When the Pacific war began it was a case of “when, not
if” Darwin would be attacked. But nobody could have
predicted the extraordinary scale and ferocity of the 19
February 1942 raid. A massive strike force, blooded at Pearl
Harbor, hit Darwin in the biggest Japanese air attack ever
in the South Pacific. The Darwin raid is usually portrayed
as a wholesale disaster for the Allies, and a day full of
military ineptitude. The authors show that the defenders
were alert and fought with purpose. Arguably it was the
Japanese that wasted much of their attacking strength.
New in d/w - 368pp, numerous b/white
photos, 10 colour maps, 40 colour profiles
Spurned in concept by the Air
Marshals, designed and built in secrecy and flown out of a
farm field, the de Havilland Mosquito became the most
successful and versatile military aircraft of the Second
World War. Photo-reconnaissance aircraft, day and night
fighter, bomber, mine-layer, torpedo-bomber, pathfinder and
tank-buster, the Wooden Wonder, powered by two Rolls-Royce
Merlin engines, undertook nearly every role. The prototype
flew in November 1940 and was soon helping to make aces. It
was an aircraft to which fliers who had achieved
recognition, aspired.
A comprehensive publication covering this unsung fighter
bomber of the RAF in WWII. The aircraft was produced in
small numbers and withdrawn swiftly from service, despite
its popularity with pilots, its speed and versatility. The
author explodes many of the myths that surrounded the
Whirlwind's short life history and covers all aspects of
conception, design, production and operational, service,
plus a brief history of each aircraft built. An excellent
study of one of the least known of WWII combat types.
v/good in d/w - 157pp, numerous
b/w photos & illustrations
Air Commodore Ronald “Ras” Berry was one of the RAF’s top
fighter aces. Berry fought with the Royal Air Force
throughout the war, starting with the Battle of Britain with
No. 603 Squadron where he made his reputation as an
excellent fighter pilot, shooting down three Messerschmitts
in a day. His story is illustrated by numerous photos,
mainly from Imperial War Museum collection, which include a
formal portrait of Berry as Wing Commander in North Africa.
Another image is of Berry’s Spitfire Mk. IX, coded EN199,
which has recently been restored by the Malta Aviation
Museum at Ta’Qali
WAR-TORN SKIES OF GREAT BRITAIN 4:
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
by Paul Johnson
The fourth in a series of books covering the air battles
and wartime activity over Britain focuses on
Buckinghamshire. It details the aviation history of the
county, its airfields such as Booker, Halton, Thame and
Wing, and many aviation accidents and events. Twenty air
crashes are investigated in great detail and a complete list
of major incidents from 1923 to 1950 is included.
New in card cover - 96pp, numerous b/w & colour photos, maps
