Lightnings to Spitfires

Lightnings to Spitfires PDF Author: Clive Rowley
Publisher: Air World
ISBN: 139901563X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 304

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Book Description
A former fighter pilot chronicles his career flying for the Royal Air Force for over four decades in this action-packed memoir. For forty-four years, Clive Rowley flew with the Royal Air Force, and for thirty-one of those years he specialized as an air defense fighter pilot. Such was his love of fast fighter aircraft that, in order to stay flying, he transferred to Specialist Aircrew terms of service, relinquishing any chance of further promotion above his rank of squadron leader. During those years Clive flew Lightnings, Hawks, and Tornado F.3s but, perhaps more intriguingly, for eleven years he flew Hurricanes and Spitfires with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), the RAF’s, if not the world’s most famous “warbird” display team, which he ultimately led and commanded. Many readers will have watched him, perhaps unknowingly, as he flew these iconic aircraft, often alongside the Lancaster, at air shows and large-scale commemorations around the UK and Europe. During the Cold War, Clive flew the BAC Lightning from Gütersloh in Germany and in the UK, becoming an expert in the art of air combat in the process. Then for sixteen years he flew the Tornado F.3 as the RAF moved into expeditionary operations. Packed with humorous and often hair-raising anecdotes, but also revealing the shock and sorrow he felt at the deaths of friends and colleagues, this book is a highly detailed account of life as a fighter pilot in the RAF in the last three decades of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. Clive is open about the fears he sometimes felt in this dangerous world and how he allayed them to continue flying for more than four decades. This book is illustrated with wonderful photographs from his time on the front line as well as with the BBMF, many of which have never been published before. If you have ever wondered what it is like to fly supersonic jet fighters, like the Lightning and the Tornado F.3, or iconic “warbirds,” such as the Hurricane and Spitfire, Clive Rowley brings you into those cockpits and shares his experiences.

Lightnings to Spitfires

Lightnings to Spitfires PDF Author: Clive Rowley
Publisher: Air World
ISBN: 139901563X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 304

Get Book

Book Description
A former fighter pilot chronicles his career flying for the Royal Air Force for over four decades in this action-packed memoir. For forty-four years, Clive Rowley flew with the Royal Air Force, and for thirty-one of those years he specialized as an air defense fighter pilot. Such was his love of fast fighter aircraft that, in order to stay flying, he transferred to Specialist Aircrew terms of service, relinquishing any chance of further promotion above his rank of squadron leader. During those years Clive flew Lightnings, Hawks, and Tornado F.3s but, perhaps more intriguingly, for eleven years he flew Hurricanes and Spitfires with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), the RAF’s, if not the world’s most famous “warbird” display team, which he ultimately led and commanded. Many readers will have watched him, perhaps unknowingly, as he flew these iconic aircraft, often alongside the Lancaster, at air shows and large-scale commemorations around the UK and Europe. During the Cold War, Clive flew the BAC Lightning from Gütersloh in Germany and in the UK, becoming an expert in the art of air combat in the process. Then for sixteen years he flew the Tornado F.3 as the RAF moved into expeditionary operations. Packed with humorous and often hair-raising anecdotes, but also revealing the shock and sorrow he felt at the deaths of friends and colleagues, this book is a highly detailed account of life as a fighter pilot in the RAF in the last three decades of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. Clive is open about the fears he sometimes felt in this dangerous world and how he allayed them to continue flying for more than four decades. This book is illustrated with wonderful photographs from his time on the front line as well as with the BBMF, many of which have never been published before. If you have ever wondered what it is like to fly supersonic jet fighters, like the Lightning and the Tornado F.3, or iconic “warbirds,” such as the Hurricane and Spitfire, Clive Rowley brings you into those cockpits and shares his experiences.

Flying Lightning

Flying Lightning PDF Author: David Thole
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 0595199682
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 230

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Book Description
Unlike most "histories", this book tells the story of the 14th Fighter Squadron in the words of the pilots who were there. Filled with riveting accounts of combat flying, this book is a must-have for all aviation buffs. The squadron has a unique history, starting out as a reconnaissance squadron in WW II flying Spitfires and Lightnings. Late in the war, they became the first reconnaissance unit to be equipped with fighters to escort their long-range missions. In Vietnam, they became the only tactical reconnaissance unit in theater, taking their RF-4Cs north into the Vietnamese air defenses, oftentimes with no escort. Today flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon in Japan, they stand ready to defend America and her Allies. Open the cover, strap yourself into the cockpit of a Spitfire, Lightning, Mustang, Phantom, or Viper, and find out what it's like flying in and training for combat.

Fighter Pilot: From Cold War Jets to Spitfires

Fighter Pilot: From Cold War Jets to Spitfires PDF Author: Christopher Coville
Publisher: Air World
ISBN: 1399015605
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 250

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Book Description
A young boy sits in the back of a Chipmunk aircraft at RAF Woodvale, near Liverpool. He has never flown in anything before. As the power goes on and the little aeroplane soars into a clear blue sky, he decides at once that this is the only thing he wants to do in life: to be an RAF pilot. Fighter Pilot: From Cold War Jets to Spitfires tells the riveting story of how a boy from Liverpool, at the height of the Cold War, joined an RAF that was largely led by veterans of the Second World War. Christopher Coville arrived at the RAF College at Cranwell to find an environment shaped by English Public School traditions, but he made the grades needed to be streamed onto fighters, and went on to fly the Lightning, Phantom and Tornado F3 in the air defense role. Christopher eventually became station commander of RAF Coningsby and while in that role flew with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, becoming the only station commander to qualify on the Hurricane, Spitfire and Lancaster. He also qualified on helicopters and multi-engine aircraft and became responsible for the quality of the displays performed by the Red Arrows, flying with them regularly. Along the way, he steered the RAF’s biggest re-equipment programme since 1945 during a tour at the Ministry of defense and filling a challenging top NATO post during the wars in the Balkans. While this is a book about a young man from Liverpool who joined from grammar school and became a three-star Air Marshal, it is also, above all, a story written by a passionate aviator, whose affection for flying leaps out of every line, in a book which is full of excitement, deep knowledge of flying and affection for his fellow servicemen and women. But it is also a wonderful narrative about people, the great characters forged by military life, and honed by fear, exhilaration, and occasional tragedy. Fighter Pilot: From Cold War Jets to Spitfires is a unique perspective on aviation, written by a talented and dedicated pilot at the very top table of the RAF. This book culminates with his retirement, as the No.3 in the RAF, and being invited to have lunch with The Queen.

Lightning Strikes Twice

Lightning Strikes Twice PDF Author: Martin W. Bowman
Publisher: Amberley Publishing Limited
ISBN: 144562365X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
Martin Bowman tells the story of the iconic Cold War fighter from first prototype to the present day, with many previously-unpublished images as well as narrative from the men who flew Britain's finest post-war fighter.

The Men Who Flew the English Electric Lightning

The Men Who Flew the English Electric Lightning PDF Author: Martin W Bowman
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1526705664
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 531

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Book Description
The early 1950s were a boom time for British aviation. The lessons of six years of war had been learned and much of the research into jet engines, radar and aerodynamics had begun to reach fruition. In Britain, jet engine technology led the world, while wartime developments into swept wing design in Germany and their transonic research program were used to give western design teams a quantum leap in aircraft technology. At English Electric, 'Teddy' Petter's design team were keen to capitalize on the success of their Canberra jet bomber and rose to the challenge of providing a high speed interceptor for the RAF. Martin W. Bowman describes the career of the Lightning in detail using first-hand accounts of what it was like to fly and service this thoroughbred. Illustrated with over 200 color and b/w photographs, appendices listing Lightning squadrons, production totals, individual aircraft histories and with the first in-depth analysis into why a third of all Lightnings were lost, The Men Who Flew the English Electric Lightning is a fine record of the last truly great all-British fighter.

Spitfire

Spitfire PDF Author: John Dibbs
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472815505
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 226

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Book Description
The Spitfire turns 80 on 5 March 2016, and the passion for the RAF's best-loved fighter is running at an all-time high. There are more than 50 Spitfires flying in the world today, and John Dibbs has shot virtually all of them 'on the wing' in his breathtaking style. This eye-catching book combines a unique collection of stunning photos with poignant first-hand accounts of flying the aeroplane in combat, from some of the most famous aces to ever pilot the Spitfire, and from some of the pilots forgotten by history. Chronicling the history of the most iconic of British aircraft this is a 'must have' purchase for aviation enthusiasts.

"Legends and Heroes" - behind the lens

Author: Dave Humphrey
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 1291984100
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 362

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Book Description
A personal account of the role of military photography and its massive impact on world conflicts over the last century. David's collection of stories includes the history of the unique photographic training facility, founded by the Royal Flying Corps in 1915 and the "Legends & Heroes" who made the difference in its evolution. The author completes the collection with his own autobiography.

English Electric Lightning

English Electric Lightning PDF Author: Martin Derry
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1473890578
Category : Crafts & Hobbies
Languages : en
Pages : 194

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Book Description
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.

Army, Navy, Air Force Journal & Register

Army, Navy, Air Force Journal & Register PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : United States
Languages : en
Pages : 794

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Book Description


Messerschmitts Over Sicily

Messerschmitts Over Sicily PDF Author: Johannes Steinhoff
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 0811773647
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 289

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Book Description
In an account of unusual power, Luftwaffe ace Johannes Steinhoff recounts the final days of the German air force on Sicily in June and July 1943. Facing crushing odds—including a commander, Hermann Göring, who contemptuously treated his pilots as cowards—Steinhoff and his fellow Messerschmitt 109 pilots took to the skies day after day to meet waves of dreaded Flying Fortresses and swarms of Allied fighters, all bent on driving the Germans from the island. A captivating narrative and a piercing analysis based on the author’s personal World War diary, this book is a classic of aerial combat. A concluding chapter assesses the war's lessons for air forces.