WINGED SABRES – ONE OF THE RFC’S MOST DECORATED SQUADRONS
Book: 300-page hardback
Written by: Robert A Sellwood
Price: £25No.20 Sqn was one of the highest scoring ying units of World War One
and of the most highly decorated, including a posthumous VC awarded to
Sgt T Mottershead.
Their best chance of survival was to land behind enemy lines, but
Mottershead decided they weren’t going to surrender their aircraft and
themselves and ew back over the front line into friendly territory. While
trying to land, the badly burned undercarriage collapsed on touchdown
and the FE2 overturned, killing Mottershead. His gunner was thrown clear
and survived his injuries.
The squadron claimed more than 600 combat victories with 400-
plus con rmed. Its operational service began in February 1916 with
the unwieldy FE2, which proved far more potent than its appearance
would suggest. It was replaced in September 1917 by the formidable
Bristol Fighter which set unmatched standards for a two-seater ghter-
reconnaissance aircraft.
Pilots, of course, were properly trained but it took until the end of 1916before their companions were given formal instruction in
gunnery and observation. Before that, they were simply
expected to learn on the job.
This often gripping narrative captures the desperate air battles, when
being shot down frequently meant death in that pre-parachute era. The air
war reached “unprecedented levels of ferocity” during 1918 when 20 Sqn
also assumed a ground attack role against a major German offensive.
The author sums up the crews’ achievements with the words: “Their
enduring legacy is that their often monotonous, always dangerous and
sometimes terrifying reconnaissance work saved many times their number
of British lives on the ground by providing vital intelligence to the generals.”
As a vivid and convincing reconstruction of deadly air combats long
ago, this deeply researched book excels. It is supported by 36 black and
white photographs, appendices and a select bibliography.
Published by Pen & Sword Aviation: ISBN9781526729576; available
from http://www.pen-and-sword.co.ukJPC VAN HEIJST 2019 CALENDAR
Size: 70 x 45cm
Pric e: € 6 7. 5 0Christiaan Van Heijst is well known for his night and aerial
photography from the ight deck. Flying as a rst officer on Silk
Way West Airlines Boeing 747 Freighters gives him excellent
opportunities to capture stunning photos, and he rose to prominence
following the publishing of his 2016 photo book Cargo Pilot, which
juxtaposed the ying of widebody cargo aircraft against the dramatic
views afforded by ying the ‘Queen of the Skies’. The calendar features
cockpit shots, other aircraft, landscapes, skyscapes and one of tower
blocks in Hong Kong.Christiaan’s photography is now available as part
of a large 2019 calendar showcasing some of his
strongest and most dramatic images, printed on high
quality paper. Measuring 70 x 45cm, it’s more of a series of photographic
prints to adorn a wall than it is somewhere for details of appointments
and birthdays, and for good reason – this isn’t a calendar you want to
write on so much as look at.
The calendar has a print run limited to 500 pieces.
Available from http://www.jpcvanheijst.comBAE 146 ‘WHISPERJET’ – BRITAIN’S MOST
SUCCESSFUL AIRLINER
Book: 96-page softback
Written by: David Oliver
Price: £14.99This is mainly a photo book (there are 153 colour, and 20 black
and white, images), but with three pages of text at the start of each of the nine
chapters. An introduction tells how the BAe 146 was developed from a Hawker
Siddeley design for a low-cost, low-noise feederliner aimed at second-line
operators. It rst ew in 1981 and, after a slow start, sales were boosted by
American carriers which appreciated its short take-off performance and low
noise signature. For many years it was the only jetliner cleared to operate from
London City Airport.
The initial chapters cover ‘Development and Production’, ‘Into Service’ and
‘Export Horizons’. Chapter Four, ‘Avro’s Regional Jet’, relates how this, the
renamed airliner, was based on the 146 airframe, incorporating new uprated
engines and avionics. ‘Military Service’ outlines RAF use while ‘New Lives’
describes cargo variants. ‘Current Operators’ details companies across the world
still using the jetliner and ‘Born Again Fire ghter’ discusses the type’s use by
Canadian and American companies to tackle wild res.
The book ends with ‘Demonstrating the Next Generation’, relating how a
consortium of Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens plan to ight-test hybrid electric
propulsion on a BAe 146. Overall this is an excellent analysis of the whole scope
of this attractive aircraft’s career.
Published by Amberley Publishing: ISBN9781445680996; available from
http://www.amberley-books.comTHE ABC OF THE RAF
Book: 56-page softback
Written by: Paul Heasman
Price: £14.99“I originally wrote The ABC of the RAF as a
bespoke book for my children. To introduce
them to equipment, concepts and structure of the Royal Air Force
and to hopefully inspire them as I was as a child to follow my
dreams and become an RAF pilot.”
So says the author, a former Tornado and Hawk pilot, in
his publicity material. Aimed primarily at the primary school
age group, the text neatly summarises each topic without
patronising the reader.
It doesn’t just teach children about aircraft and pilots, but
discusses many facets of the RAF, including the vital work
carried out by the Operations Branch which embraces air traffic
control, ight operations and airspace battle management.
The subjects are categorised by the alphabet. For example:
A – Air Experience Flight, C – Combat Air and L – Low Flying.
The letter K posed a problem – neatly solved by Kukri, a Chinook
radio callsign pre x, which leads into a short piece on common
RAF callsigns, while X – X-Ray lists the phonetic alphabet.
This well presented book would make an ideal gift for any
child with an interest in aviation or the RAF.
Published by HawkEye Books: ISBN 9781527230286,
available via [email protected] or http://www.amazon.co.ukXXXXXXXXX
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