Battle of Britain Week Offer

Given that our three best selling categories are the Second World War, Military Biography and Military Aviation (with their obvious overlaps), I probably don't need to tell many of my readers of the significance of the Battle of Britain to the courses of World War II and eventual Allied victory.

Today is the start of Battle of Britain Week, culminating on the 15 September, which marks the climax of the battle.  As well as commemorating the outcome and those from many nations who took part in the battle, the week forms the main fundraising drive for and charities such as the RAF Benevolent Fund and the Royal Air Forces Association which supports the 'RAF family' (serving members, veterans and their families).  This year is particularly special as it also marks the centenary of the formation of the RAF in April 1918.

To mark this week, I have decided to offer 15% all Military Aviation titles ordered between today and midnight on Sunday 16 September 2018.  To take advantage of this offer, do not order through the selling platforms (AbeBooks, Amazon, and Biblio) but by contacting us directly.  I will then send you a PayPal invoice for your books.

Aviation at D-Day and Market Garden

I've been meaning for some time to highlight the above series of books on the aviation aspects of the Normandy invasions by  Martin Bowman.  The anniversary of D-Day seems an excellent time to do so.

Sadly events have overtaken me and these volumes have proved popular even without the plug: although I have several copies of Winged Pegasus and The Rangers, I only have one full five-volume set left.

Bowman has written a similar series on Operation Market Garden.  Of that set, I only have copies of Volume 1 and Volume 3.  Time to restock soon, I think!

These, and other copies of Bowman's work (must-reads for anyone interested in World War II in the air) can be seen here.

Celebrating the Jet Age

'The Wonder Jet' (1950) Central Office of Information film 
for the Ministry of Supply.  Crown Copyright.

Earlier this evening my sister, whose much more in touch with things aviation that I, informed me of something that had escaped my notice: that 15 May 2016 marks the 75th anniversary of the first flight of a British jet-powered aircraft.  Immediately my mind turned to the many books on the history of aviation I have for sale and I resolved to make a blog entry to mark the event.*

* It's called slipstreaming.

The turbojet was the brainchild of Sir Frank Whittle who was working on the idea from the late 1920s.  However, unlike his German counterpart Hans von Ohain, Whittle was unable to garner much government interest or support.  Thus, although Whittle filed a patent in 1930 it wasn't until March 1938 that funding was received from the Air Ministry and on 15 May 1941 that a Gloster E 28/39 (one of two built) became the first British jet-powered plane - some 18 months after the Heinkel He 178, powered by von Ohain's design.

Whittle's story is often told an example of the tendency of British innovation to be stifled by first indifference, and then interference, by government.  After his initial funding problems, the acceptance of Air Ministry funding by Power Jets Ltd meant that the company had to abide by secrecy regulations that limited its activities.  The nature of aircraft production during the war meant that development of the turboject was taken out of Power Jets' hands and farmed out to over companies - notably Rolls-Royce - and even worse, shared with Americans and Soviet allies.  Whittle had accepted the need for this as necessary to the war effort.  He even suggested that jet development be nationalised.  In the event, the Minister of Aircraft Production decided to nationalise Jet Powers Ltd only, valuing the company at a mere £100,00.  In 1944 Whittle received £10,000 for his shares and a CBE - with a further award of £100,000 from the Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors and advancement to KBE in 1948.

And the books?

You can see our list of aviation books here.