The Avro Type 698 Vulcan
Design and DevelopmentAUTHOR: David W Fildes
YEAR: 2012, reprinted in current format
2017
PUBLISHER: Pen & Sword Aviation
ISBN: 978-1-47388-677-4
FOR M AT: 487pp SoftbackQ
uite simply, this book
describes the design and
development of the Vulcan.
But to put it so simply gives no real
indication of the in-depth study
contained in its almost 500 pages.
The author focusses on the
technical development of the aircraft
and its systems, but does not neglect
its service history. Using a mixture
of narrative, quotations, extracts,
and reproductions of documents,
he goes into great detail throughout
the book’s various sections.
The titles are self-explanatory:
Design and Development; Concept
to Reality; Progress through
Development; Into Service – Vulcan
B.Mk 1/1A; B.Mk2 Development;
Conceptual Projects; Types
for all Tasks; Final Chapter;
and B.Mk 2 Specifications.
There are also appendices listing
abbreviations and “Rainbow” codes,
and one entitled For the Model Maker.
This last consists of line drawings
of various stores, such as Yellow
Sun and Blue Steel; a photograph of
a model built from the Airfix 1/72
kit; a reproduction of drawings,originally published in Avro News,
of a simple flying scale model; and
detailed general arrangement plans,
drawn to (if my calculations based
on the scale bar on the drawing are
correct) approximately 1:200 scale.
The text is supported throughout
by a large number of photographs
and other illustrations. Sadly, there
is the occasional misspelling or typo
(eg “[a flight of Vulcans] pealing
(sic) off ...” on p437), but otherwise
this is a very detailed and well-
researched book, which was clearly
a labour of love for the author.
If you are a Vulcan enthusiast,
this is the ideal book for you.
Thanks to Pen & Sword
Books Ltd for the review copy.
MJCPolish Wings 23
303 Squadron North American
MustangAUTHOR: Steve Brooking, Wojtek
Matusiak and Piotr Sikora
YEAR: 2017
PUBLISHER: Stratus (MMP)
ISBN: 978-83-65281-49-4
FOR M AT: 65pp SoftbackT
his latest book from the
Polish Wings Series takes
a look at the Mustang
in 303 Polish Squadron Service,
but it has really been written
with the model maker in mind.
The book opens with a history
of the most famous unit of the
Polish Air Force, 303 Kościuszko
Squadron. The rest of the book
is dedicated to illustrating the
Mustangs of the squadron,
with superb colour profiles and
numerous contemporary black
and white photos, many of which
are previously unpublished.ModelMaker Decals from
Poland have produced a decal
sheet to go with the book, which
is available separately at w w w.
modelmaker.com.pl. If you are
interested in modelling Polish
aircraft or Polish squadron aircraft,
then this book and the others in the
series are really worth seeking out.
My thanks to Stratus/
MMP for supplying this
excellent book for review.
TMU-SFrom Jacks to Joysticks
An Aviation Life: Engineer to Commercial PilotAUTHOR: Mick J Patrick
YEAR: 2018
PUBLISHER: Air World Books
ISBN: 978-1-52671-285-1
FOR M AT: 188 pp HardbackT
his book would have been
very different – indeed
it may never have been
written at all – if the author
had followed his original career
inclinations and gone into
agriculture. Instead, for reasons
he explains in the book, he joined
the RAF as a Halton apprentice in- This was to be the start of a
long and varied career in aviation.
After passing out of Halton,
the author served in a number of
ground engineering jobs before
leaving the RAF. From there,
after a short spell with an aircraft
manufacturer, he started as an
engineer on a cargo airline. This led
to him becoming a flight engineer,
subsequently learning to fly, and
qualifying as a commercial pilot.
He flew air ambulances and later
became a simulator instructor,
then an inspector for the CAA
and IATA. He has amassed a large
number of qualifications, a varied
list of types flown, and his work
has taken him to many countries.
The author’s style makes this
a very readable book about the
RAF in the 1960s and the world
of commercial aviation from the
1970s onwards. Two sections of
photographs and an appendix
listing the types serviced and flown
by the author complete this volume.
Thanks to Pen & Sword
Books Ltd for the review copy.
MJCBattle of Britain 1940
The Luftwaffe’s ‘Eagle Attack’AUTHOR: Douglas C Dildy
ILLUSTRATED BY: Graham Turner
YEAR: 2018
PUBLISHER: Osprey Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 978-1-4728-2057-0
FOR M AT: 96 pp Paperback; also as e-BookT
his volume is the first
in what appears to be a
new series from Osprey
under the heading Air Campaign.
Written by the respected American
aviation historian Douglas C Dildy,
it is the first English-language
account of the Battle of Britain
from the German point of view.
After an introduction and
chronology, the author starts by
examining the attacker’s capabilities,
which looks at the doctrine and
development of the Luftwaffe, the
development of its aircraft, and
its commanders; the chapter ends
with the order of battle in August- The next chapter takes a
similar look at Fighter Command,
examining doctrine, fighters, tactics,
commanders, and of course the radar-
based integrated air defence system.
After that, Campaign Objectives looks
at what the Germans aimed to achieve.
The Campaign, not surprisingly,
covers the events in detail, after
which the text is concluded by an
analysis, a bibliography, and an index.
The well-written and engaging
text is liberally illustrated throughout
with tables, photographs, maps,
and other illustrations.
This book is a first issue in what
promises to be a series of particular
interest to the historian. Whilst not
of direct relevance to the modeller,
in that there are no close-up details
of aeroplanes, and no colour profiles,
this will nevertheless be of value to
those with even a passing interest is in
the history behind their models, and
of course to those interested in World
War II history. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Osprey Publishing
Ltd for the review copy.
MJCBOOKS & MEDIA
WWW.SAMPUBLICATIONS.COM • JULY 2018 • 79
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