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Imagined by an aristocrat in White's Club, London in 1925, a part-time squadron of wealthy young men with their own private aircraft was incorporated into a newly-established combat-ready Auxiliary Air Force, first as bombers, then fighters. The pre-war years combined serious training with frivolity and mischief, but the outbreak of war in 1939 changed that. Despite their social rank the pilots were thrust into the heart of the action, with mortality proving to be the great social leveler. From privileged pre-war lifestyles to front line deployment the lives of those who survived underwent radical change. Through the battles of Britain, Malta, the African desert and Italy the squadron's composition was transformed, and by war's end only a minority were British and none were millionaires. Britain had changed too, and the re-formed squadron filled with a combination of veterans and young middle-class ex-service pilots. The pilots flew Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain, and Spitfires thereafter until the arrival of jets in the '50s; DH Vampires and Gloster Meteors. The one aircraft they could not master was the little-loved mid-engine P-39 Bell Airacobra in 1941. Disbandment in 1957 of the by-then 'Royal' Auxiliary Air Force was fiercely resisted, but inevitable.??Originally published in 1964 to great acclaim, this second edition features a wealth of brand new content in the form of newly uncovered documentation and photo illustrations. It is set to bring the story of this eccentric and dynamic squadron to a whole new audience of aviation and military enthusiasts.??As seen in the Western Morning News and Epping Forest Guardian.
The Territorial Air Force by Frances Louise Wilkinson Pdf
“What is almost certainly the definitive account of the Auxiliary Air Force, the Special Reserve and the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.” —Paul Nixon, Army Ancestry Research To date, little has been written about the Territorial Air Force as a voluntary military organization and no sustained analysis of its recruitment and social composition undertaken. Made up of three different parts, the Auxiliary Air Force, the Special Reserve and the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, these three separate and different groups have not featured significantly in existing literature. Along with a history of the Territorial Air Force, this book includes an analysis of how the volunteers joined, and what kinds of men were accepted into the organizations as both pilots and officers. The influences class and social status had on recruitment in the run up to the Second World War are also discussed. There is an exploration of the key differences between the Auxiliary squadrons and the SR squadrons, as well as the main reasons for the idea of merging the SR squadrons into the AAF squadrons. Briefly discussed are the newly formed University Air Squadrons that were set up to promote “air mindedness” and to stimulate an interest and research on matters aeronautical. Military voluntarism continued to play a key role in the defense of twentieth-century Britain, and class ceased to be the key determining factor in the recruitment of officers as the organizations faced new challenges. Within both the AAF and the RAFVR the pre-war impression of a gentlemen’s flying club finally gave way to a more meritocratic culture in the post-war world.
For many years the importance and contribution of the Hawker Hurricane was eclipsed by the Spitfire but statistically the Hurricane was superior in the majority of cases. Thanks to Tommy Sopwiths initiative and gamble the Hurricane was ready at the outbreak of the Second World War and in service throughout.As this superbly researched book reveals by examining the roles, actions and personalities of ten Hurricane squadrons, this iconic aircraft was not only exceptionally robust but astonishingly versatile. We track its performance from the Battle of France and Britain through the Middle East, Italy and on to Burma. It excelled as day and night interceptor, intruder and importantly as a rocket firing tank buster.The Hurricane inspired great loyalty among its pilots and their colourful personalities and thrilling experiences make this splendid book an informative and entertaining read.
Sir Harold Ridley and His Fight for Sight by David J. Apple Pdf
Did you know that the most common surgical eye procedure today began as a tragic injury to a WWII pilot? Did you know that one of the first medical devices to ever be implanted into a human was performed by an ophthalmologist? Do you know the riveting story behind the man who envisioned and achieved ground-breaking medical advancements for vision care? ______________________________________________________________________________ An innovator in eye surgery and undisputed inventor of the intraocular lens (IOL), Sir Harold Ridley achieved some of the most important discoveries in ophthalmology and medicine over the last 100 years. The compelling story of Sir Harold Ridley is one not widely known among today's medical community. It is a story of an unassuming medical leader. It is a story that needs to be told, not only for its historical value, but also to provide guidance for future generations on bringing new inventions to the world. In the early 1980's, Dr. David J. Apple, one of the most prominent American ophthalmologists and eye researchers conducted studies that by the mid-1980's had verified that Ridley's innovation--the implantation of the IOL--was potentially safe and effective. Upon hearing of these studies, Ridley requested to meet Dr. Apple at Ridley's home in England, where a life-long personal and professional relationship was born. Inside Sir Harold Ridley and His Fight for Sight: He Changed the World So That We May Better See It, Dr. David J. Apple chronicles the amazing career and life of Sir Harold Ridley based on their friendship and on never before published documents, photographs, and memorabilia. Ridley's tremendous impact on ophthalmology and specifically on the treatment of cataract patients, is a story that until now has not been told. Sir Harold Ridley and His Fight for Sight is based on 26 years of research performed by Dr. Apple. Interviews with friends, families, colleagues, as well as the review of medical and hospital records, military records, and museum exhibits have brought the story of Sir Harold Ridley to forefront of the medical community today. Dr. Apple brings life and credibility to the pages of Sir Harold Ridley and His Fight for Sight with over 600 images, testimonials from Sir Harold Ridley on his quest that began in 1935, and a personal touch that only a true colleague and friend can convey. From Harold Ridley, 1989: "I had twenty-five years in the wilderness and would have been spared much suffering if David Apple, the one who at last took the trouble to read and analyze all the early implant papers, had appeared in the 1950's, for a whole generation of cataract patients might then have enjoyed full visual rehabilitation instead of suffering the abnormalities of aphakia." In 1940 during World War II, in the legendary Battle of Britain, a British pilot was tragically blinded when shattered fragments of his cockpit canopy were embedded in his eyes. This tragic event led to the identification of an implant material and eventuated in Ridley's accomplishing a complete cure for cataracts. Ridley focused the next decade of his life on the development of an artificial lens to be implanted following the removal of a cataract. This device has restored vision to nearly 200 million people worldwide, and presently 9 million annually. After performing the first IOL implant on a cataract patient, Sir Harold Ridley was met with opposition from the medical community. It took three decades of struggle until his goal became reality. Now the cataract surgery, and its cousin, refractive surgery, including the procedure LASIK, are the most common surgical procedures performed today. Paving the way for past, current and future ophthalmologists, Sir Harold Ridley not only implanted the first medical device into a patient--he pioneered multiple once in a lifetime discoveries including innovations on river blindness, techniques for optic nerve and retina diagnosis, introduction of television and other electronic techniques to ophthalmology, as well as establishing a branch of biomedical engineering focusing on the science of artificial implants. Sir Harold Ridley and His Fight for Sight is the story of a brilliant man and his lifelong struggle to gain acceptance for his invention from his peers. He finally achieved this late in life and the intraocular lens is now recognized as one of the most important medical advances of the 20th century.
This title examines the Battle of Britain, focusing on the aircraft, pilots, and Royal Air Force leaders who defended the United Kingdom from German bombers. Compelling narrative text and well-chosen historical photographs and primary sources make this book perfect for report writing. Features include a glossary, a selected bibliography, websites, source notes, and an index, plus a timeline and essential facts. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.
A History of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association by Geoff Simpson Pdf
In 1945 it was announced that Allied airmen who had taken part in the Battle of Britain in 1940 would be entitled to the immediate award of the 1939-1945 Star, with Battle of Britain Clasp. This was the only Clasp awarded with the 1939-1945 Star.In the following years holders of the Clasp held informal get-togethers. In 1958 the Battle of Britain Fighter Association (BBFA) was formed, with full membership only available to holders of the Battle of Britain Clasp. Lord Dowding was the first President. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother became Patron. That post is now held by HRH The Prince of Wales.As well as organising reunions and providing some welfare assistance to members and widows, the Association has played a key role in researching entitlement to the Clasp and pronouncing on claims for the Clasp. A considerable part of the knowledge existing today on these matters came from the work of successive BBFA archivists, the late Group Captain Tom Gleave and the late Wing Commander John Young.The Association has also become closely associated with the Battle of Britain thanksgiving service held every September in Westminster Abbey.The Association's archives are held in part by the Secretary of the BBFA, Group Captain Patrick Tootal and in part by the Air Historical Branch, RAF (AHB) at RAF Northolt.Geoff Simpson has now been invited by the Association to use these archives as the basis of a book on the history of the organisation.
They came to fight for freedom and their country, they came to fight Germans. Men of the Polish Air Force, who had escaped first to France and then to Britain, to fly alongside the Royal Air Force just as Fighter Command faced its greatest challenge the Battle of Britain.Many of the Polish airmen joined existing RAF squadrons. The Poles also formed their own squadrons, but only four became operational during the Battle of Britain: Nos. 300 and 301, were bomber squadrons, with another two, Nos. 302 and 303, being fighter squadrons. Flying Hawker Hurricanes, both 302 and 303 squadrons were active by the middle of August 1940, just when they were most needed, at the height of the Battle of Britain, with Fighter Command stretched to its limit.The Polish squadrons, battle-hardened from their encounters with the Luftwaffe during the invasion of Poland and Battle of France, soon made their mark. In particular, 303 Squadron become the highest-scoring unit of Fighter Command.In total, 145 Polish pilots, the largest non-British contingent in Fighter Command at the time, fought in the Battle of Britain. While Winston Churchill praised the contribution of the Few, the pilots of many nationalities who had defended Britain, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding was more specific: Had it not been for the magnificent material contributed by the Polish squadrons and their unsurpassed gallantry, I hesitate to say that the outcome of the Battle would have been the same.
A career pilot’s memoir of flying fighter jets through two wars and through the evolution of aviation technology. This is Colin Downes’s firsthand account of flying with the Royal Air Force in war and peace during a career in military and civil aviation covering a half century. The text is filled with his personal experiences, reminiscences and impressions and is written in four parts. Part One covers the years leading to Downes’s graduation and the winning of his RAF Wings. This is followed by action-packed stories of flying propeller-driven fighters, Spitfires and Mustangs, during and just after the Second World War. Downes then tells of his unique experiences of front-line fighter operations when he flew jets with the United States Air Force during the Korean War. The final chapter covers the remainder of his RAF Service flying until retirement. By the Skin of My Teeth offers a cockpit view of some of the most pivotal battles of the 20th century and covers decades of technological advancements in aircraft development.
Ten Journeys to Cameron’s Farm by Cameron Hazlehurst Pdf
‘In the whole history of government in Australia, this was the most devastating tragedy.’ Three decades after what he called ‘a dreadful air crash, almost within sight of my windows’ Robert Menzies wrote ‘I shall never forget that terrible hour; I felt that for me the end of the world had come…’ Ten Journeys to Cameron’s Farm tells the lives of the ten men who perished in Duncan Cameron’s Canberra property on 13 August 1940: three Cabinet ministers, the Chief of the General Staff, two senior staff members, and the RAAF crew of four. The inquiries into the accident, and the aftermath for the Air Force, government, and bereaved families are examined. Controversial allegations are probed: did the pilot F/Lt Bob Hitchcock cause the crash or was the Minister for Air Jim Fairbairn at the controls? ‘Cameron Hazlehurst is a story-teller, one of the all-too rare breed who can write scholarly works which speak to a wider audience. In the most substantial, original, and authoritative account of the Canberra aircraft accident of August 1940 he provides unique insights into a critical, poignant moment in Australian history. Hazlehurst’s account is touched with irony and quirks, set within a framework of political, social, and military history, distinctions of class, education, and rank, and the machinations of parliamentary and service politics and of the ‘official mind’. The research is meticulous and wide-ranging, the analysis is always balanced, and the writing at once skilful and compelling. This is a work of an exceptional historian.’ (Ian Hancock, author of Nick Greiner: A Political Biography, John Gorton: He Did It His Way, and National and Permanent? The Federal Organisation of the Liberal Party of Australia) ‘Ten Journeys to Cameron’s Farm is a monumental work of historical research pegged on a single, lethal moment at the apex of government at an extraordinarily sensitive time in Australia’s history. The book embodies top drawer scholarship, deep sensitivity to antipodean class structures and sensibilities, and a nuanced understanding of both democratic and bureaucratic politics.’ (Christine Wallace, author of Germaine Greer Untamed Shrew andThe Private Don: the man behind the legend of Don Bradman)
Author : Charles J. Kelly Publisher : University Press of America Page : 265 pages File Size : 48,8 Mb Release : 2009-05-16 Category : Biography & Autobiography ISBN : 9780761844563
At last someone has discovered one of the most fascinating lives of the 20th century. As a crusading journalist, John Reagan 'Tex' McCrary led the way from newspapering into radio and television. As a handsome adventurer, this well-connected Yalie romanced some of the world's most talented (and richest) women, winding up a globe-girdling love affair by marrying Jinx Falkenburg, then America's top model and later his partner on the air. As a brave Army Air Corps colonel in World War II, he took the first group of reporters into devastated Hiroshima, and was instrumental in the creation of an independent U.S. Air Force. As a political activist, he was a powerful influence in pulling General Eisenhower back from Paris to wrench the Republican presidential nomination from the hard right—even though his advocacy cost him his network job. As a pioneer publicist, Tex brought a social conscience to the builder of Levittown and sent a kid he was mentoring (me) to Moscow to set up the historic 'kitchen debate' between Nikita Khrushchev and Richard Nixon. I could never get him to write his memoirs before he died; the active octogenarian stubbornly said 'I won't live my life with eyes on the rear-view mirror.' But Chuck Kelly, his longtime friend, interviewed him skillfully and often, and now we have an adventurer's eye-view of McCrary's little-known role in tempestuous times.—William Safire
The Royal Auxiliary Air Force by Frances Louise Wilkinson,Tony Freeman Pdf
Owing its origins to Lord Trenchard’s desire to establish an elite corps of civilians who would serve their country in flying squadrons during their spare time, the Auxiliary Air Force (AAF) was first formed in October 1924. Today, the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) is the primary reinforcement capability for the regular RAF. It consists of paid volunteers who, at weekends, evenings and holidays, train to support the RAF, particularly in times of national emergency and conflict. This has seen the AAF play important roles in the Battle of Britain, its squadrons claiming 30 per cent of enemy ‘kills’. Other notable achievements by AAF pilots include the first German aircraft destroyed over the British mainland and its territorial waters, the first U-boat to be destroyed with the aid of airborne radar, the first destruction of a V-1 flying bomb, and an AAF squadron claimed the highest score of any British night fighter squadron. It was an AAF squadron which was the first to be equipped with jet-powered aircraft. Receiving ‘Royal’ status in 1947 in recognition of its contribution to victory in the Second World War, the RAuxAF also came to the fore during the Cold War providing home defense as the regular squadrons were shipped to hotspots around the world. In more recent times, squadrons and personnel of the RAuxAF have seen action in Iraq and Afghanistan This book presents, for the first time, the history and development of all the squadrons and units that made up the Auxiliary and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, including the Balloon Squadrons, the Maritime Headquarters Units, Fighter Control and Radar Reporting Units, Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiments and of course the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. These devoted warriors continue to serve alongside the regular forces in defense of the United Kingdom, ready to be called into action whenever their country is in time of need.
Aerodromes Of Fighter Command by Robin J Brooks Pdf
RAF Fighter Command was established in July 1936 to provide the airborne element in the defense of Britain against air attack. The aerodromes under the Command described in this book came under the control of several Groups: No. 9 in the west, No. 10 covering the south-west, No. 11 in the south-east, No.?12 on the eastern side of the country, and Nos. 13 and 14 protecting the extreme north. In this volume the activities of over 90 airfields are described and illustrated in our ‘then and now’ theme, both on the ground and from above. Many, having served their purpose, have returned to farmland leaving only odd vestiges to recall their former role as front-line fighter stations. Others have succumbed to the encroachment of housing or industry or even been totally expunged from the map through mining activities. On the other hand, a number have continued to be used as airfields, either for sport or business flying, and some continue as major airports with modern facilities. Sadly the post-war years have witnessed the slow decline of the RAF presence at so many of their former bases, two having closed during our research for this book. And some have found a new lease of life with the Army . . . or even the Ministry of Justice! All came into their own during the six years of war and the scars from that battle are still evident if one cares to look. Moldering buildings from the former era remain as poignant reminders of the airmen and women who once inhabited them . . . now standing almost as memorials to the thousands who never came through. This is their story.
The True Story of the Great Escape by Jonathan F Vance Pdf
It shows the variety and depth of the men sent into harms way during World War II, something emphasised by the population of Stalag Luft III. Most of the Allied POWs were flyers, with all the technical, tactical and planning skills that profession requires. Such men are independent thinkers, craving open air and wide-open spaces, which meant than an obsession with escape was almost inevitable' - John D GreshamBetween dusk and dawn on the night of March 24th–25th 1944, a small army of Allied soldiers crawled through tunnels in Germany in a covert operation the likes of which the Third Reich had never seen before.The prison break from Stalag Luft III in eastern Germany was the largest of its kind in the Second World War. Seventy-nine Allied soldiers and airmen made it outside the wire – but only three made it outside Nazi Germany. Fifty were executed by the Gestapo.Jonathan Vance tells the incredible story that was made famous by the 1963 film The Great Escape. The escape is a classic tale of prisoner and their wardens in a battle of wits and wills.The brilliantly conceived escape plan is overshadowed only by the colourful, daring (and sometimes very funny) crew who executed it – literally under the noses of German guards.From their first days in Stalag Luft III and the forming of bonds key to such exploits, to the tunnel building, amazing escape and eventual capture, Vance's history is a vivid, compelling look at one of the greatest 'exfiltration' missions of all time.
Throughout the Second World War, the first duty of Allied airman brought down in enemy territory was to evade capture and make good their return to Britain. Preventing this was a major preoccupation of the Germans-both sides new that it took too much time and expense to train pilots and aircrew. Home Run collects the dramatic stories of some of those who succeeded in evading their hunters. They are stories of great courage and endurance, not only of the escapers, but also those who helped them; the penalty for those who hid, succoured and guided downed airman, if they were caught, was death. Inevitably, there were rotten apples among the helpers; one of the most fascinating pieces in this book tells of a British confidence trickster who, while he certainly helped some of the evaders on their way, equally certainly betrayed others- and many of his collogues- to the enemy. Here, too, is the engaging story of another confidence trickster, this time a Luftwaffe officer, who conned his way to freedom- and decoration by Adolf Hitler for deeds he had done. Richard Townshend Bicker's latest book is a very readable collection of accounts which, if we did not know them to be true, would be almost impossible to believe. It is also a tribute not only to the triumph of the human spirit over every kind of adversity, but also to the almost limitless extent of human ingenuity and daring.
The Great Escape from Stalag Luft III by Tim Carroll Pdf
The true story of one of the most heroic feats of World War II...the daring prison camp breakout that inspired the classic film The Great Escape Stalag Luft III was one of the Germans' "escape-proof" prison camps, specially built by Hermann Göring to hold Allied troops. But on March 24, 1944, in a courageous attempt by two hundred prisoners to break out through a series of tunnels, seventy-six Allied officers managed to evade capture -- and create havoc behind enemy lines in the months before the Normandy Invasion. This is the incredible story of these brave men who broke free from the supposedly impenetrable barbed wire and watchtowers of Stalag Luft III -- and who played an important role in Allied intelligence operations within occupied Europe. The prisoners developed an intricate espionage network, relaying details of military deployment, bombings, and raids. Some of them were involved in other daring escape attempts, including the famous Wooden Horse episode, also turned into a classic film, and the little-known Sachsenhausen breakout, engineered by five Great Escapers sent to die in the notorious concentration camp on Hitler's personal orders. Tragically, fifty of those involved in the Great Escape were murdered by the Gestapo. Others were recaptured; only a few made it all the way to freedom. This dramatic account of personal heroism is a testament to their ingenuity and achievement -- a stirring tribute to the men who never gave up fighting. Includes eight pages of photographs and illustrations, excerpts from Göring's testimony during postwar investigations, and a list of the men who escaped.
