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The Hawker Hunter is one of Britain's classic post-war jet
aircraft. Initially introduced in 1954 as a swept-wing, transonic,
single-seat day interceptor, it rapidly succeeded the
first-generation jet fighters in RAF service such as the Gloster
Meteor (see Flight Craft 13) and the de Havilland Venom. Powered by
the then newly developed Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet, the Hunter's
performance transformed the RAF's day fighter squadrons from the
mid-1950s until the advent of the English Electric Lightning from
the early 1960s (see Flight Craft 11). Even then, as successively
improved variants of the type were produced with increasingly more
capable engines and expanded fuel capacity, the Hunter successfully
transitioned into a strike/ground attack fighter-bomber and fighter
reconnaissance platform. Two-seat variants were developed for
training and other secondary roles with the RAF and the Royal Navy
and a few remained in use until 2001, albeit with specialised MoD
Test and Evaluation units - well over forty years after the type's
initial introduction. Hunters were also famously used by two RAF
display teams, the 'Black Arrows', who looped a record-breaking
twenty-two Hunters in formation, and later the 'Blue Diamonds' as
well as the Royal Navy's 'Blue Herons'. The Hunter saw combat
service with the RAF in a range of conflicts including the Suez
Crisis as well as various emergencies in the Middle East and Far
East. The Hunter was also widely exported, serving with many
foreign air forces, in which it also saw active service, which
unfortunately lies outside the scope of this particular
publication. Almost 2,000 Hunters were manufactured by Hawker
Siddeley Aviation, as well as being produced under licence overseas
and will remain one of the UK's most iconic aircraft designs of all
time.
The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka (a contraction of the German word
Sturzkampfflugzeug, ie dive bomber) was arguably the Luftwaffe s
most recognisable aeroplane, with its inverted gull wings and fixed
spatted undercarriage. Designed by Hermann Pohlmann as a dedicated
dive bomber and ground-attack aircraft, the prototype first flew in
1935, and made its combat debut in 1937 with the Luftwaffe's Condor
Legion during the Spanish Civil War. After several design changes
in the light of operational experiences, the Stuka went on to serve
the Luftwaffe and Axis forces, from the invasion of Poland in 1939,
through the Battles of France and Britain in 1940, over the North
African desert and the across Mediterranean, the invasion of Russia
and the subsequent bitter fighting in that vast area, and following
several more design changes and upgrades, continued to serve
through to the end of World War Two. This latest addition to the
growing Flight Craft range, follows the previous well established
format, in that it is split in to three main sections. The first
section, after offering a concise design and development history,
continues with coverage of the various sub-types, from Anton to
Gustav and their operational use from the Spanish Civil War to the
end of World War Two. This is followed by a 16-page full colour
illustration section featuring detailed profiles and 2-views of the
colour schemes and markings carried by the type in Luftwaffe and
Axis service. The final section lists as many of the
injection-moulded plastic model kits produced of the Junkers Ju 87
in all the major scales that the authors could find details of,
including the brand new Airfix 1/72 and 1/48 scale kits which were
released while this book was being written, with photos of many
finished models made by some of the world s best modellers. As with
all the other books in the Flight Craft range, whilst published
primarily with the scale aircraft modeller in mind, it is hoped
that those readers who might perhaps describe themselves as
'occasional' modellers, or even simply aviation enthusiasts, may
also find that this colourful and informative work offers something
to provoke their interests too.
The Avro Lancaster, such a stalwart of the skies during the Second
World War, also enjoyed an interesting and surprisingly colourful
post-war career. It is this era that the authors have chosen to
focus on by profiling the type across its many variants. Split into
three primary sections, this book offers a concise yet informative
history of the Lancaster's post-war operational career (from
1945-1965) charting the course of the various alterations and
improvements that occurred during this time and including a
selection of contemporary photographs with detailed captions. A
16-page section features 32 colour illustrations (in profiles,
2-views and 4-views) specially prepared by Mark Gauntlett. The
book's final section provides a list and box top illustrations of
the plastic model kits produced of the Lancaster in all scales plus
reviews and 'how to' construction notes on building a selection of
kits in 1/144, 1/72 and 1/48 scales. As with the other books in the
Flight Craft series, whilst published primarily with the scale
aircraft modeller in mind, it is hoped that those readers who might
perhaps describe themselves as 'occasional' modellers - if indeed
they model at all - may also find that this colourful and
informative work offers something to provoke their interests too.
Developed to intercept increasingly capable Soviet bombers such as
the Tupolev Tu-16, Tu-22 and Tu-95, the English Electric/BAC
Lightning had a phenomenal rate of climb, a high ceiling, and a top
speed of over 1,300mph at 36,000ft, and is a favourite of both
aviation enthusiasts and aircraft modellers alike. This homage to
the only all-British Mach 2 interceptor fighter, follows previous
Flight Craft book formats, in that it is split in to three main
sections. The first section offers a concise design and development
history covering the six main single-seat fighter and two twin-seat
trainer Marks; from its first RAF operational squadron deployments
in 1960 through to its frontline retirement in 1988, and coverage
of the only other two air forces to operate the type, Saudi Arabia
and Kuwait. This is followed by a 16-page full colour illustration
section featuring detailed profiles and 2-views of the colour
schemes and markings carried by the type in RAF, Royal Saudi and
Kuwait Air Force service.The final section lists most of the
plastic model kits, accessories and decal sheets produced of the
EE/BAC Lightning in all the major scales, with photos of finished
models made by some of the UK's best modellers. As with all the
other books in the Flight Craft series, whilst published primarily
with the scale aircraft modeller in mind, it is hoped that those
readers who might perhaps describe themselves as 'occasional'
modellers, or even simply aviation enthusiasts, may also find that
this colourful and informative work offers something to provoke
their interests too.
When Sidney Camm's masterpiece, the Hawker Hurricane, entered RAF
service in late 1937 it quickly became one of the most important
aircraft in Britain's military arsenal, especially in the first
three years of the Second World War. This title covers the history
of this iconic design, from the prototype and the initial
production variants' entry in to RAF service, through its
development and use, first as a day fighter, and then night
fighter, intruder, fighter-bomber, catapult-launched and then
carrier-based fighter, and eventually dedicated ground attack
machine. The Hurricane served in every wartime theatre, from Norway
and France, the Battle of Britain, the defence of Malta, to the
campaigns in the Western Desert and the Mediterranean, on the
Russian Front and in the Far East where it saw service until the
end of hostilities. Split into three primary sections, this volume
offers a concise yet informative history of the Hurricane's
development, operational career and design improvements, including
many contemporary photographs with detailed captions; a 16-page
colour illustration section featuring 48 separate aircraft (in
profiles and 2-views); and finally a section prepared by that
well-known and established doyen of model makers, Tony O'Toole,
listing and illustrating the plastic model kits produced of the
Hurricane in all scales. As with the other books in the Flight
Craft series, whilst published primarily with the scale aircraft
modeler in mind, it is hoped that those readers who might perhaps
describe themselves as 'occasional' modelers - if indeed they model
at all - may also find that this colourful and informative work
offers something to provoke their interests too.
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