The Aviation Historian — January 2018

122 THE AVIATION HISTORIAN Issue No 22

POLISH WINGS 23 — 303

Squadron: North American

Mustang

Steve Brooking, Wojtek

Matusiak and Piotr Sikora

Stratus (MMP Books); ISBN

978-8-365281-49-4; £15

PROBABLY BEST KNOWN

for its heroic actions as the

highest-scoring Hurricane unit

during the Battle of Britain, No

303 (Polish) Sqn continued its

distinguished history throughout the war, and became

the only Polish unit to equip with the North American

Mustang IV, which served with the unit from April 1945

until its disbandment in December 1946. With text

provided by Mustang and Polish aviation specialists

Steve Brooking and Wojtek Matusiak respectively, plus

27 fine colour artworks (arranged in landscape format)

by John Melson, this 64-page A4 softback tells the full

story of this remarkable squadron’s final chapter. NS

BOOKS IN BRIEF

A quick round-up of what else is currently

available for the aviation history enthusiast

BOMBER COMMAND: THE

THOUSAND BOMBER RAIDS

Martyn Chorlton

Countryside Books; ISBN 978-1-

84674-347-4; £14.95

THIS VERY SERVICEABLE

history chronicles the RAF’s three

great raids on Cologne, Essen

and Bremen in mid-1942 —

designed as much for their

propaganda value as for their

physical impact on the enemy.

Attention is given to the people as well as the

aeroplanes. Chapters on each raid are preceded by

scene-setting from both the British and the German

perspective, and followed by a directory of all the

aircraft types involved. Illustrated with black-and-

white photographs throughout. MO

THE ROYAL AIR FORCE

DAY BY DAY 1918–2018

Air CommodorAir CommodorAir Commodore Graham e Graham

Pitchfork

The History Press; ISBN

978-0-750979-73-3; £50

AN EARLY SHOT in what will

no doubt become a fusillade of

books commemorating the

centenary of the formation of

the RAF in April 1918, this

424-page A4 hardback is an

updated version of Air Cdre Pitchfork’s book first

published in 2008, and does exactly what it says on

the tin. Starting on January 1 and running through to

December 31, this lavishly-illustrated book (although

curiously, no colour) is a diary of selected events from

the RAF’s history, with additional sections focusing on

some of the 100-year-old service’s more significant

and interesting aspects. A good one to dip into. NSNS

distinguished history throughout the war, and became

THE SQUADRONS AND

UNITS OF THE FLEET

AIR ARM

Theo Ballance, Lee Howard

& Ray Sturtivant

Air-Britain; ISBN 978-0-

851304-89-2; Non-members

£47.50, members £34.95

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED in

1984, the late Ray Sturtivant’s

must-have definitive tome on

the senior service’s air units

has been substantially

revised and updated using the latest research material

available. Well up to Air-Britain’s high standards in

terms of production values and depth of information,

this large-format hardback contains everything you

need to know about the FAA’s squadrons, bases,

ships, battle honours and more. A magnificent, vital

volume for all serious naval aviation researchers. NS

WRECKS & RELICS: LOCAL

AVIATION COLLECTIONS OF

BRITAIN

Ken Ellis

Crécy Publishing Ltd; ISBN

978-1-908091-11-2; £18.95

LONG-ESTABLISHED as the

“go-to” series for the most

in-depth information on the

UK’s museums and aviation

collections, the former FlyPast

Editor’s prolific and indispensable Wrecks & Relics

series continues with a focus on Britain’s regional

collections, with an emphasis on the “little guys” that

rarely get the attention they often deserve. With details

of the rarities and treasures to be found at such

venues, rather than lists of personnel etc, this is an

invaluable guide for the roving enthusiast, organised

alphabetically by county, with a meaningful amount of

info on the vast majority of the exhibits at each stop. It

may be useful to have a magnifying glass handy, how-

ever, as the type size is minuscule throughout. NS

BLOODY APRIL 1917

Norman Franks, Russell Guest

& Frank Bailey

Grub Street; ISBN 978-1-910690-

41-3; £15

AN EXPANDED and updated

paperback edition of Part One of

the book Bloody April, Black

September, published by Grub

Street in 1995, with “new

photography”, this is a good

survey of this momentous and

disastrous period for the Allied air arms in France. It

includes detailed tabular records of the victories won

and the casualties suffered by both sides and an

ample supporting supply of images. Good value. PJ TAH