Book Reviews

Fourteen super pages colour photographs represent the finest artistry of the RAAF’s top photographers as well as the talents of many private individuals. Air Marshal George Jones says in the foreword to the book: “It will bring back many memories to those who flew them some of which no doubt will be pleasant and exciting, and some grim and tragic. In addition to its historical value, this book is a very fine work of art. ”

HERK: HERO OF THE SKIES Joseph Earl Dabney.

Available from Novalit Aust PL, 82 Flinders St, Adelaide, 5000. Rec retail $26. 95.

This is the complete and dramatic story of the amazing Lockheed C-130 Hercules – the modern-day successor to the C-47 Gooney Bird. A do-anything, go-anywhere tactical (and strategic) transport, the Hercules has demonstrated its prowess around the world . . . from Entebbe to Xingu, and thousands of points in between, hauling goods and people into and out of postage stamp strips of sand, snow and grass, to the amazement of onlookers and passengers alike.

Living up to its namesake, the legendary Greek hero of mythology renowned for feats of strength, the Hercules revolutionised the scientific assault on Antarctica, helped to build the oil pipe lines in Alaska and Peru and is a major factor in “country building” development in Africa, the Middle East, South America and Asia’. The Labours of Hercules, in a word, are legion. She launches drones, refuels helicopters, fights forest fires, hunts hurricanes and makes amazing airdrops from altitudes low and high . In this profusely illustrated definitive biography of the versatile Hercules, author Joe Dabney takes the reader through the project’s development by Lockheed and the United States Air Force and recounts many of the aeroplane’s most heroic deeds. The book tells how the C-130, which started out as a logistics warbird, quickly developed into one of the world’s most effective flying ambassadors of goodwill and international cooperation. The Hercules in its many versions, is flying today for operators in 45 countries representing every continent. More than 1500 have been delivered. Much of the HERK’s story is told in the words of the C-130 flyers themselves, particularly USAF pilots who flew the airplane

in Vietnam, which was perhaps the air plane’s finest hour.

THUNDERBOLTRoger Freeman.

Available from Novalit Aust PL, 82 Flinders St, Adelaide 5000. Rec retail $17. 85.

One of the most famous single-seat warplanes of the Second World War, and built in larger numbers than any other Allied fighter, the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was a notable contrast to many of its contemporaries. The heaviest single-engine fighter to reach large-scale service – twice as heavy as the British Spitfire or Japanese “Zero” in some configurations – it featured a large air-cooled radial engine combined with an efficient turbo-compressor endowing it with excellent altitude performance. Despite its size and weight, one Thunderbolt model was the fastest Allied propeller-driven fighter to see combat. The firepower of its eight “point-fifty” machine guns was reckoned by friend and foe alike to provide the most effective armament of any Second World War fighter. The two top US fighter pilots of the war in Europe flew Thunderbolts, bearing testimony to its success in combat. This books tells the technical and combat story of the Thunderbolt, explaining the why and wherefore of its development, tactical employment as an escort fighter and its adaptation to the role in which it excelled – ground attack. In addition to the narrative history dealing with many aspects of the Thunderbolt, this book includes details of service use by Allied air forces, accounts by pilots who flew this fighter in different theatres of war, and technical data on all Thunderbolt models. Illustrated with over 200 photographs, including colour reproductions, this book also features detailed plans of P-47s based on manufacturers’ statistics and measurements of actual aircraft.

MIDDLE EAST INTEREST

Following our in-depth article on Israel and the Heyl Ha Avir in the June edition of AADR, we have literally been swamped with requests for information on authoritative books which cover the region. There have been many well written books on the various Arab/Israeli wars and not surprisingly the best are those written by outsiders. For the sake of those readers interested in this region AADR briefly reports on four books which we found to be first class reference sources on these conflicts.

THE THIRD ARAB-ISRAELI WAR by Edgar O’Ballance covers the Six Day War of June 1967. This book reports on every facet of why Israel went to war which in many ways is as interesting as the precise descriptions of the overwhelming victories that lay before her on every front. While this book doesn’t necessarily make good reading if you are an Arab it does nevertheless report in a frank and unbiased style on the strengths and weaknesses of the various combatants. Certainly essential reading if you are a fan of the military strategy carried out to the maximum degree of effectiveness. In fact I am told that many strategists use this book and the hour by hour history of this brief war as a model of successful strategy.

THE YOM KIPPUR WAR by the Insight Team of the London Sunday Times. This book is much larger than the previous book reviewed largely due to the fact that the 1973 war lasted almost three times longer. This book is all the more interesting as it details the technological gains made between 1967 and 1973. The use of man-portable anti-tank and surface-to-air missiles altered the Israeli tactical situation overnight. No more were the Israeli’s to have total air superiority over their battlefields and as the ground forces work closely with air support this had profound effects on the first week of the 21 day war. Even more intriguing was the rapidfire evolution of countermeasures to the various Soviet supplied missile systems. As the most recent “big battle” war this book outlines the many modern concepts that are more than relevant today.

THE ELECTRONIC WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST 1968-70 by Edgar O’Ballance. This book delves into the highly technical world of electronics and largely examines the War of Attrition. It is fairly heavy reading at times if you are not a dedicated electronics expert yet it does highlight the effect of the introduction of highly sophisticated smart weapons and ECM pods to a region not formally possessing these systems. As Egypt assembled a vast network of SAM missiles along the Suez Canal and continually harrassed the Israeli positions (and vice versa) the IAF was forced into action to eliminate the threat. Duels against MiGs and the use of PGM Shrike missiles against the SAM sites provided a fascinating insight of what lay ahead in the war of technology. In this “war ” though the Israeli’s tended largely to miss the message tha’t the Egyptians’ had at last developed a workable deterrent in their Soviet supported missile belts. It was a lesson Israel was to learn the hard way only three years later.

ON EAGLES’ WINGS by Ezer Weizman. This fine book, written by a man who could well be Israel’s Prime Minister in the near future, tells his own life story in addition to that of the Heyl Ha Avir – the Israeli Air Force. From the first battles with Piper Cubs to the Yorn Kippur War and beyond this book is fascinating reading to all those interested in the history of this highly effective air force. The book also provides some interesting historical aspects of the 1948 and 1956 wars in addition to providing insight into the complex political workings of the region.

All of these books are available from The Napoleon Military Workshop, 336 Pitt St, Sydney 2000. Telephone 235-7560. Prices on application.