The unforgiving and deadly combats fought in the skies over the United Kingdom during the Battle of Britain were, in many respects, personal affairs - one man against another. These duels, and the emotions and stress they generated, are revealed in this day-to-day, blow-by-blow account of the part that two front line fighter units, one British and one German, played in the events of the summer of 1940. This is the story of the Battle of Britain as seen through the eyes of the men of 609 (West Riding) Squadron, based in southern England, and 1/JG53, a Luftwaffe staffel based in northern France. The tense action of aerial combat and the relief felt by individual pilots surviving these encounters, the elation of a successful kill', or the tragedy of seeing a friend shot down, highlight the common fears felt by airmen on both sides of the fight. We learn of exhausting, unremitting action, and days of frustrating weather-induced inactivity, along with those brief moments of leisure and pleasure grasped from the daily struggle for survival. What we also discover is that there was, in many regards, little difference in the experiences and reactions between the men defending king and country and those fighting for the F hrer - creating a form of bond derived from those shared experiences, of indeed, brothers in arms.

Officially established on 22 April 1931, around a core of 5 pilots and 32 aircraft mechanics, the Royal Iraqi Air Force was the first military flying service in any Arab country. Coming into being with the task of supporting the Iraqi armed forces and the British against revolts by local tribes, it saw extensive combat and gradually grew into a potent force. During the Anglo-Iraqi War of 1941, it became involved in its first conventional campaign in support of an anti-British coup but was destroyed as a fighting force. It was still recovering when deployed in combat again, this time against Israel in the course of the Palestine War of 1948-1949. During the 1950s, the Royal Iraqi Force experienced a phase of unprecedented growth: after acquiring several batches of Hawker Fury piston-engined fighter-bombers, Bristol Freighter transports and its first helicopters, it entered the jet-age through the acquisition of de Havilland Vampires and Venoms, and Hawker Hunters in quick succession. The 14 Tammuz Revolution of 1958 toppled the British-imposed monarchy and cut the ties to London. For the next five years, the Iraqi Air Force (IrAF) maintained close links to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and became the first Arab air force to operate types like the MiG-19 and MiG-21, and also the first equipped with Tupolev Tu-16 medium jet bombers. Through the 1960s, the IrAF played a dominant role in Iraq's inner politics, determining the fate of the nation to an unprecedented degree. It not only became involved in combat against Kurdish insurgents in the north of the country: its officers staged multiple coups d'etat in 1963, 1965 and 1966, served as Ministers of Defence and Prime Ministers of the Iraqi government, became involved in the June 1967 War with Israel, and were instrumental in the putsch of 1968 that brought the Ba'ath Party to power. Although subjected to the tight control of the Ba'ath and the Army, the IrAF continued growing through the 1970s and reached its zenith during the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988, when it flew some of the most advanced combat aircraft available world-wide, became the air force with most combat- and flying experience on the MiG-25 and the first true multi-role combat aircraft ever - the Mirage F.1 - and played the crucial role in forcing Tehran to accept a cease-fire. In 1990, the IrAF took part in the invasion of Kuwait. Decimated during the 1991 Gulf War against the US-led coalition, it became involved in the suppression of the uprisings in northern and southern Iraq, and subsequently continued fighting a decade-long no-fly zone maintained by the USA and Great Britain. Although virtually 'born in battle', collecting precious combat experience and playing an important role in so many internal and external conflicts, the Iraqi Air Force remains one of the least known and most misinterpreted military services in the Middle East. Richly illustrated, 'Wings over Iraq' provides a uniquely compact yet comprehensive guide to its operational history, its crucial officers and aircraft, and its major operations.

Initially developed by Savoia-Marchetti as a transport, the aircraft had evolved into a dedicated medium bomber by the time the S.79-I made its combat debut in the Spanish Civil War in 1936. During World War 2, it became Italy's most successful bomber, and the most produced, with around 1370 built between 1936 and early 1944. Although initially hampered by poor tactics, the S.79 bomber crews nonetheless scored sunk a number of Allied vessels, and provided a constant threat to Allied sailors in the Mediterranean in the early stages of the war. In East Africa and the Red Sea the Sparvieri were the most modern bombers in-theatre, proving a challenge to RAF and SAAF biplane fighters. Using specially commissioned full-colour artwork, first-hand accounts and historic photographs, this volume chronicles the history of the S.79's war in the Mediterranean, North African, Balkan, and East African theatres.

This book explores the reconnaissance aircraft used by the British armed forces in the 1970s and '80s, namely the Avro Shackleton, Hawker Siddeley Nimrod, Fairey Gannet and English Electric Canberra. The maritime patrol and airborne early warning (AEW) Shackleton was a descendant of the Avro Lancaster and Lincoln and was in service from 1951 to 1991. The Nimrod, based on the de Havilland Comet, was also a maritime patrol aircraft and served between 1969 and 2011. The Gannet first flew in 1949, but, during the period covered by this book, flew in the AEW role with just one Royal Navy squadron. Finally, the Canberra, which first flew in 1949, was used as a bomber and then mainly in the reconnaissance role. It was finally retired from the RAF in 2006. With over 180 black and white and colour photographs, this book, the fourth in a series covering British combat aircraft of the 1970s and '80s, looks at the aircraft used in the reconnaissance or AEW roles.

This fully illustrated volume looks at the classic jet fighter, the Hawker Hunter. The type's development, entry into service and operations are examined in detail.

SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER DAILY MAIL BOOK OF THE WEEK THE FIRST OFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE RED ARROWS 'Heart-pounding, exhilarating . . . A fascinating testimony of jeopardy, cool heads and the sheer exultant addiction of flying.' SINCLAIR MCKAY 'Fantastic . . . It was wonderful to read about so many old chums and truly legendary aviators. Highly recommended.' JOHN NICHOL (Twitter) 'An exhilarating read! The next-best thing to taking the controls of a Hawk fast-jet. And you're much less likely to throw up.' BEN MILLER 'Inspirational . . . Precision, style and dedication. The Red Arrows are the ultimate in teamwork.' TIM PEAKE 'Perfectly enjoyable . . . As the Red Arrows head towards their 60th anniversary, it's clear the team's place in our hearts is secure.' DAILY MAIL 'A wild ride . . . The ultimate insider guide, relating with great enthusiasm and insight what it means to be inside the cockpit as you scream through the skies at 350 to 450 miles per hour, within what feels like touching distance of your wingman, making continual nanosecond decisions that will result in certain death if you get them wrong.' TELEGRAPH, Patrick Bishop _________________________________________ "Occasionally, you and the team come within read of perfection, up there in the rarefied air of the skies. You never know when those moments will come, but it's what you yearn for as a pilot." The Red Arrows represent the very best speed, agility and precision aerobatic flying in the Royal Air Force, and the people who wear those iconic red flight suits are rigorously selected not just for their flying skills, lightning-fast reflexes and nerves of steel, but for their mental resilience, courage and humility. Written by the Officer Commanding and former Red 1 Team Leader, Wing Commander David Montenegro, and full of never-before-shared tales from pilots past and present, this thrilling history is both a faithful record and a fascinating account of not only what it takes, but what it means, to be a Red Arrow. _________________________________________ Praise for the Red Arrows: 'A lifetime's ambition . . . I still can't believe I've been in a fighter jet. It was fantastic - just to feel the G-force was spectacular.' LEWIS HAMILTON 'So tight, crisp and professional' CHRIS HADFIELD 'I can never quite believe that anyone can fly and aircraft with such precision' PROF. BRIAN COX 'The skill level they have is just off the scale. The Red Arrows is an amazing display of quality' DAVID COULTHARD

With Ethiopia in disarray following a period of severe internal unrest and the spread of insurgencies in Eritrea and Tigray, Ethiopia and its armed forces should have offered little opposition to well-equipped Somali armed forces which were unleashed to capture Ogaden, in July 1977. However, excellently trained pilots of the Ethiopian Air Force took full advantage of their US-made equipment, primarily their few brand-new Northrop F-5E Tiger II fighter-bombers, to take the fight to their opponents, win air superiority over the battlefield, and thus have their hands free to interdict the Somali supply links to stop the invasion cold. This air victory practically sealed the fate of the Somali juggernaut in Ogaden, especially so once Ethiopia convinced Cuba and the Soviet Bloc to support her instead of Somalia. In a fit of pique, Somalia forced all Soviet advisers to leave the country. Already bitter over similar experiences in Egypt in 1972, Moscow’s revenge was designed as a clear message: nobody was to treat her in such fashion again. The USSR subsequently launched an air bridge to Ethiopia, unique and unprecedented in its extension and importance, delivering huge quantities of armament and equipment necessary for the Ethiopians to reconquer Ogaden, and beyond. In turn Somalia asked the USA for help and thus occurred an unprecedented switch of Cold War alliances. This volume details the history and training of both Ethiopian and Somali air forces, their equipment and training, tactics used and kills claimed, against the backdrop of the flow of the Ogaden war. It explains in detail, supported by over 100 contemporary and exclusive photographs, maps and colour profiles, how the Ethiopian Air Force won the decisive victory in the air by expertly deploying the F-5Es – unequalled in manoeuvrability, small size and powerful armament – to practically destroy the Somali Air Force and its MiG-17s and MiG-21s.