• AVIATION • Stirling to Essen The Godmanchester Stirling: A Bomber Command Story of Courage and Tragedy Roger Leivers An epic tale of a wealthy young man, Matthew Drummond Henderson Wilson, whose mother died during his birth, who lived for excitement, and who went on to join the RAF in 1938. Stirling to Essen is also the story of the men who served alongside their pilot, and the unbreakable bond of friendship they found as they soared over the deadly skies of the Third Reich and occupied Europe. Author Roger Leivers’ meticulous and comprehensive research has brought to life the remarkable story of the Godmanchester Stirling. 9780993415289, $34.95, $22.99, hardback, 256p.
The Spitfire An Icon of the Skies Philip Kaplan Kaplan investigates just what it is that fuels the Spitfire’s compelling mystique and highlights the immeasurable contributions of Spitfire designers. The origin and evolution of the plane are tracked, and the story of the marvelous Merlin engine. This book centers round the Mk Ia AR213, whose total restoration to flying status was completed in 2008. Much of its colorful background is described, as is the experience of flying it. In this, the eighth decade of Mitchell’s brilliant fighter, Spitfire: An Icon of the Skies is dedicated to the craftsmen and women who built it. 9781473898523, $44.95, $29.50, hardback, 232p.
Hurricane R4118 Revisited The Extraordinary Story of the Discovery and Restoration to Flight of a Battle of Britain Survivor: The Adventure Continues 2005-2017 Peter Vacher In Hurricane R4118 Revisited, more stories of R4118’s origins are told, including the extraordinary tale of how this aircraft shot down a friendly Whitley bomber before it was assigned to a RAF squadron. Focus is also given to the role of 605 Squadron’s ground crew and the aircraft during the Battle of Britain. The book concludes with the sale of R4118 to an enthusiastic Englishman and the decision taken to keep the aircraft at the Shuttleworth Collection. With brand new photography and sources, including wartime letters from Bunny Currant, this book is essential reading for all Hurricane enthusiasts. 9781910690437, $39.95, $25.99, hardback, 192p.
The RAF Pathfinders Bomber Command's Elite Squadron Martyn Chorlton The formation of the Pathfinder Force in August 1942 produced a steady but certain change in the fortunes of Bomber Command. To join a Pathfinder Squadron was a rare privilege but with it went a huge leap in the likelihood of being shot down. Martyn Chorlton has written a gripping account of the RAF's Pathfinder Squadrons, recalling the challenges faced in the smoke-filled skies over occupied Europe. It is also a tribute to the brave young men whose exploits, lives and, in all too many cases, deaths have left a powerful torch to bear for all who care about freedom. 9781846742019, $23.95, $15.99, paperback, 160p.
More Luck of a Lancaster 109 Operations, 315 Crew, 101 Killed in Action Gordon Thorburn From 11 June 1943 (the date of Lancaster Mark III EE136 WS/R's first op) to her last with 9 Squadron (on 19 October 1944), eighty-six Lancasters were assigned to Number 9. Of these, fifty were lost to enemy action, another five crashed at home, three crashed in Russia on the first Tirpitz raid and four were transferred to other squadrons only to be lost by them, leaving just twenty-four still flying. Over the operational lifetime of Lancaster EE136, forty-two different skippers took her on her grand total of 109 trips. This is the story of the men behind the numbers. 9781473897663, $39.95, $25.99, hardback, 147p.
Air War Varsity Martin W Bowman Here, Martin Bowman brings us the first book on Operation Varsity to include both British and US air and ground operations, as well as the US, British and Canadian paratroop and resupply missions, all presented together in one ambitious volume. In this impressive account, Martin Bowman weaves firsthand testimony and a compelling historical narrative together with a variety of photographic illustrations, many of which have never been published before, in order to create a complete and fascinating record of events as they played out in March 1945. 9781473863101, $39.95, $25.99, hardback, 256p.
To order, go to warcorner.com and enter the code ‘W12018’ or complete order form on back
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