THE ROYAL NAVY LYNX – AN OPERATIONAL HISTORY
Book
Written by: Larry Jeram-Croft
Price: £25.00
The author spent 30 years in the Royal Navy, rst as an aircraft
engineer and then as a helicopter pilot, which included service in the
Falklands War and then as a maintenance test pilot. He is thus well
quali ed to describe the development and achievements of the Lynx,
beginning with Westland’s innovative adoption of a titanium rotor head.
After opening chapters covering design, avionics and weapons,
comes a lengthy and often gripping compilation of aircrew experiences
during the Falklands War. Here the type was used in both its primary
roles of anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, as well as several
others for which it had never been designed, such as airborne early
warning and anti-Exocet missile countermeasures.
Tests to foil the anti-shipping missile were rst conducted in the
Cardigan Bay Ranges by the author, the idea being that a Lynx equippedwith a radar re ector, which gave a bigger return than a
nearby ship, would act as a decoy. In theory, a sea-skimming missile
set to y at pre-determined height to strike a vessel would y harmlessly
under the helicopter, but it still required a huge amount of aircrew courage.
Moving on to the First Gulf War, its performance was outstanding,
with two aircraft effectively destroying the Iraqi Navy in just two days.
The story is rounded off by coverage of disaster rescue and relief ights,
counter drug, and Antarctic operations. In the author’s words, “It would
not be unfair to claim that it has been the most successful weapon system
employed by the Royal Navy since 1945.” Illustrated with 20 black and
white and 70 colour photographs.
Published by Pen and Sword Aviation: ISBN 9781473862517 and
available from http://www.pen-and-sword.co.ukBRITISH AIRWAYS – ENGINEERING AN AIRLINE
Book
Written by: Paul Jarvis in association with British Airways
Price: £18.99
The author is curator of the British Airways Heritage
Collection and his father was a ground engineer for BOAC.
The book has a selection of well-chosen photographs
with detailed captions (100 colour and 16 black and white) supported by a
linking narrative. This is divided into four sections – ‘From Sheds to a Listed
Building’, ‘Make-Do-and Mend’, ‘Engineering a Merger’ and ‘Engineering an
Airline’. The rst describes the early years, moving on to the 1940s with the
creation of BEA and BOAC and the building of the remarkable hangar block
for the latter at London Heathrow, still in use and now listed.
The second section describes the new types entering service from
the days of the Argonaut, Stratocruiser, Ambassador and Britannia to
the Comet, VC10, Trident, Concorde, Boeing 707 and 747. Next comes
a brief account of the merger which formed British Airways and how
it affected the engineering task, then the nal section which mainly
illustrates the hands-on part of the job.
This is not intended as a technical tome more an overview of an
oft-neglected but vital aspect of running an airline. This book gives a
fascinating insight into what goes on behind the scenes to ensure aircraft
and passengers can y in safety.
Published by Amberley Publishing: ISBN 9781445667065 and is
available from http://www.amberley-books.comJu 52/3M BOMBER AND TRANSPORT UNITS 1936-41
Book
Written by: Robert Forsyth
Price: £13.99
The opening chapter covers the development of the
Ju 52 from its original single-motor con guration to the
three-engined variant in order to increase speed and
load-carrying capability. Lufthansa began to operate the type in 1932
and by three years later it formed about 85% of the airline’s eet.
Chapter Two is called ‘Spanish Skies’ and contains a very detailed
account of the type’s use in the Spanish Civil War both as a transport
and as a bomber. Then comes ‘Whether Men, Fuel, Bombs or
Bread’ describing the vital role in support of the invasion of Poland
in September 1939. Chapter Four – ‘Attack in the North’ – covers the
campaigns in Denmark and Norway and the rst use of airborne troops
by the Luftwaffe. ‘Attack in the West’ tells how this new means of assault
was employed with success in the Netherlands and Belgium. The
nal chapter, ‘Powder Keg’, centres on the invasions of Yugoslavia and
Greece and how Ju 52s supplied ground troops in bad weather and
over mountainous terrain.
The Ju 52 proved to be a good workhorse and this book does full
justice to the type’s early career. Illustrated with 30 colour pro les by
Jim Laurier and 67 black and white photographs.
Published by Osprey Publishing: ISBN 9781472818805 and
available from http://www.ospreypublishing.comENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING T5
Flight Simulator Add-on
Produced by: Aerosoft
System requirements: Flight Simulator X or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
Price: €25.16 (download)
Aerosoft has already produced a single-seat Lightning and so this
rendition of the two-seat version completes the set. Four variants
are included: the RAF T4 and T5 plus Royal Saudi Air Force T55
and Kuwait Air Force T55K. There are a dozen colour schemes,
among them a T4 in RAF 74 Sqn markings, T5s in the colours of 11
Sqn (green and also grey), 226 Operational Conversion Unit (silver),
Cyprus Station Flight, Lightning Training Flight, Empire Test Pilots’
School, Cran eld-based XS458 in its current scheme, plus ZU-BBD
from Thunder City. The aircraft have detailed, interactive cockpits and
there is the option to y solo or with both pilots.
Externally there are the usual animations, as well as a realisticbrake chute. Additionally, users can choose to have a variety of
different missile combinations (Red Top, Firestreak, inert or none)
or select a gun pack if using the Saudi and Kuwaiti aircraft. Sounds
were created using recordings taken from aircraft of the Lightning
Preservation Group. The engine start sequence is faithfully
modelled, complete with venting from beneath the aircraft and from
the port side as each engine sequence is initiated. There is also
a detailed set of manuals listing normal and emergency operating
procedures.
Put together, this is an excellent package.
Available from Aerosoft at http://www.aerosoft.comYANK BOMBER BOYS IN NORFOLK –
A PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD OF THE
USAAF IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR
Book
Written by: Peter W Bodle FRAeS
Price: £25.00Compiled from the photographic collections
of individual troops and station photographic
sections, this unusual book gives a view of
US Army Air Force operations in Norfolk. The
primary aviation fare is the Consolidated B-24
Liberator, but a scattering of other types,
US and RAF, appears, including a Bristol
Beau ghter, captioned on page 218 as a
“British medium bomber”. It is regrettable that some photographs
appear to have suffered in quality from being reproduced beyond
their scanned dimensions, rather than from being more than seven
decades old.
The captions are generally weak, but sufficient to identify
locations and the units depicted, although most readers will simply
be absorbed in the photographs. There are scenes of domesticity
and regular air eld life, as well as more harrowing images of crashed
and, in some cases, burning bombers. Those fortunate enough to
live in or around Norfolk will enjoy the possibility of spotting a familiar
air eld, pub or other location. This is a book to be dipped into at
leisure, rather than read cover to cover.
Published by Fonthill Media; ISBN9781781553565, available from
http://www.fonthillmedia.comA CENTURY OF AIR WARFARE WITH NINE (IX)
SQUADRON RAF – STILL GOING STRONG
Book
Written by: Gordon Thorburn
Price: £25.00Given IX Squadron’s century of service – it formed
as a Royal Flying Corps unit in December 1914 –
author Gordon Thorburn begins his history with a
look at the origins of bombing and airborne radio.
The unit was a pioneer in both elds.
The excellent narrative describes the
squadron’s early and inter-war history in
considerable detail, before the author embarks into an unusual
presentation of its World War Two campaign. A run through of aircraft
types and operations might be expected – IX Squadron Lancasters
may or may not have been responsible for causing Tirpitz to capsize
in an attack own alongside 617 Sqn, for example (opinions on which
unit dropped the vital Tallboy depend on which squadron personnel
one is talking to) – but instead the story is presented through the eyes
of different aircrew and groundcrew. The result is as engaging as it is
informative.
Through the Cold War, IX Squadron operated the Avro Lincoln and
English Electric Canberra, before returning to Avro with the Vulcan. The
latter gave way to the Panavia Tornado as the unit once again took on
a pioneering role, introducing the swing-wing strike aircraft into RAF
service. There are hair-raising accounts from crews involved in the
Tornado’s rst combat operations over Iraq in 1991 and coverage of
subsequent action over the Balkans, Afghanistan and Libya.
All of the many photographs are reproduced in black and white,
which is a pity given the many colour images of IX Squadron’s
operations from more recent times. Readers will notice that the Bristol
Scout shown on page 18 is a Bristol Fighter and might puzzle at Litening
being described as a radar defence pod rather than a targeting pod, but
given the extent of the book’s coverage, these are minor criticisms.
Published by Pen & Sword Aviation; ISBN1783036346, available
from http://www.pen-and-sword.co.ukFROM SPITFIRE TO METEOR
Book
Written by: Albert Horton
Price: £9.75 plus postage
Given the quality of reproduction of its black
and white photographs and inconsistent
typography, the self-published origins of this
book are immediately apparent, but neither
detracts from the excellence of its content,
which essentially comprises the memoirs of
Royal Air Force ghter pilot Albert Horton.
Horton graduated onto the Supermarine Spit re in June 1949,
after training on the de Havilland Tiger Moth and North American
Harvard. Moving on from the Merlin-engined Mk 16, he accumulated
the majority of his Spit re hours on the PR.Mk 19 and FR.Mk 18,
both of them Griffon engined. Photographic reconnaissance became
his speciality and Horton was posted to the Middle East with 208
Squadron.
His was a fascinating time, for the RAF was transitioning to jets
and he made the change from piston power to the Gloster Meteor
FR.Mk 9, gleefully noting that he ew faster in a Spit re than he was
permitted to in the Meteor. Horton gives engaging recollections of
ying in the relative freedom of the immediate post-war world and the
excitement of service life.
This is a book written by someone who was there, and his
passion for ying and the Spit re in particular, shines through.
Although it repeats a couple of photographs and would bene t from
tighter editing in places, this modest book is recommended as an
engaging, illuminating and entertaining read.
Published by Robert Davies; ISBN9781291969085, available from
http://www.lulu.comOSPREY AIRCRAFT OF THE ACES
- SPITFIRE ACES OF NORTHWEST
EUROPE 1944-45
Book
Written by: Andrew Thomas
Price: £13.99
This new title from Osprey is number 122 in its
acclaimed Aircraft of the Aces series and the
fact that it is written by RAF authority Andrew Thomas, with cover
artwork by Mark Postlethwaite and colour pro les by Chris Thomas,
all under the careful editorial guidance of Tony Holmes, will add up to
recommendation enough for many readers.
For those not familiar with Aircraft of the Aces, this would be an
excellent rst volume. Dealing with the Supermarine Spit re in its
last year of service over Northwest Europe, it abounds with artwork,
photographs and rst-hand accounts set into Andrew Thomas’s
authoritatively researched narrative. The beautifully rendered pro les - 36 altogether – illustrate Mks VB, VII, IX and XVI, and are complete
with extensive captions. An appendix detailing individual pilot scores,
a bibliography and comprehensive index round off another superb
package from Osprey.
Published by Osprey Publishing Ltd; ISBN9781782003380,
available from http://www.ospreypublishing.com
36 Aviation News incorporating Classic Aircraft November 2014XXXXXXXXXThe latest products for the
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56 Aviation News incorporating Jets September 2017Written by: Paul Jarvis in association with British AirwaysCollection and his father was a ground engineer for BOAC.with detailed captions (100 colour and 16 black and white) supported by a56_flightbagDC.mfDC.indd 56 03/08/2017 11:40