GRUMMAN F-14 TOMCAT – ALL MODELS
1970-2006 – OWNERS’ WORKSHOP MANUAL
Book
Written by: Tony Holmes
Price: £22.99In the late 1960s, the US Navy required a carrier-capable
ghter with a very powerful radar that could detect Soviet bombers and
destroy them with long-range air-to-air missiles before they got to within
cruise missile-launching range of the eet. The answer was the Tomcat
and this book describes its evolution and career in very readable detail.
It is illustrated by 270 colour and 36 black and white photographs, 15
diagrams and an excellent cutaway drawing.
The chapter entitled ‘Anatomy of the Tomcat’ includes coverage of
weapon systems and powerplants. Then comes ‘The Tomcat in Service’,
with information ranging from shadowing Bears and Badgers during the
Cold War to precision strike bombing during Desert Storm, the Balkans
and the ‘War on Terror’. There is a chapter on the training of pilots
and radar intercept officers, and a separate one – ‘Back-Seat Magic’ –
explaining how the RIOs hunted for targets and homed onto them. Tomcat
maintenance is not forgotten, and the same chapter includes an account
of the intricate teamwork needed to launch an F-14 from a carrier.
The ghter was of course the star of the lm Top Gun and there is
a chapter about the Tomcat courses at the real Topgun school at NAS
Fallon, Nevada. Technical speci cations are given in one appendix and
the other covers the F-14 in Iranian Air Force service.
This book is one of the best in the Owners’ Workshop Manual series
to date.
Published by Haynes Publishing: ISBN 9781785211003; available from
http://www.haynes.comROLLING THUNDER 1965-68 – JOHNSON’S
AIR WAR OVER VIETNAM
Book
Written by: Richard P Hallion
Price: £13.99This is a masterly analysis of a controversial air war. An introduction sets
the scene in 1965 when South Vietnam faced collapse both from internal
political strife and Viet Cong insurgents. In response President Lyndon
B Johnson launched Rolling Thunder, an air campaign designed to keep
South Vietnam secure and dissuade the North from arming and supplying
the Viet Cong.
The rst section – ‘Attackers’ Capabilities’ – details the aerial assets
of the USAF, US Navy and Marine Corps in Southeast Asia and the
very complicated chain of command. This is followed by ‘Defenders’
Capabilities’ which features Soviet-supplied ghters and surface-to-air
missiles, formidable anti-aircraft guns and re control radar.
‘Campaign Objectives’ explains that the logical targets were strategic
ones, such as the North Vietnamese port of Haiphong, but Johnson was
afraid of provoking the Chinese. The result was, as told in ‘The Campaign’,
that by the time it was nally decided to attack the North, a fully integrated
defence system was in place. American losses were heavy, 272 in the
case of the F-105 Thunderchief. The author’s damning verdict is that
Rolling Thunder was more a series of individual operations conducted
in ts and starts than a coherent air campaign. He goes on to say that it
was dogged by poor planning, with ill-de ned goals and politically induced
limitations. Aircrew suffered accordingly but performed to the best of their
ability. This enlightening book is illustrated with 53 black and white and
two colour photographs, along with ten maps and diagrams and three
double-page colour artworks.
Published by Osprey Publishing: ISBN 9781472823205; available from
http://www.ospreypublishing.comAUSTER: THE COMPANY AND THE AIRCRAFT
Book
Written by: Tim Wenham, Rod Simpson and
Malcolm Fillmore
Price: £39.95Yet another tour de force from Air-Britain, this time featuring
the story of a distinguished company and its classic light aircraft which
were at the forefront of the resurgence in British civil ying after World War
Two. The narrative begins in 1938 when Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England)
was formed to build American Taylorcraft designs under licence. With the
war came a need for a suitable aircraft for artillery spotting and Taylorcraft
developed the Auster, which performed this role superbly.
In 1946, building on a now familiar name, the company changed its title
to Auster Aircraft Limited and began to produce machines for the civilian
market based on the proven wartime airframe. It also continued to build
aircraft for the military market, such as the AOP 6 and much upgraded
AOP 9. A chapter details crop-spraying Austers, culminating in the
unsuccessful Agricola.
In 1959 when the import ban on American light aircraft was lifted,
Auster’s somewhat outdated designs suddenly faced stiff opposition. The
oundering company was taken over by Beagle Aircraft Limited in 1960,
but with insufficient sales the latter folded in 1969.
A chapter entitled ‘Auster Type Pro les’ reveals the complications of
Auster’s model designations. There is also a complete list of the nearly
3,600 aircraft produced by Auster, along with a cross-referenced aircraft
registration and serial list. Well presented on glossy paper, there are 255
black and white and 96 colour photographs, plus 35 drawings.
Published by Air-Britain Publishing: ISBN9780851305080; available
from http://www.air-britain.co.ukPHOENIX A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE
LUFTWAFFE 1918-1945 VOLUME 2 – THE
GENESIS OF AIR POWER 1935-1937
Book
Written by: Richard Meredith
Price: £59.95This massive volume consists of almost 850 pages, with footnotes that
frequently take up to half a page. It is an incredibly detailed reference
book covering three eventful years of the Luftwaffe’s history. The narrative
begins in March 1935 when the force was created in de ance of the post-
World War One Treaty of Versailles, which stipulated that Germany should
not have an air force. Thereafter, huge steps were taken in every aspect
of its organisation. Key studies include the formation of anti-aircraft units,
the Luftwaffe General Staff, uniforms, the development and production of
new combat aircraft, weapons, ying training and the supply chain. There
is also coverage of an air eld construction programme that rivalled the
RAF’s expansion plan.
The Luftwaffe’s involvement in the Spanish Civil War is considered in
depth from initial operations by German volunteers to the deployment of
the Condor Legion in all the major battles. It was an opportunity to perfect
aerial tactics, gain experience and was effectively a rehearsal for World
War Two.
Appendices include an aircraft and aero-engine production summary,
pre-war ying unit histories and a lengthy bibliography.
An amazing collection of 185 black and white photographs with
brief captions is reinforced by a separate section giving a very detailed
commentary on each one. There are also 47 maps, plans and diagrams.
The result is a landmark reference book of superb quality and further
volumes are eagerly awaited by this reviewer.
Published by Helion and Company: ISBN9781910777275; available
from http://www.helion.co.ukYANK 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
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