War, also provided the foundation for some of the most popular aircraft for civil and military aviationthe D.H.60 G Gipsy Moth, the D.H.71 Tiger Moth, the D.H.98 Mosquito light bomber, and the D.H.106 Comet are all storied names in the history of British aviation. The story that unfolds in these pages also includes the tragic death of Geoffrey de Havilland's son, Geoffrey Jr., a test pilot killed flying the De Havilland D.H.108.

The late A J Jackson had a particular affection for de Havilland aircraft and was particularly fond of flying Tiger Moths. He is also the author of Avro Aircraft since 1908 and Blackburn Aircraft since 1909 (both Putnam). ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Good stuff
I have been pleased with Warbird Tech series overall, this book is no exception. A nice niche - not just a photo book for modelers, not a dull, overly detailed description of every nuance in the history of the planes at great expense to the reader.

Kev Darling writes in an easy, enjoyable style. The post WWII bomber development is covered, creation of the prototypes, testing, production & varients. Good clear line drawings & captions are interesting & informative. 7 photos are in color - it's not Detail & Scale level of photos, but for its size & price, I would definately recommend this book. Interesting, informative & affordable.

Steve Pace is not a co-author of this book.
Yours truly is not in any way associated with this book. The author is Mr. Kev Darling - period. ... Read more

Book Description
For the very first time, the history of British pre-World War I aircraft has been gathered together in one volume, with more than 900 of them well illustrated. This new book constitutes a most valuable contribution about a remarkable period in aviation history and is a memorial to the bravery and inventiveness of the intrepid pioneers of that far off era. Among the many famous manufacturer's covered are Avro, Sopwith, Shorts, and Bristol. Many lesser known designers and builders such as Martin-Handasyde and Howard Wright are also given ample coverage., over 930 b/w photographs, 8 1/2" x 11" ... Read more

Book Description
Looks at the feasibility of UK shipbuilders expanding outside their domestic military contracts into the worldwide commercial or foregin military markets, ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Defense Transportation Journal, published by Thomson Gale on August 1, 2004. The length of the article is 1579 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: NDTA Passenger Travel corporate member news: all NDTA corporate members in the Passenger Travel Services sector were given the opportunity to provide press releases for this section. Some articles have been condensed due to space constraints.(National Defense Transportation Association)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Defense Transportation Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 2004
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 60Issue: 4Page: 15(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Book Description
This is the full story of the Churchill tank; from the design of an oversized prototype in Belfast in 1940 to its final achievements against Communist forces in the Korean War some ten years later. For those with an interest in technical matters this book goes into a great deal of detail. For those interested in the mechanics and politics of war production it explains the systems, processes and pitfalls in depth. For those studying war history it examines the Churchill tank in action from the beaches of Dieppe to the mountains of Tunisia; from the Gothic Line in Italy to the Siegfried Line in Germany and in the harsh terrain of Korea. The Churchill is examined mark by mark, from the A20 prototype through to the heavyweight Black Prince design of 1944. Details are given of its service with every British regiment that operated Churchills and of its use by Australian, Canadian, Irish and Russian forces. The author has drawn heavily on original research material held in the library of the Tank Museum at Bovington in Dorset, UK., over 250 b/w photographs, line drawings, 8 1/2" x 11" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

almost perfect
I enjoyed reading this book very much, it has a wealth of information on the development and history of the Churchill, an abundance of photos and quite a few amusing anecdotes.

Particularly valuable are the copies of original plans and diagrams.

The one criticism I have of this book is that for those interested in the harder technical and production detail what has been included has been scattered through the book in the text, inclusion of appendices like those in the Jentz books on German tanks would have been valuable - collating that data in one spot.

First-rate and long overdue account
Mr Churchill's Tank - The British Infantry Tank Mk IV by David Fletcher 210 pages, large format hardback, fully illustrated.

During the Second World War, the British Army operated threeclasses of tanks. The Light and medium-weight Cruiser classes generallycorresponded in their intended roles with those of other nations. However,in the heavier class, Britain used the Infantry Tank. This was designedpurely for support of infantry in the attack, and was designed to be moveat the general pace of a foot soldier, while its armour was usually heavierso as to be able to withstand anti tank fire as it moved forward. Whilefour types of this tank were produced, the third - the Valentine - was usedat times in a cruiser role, but the last was definitely an Infantry Tank.The Churchill was born out of an planned design which would have acted in asimilar manner to the first heavy tanks of the Great War. Times had changedhowever, and with them the need for the original design. Vauxhall Motorswere asked to design and act as developer and technical experts on the newseries, which first appeared at a time when Britain's tank recourses andgeneral fortunes were at a low ebb. It was built without the usual cycle ofbuilding and testing prototypes, which meant that when first introducedinto service it had many problems to be overcome. From then on, the tank'sfortunes waxed and waned. It came close to being taken out of productionmore than once, only to be reprieved and improved before finally becoming auseful vehicle in the field in its intended role and some new ones. Itsstory is very complicated, and intertwined with that of British tankdevelopment at this period. While it has been written about before, some ofwhat has appeared has missed some points or left details out. This makesthe coverage here all the more valuable. David Fletcher is ideally placed,not only as one of Britain's leading authors on tank matters with a thirstfor knowledge and an ability to pass that knowledge on in a very readablemanner, but as Librarian and Curator at the Tank Museum he has ready accessto a store of information on the Churchill and related matters. He followsthe tank from its early beginnings, through development, user trials,problems in service and their resolution, improvements and modifications.Much light is shed on other matters such as development of tank armament,as well as the often conflicting demands and sometimes confusion andinterference in design and production. Some interesting might-have-beensand even some areas not well documented are included. As tank developmentis always a continuing tale, he also describes the original "shelledarea" tank which spawned Churchill and ends with Black Prince, a sortof Super Churchill, which appeared in time to be made unnecessary by thereplacement of two streams of tanks by one, universal design. Not only isthe story of the machines themselves told, but also its actions, from aless than auspicious debut at Dieppe through more successful use inTunisia, then through North West Europe and Italy, on to its finaldeployment in Korea. Details, sadly still sketchy after many years and muchchange, of its use in Russia and peacetime service in Australia and Eire,are also included. Churchills were not only used as gun tanks. Many wereconverted or built as specialist armour, which wisely are not covered hereapart from the unusual 3" Gun Carrier. This leaves the way open for afull and detailed study of them at a later date, allowing more detail to beincluded in areas not usually covered. Some unusual field modifications arehowever covered. Alongside a text which should be read closely as itcontains a wealth of detail which could easily be missed, are a finecollection of photographs of the many versions produced, including views inthe factory and of such things as the turret basket separate from the tank,and many photos of the tanks in action. Even more detail is shown usingoriginal stowage diagrams and extracts from various handbooks to showspecific components. While most wartime British armour had a bad press, andthe Churchill itself had some adverse comments, it generally came throughwith a good reputation. Its full story has had to wait a long time to betold, but now it has been brought into the light in good form in a bookwhich deserves a worthy place among studies of major armoured vehicles. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
After having joined the RAF in 1937, New Zealander Al Deere was in the thick of action right from the start of the war, serving with great distinction over France and Dunkirk in May and June of 1940 against the dreaded Messerschmitts. After surviving a crash-landing during a head-on attack he helped defend London and the south-east during the Battle of Britain effecting numerous escapes in tight combat situations.

He went on, variously, to command a flight in 602 Squadron, to lecture in America, to command RAF Kenley, Biggin Hill and then to lead the 145 French Wing in France before becoming Wing Commander, Plans with 84 Group. Post-war saw him take up many more significant postings including commander of North Weald, and Aide de Camp to HM the Queen. If it could be said that he 'had a good war', he enjoyed an even better peace.

Richard Smith has had the full co-operation of family, friends and colleagues in researching the source material to write the biography of this fascinating and exceptional man. The book also includes many of Deere's letters and papers on the tactics and strategy of combat, and his hitherto unpublished story entitled 'Escape'.

With a 20-page section of photographs, and appendices and original documentary material, every enthusiast of military aviation will welcome this addition to their library.

Richard C Smith's previous works include the highly rated Hornchurch Scramble and Hornchurch Eagles. ... Read more

Book Description