WHAT’S NEW NEW PRODUCT REVIEWS
book briefs
Japanese Secret Projects Vol 2, Edwin M Dyer III,
Crecy, 164pp, illus, hbk, £25 – the author shines
a spotlight onto many previously overlooked
or little known Japanese aircraft projects,
accompanied by rare photos and artwork. He
also explains how suicide missions arose and
explores the infl uence of German wartime
aircraft on Japanese designs. http://www.crecy.co.ukThe Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu, Richard A Franks,
Valiant Wings, 116pp, illus, sbk, £16.95 – this
guide to the Luftwaffe’s ‘fl ying eye’ includes
a wealth of original detail, colour profi les and
manufacturer’s drawings ideal for modellers
and general enthusiasts. It also includes
appendices listing model kits in all popular
scales. http://www.valiant-wings.co.ukThe Story of Drem Airfi eld, George J F Simpson,
Gullane and Dirleton History Soc, 94pp, illus,
sbk, £7 – this concise history of the Scottish
airfi eld has been revised and expanded from
a previous edition. Particularly interesting are
the accounts of Drem’s preparation for war and
the successes of the Spitfi re pilots based there.
http://www.elh.info/siteF4F Wildcat and F6F Hellcat Aces of VF-2, Thomas
McKelvey Cleaver, Osprey, 96pp, illus, sbk,
£13.99 – the latest in the indispensable Aircraft
Of The Aces series examines two fi ghters
from the Grumman stable and the men who
fl ew them in wartime with the US Navy’s VF-2.
As always it is backed up by superb colour
profi les. http://www.ospreypublishing.com108 FLYPAST May 2015Prop Up The Bar
http://www.kcbales.co.uk
Northamptonshire’s King’s Cliffe Brewery has
produced a new Porter Craft ale called ‘P51’, based
on a style of beer available in 1945. The brewery
is located close to the end of the runway at the
former RAF King’s Cliffe from which USAAF’s 20th
Fighter Group fl ew in World War Two, and the beer
has been produced in tribute to all those who
served. Boasting a distinctive roast malt fl avour
with a strong fi nish, ‘P51’ is a rare and perhaps
unique example of an ale brewed by aviation
enthusiasts with fellow aircraft devotees in
mind. The 20th Fighter Group fl ew P-51 Mustangs
from King’s Cliffe (Station 367) during the latter
months of the war, and the unit’s black and white
identifi cation colours have been included in the
beer’s labelling.Diamond Are Forever
http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
Blue Diamonds – The Exploits of 14 Squadron RAF 1945-2015 by Michael
Napier, Pen & Sword, 320pp, illus, hbk, £25
In the second volume of his lengthy history of 14 Squadron, Michael
Napier takes the story from the end of World War Two to the present
day. The unit served in Germany in NATO’s front line, much of it in
the nuclear strike role, through the entire period of the Cold War.
Its Tornados later saw action during the Gulf War of 1991 before
policing the Iraq no-fl y zone. Operations over Kosovo were followed
by bombing attacks during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent
operations before shifting focus to Afghanistan. It remains a key asset
in providing support to ground and air commanders to this day.
Michael offers a superb unit history, skilfully weaving historical
overview with reminiscences from squadron members.
The well-balanced text is complemented by extensive footnotes,
appendices and references as well as a comprehensive list of serial
numbers. Camoufl age and marking notes and colour profi les should
interest historians and modellers alike. ANDREW THOMASIndian Summer
http://www.aviation-bookshop.com
Spitfi res In The Sun – A History of the Supermarine Spitfi re in Indian
Air Force Service 1944-1957 by Vikram Singh, Ambi, 188pp, illus, hbk,
£42.99 plus £6 p&p
This beautifully illustrated book is virtually a standalone volume that
covers more or less everything about the use of the Spitfi re in India.
It showcases the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) fl eet from the fi rst arrival in
the country in October 1942 to the phase-out of the last examples in
September 1957. Vikram Singh’s book bridges a major gap in the history
of the famous fi ghter, including its role in Burma, the fate of roughly 100
former RAF machines after the war, and the use of the 99 Mk.XVIIIs, 17
PR.XIXs and 10 Mk.IXs purchased by India after independence. It provides
data on nearly 200 Spitfi res, plus the many paint schemes and markings
applied, along with a list of survivors. Also included are detailed unit
histories, fi rst-person accounts, rare images and 29 colour side views.Bombers to Fighters
http://www.fightinghigh.com
‘Artie’ – Bomber Command Legend by Vincent A Ashworth, Fighting High,
220pp, illus, hbk, £19.95
This vivid account of one man’s experience in RAF Bomber Command
during World War Two details the strain of fl ying over heavily
defended cities night after night for years. His is a story of bravery
and sacrifi ce, told by his younger brother utilising Artie’s memoirs
and logbooks. Having fl own in Malta and the Middle East, Artie was
posted to the newly formed Pathfi nder Force. He became one of the
few pilots to successfully fl y a damaged Vickers Wellington back
to England on his own, having ordered his crew to bale out of the
blazing aircraft. Seconded to the RNZAF in the Pacifi c, Artie made
the switch to fi ghters, and fl ew Vought Corsairs with 17 Squadron.
He later returned to the UK and the Pathfi nders, eventually
surviving 100 ‘ops’ over enemy territory. Having been awarded four
decorations for gallantry, he went on to serve with the RAF’s post-
war V-Bomber force.Essential Great War
reference
The Sky Their Battlefi eld II by Trevor Henshaw, Fetubi
Books, 406pp, illus, sbk, £40
This comprehensive and fi nely detailed volume is a
vastly updated and reworked version of a book that
fi rst came out in 1995. Adopting a day-by-day diary
format, it tells the stories of 16,800 individual World
War One air personnel, across ten distinct sections,
and examines operations on every day of the Great
War, across all fronts, plus provides details of the
British, Commonwealth and US air casualties of the
confl ict. The text links events in the air to the wider
context of the war as a whole, and includes nearly 290
mostly new photographs and nine new or updated
appendices. The product of decades of research, it is a
key reference to aerial operations in the Great War.108-109_Whats New_fpSBB.indd 108 16/03/2015 09:39