From the young airmen who took their frail machines high above the trenches of World War I and fought their foes in single combat there emerged a renowned company of brilliant aces - among them Ball, Bishop, McCuddon, Collishaw and Mannock - whose legendary feats have echoed down half a century. But behind the elite there were, in the Royal Flying Corps, many hundreds of other airmen who flew their hazardous daily sorties in outdated planes without ever achieving fame. Here is the story of one of these unknown flyers - a story based on letters written on the day, hot on the event, which tells of a young pilot's progress from fledgling to seasoned fighter. His descriptions of air fighting, sometimes against the Richtofen Circus, of breathless dog-fights between Sopwith Pup and Albatros, are among the most vivid and immediate to come out of World War I. Gould Lee brilliantly conveys the immediacy of air war, the thrills and the terror, in this honest and timeless acount. Rising to the rank of air vice-marshal, Gould Lee never forgot the RFC's needless sacrifices - and in a trio of trenchant appendices he examines, with the mature judgement of a senior officer of the RAF and a graduate of the Staff and Imperial Defence Colleges, the failure of the Army High Command to provide both efficient aeroplanes until mid-1917 and parachutes throughout the war, and General Trenchard's persistence in a costly and largely ineffective conception of the air offensive.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 256

Dimensions: 135 x 210 mm

Publication Date: 20-05-2013

Malta in the summer of 1942, a Malta wide open to air attack from the Germans and Italians and defended by a handful of Spitfires and a few anti-aircraft guns. Denis Barnham, a young and inexperienced flight lieutenant, spent ten hectic weeks on this indomitable island; he left a well-ordered English aerodrome for the chaos and disillusionment of Luqa. His task was to engage the overwhelming number of enemy bombers, usually protected by fighter escorts, and shoot down as many as possible. The Spitfires were bomb-scarred and battered; often they could only get two or three in the air together, and the airfields were riddled with bomb craters, but they managed to keep going and they made their mark on enemy operations. The author has written a powerful account of his experiences in Malta starting with his trip out in an American aircraft carrier through the ceaseless battle and turmoil during the desperate defence of the island, until his departure by air back to England, having seen the reinforcements safely landed and the tide of battle turning. His descriptions and illustrations of the air action are thrilling, but terrifying. It is at times a very grim story but is told with humour and compassion to bring, arguably, one of the best first-hand accounts of aerial combat ever written.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 208

Dimensions: 135 x 210 mm

Publication Date: 20-05-2013

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

Blieka has a present. It's a lovely red ball, and it's not for sharing! But what happens when the ball loses its air? Will help arrive, and will Blieka learn that sharing brings some unexpected benefits?
Debut picture book by Susanna Moores. A charming tale about friendship and sharing.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 32

Dimensions: 250 x 250 mm

Publication Date: 01-05-2013

Much-loved fairy tales leap to life in this series of lively retellings. There's a surprise under each lift-up flap to add to the fun.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 24

Dimensions: 210 x 210 mm

Publication Date: 28-09-2012

Much-loved fairy tales leap to life in this series of lively retellings. There's a surprise under each lift-up flap to add to the fun.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 24

Dimensions: 210 x 210 mm

Publication Date: 28-09-2012