Steve Bond (13)

Heroes All

ISBN: 9781906502713

Author: Steve Bond    Publisher: Grub Street

For years, Steve Bond has been interviewing and recording veterans from all sides of the conflict, including air and ground crew. His aim was to transmit their ...


For years, Steve Bond has been interviewing and recording veterans from all sides of the conflict, including air and ground crew. His aim was to transmit their engaging stories faithfully to a wider public. He spoke to British and German, German and Russian, British and Italian, American and German, who all shared the same piece of sky at the same time, in a sense, re-uniting them, sometimes also literally. This is not a book about the rights and wrongs of war, nor the strategies of the military commanders. It is about the experiences and feelings of those in the front line charged with delivery of said strategy. It deals with the sharp end of key campaigns, but also the less 'glamorous' sides of service life - selection, training, aircraft ferrying, etc. This is all original material and the stories of the veterans selected (some of them household names) are not edited but put in context by Bond, with overviews and annotations. The result gives the reader an up close series of snapshots in time, which is always fascinating, often remarkably so, and will stand as a worthy and valuable testament to the airmen themselves. Veterans quoted are from the following groupings: Air Transport Auxiliary, British Army, Civilians, Fleet Air Arm, Italian air force, Luftwaffe, Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and Navy, Soviet air force, US Army, US Army Air Force, US Navy et al.


Tag: Military
$69.99
Fleet Air Arm Boys Volume 4

ISBN: 9781911667438

Author: Steve Bond    Publisher: Grub Street

Steve Bond is back with the final volume in this popular series. Unlike his previous three tomes, with their focus on air/rotorcraft, this book is uniquely dedi...


Steve Bond is back with the final volume in this popular series. Unlike his previous three tomes, with their focus on air/rotorcraft, this book is uniquely dedicated to the personnel of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) themselves. Each chapter will concentrate on the memories of contributors who served in a range of roles, including those below the flight deck. Accounts will focus on the everyday life upon an aircraft carrier as well as the extraordinary challenges faced during operations. There is a fascinating chapter covering exchange services with the RAF and other navies including the French and US; and also insight into the Indian navy's experience with the Sea Hawk and Sea Harrier. Within the previous volumes, we met some remarkable characters and there is a chapter devoted to people's memories of them. The closing section entitled 'Thoughts' sees contributors reflect on their FAA career with many deeply moving responses and discourses on the future of the service. The book is heavily illustrated throughout in colour and black and white with personal photographs from the contributors, artwork and tongue-in-cheek cartoons for which the FAA is famous. Volume Four is the perfect conclusion to the ongoing post-war story of a truly astounding branch of the armed forces.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 288


Dimensions: 156 x 234 mm


Publication Date: 12-06-2023


$79.99
Javelin Boys (pb)

ISBN: 9781911667353

Author: Steve Bond    Publisher: Grub Street

The Gloster Javelin was the UK’s first line of night and all-weather air defence both at home and in RAF Germany. In the 1950s, when it replaced the Meteor an...


The Gloster Javelin was the UK’s first line of night and all-weather air defence both at home and in RAF Germany. In the 1950s, when it replaced the Meteor and Venom, this revolutionary bomber interceptor became integral to many great stories told here in terrific detail. With an unorthodox aerodynamic design, the Javelin initially had major production issues, which included a tendency for engines to self-destruct under certain conditions. Despite this and the criticism it faced – its nicknames included ‘Flying Flat-Iron’ and ‘Harmonious Dragmaster’ – the aircraft still receives much affection from its former aircrew. Starting from the first deliveries of Javelins in 1956 until the final withdrawal from RAF squadron use in 1968, Javelin Boys describes adventures in Cyprus, Singapore during the Indonesian Confrontation and Zambia during the Rhodesian declaration of UDI. In this period a total of 434 Javelins were built, with their use spanning across eighteen different squadrons. Steve Bond has interviewed a number of veterans, all with captivating tales of their time on the aircraft. Alongside their anecdotes is a detailed history of this unusual aircraft, accompanied by photography. This book is bound to appeal to all aviation fans


Bind: paperback


Pages: 204


Dimensions: 156 x 234 mm


Publication Date: 31-08-2022


Tags: August 2022   Military
$39.99
Fleet Air Arm Boys : Volume 1 Air Defence Fighter (pb)

ISBN: 9781911667315

Author: Steve Bond    Publisher: Grub Street

The RAF's continuing role in the projection of air power in the defence of the United Kingdom and its overseas interests since the end of the Second World War i...


The RAF's continuing role in the projection of air power in the defence of the United Kingdom and its overseas interests since the end of the Second World War is well known. However, the same cannot always be said about the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA), in part due to the ten-year gap between the retirement of the Harrier and the arrival of the F-35B and the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. Flying high performance aircraft off a carrier demands not only a high level of skill, but also a considerable amount of courage and determination, not least to land back on a very small piece of real estate bobbing about in a rough sea, often at night, with no possibility of diversion. The nature of these operations has meant that the accident rate and aircrew losses were very high - and accepted as part of the job. With the arrival of the Queen Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales, it is time to redress the balance and bring the FAA's extraordinary story to the audience it so richly deserves through the words of those air and ground crews who have been part of it since 1945. What emerges is an amazing close-knit esprit de corps, often accompanied by a long-standing and still simmering rivalry between the RAF and the Royal Navy over who should project air power overseas. Enormous respect is shown by the aviators and ships' senior officers for the aircraft handlers and maintainers, who work long hours in a highly dangerous environment on the flight deck. This first volume looks chronologically at every aircraft type flown in an air defence role since 1945. Involvement in conflicts including Korea, Suez, the Falklands, Bosnia and elsewhere is included, and perforce the cost in human lives, even in everyday operations, frequently emerges. Balancing this are the everyday grind, the good times, the humour, the 'runs ashore' and the sense of pride in a job well done. All delivered in the words of the men themselves.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 288


Dimensions: 156 x 234 mm


Publication Date: 31-07-2022


$55.00
Fleet Air Arm Boys : Volume Three Helicopters

ISBN: 9781911667278

Author: Steve Bond    Publisher: Grub Street

Helicopters have been going to sea with the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm for over 70 years. Initially used for search and rescue (SAR) duties from aircraft carrie...


Helicopters have been going to sea with the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm for over 70 years. Initially used for search and rescue (SAR) duties from aircraft carriers, the rapid development of both the helicopters and service experience resulted in them taking on the vital anti-submarine (and later anti-ship) attack roles. The 1956 Suez campaign saw the first operational use of Whirlwind helicopters for the insertion of troops by air into a battle zone, a capability which was expanded with more helicopters such as the Wessex, Sea King and today's Merlin. Through their vital role in the 1960s Indonesian Confrontation, the Commando helicopter force became universally referred to as the 'Junglies', by which name they are still known today. It is often said that if either of the 1982 Task Force aircraft carriers had been lost the Falklands War could not have been won. The same would surely have been true without helicopters. Their vital tasks, including inserting Special Forces behind enemy lines, protecting the Task Force from Exocet missile attack and recovering wounded troops whilst under enemy fire, are rightly hailed as being instrumental. At home, the essential SAR effort by both the Royal Navy and their RAF counterparts has resulted in incredible stories of saving lives against the odds. Royal Navy destroyers and frigates have also long since benefitted from having their own helicopter Flight aboard. Frequently operating in extremes of weather, flying a Wasp, Lynx or today's Wildcat from and back to a heaving deck is every bit as risky as flying fixed-wing aircraft off the carriers of old using the cat and trap system. Once dismissed as a novelty, the helicopter has more than proved itself. Indeed, for ten years until the arrival of the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, the Fleet Air Arm's operational force was entirely rotary-wing. Today's Merlins and Wildcats, with their dedicated aircrew, maintenance and support staff continue to demonstrate just how vital an asset the helicopter has become. Here are the words of the men and women themselves, skilfully brought to life by Steve Bond and profusely illustrated in colour and b/w.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 288


Dimensions: 156 x 234 mm


Publication Date: 31-07-2022


$69.99
Wimpy (pb)

ISBN: 9781911667216

Author: Steve Bond    Publisher: Grub Street

To date there has been a paucity of books on this remarkable aircraft. Among its claims to fame are the following: the only RAF bomber to serve in its original ...


To date there has been a paucity of books on this remarkable aircraft. Among its claims to fame are the following: the only RAF bomber to serve in its original role from first day of war to last, and in every theatre; the first type to bomb Germany; the first type to bomb Berlin; the first type to drop the 4,000lb 'Cookie' bomb; and so on. A serious study is well overdue, drawing not just on official documentation but relying greatly on personal accounts and anecdotes from the veterans who were there, both air and ground crew. And here it is. Through his diligent research over many years, author Steve Bond has produced an outstanding work. His coverage of operations will include, inter alia, the early bombing campaigns, the switch to main force activity, the use of OTU aircraft and crews on operations, the protection of Atlantic and Mediterranean convoys, service with the FAA and the French and the Wellington's continued use as bomber and transport aircraft.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 256


Dimensions: 175 x 246 mm


Publication Date: 31-05-2022


$55.00
Fleet Air Arm Boys : Volume 2

ISBN: 9781911667179

Author: Steve Bond    Publisher: Grub Street

Since the end of World War 2 the primary role of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm has been airborne power projection; the ability rapidly to respond to any troubl...


Since the end of World War 2 the primary role of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm has been airborne power projection; the ability rapidly to respond to any trouble spot across the globe and to protect the interests of the United Kingdom and its partner nations. The principal tools in that response were the strike aircraft which took the offensive to the aggressor. Although from 2010 to 2020 fixed-wing carrier aviation was not part of the Fleet Air Arm, with the advent of the navy's two new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, that capability has been restored. This renewed focus has not only seen the return of flying high performance aircraft from a carrier, but also the regeneration of the necessary skills, and courage, needed to cope with the extremes of weather and the nature of air operations in a very high-risk environment. However the lessons of the past have not been forgotten, and so many of those previous experiences are related within these pages - true stories of the last 76 years from aircrew, maintainers, aircraft handlers and many other supporting staff both men and women. Following on from the success of volume one, this second volume covers every fixed-wing aircraft type flown from carriers in the strike, anti-submarine warfare and the vital airborne early warning roles; from Scimitars to Hunters, Buccaneers to Skyraiders and many more, plus an extensive fleet of land-based aircraft. As with the first volume, involvement in operations such as Suez, the Beira Patrol, the Falklands, Belize, Bosnia and elsewhere is included. Despite the intensity and all-to-frequent tragedy of operations, the esprit de corps, and the ability to find the necessary release through laughter, shine through. Here are the words of the men and women themselves, profusely illustrated in black and white and colour.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 256


Dimensions: 156 x 234 mm


Publication Date: 19-07-2021


$69.99
Fleet Air Arm Boys : Volume 1

ISBN: 9781911621980

Author: Steve Bond    Publisher: Grub Street

The RAF’s continuing role in the projection of air power in the defence of the United Kingdom and its overseas interests since the end of the Second World War...


The RAF’s continuing role in the projection of air power in the defence of the United Kingdom and its overseas interests since the end of the Second World War is well known. However, the same cannot always be said about the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm (FAA), in part due to the ten-year gap between the retirement of the Harrier and the arrival of the F-35B and the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. Flying high performance aircraft off a carrier demands not only a high level of skill, but also a considerable amount of courage and determination, not least to land back on a very small piece of real estate bobbing about in a rough sea, often at night, with no possibility of diversion. The nature of these operations has meant that the accident rate and aircrew losses were very high – and accepted as part of the job. With the arrival of the Queen Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales, it is time to redress the balance and bring the FAA’s extraordinary story to the audience it so richly deserves through the words of those air and ground crews who have been part of it since 1945. What emerges is an amazing close-knit esprit de corps, often accompanied by a long-standing and still simmering rivalry between the RAF and the Royal Navy over who should project air power overseas. Enormous respect is shown by the aviators and ships’ senior officers for the aircraft handlers and maintainers, who work long hours in a highly dangerous environment on the flight deck. This first volume looks chronologically at every aircraft type flown in an air defence role since 1945. Involvement in conflicts including Korea, Suez, the Falklands, Bosnia and elsewhere is included, and perforce the cost in human lives, even in everyday operations, frequently emerges. Balancing this are the everyday grind, the good times, the humour, the ‘runs ashore’ and the sense of pride in a job well done. All delivered in the words of the men themselves.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 256


Dimensions: 156 x 234 mm


Publication Date: 26-10-2020


Tag: Military
$69.99
Meteor Boys (PB)

ISBN: 9781911621904

Author: Steve Bond    Publisher: Grub Street

As Britain’s first jet fighter, the Gloster Meteor has had a remarkably varied and lengthy life. But whilst many books have focused on its development and ser...


As Britain’s first jet fighter, the Gloster Meteor has had a remarkably varied and lengthy life. But whilst many books have focused on its development and service history, the time has come to hear the personal experiences of its air and ground crews. By interviewing over forty veterans, author Steve Bond has written an incredibly detailed insight into this iconic aircraft, which is supported by anecdotes and accounts from those who knew it best. One example is Alan McDonald who described the Meteor as ‘a bit unforgiving if you got it wrong, as many pilots found out to their cost, especially on one engine, but I must admit I got to like it very much – it was a great adrenalin rush.’ Alongside these entertaining anecdotes are details of the Meteor’s origins and developments. Starting with the first deliveries in 1944 working through to the present day, Steve Bond documents the diverse role which the Meteor has had. From use in operations against the V1, photo-reconnaissance missions, as a training machine and later a display aircraft – particular attention is given to its major service period of the 1950s through to the early 1960s. This detailed history of this iconic and much-loved jet fighter will appeal to all aviation fans.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 224


Dimensions: 156 x 234 mm


Publication Date: 30-04-2020


Tag: Military
$35.00
Javelin Boys

ISBN: 9781910690406

Author: Steve Bond    Publisher: Grub Street

The Gloster Javelin was the UK's first line of night and all-weather air defence both at home and in RAF Germany. In the 1950s, when it replaced the Meteor and ...


The Gloster Javelin was the UK's first line of night and all-weather air defence both at home and in RAF Germany. In the 1950s, when it replaced the Meteor and Venom, this revolutionary bomber/interceptor became the focus of many great stories told here in terrific detail. With an unorthodox aerodynamic design, the Javelin initially had major production issues, which involved a tendency for engines to self-destruct under certain conditions. Despite this and the criticism it faced - its nicknames included 'Flying Flat-Iron' and 'Harmonious Dragmaster' - the aircraft still receives much affection from its former aircrew.Starting from the first deliveries of Javelins in 1956 until the final withdrawal from RAF squadron use in 1968, Javelin Boys describes adventures in Cyprus, Singapore during the Indonesian Confrontation and Zambia during the Rhodesian declaration of UDI. In this period a total of 434 Javelins were built, with their use spanning across eighteen different squadrons.Steve Bond has interviewed a number of veterans, all with captivating tales of their time on the aircraft. Alongside their anecdotes is a detailed history of this unusual aircraft, accompanied by photography never seen before in print. This book is bound to appeal to all aviation fans.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 208


Dimensions: 156 x 234 mm


Publication Date: 01-09-2017


Tag: Military
$55.00
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