Some aircraft inspire passion, others nostalgia, but others, often the unsung heroes, are more of a connoisseur's choice. The Handley Page Victor easily falls into this last category. In this follow-up to _The Handley Page Victor: The History and Development of a Classic Jet,_ Volumes _I_ and _II,_ Roger Brooks extends his earlier historical narratives, this time offering an action-packed and riveting memoir of a career spanning forty years. The book charts changes as they occurred in the aeronautical industry from the 1950's onwards and, as such, it should appeal to both individuals who were caught up in events at the time as well as students of the era. In addition to the aircraft itself, Roger worked extensively with tankers, refuelling the Victor as it took part in a variety of operations in the fraught Cold War era. He brings all aspects of his career to life across these pages, offering the kind of details that can only be gained by first-hand experience.

Modeling Aircraft is a new book from Aaron Skinner and his team of experts at FineScale Modeler. Receive the most up-to-date information about scale aircraft modeling that's difficult to get anywhere else. Tackle 15 projects that focus on the World War I era of aircraft through the present. Each detailed photo-driven, how-to project is accompanied with supporting captions to ensure your success. In this book you will learn more about: Finishing, Masking, Using cast resin parts, Reproducing natural metal finishes, Working with photo-etched metal parts and much more.

Following the four books describing his successful career as a military and civilian pilot, in Flying Past Mike Brooke gives the reader a fascinating insight into his experiences flying historic aircraft at airshows in the UK and Europe. From the highs to the lows he takes us through the feeling of flying a Spitfire, working with the Red Devils Parachute Team, flying with The Shuttleworth Collection and in the Harvard Formation Team, and the pressures put on display pilots - as well as the importance of preparation, discipline and safety. This entertaining and informative collection of stories will not only delight the many who have enjoyed Mike's series of memoirs so far, but also appeal to anyone with an interest in classic historic aircraft, aerobatics and airshows.

Alex Henshaw had the luck to grow up in the '20s and '30s during the golden age of flying. The Blue Riband of flying in the British Isles between the two World Wars was the King's Cup: Henshaw set his heart on it, developing a technique of racing which extracted the very maximum from his aircraft: firs the Comper Swift and then the DH Leopard Moth. Parallel with his search for speed was an obsession with making accurate landfalls, and he developed this blind-flying taken deliberately in a flying partnership with his father on many carefully planned long-distance survery flights. His exciting apprenticeship in these two skills was crowned by the acquisition of the Percival Mew Gull G-AEXF in 1937. His amazing solo flight to Cape Town and back in February 1939 established several solo records that still stand today, almost 60 years later. This feat of navigation and airmanship must surely be one of man's greatest flights - 12,754 miles over desert, sea and jungle in a single-engined light aircraft.

When the expansion of the RAF began in 1934, Air Commodore Tedder observed that the established order of school training not only failed to produce operational competence, but left so much to be done by the operational squadrons that they could only attain passable military efficiency after an uphill struggle. He proposed to raise the standards of school instruction so that pilots would leave the facility as operationally competent pilots, although it would mean lengthening the period of instruction as well as revising the syllabus. It was against this somewhat sorry background of training and logistical problems, as well as having the clouds of war firmly visible on the horizon, that the decision was taken to form a new RAF Training Command on 1 May 1936; an organisation derived from the ashes of the former RAF Inland Area. This book will tell the story - in words and pictures - of RAF Training Command from 1 May 1936 until it was separated into Flying Training Command and Technical Training Command on 27 May 1940. Both commands were then transferred into the newly re-established RAF Training Command on 1 June 1968, until it was then absorbed into RAF Support Command on 13 June 1977.

Beginning as a young boy, Jules takes you through the unique process of becoming a Naval Aviator, engages you into his experiences as a brand new pilot in a combat squadron and, finally becoming a flying warrior. Having survived two combat cruises aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk from 1966-1968, compiling 332 career carrier take offs and landings, being shot at daily by enemy fire while completing 200 combat missions over Vietnam, he clearly shares the views of the aviators who flew along with him on these missions while fighting this unpopular war. Jules was awarded the Nation's Distinguished Flying Cross, 21 Air Medals, and many other accolades. After reading this book the reader will have a new understanding and appreciation about the Warriors who protect not only their comrades in arms, but the defense of the nation as well.

Beginning as a young boy, Jules takes you through the unique process of becoming a Naval Aviator, engages you into his experiences as a brand new pilot in a combat squadron and, finally becoming a flying warrior. Having survived two combat cruises aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk from 1966-1968, compiling 332 career carrier take offs and landings, being shot at daily by enemy fire while completing 200 combat missions over Vietnam, he clearly shares the views of the aviators who flew along with him on these missions while fighting this unpopular war. Jules was awarded the Nation's Distinguished Flying Cross, 21 Air Medals, and many other accolades. After reading this book the reader will have a new understanding and appreciation about the Warriors who protect not only their comrades in arms, but the defense of the nation as well.

The airline business is a hundred years old. In that time uncountable airliners have been conceived, designed and built but, for all their diversity, less than a hundred types have ever sold in large numbers and, unlike military aircraft, only a handful are truly iconic. The shortlist, in fact, is so brief (rarely more than six) they can be named in a sentence. Because such rankings can spark passionate debates among the cognoscenti, it’s better that you write your own. All that can be said is that you will be hard-pressed to leave out one of the few commercial aircraft that still stirs hearts across the world: Lockheed’s graceful masterpiece — the Constellation. Her elliptical wings, triple tail, insect legs and dolphin-shaped fuselage still make her instantly recognisable to almost everyone, even those who could identify few other aeroplanes. For post-war travellers she came to symbolise panache and elegance in what is sometimes known as flying’s ‘Golden Age’. Today, eighty years after her birth, she is loved by another generation for her retro-style and 1940s glamour.

At the time of the One-Eleven's first flight, BAC seemed to have stolen a march on its American rivals. It was comfortably ahead of the similarly configured DC-9, and the Boeing 737 was barely a gleam in Boeing's eye at the time. So why was it that Douglas went on to sell over 1,000 DC-9s (to say nothing of the developed MD-80 and Boeing 717) while BAC shifted only 244 One-Elevens? The answer to that question is just one part of the fascinating tale of the One-Eleven. Also told in these pages is the full story of its concept and design against the troubled background of the industry's consolidation and of its entry into service. So sturdy was the One-Eleven's construction that its service life continued into the 21st century. At least two examples remain airworthy and leading active lives. The One-Eleven was undoubtedly a great British achievement, yet anybody studying the aircraft's history is left with the feeling that it represents an opportunity lost; this book explores why.