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A Century of Airpower
Fabulous Flying Boats
All images and book info courtesy of Pen & Sword Books
If your looking for reference books of like to read up on History, or anyhting else, then please check out our sponsor Pen & Sword Books for all your reading material.
To see books from from Pen & Sword please click on the category boxes below.
The history of the development and operation of flying boats in the early twentieth century is a vibrant one, full of colourful characters and exciting experimentation. In Fabulous Flying Boats, Leslie Dawson captures this wonderful spirit of dynamism, starting with some of the most successful early pioneers of seaplanes development. He goes on to describe, in vivid detail using first-hand acounts, what is was like to be aboard one of the huge passenger flying boats – both as passenger and as crew. Incredibly well researched, the narrative is supported with evocative images collected from around the world. This entertaining and informative book is sure to make a welcome addition to any aviation enthusiast's library.
No other technical development since the introduction of gunpowder has had as great an influence on warfare as the aircraft. From its early beginnings as simply a means of aerial reconnaissance, to its utter supremacy on the battlefield, the aircraft has evolved into the most versatile and precise killing machine known to man. In this wide-ranging and comprehensive study, internationally-respected defence analyst, Dave Sloggett, investigates the changing role and increasing significance of air power over the course of the last century. It is the most important study of the use of military aircraft ever undertaken. Detailing every major conflict during this period, it provides valuable lessons for the future – both for the commanders who apply these all powerful weapons and for the politicians who are tasked with determining their use.
When the Wright Brothers made their first flight in the early years of the twentieth century, it sparked the imagination of those who wanted to fly, both in their country and around the world. In Britain, however, the spark wasn’t strong enough to light a fire and it was in other parts of Europe, notably France, where flight began to develop seriously. Early pioneers of flight faced a high level of danger and many died in pursuit of fulfilling their dream. Although aircraft design had made incredible progress by the time of the outbreak of war, accidents still occurred on a regular basis. For some time, as many pilots died in accidents as they did in combat. This generously illustrated publication consolidates a range of stories, insights, and facts to offer the reader a fascinating and comprehensive account of the developmental early days of flight.
The airship and aeroplane raids by Germany on Britain during the First World War constituted the first strategic bombing campaign in history. It was a novel and unwelcome means of waging war - and one that provoked panic and resentment, and dispelled Britain’s island sense of security. The raiders, demonised as 'baby killers' for causing indiscriminate civilian casualties, may not have crushed British morale, but they disrupted war production and succeeded in diverting personnel, arms and aeroplanes from where they were needed most at the Front. This superbly researched and magnificently illustrated book provides a chilling insight into an aspect of The Great War which is all too often overlooked. An important and highly readable work, it charts the precise chronology of the devastating air raids on Britain and provides a gazetteer to the places bombed as well as details of relevant memorials and museums.
Pioneers of Arial Combat
The Baby Killers
Books from Pen & Sword Publishing
Fabulous Flying Boats
Like the other books in the Holts' acclaimed Battlefield Guide Series (see inside front cover for details) this is much more than just a guidebook. It charts in fascinating detail what happened at each recommended stop and brings alive, with cameos and personal recollections, the dramatic events of September 1944.
It is the very first detailed guide to chart the entire MARKET-GARDEN Corridor - from Leopoldsburg in Belgium and over the important bridges at the Scheldt-Maas Canal, the Wilhelmina Canal, the Zuid Willemsvaart Canal, the Maas and the Waal to the Bridge at Arnhem over the Lower Rhine - the ‘Bridge Too Far’.
Tiger I and Tiger II
The German Tiger I and Tiger II were the most famous and formidable heavy tanks of the Second World War. In their day, their awesome reputation inspired such apprehension among Allied soldiers that the weaknesses of these brilliant but flawed designs tended to be overlooked. In this illustrated history, Anthony Tucker-Jones tells the story of their conception and development and reconsiders their operational history. Along the way he dispels the legends and misunderstandings that have grown up around them. This expert account of these remarkable fighting vehicles is accompanied by a series of colour plates showing the main variants of the designs and the common ancillary equipment and unit markings.
Hitler's Atlantic Wall
This well illustrated book vividly describes the massive effort that the Nazi forces put into the construction of the Western section of the Atlantic Wall – in what was to become the D-Day invasion area. Together with the author's previous book, detailing work on the Eastern section of the wall, it forms a comprehensive account of this famous fortification. Beginning with an examination of the background to Germany’s primary military objectives in relation to the western end of their self-styled ‘Fortress Europe’, it goes on to describe the massive construction effort involved, as well as revealing the Allies' ingenious plans to overcome the mighty defence system. This highly informative guide book will not only bring the battlefield alive for those visiting the area, but will also entertain any readers at home who have an interest in the Second World War.
Below you will find some samples of books from Pen & Sword, some of which have been reviewed by MSC Forum staff.
Click on the button below to go to the MSC reviews page with a list and reviews.
Images of War
...focus of this latest edition by Pen & Sword is on telling that story through a collection of rare photographs dealing with the different stages of the 1940 campaigns.
