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. Operational detail will include, for example, 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, and the continued use as bomber and transport aircraft. A worthy tribute, then, replete with original photographs throughout.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 256

Dimensions: 189 x 246 mm

Publication Date: 19-09-2014

In the past decade and a half the unique requirements of dual wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have radically altered the appearance and capabilities of the British Army’s infantry soldiers. Gone are the tactics uniforms and equipment of the Cold War, replaced by an elite fighting force, skilled in counterinsurgency operations and warfare in both urban and rural environments. Fully illustrated and written by an insider, this engaging book traces the major transformations in British Army doctrine, organisation, structures, units, uniforms and equipment, from the end of the Cold War in the 1990s up to today, revealing how despite being a small force in global terms, the British Army continues to be able to punch above its weight.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 64

Publication Date: 08-09-2014

William Avery Bishop - best known as Billy - has been hailed as the British Empire's highest-scoring World War I fighter ace. Officially credited with victory in seventy-two air battles, the Canadian-born pilot was honoured in a special ceremony by King George V, who presented Bishop with the Victoria Cross, Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross at the same time. Bishop also became an early recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross. Making 'lone wolf' attacks on German aircraft, the daring young flyer pursued targets over enemy lines without having to be responsible for less experienced men in a patrol. Bishop's approach to aerial combat was extremely dangerous, however, making him more vulnerable to his adversaries. And, with sparse independent corroboration of his air fighting claims, Bishop's tactic left him open to suspicions about the veracity of his combat reports. A key point of this book is Peter Kilduff's careful review of the ace's existing combat reports and private correspondence, as well as accounts by friends and foes. Another side of Billy Bishop is revealed in many letters to his fiancee (later wife) relating death-defying experiences while sharing tender inner thoughts. Drawing on some five decades of extensive, even-handed and thorough research into World War I aviation history, Kilduff examines a wealth of German sources for this in-depth study of the ace's aerial exploits. Drawing on all his experience, the author sheds new light on Bishop's air missions and combats, which so far are steeped in controversy. Such methodology provides as complete an account as possible. Billy Bishop VC - Lone Wolf Hunter also serves as a valuable reference work, containing over seventy illustrations relating to Bishop and his adversaries, many previously unpublished.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 192

Dimensions: 170 x 246 mm

Publication Date: 23-08-2014

Have you ever wondered...



• Who was the youngest WW2serviceman to fight in battle?



• How low did the Dambusters fly?



• How many ships were sunk at Pearl Harbor?



From the Battle of Britain to the Siege of Leningrad,the horrors of the Holocaust to the D-Day landings, on the Home Front and abroad, the Second World War changed the political, social and economic structure of the world. Through its battles, aircraft, weapons, soldiers, campaigns and heroes, this comprehensive miscellany is a compelling guide to one of the most destructive and all-encompassing wars the world has ever seen.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 240

Dimensions: 116 x 182 mm

Publication Date: 04-08-2014

During World War Two a great many Luftwaffe aircraft arrived on the ground in the UK or its coastal waters, but, as with Rudolf Hess, not all of them through 'conventional' combat circumstances. Some had got lost, others were brought by defectors; some were lured through electronic countermeasures by the RAF, others brought down in unusual combat circumstances. All manner of types appeared - He111, Go145, Me110, Ju88, Me109 F and G, FW 190, Do 217 - and all were of great interest to the RAF. In some cases aircraft were repaired and test flown, betraying vital and invaluable information. Distinguished author Andy Saunders examines a selection of such fascinating cases and draws upon his own research, interviews, official reports and eye-witness accounts to bring alive these truly unusual accounts, all richly illustrated with contemporary photographs.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 192

Publication Date: 18-07-2014

Originally intended as a trainer, the Anglo-French Sepecat jet, equipped with the very latest in weapon-aiming and navigational equipment, eventually became the backbone of the RAF's tactical strike-attack and recce forces for a decade from the mid-1970s. In these pages, the Jaguar Boys - pilots, engineer and ground crew - tell of the aircraft's drawbacks and joys, their sadness at losses, and their pleasure at its development into a readily-deployable and outstandingly-capable fighter-bomber for the post-Cold War era. Then came the Gulf War which signalled the start of a hectic sequence of operational adventures and upgrades for the 'Boys' and seasoned veterans tell of action over Iraq and in the Balkans. One of the best-loved of RAF types, the Jaguar commanded a fierce loyalty and affection which shines through in these accounts of an aircraft that will live forever in the memory.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 208

Publication Date: 18-07-2014

Annie's War is a remarkable book. There have been many published collections of soldiers' diaries and letters from the First World War, but never a first-hand account of one New Zealand family's life in England during these challenging and frightening years.

When her sons, Oswald and Seton, decided they wanted to serve as pilots, which meant enlisting in Britain, Annie Montgomerie decreed that the whole family would go too. So from 1916 to 1919 they lived in London, facing Zeppelin attacks, giving hospitality to young New Zealand friends who left to fight (and sometimes never came back), watching Oswald and Seton go off to war, and suffering in the influenza epidemic.

Through all this Annie kept a diary, in which she recorded her deep love and concern for her family, her hatred of the war, her forthright, amusing an proudly Kiwi views on the English and myriad fascinating details about wartime London life. Annie's granddaughter, Susanna Montgomerie Norris, has transcribed and edited this extraordinary account, along with many letters and diary excerpts from her pilot father, Seton. Richly illustrated with contemporary photographs and other memorabilia, Annie's War offers a unique and compelling view of a crucial time in world history.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 256

Dimensions: 175 x 228 mm

Publication Date: 10-11-2014

The Vulcan, the second of the three V bombers built to guard the UK during the Cold War, has become an aviation icon like the Spitfire, its delta shape instantly recognisable as is the howling noise it makes when the engines are opened for take-off.

Vulcan Boys is the first Vulcan book recounted completely first hand by the operators themselves. It tells the story of the aircraft from its design conception through the Cold War when it played out its most important job as Britain’s nuclear deterrent; before unbelievably, at the end of its service life, also playing a significant role, with its bombs and missiles, in liberating the Falkland Islands for which it gained much celebrity.

The individual accounts detail how hours at a time were spent on readiness, waiting to be scrambled to defend their country in the event of a third world war. In addition how their aggressive skills were honed by carrying out Lone Ranger sorties flying to the States and westward around the world, and taking part in Giant Voice and Red Flag, competitive exercises against the United States Strategic Air Command. The attacks in the Falklands using Shrike missiles are described accurately and in great detail for the first time including the landing at Rio de Janeiro alongside a vivid account of Black Buck 2.

Vulcan Boys is a fascinating and completely authentic read reminding us of the Cold War, how it was fought and the considerable effort required to prevent all-out nuclear war.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 198

Dimensions: 156 x 234 mm

Publication Date: 09-05-2014

The sequel to the best-selling The Lightning Boys, Lightning Boys 2 is a must-have companion and continues the tales from pilots and other crew connected with this iconic aircraft, giving a rare insight into postwar fighter operations. In 20 separate stories to intrigue, amaze and amuse, the book has also been complied and written by Richard Pike.
The reader is taken to situations intercepting 60 plus enemy aircraft, a desperate struggle in a cockpit flooded by tropical downpours, the difficulties of being affected by sudden toothache at high altitude, and the curious encounter with an unidentified flying object. Yet another chapter paints a dramatic reconstruction of a scene in Germany when a Lightning, having entered an inadvertent, out-of-control spin, began an earthwards plunge towards a town centre.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 192

Dimensions: 156 x 234 mm

Publication Date: 18-06-2018

Now in Paperback.
The scrapping of the Nimrod programme has been one of the most controversial events in the military aviation world for many a year.
For most of its operational life, from 1969 to date, its contribution to the defence of the realm and its role in offensive duties was, of necessity, often shrouded in secrecy. It was the ‘eye in the sky’ which was absolutely vital to a host of activities – from anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, to support of land battles throughout the world, to the Falklands campaign, to combating drug-running, the Nimrod’s unsung role was paramount.
And now the UK is bereft of such a multi-tasking reconnaissance aircraft.
The full story of the Nimrod, and its significance, now needs to be told. Tony Blackman, who was there at the beginning, test-flew nearly every aircraft and was at Kinloss on the very day the project was cancelled, has written this timely book, Nimrod Rise and Fall, covering every facet of its history, its weapons system developments and its tragic accidents. He writes in an approachable way, making technical subjects understandable but his conclusions will, inevitably, not be welcomed by everyone

Bind: paperback

Pages: 224

Dimensions: 170 x 240 mm

Publication Date: 22-05-2013