Like many European air arms, the history of the Bulgarian Air Force between 1939 and 1945 was eventful and rather dramatic. A small country, located in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, the Kingdom of Bulgaria entered into the fourth decade of the century as a still-neutral, but in fact strongly pro-German state. So it was not a surprise when it eventually joined the Axis on 1 March 1941, declaring war on both Britain and the US six months later. In the course of the war the moderate and poorly-equipped air arm of late 1930s steadily matured during the wartime years into a small but capable force, able to mount fierce resistance to the Allied bomber raids against the country's capital Sofia in late 1943 and early 1944. Only a few hours following the 9 September 1944 pro-Allied coup in Sofia, the Bulgarian air arm was immediately rushed into operation against the armed forces of the yesterday's partner - Nazi Germany. After the end of the war, Bulgaria fell in total dependency on the Soviet Union as a direct result from the 1944 Yalta agreement of 'spheres of influence' division of Europe. The Bulgarian air force was radically reformed in the Soviet style and rapidly re-equipped with huge numbers of front-line aircraft, supplied by the new 'brother in arms'. This study features a large number of rare and previously unseen photographs accompanied by specially-commissioned colour artwork showing camouflage and markings.

Home to the famous biennial Farnborough Air Show, the town of Farnborough in the South of England has had a pivotal role in the history of British aviation since flying commenced from the site in 1905. The Royal Aeronautical Establishment was set up there and rapidly expanded as the scene of many significant developments in British aviation for many decades. Over the years, a range of buildings were constructed for various purposes and to house specific functions such as wind tunnels. Many of these building are now listed and protected as part of a museum on the site. Farnborough is best known for its experiments and development of aircraft types. After the Second World War, it played host to a considerable variety of aircraft including a number of Axis types captured during the war. Beautifully illustrated and written by a leading aviation expert, SBAC Farnborough: A History is the definitive book on the subject of Farnborough from 1932 onwards.

In May 2023, Israel will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of its founding as a state, and also the 75th anniversary of the establishment of its air force. The maturation of what was once the Israel Defence Force/Air Force (IDF/AF), and since 2005 is the Israeli Air-Space Force (IASF), is a fascinating study of a military force working to meet shifting obligations under multiple impediments while being repeatedly tested in combat. Many factors over the seven and a half decades shaped its air fighting capability, not the least being the demands of the evolving battlefield, uncertain funding, available weapons, and quality of personnel. Tactics and doctrine were, in turn, shaped by government policies, international pressures, and confronting adversaries likewise evolving. When the trials in war, or combat short of war came, success was a measure of its weapons' suitability, relevancy of training, and experience of personnel. This volume documents this evolution of the Israeli air force throughout its history by examination of all of these factors. It stands apart from many other books in performing this examination in a more dispassionate and critical manner, without the common hyperbole. A great deal of space is devoted to description of constant shifts in its equipment - especially aircraft and other weapons - and its organisational structure over time. A summary of the geopolitical milieu in which Israel and its military institutions have dwelled over the 75 years helps to explain the material acquisition and tactical choices while placing in context the operations in which they were employed. Written at a time of historical challenges for Israeli Air and Space Force, and the Israel Defence Forces as a whole, this is an exclusive, highly informative and richly illustrated source of reference and is the first volume in a three-volume mini-series.

When Hitler unleashed his V1 and V2 rockets on Great Britain in 1944, it was the first military attack on the British civilian population without invasion. Innocent families were wiped out without mercy and terror gripped the nation. Churchill and the Crossbow Committee knew that widespread panic would soon ensue, because the British public were becoming increasingly anxious about the Nazis superior technology, which was destroying their lives. But through important intelligence from Bomber Command, Naval commandos, the French and Dutch Resistances in Europe, and the precise plotting of V rocket activity in the Filter Room of Fighter Command through air reconnaissance, a Top Secret plan was formed to dive-bomb V rocket installations with Mark IX and Mark XVI Spitfires. Craig Cabell is the writer and historian responsible for bringing Operation Big Ben to world attention. He has studied the original documentation since its release from the National Archive in 2004 and interviewed veterans who took part in the operation, such as Flight Lieutenant Raymond Baxter. Cabell's initial research resulted in many accolades and now resides in the 602 'City of Glasgow' Squadron Museum.But now, for the first time, Cabell has put together the whole story of Operation Big Ben, showing the work of the Crossbow Committee, intelligence Commandos under the orders of Commander Ian Fleming, the French and Dutch Resistances, and the brave men who flew the Spitfires of 124, 229, 303, 453, 602 and 603 squadrons. For the sake of accuracy and attention to detail, this book concentrates on the day-to-day activity of Spitfires during Operation Big Ben and the work of the various strands of British intelligence before and during it. In this book Operation Big Ben is separated from Operation Crossbow, (the anti-V1 operation) to show how the British government stepped up its urgency to counter the V2 threat. Although some of the detail could be considered repetitious in places (many cuts of non-operational flying have been made from the histories of each squadron in order to keep the flow of the book thought-provoking and interesting), the focus is on accuracy. The author has noted that in other publications that touch on Operation Big Ben, specific activity has not been documented correctly. This is because squadron histories haven't been cross-referenced in the past.Each squadron history in this book, mentions the work of other Big Ben squadrons (to report on the filtering of intelligence, escort work for other larger operations, or the details of the weather conditions experienced and the plight of the Dutch people during the harsh winter of 1944-45) to create a fuller and more visual picture of what happened. It is appreciated that aviation historians and enthusiasts alike will analyse this volume for the details of the Spitfires used. In a nutshell, Mark IXF Spitfires started Operation Big Ben. These had elliptical wings to begin with and then progressed to clipped-wing (pin-pointing exact dates has not always been possible). The Mark XVI became the cream of the crop for the most important squadrons (602, 603 and to a lesser degree 303; with 602 being the first to have them, followed by 303), Mark V's were used for training purposes. For dive-bombing purposes, two 250 lb bombs were used under each wing for balance, with a 500 lb bomb under the fuselage.Occasionally just the 500 lb bomb was carried, sometime just the two 250 lb bombs, depending on how far they had to fly inland or the difficulty of the job in-hand (the greater weight the more fuel used). Version 5 roundel was used and Operation Big Ben insignia on either side of the fuselage.

At the end of the First World War, British imperial power was at an all-time low. That was until a ragtag band of visionaries, including Winston Churchill and T.E. Lawrence, proposed that the aeroplane, the wonder weapon of the age, could save the empire. Using the radical strategy of air control, the RAF tried to subdue vast swathes of the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Wings of Empire is a compelling account of the colonial air campaigns that saw a generation of young airmen take to the skies to battle against cultures that had never seen a plane before. This is the full story of the RAF's most extraordinary conflict, told here for the first time.

When World War II began, the United States' air forces numbered only 45,000 men and a few thousand aircraft - hardly enough to defend the country, let alone defeat the German Luftwaffe, the world's most formidable air force. Yet by war's end, the Luftwaffe had been crushed, and the U.S. Army Air Forces had delivered the decisive blows. The Men Who Killed the Luftwaffe tells the story of the striking transformation - one of the marvels of modern warfare - that enabled the U.S. to crush the air forces of the Third Reich, while thrusting readers into whirling, heart-pounding accounts of aerial combat.

During the dark days of 1940, when Britain faced the might of Hitler's armed forces alone, the RAF played an integral role in winning the Battle of Britain against the Luftwaffe, thus ensuring the country's safety from invasion. The men and women of Fighter Command worked tirelessly in air bases scattered throughout the length and breadth of Britain to thwart the Nazi attacks; The Secret Life of Fighter Command tells their story. From setting up the ground-breaking radar systems along the coast of the Southeast of England, to the distribution of spotters of bombing waves coming along the Thames Estuary, the boffins who designed and built the guidance and detection structures to organise a winning defence umbrella, to the Wrens who plotted enemy movements and then conveyed this to the various RAF squadrons stationed in the UK's zonal defence system - all of them played a part in maintaining the security over Britain. Through exclusive interviews with various members of this unique and world famous organisation, bestselling author Sinclair McKay tells the human story of how Britain survived the Nazi onslaught and enabled our Hurricanes and Spitfires to triumph over the German airforce.

To date, little has been written about the Territorial Air Force as a voluntary military organisation and no sustained analysis of its recruitment and social composition undertaken. Made up of three different parts, the Auxiliary Air Force, the Special Reserve and the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, these three separate and different groups have not featured significantly in existing literature. Current historiography of the AAF and SR is dominated by the experiences of Nos. 600 and 601 Squadrons, which were based in London, and presents a popular image of a gentlemen's flying club, whilst that of the RAFVR presents an image of a much more egalitarian institution, intended to be a citizens' air force. This book will present the history of the Territorial Air Force from its creation in the early 1920s until 1957\. It will consider the ideas behind the formation of two different types of reserve for the RAF and it will examine the way in which men were recruited for the three different groups. Woven throughout the text will be an analysis of how the volunteers joined, and what kinds of men were accepted into the organisations as both pilots and officers. It will also analyse the influences class and social status had on recruitment in the run up to the Second World War. It will explore the key differences between the Auxiliary squadrons and the SR squadrons, as well as the main reasons for the idea of merging the SR squadrons into the AAF squadrons. It will briefly discuss the newly formed University Air Squadrons which were set up to promote air mindedness and to stimulate an interest and research on matters aeronautical. Military voluntarism continued to play a key role in the defence of twentieth-century Britain, but the underlying tensions and weaknesses associated with a class-based voluntary culture meant that the TAF had to change in response to new pressures. Class ceased to be the key determining factor in the recruitment of officers as the organisations faced new challenges. Within both the AAF and the RAFVR the pre-war impression of a gentlemen's flying club finally gave way to a more meritocratic culture in the post-war world.

The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a major military confrontation between India and Pakistan. Fought on two fronts of the Indian sub-continent between 3 and 17 December 1971, it pitted two major conventional armed forces in an all-out war over the fate of the former East Pakistan, and resulted in the emergence of a new, independent nation of Bangladesh. In the West, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) initiated its involvement with an attack on the forward air bases of the Indian Air Force (IAF), on 3 December 1971. A series of major air battles followed over the primary conflict zones. In the East, the small PAF contingent was quickly neutralised by the IAF. When the war ended in West Pakistan on 17 December, PAF was still in the ring and on its feet. It had parried the enemy's blows and had been ever so careful in its offensive responses. It continued to be fixated with remaining viable for providing complete air support to the Army's all-important battle, which flowed out of the overarching dictum, 'defence of the East lies in the West'. PAF's overall performance can be gleaned from the fact that it managed to keep its aircraft attrition rate at par with the IAF. The PAF unmistakably denied a much stronger IAF the distinct possibility of delivering a knock-out punch to it. In the circumstances obtaining, this was a commendable achievement. Against All Odds is richly illustrated with a selection of exclusive photography, more than a dozen authentic colour artworks, and a similar number of maps. It provides a unique source of reference for enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Thunderbolt to War gives a remarkable insight into the structure and operations of a leading USAAF Fighter Squadron in England during the Second World War, together with personal thoughts and feelings of skilled fighter pilot, Clint Sperry. The 353rd Fighter Group was a rarely celebrated 'workhorse' of Eighth Fighter Command, but names of some of its charismatic leaders still resonate today. The 18-victory ace Walter Beckham and aggressive Glenn E. Duncan were among those who led Clint to war. He and his colleagues faced many frustrating and perilous experiences; encountering enemy fighters and flak and also treacherous weather and mechanical problems in the bloody battles over Europe. To survive was a lottery, but those with previous flying hours before entering service had the advantage of experience. Clint's successes and traumas are highlighted to give a true picture of a fighter pilot's war. He flew 106 missions in the P47 Thunderbolt, was awarded 3 DFCs, and credited with destroying or probably destroying five enemy aircraft as well as many targets on the ground by strafing and bombing.

The RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight comprises three main aircraft - the Spitfire, the Lancaster and the Hurricane. The Lancaster played no part in the Battle of Britain and the Spitfire is the aeroplane many people most associate with the RAF during World War II, but the Hurricane is the hero that won the Battle of Britain. The RAF's first monoplane fighter aircraft, the Hurricane, entered service before the Spitfire and was responsible for destroying more enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain than any other type. Around 60 per cent of claimed 'kills' fell to the guns of Hurricane pilots and the only Battle of Britain Victoria Cross. In a dogfight on 16th August 1940 Nicolson was badly wounded, his Hurricane damaged and engulfed in flames. While attempting to leave the cockpit, Nicolson spotted one of the enemy Messerschmitts ahead. He returned to the cockpit, which by now was a blazing inferno, and engaged the enemy. The stories of the Hurricane pilots form the basis of Brian Milton's riveting new book. Having tracked down the few surviving former Hurricane pilots who flew the aircraft during the Second World War, Brian has brought together a unique series of personal experiences from his 'Last Witnesses' to tell the story of what it was like to fly and fight in this iconic aircraft not only over the white cliffs of Dover during the Battle of Britain, but also during the Battle of France, the defence of Malta, in the intense heat of the North African desert, in the freezing temperatures of the Arctic wastes and in the suffocating humidity of the Far East. The Hurricane served in every theatre during the Second World War as a fighter, night fighter, ground attack aircraft and even on board ship guarding vital convoys. The fascinating first-hand accounts of these gallant pilots form not only a history of the aircraft, but also a tribute to the many friends they lost in combat.

The largest and most advanced US aircraft to see combat in WWII, the B-29 Superfortress was also the most expensive weapons system of the war, even exceeding the cost of developing the atomic bomb. Not surprisingly, the aircraft remained a part of the US arsenal in the following years and again saw combat in Korea. The evolution of the B-29 into the B-50 is covered in this bookthe second of two volumesas is the B-50's part as an early nuclear deterrent. Not only is the production of these aircraft illustrated, so are the host of adaptations, from mother ship to X-planes to weather and refueling aircraft. This volume chronicles the design, development, and deployment of these later versions through photos gathered from around the world.

Now in paperback, Pale Horse is the remarkable never-before-told true story of an army aviation task force during combat in the Afghan War, told by the commanding officer who was there. Set in the very valleys where the attacks of 9/11 were conceived, and where ten Medals of Honor have been earned since that fateful day the war began, the narrative races from ferocious firefights and bravery in battle to the quiet moments where the courageous men and women of Task Force Pale Horse catch their breath before they take to the skies again. Jimmy F. Blackmon writes with a power and hard-hitting honesty that leaps off the page. He has the respect of the men and women of his brigade, and a command of the narrative to tell their story. From pilots of lethal Apache attack helicopters who strike fear in their enemies to the medevac soldiers who risk their lives daily, these are warriors from a variety of backgrounds who learned selflessness and found the closest brotherhood they ever knew through the crucible of war. Pale Horse both honors and commemorates the service of this elite task force from the unique vantage point of the commander who led them in battle.

The Tornado F2 had a troubled introduction to service. Unloved by its crews and procured as a political imperative, it was blighted by failures and was developed to counter a threat that disappeared. Modified rapidly before it could be sent to war, the Tornado F3 eventually matured into a capable weapons system, but despite datalinks and new air-to-air weapons, its poor reputation sealed its fate. The author, a former Tornado F3 navigator, tells the story from an insider's perspective from the early days as one of the first instructors on the Operational Conversion Unit, through its development and operational testing, to its demise. David Gledhill reflects on its capabilities and deficiencies and analyses why the aircraft was mostly underestimated by opponents. Although many books have already described the Tornado F3, the author's involvement in its development will provide a unique insight into this complex and misunderstood aircraft programme and dispel some of the myths surrounding it.

As a child, Dilip Sarkar was fascinated by the haunting image of an anonymous RAF Spitfire pilot. Taken minutes after landing from a Battle of Britain combat, this was Squadron Leader Brian Lane DFC, the commander of 19 Squadron, based at Fowlmere -and author of the stirring first-hand account Spitfire! The Experiences of a Fighter Pilot, published under the pseudonym B.J. Ellan. Deeply moving was the discovery that in 1942 Brian was reported missing after a futile nuisance raid over the Dutch coast. During the mid-1980s, Dilip began researching the life and times of both Brian Lane and 19 Squadron, forging close friendships with many of the unit's surviving Battle of Britain pilots and support staff. This enabled identification of the wartime censor's blanks regarding people and places in Brian's book, and the publication in 1990 of Dilip's first ever book, Spitfire Squadron: 19 Squadron at War 1939-41. Nearly thirty years later, sadly all of the survivors are now deceased, but Dilip's close relationship has provided a huge archive of correspondence and interviews in addition to a unique photographic collection. Furthermore, the author, a retired police detective, has thoroughly investigated the life -and death -of Squadron Leader Lane. This completely new Spitfire Squadron covers everything we would ever need to know about such a unit during the critical pre and early war period: the social, political, aviation and military history all in one volume -emphasising the human experience involved and the stories of casualties. With an immense photographic collection -many published here for the first time -this book is destined to become a classic. So, strap yourself in, turn gun button to fire', and join 19 Squadron's Spitfire pilots during our Darkest and Finest Hours the ultimate Band of Brothers'?

During the Second World War, the RAF employed Special Duties pilots and aircrew on operations across a wide range of extraordinary and daredevil missions. In many instances, specially selected and trained crews flew specific sorties, seeking out small targets of utmost importance to the war effort. A number of these operations were filmed by cameramen and RAF Special Duties: A Collection of Exclusive Operational Flying Sorties by the Royal Air Force enables their stories to be told for the first time. The various exploits in this exceptionally well-researched and gripping book are supported, in many instances, by 'Flying Logbooks' and other materials stemming directly from the pilots themselves. These men were true originals - undertaking hugely dangerous missions against the odds, and often operating as individual aircraft in completely unknown conditions.Accounts in the book include:Cameramen flying on special raids to film precise low level Mosquito sorties, including on the Gestapo HQ in Copenhagen; A Mosquito pilot flying a single aircraft into Germany to cause disruption by setting off air raid sirens; A Stirling pilot flying with radar-jamming equipment to disguise the D-Day invasion; Mosquito pilots attacking targets identified by British SAS units in France; Experience as a wireless operator flying in Churchill's personal aircraft; Dropping supplies over Burma

Key Selling Points: Have you ever wondered what it was like to fly the Phantom? This is not a potted history of an aeroplane, nor is it Hollywood glamour as captured in Top Gun. This is the story of life on the frontline during the Cold War told in the words of a navigator who flew the iconic jet. Unique pictures, many captured from the cockpit, show the Phantom in its true environment and show why for many years the Phantom was the envy of NATO. It also tells the inside story of some of the problems which plagued the Phantom in its early days, how the aircraft developed, or was neglected, and reveals events which shaped the aircraft's history and contributed to its demise. Anecdotes capture the deep affection felt by the crews who were fortunate enough to cross paths with the Phantom during their flying careers. The nicknames the aircraft earned were not complimentary and included the 'Rhino', 'The Spook', 'Double Ugly', the 'Flying Brick' and the 'Lead Sled'. Whichever way you looked at it, you could love or hate the Phantom, but you could never ignore it for its sheer power and lethal payload.The Phantom in Focus: A Navigator's Eye on Britain's Cold War Warrior is unique in that the author flew in the legendary Phantom in the front line and captured beautiful and amazing unpublished photographs that will appeal to historians, military specialists and modellers alike.

Second World War fighter pilot Eric Carter is one of only four surviving members of a secret mission, code-named 'Force Benedict'. Sanctioned by Winston Churchill in 1941 Force Benedict was dispatched to defend Murmansk, the USSR's only port not under Nazi occupation. If Murmansk fell, Soviet resistance against the Nazis would be hard to sustain and Hitler would be able to turn all his forces on Britain...Force Benedict was under the command of New Zealand-born RAF Wing Commander Henry Neville Gynes Ramsbottom-Isherwood, who led two squadrons of Hurricane fighters, pilots and ground crew which were shipped to Russia in total secrecy on the first ever Arctic Convoy. They were told to defend Murmansk against the Germans 'at all costs'. 'We all reckoned the government thought we'd never survive' - but Eric Carter did, and was threatened with Court Martial if he talked about where he'd been or what he'd done. Now he reveals his experiences of seventy years ago in the hell on earth that was Murmansk, the largest city north of the Arctic Circle. It will also include previously unseen photos and documents, as well as exploring - for the first time - other intriguing aspects of Force Benedict.

Air Commodore Pink chose RAF Manston as his final resting place and a number of aces from the First World War such as Squadron Leader Bartlett served there. After the uncertainty of the 1920s, RAF Manston grew rapidly during the 1930s to become one of the busiest airfields in the country. The School of Technical Training was at the forefront of the RAF where thousands of airmen trained each year and it was an integral part of the service's expansion scheme. Empire Air Days and air races became regular events during the 1930s and when Ramsgate Municipal Airport opened, RAF Manston had to compete with it to stage them. 48 Squadron was formed at Manston in 1936 with the Avro Anson and it was the RAF's first monoplane to have a retractable undercarriage. On the outbreak of war, various fighter squadrons operated from Manston and being the airfield closest to France, its squadrons proudly played a leading role in the evacuation of Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain.

The Pilots Information File (PIF) was the standard reference for any general information required of USAAF pilots and flight engineers. The PIF covered items of a general nature that a combat flyer must know in order to fight an air war and survive.

This is the quite remarkable and true story of Squadron Leader Derek J. Sharp AFC BSc Dip Comp JP RAF and his incredible adventures. Nothing perhaps was more astonishing than his survival after meeting a Mallard duck at 500 mph and his subsequent fight back to become a pilot in command once again. That he survived to age 30 was amazing, that he continued unashamedly on to a ripe old age was nothing short of a miracle. Conceivably he followed the advice written on a fridge magnet in his kitchen `Never drive faster than your Guardian Angel can fly'. Those who knew him would say not a chance! This fascinating book follows the adventures of Sharp from spotty schoolboy to highly respect aviator. He flew everything from fighters to heavy transport, wise old navigators and Her Majesty The Queen. He joined a flying club called the Royal Air Force and unexpectedly found himself at war. That mirrored his namesake, Pilot Officer Derek Sharp who lost his life in a Lancaster in WW2. He lived in a time long before Political Correctness, the Breathalyser and motorcar safety checks. He achieved all that he set out to do, and more. That would undoubtedly be his epitaph.

'Brilliantly researched and sympathetically told, 44 DAYS is more than just a fitting tribute to brave but overlooked heroes. It's also a top read.' DAILY TELEGRAPH The epic World War II story of the heroes of Australia's 75 Squadron - and the 44 days when these brave and barely trained pilots fought alone against the Japanese. In March and April 1942, RAAF 75 Squadron bravely defended Port Moresby for 44 days when Australia truly stood alone against the Japanese. This group of raw young recruits scrambled ceaselessly in their Kittyhawk fighters to an extraordinary and heroic battle, the story of which has been left largely untold. The recruits had almost nothing going for them against the Japanese war machine, except for one extraordinary leader named John Jackson, a balding, tubby Queenslander - at 35 possibly the oldest fighter pilot in the world - who said little, led from the front, and who had absolutely no sense of physical fear. Time and time again this brave group were hurled into battle, against all odds and logic, and succeeded in mauling a far superior enemy - whilst also fighting against the air force hierarchy. After relentless attack, the squadron was almost wiped out by the time relief came, having succeeded in their mission - but also paying a terrible price. Michael Veitch, actor, presenter and critically acclaimed author, brings to life the incredible exploits and tragic sacrifices of this courageous squadron of Australian heroes.

Those with any interest in the First World War will have have heard of the planes most associated with that conflict - the legendary Sopwith Camel and Royal Aircraft Factory's S.E.5a, which are often called the "Spitfire" and "Hurricane" of the Great War. Aviation enthusiasts might even know of the Camel's predecessors, the Sopwith Pup or the Triplane. But what of the many other planes that saw active service in the war? This is the story of those armed aeroplanes whose names few people can recall, the 'Forgotten Fighters' of the First World War, including the pusher 'gunbuses' of the early war years, the strange 'pulpit' design of the B.E.9, the desperate conversions of reconnaissance machines that were never intended to be armed, and those which were thought too tricky for the average pilot to handle. It is also the story of the brave men who flew these machines, fighting, and too often dying, for a cause they believed in. Some of these aeroplanes only served in small numbers and others in areas away from the main battle on the Western Front, but all made a vital contribution to the winning of the war. And these lost but iconic fighter aircraft, and the brave young men who flew them, deserve to be remembered just as much as the more famous aces in their legendary machines. This is their story.