BOOK REVIEW
QUI NTI N HAWTHORNE’ S
AEROB ATI CS:
THE SOUTH AFRI CAN STORY. SOUTH AFRICA HAS A WONDERFULLY rich history of aerobatics, and many of our greatest pilots first showed what they are capable of in aerobatic competitions. For anyone with even a passing interest in the aerial ballet that is competition aerobatics Quintin Hawthorne’s book is a must-have collectors’ item. It is also an ideal coffee table book as it is beautifully presented with large images of the competitors in full flight.
a pains t ak ingl y curate d colle c tion of photographs
A particular treasure is the painstakingly curated collection of photographs over the years. It is not only the aerobatics aficionado who will gain much from this book as it is at pains to explain the nature of aerobatic competitions and the various formats and levels of competition. This book is a labour of love. I am continually astounded by how many immensely knowledgeable people spend thousands of hours writing and assembling specialist books on aviation – with little hope of even recovering their costs, let alone actually earning anything for their huge toil. As such it is worth every cent of its R450.00 cover price. Aerobatics – The South African Story is available from the Aero Club of South Africa. Call Sandra Strydom on (011) 082-1100 or 087 702 5270 or email: sandra@aeroclub.org.za j
This book covers the history of aerobatic competition in South Africa, from the first competition in 1963 to today. It is a treasure trove of pictures of the early competitors with names such as Nick Turvey, Mike van Ginkel, Jock Geldenhuys and those who have departed, such as Glen Dell. The first edition was published in 1997 and this second edition is published to celebrate the Aero Club of SA’s centenary. The book is also an invaluable reference work in that it lists competition results for the past years plus the honours rolls and trophy awards.
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