People, Bottom Line, Video & Book Reviews

Videos

Hawker Sea Fury:

RN Historic Flight This 92 minute video featuring the Hawker Sea Fury lately operated by the Royal Navy Historic Flight is a must for anyone interested in naval aviation, as well as other historic aircraft buffs.

Unfortunately the featured aircraft was subsequently almost completely destroyed, when, following a successful forced landing after engine failure, it slid into the only tree on the 150 acre field.

Footage of the aftermath of this accident, and the earlier loss of an FB11 in 1989 when the pilot was forced to abandon the aircraft due to undercarriage malfunction, is dramatically documented. This includes video film shot at the time of the pilot’s attempts to lower a locked up undercarriage leg by bouncing the aircraft on the runway. The final plunge of the aircraft into the sea and the pilot’s descent by parachute were also captured.

The featured aircraft is the two seat T20 trainer version of the Sea Fury which the Historic Flight was forced to use for airshows following the earlier loss of the FB11.

The video starts with footage shot from the cockpit during a display, which unfortunately is of limited value, however subsequent sequences showing the aircraft performing at a number of UK vintage aircraft displays, together with the Flight’s Firefly, is excellent material.

By great good fortune, a detailed technical walkround of the aircraft was shot prior to the last accident and the video is worth buying for this alone. The display pilot (who was unfortunate to be flying both aircraft when they were lost) gives a knowledgeable and detailed summary of the salient features of the aircraft, supported by very good camera work.

Some historic footage featuring the Sea Fury during the Korean war is included, and as an added bonus, there are short sequences of other historic aircraft joining the Sea Fury and Firefly at air displays.

The video can be obtained from Royal Navy Historic Flight, RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset BA22 8HT, Great Britain and costs $16. 00 plus $3. 00 postage, by international money order only. Proceeds go towards supporting the museum.

Books

Principles of Helicopter Flight:

WJ Wagtendonk At $NZ60. 00 a copy, this is certainly not a book that one would buy on the off chance that it might be a useful addition to the library.

On the other hand, for the serious student seeking a reference manual covering all areas of the theoretical and practical aspects of helicopter operations, it would be a valuable purchase.

The author’s credentials stem from 40 years involvement in flight training culminating in 1978 in the formation of the Nelson Aviation College, which is one of New Zealand’s best known theory and flight training establishments, and the first approved school to conduct both fixed and rotary wing courses in that country.

The manual covers in a detailed and knowledgeable way, all aspects of helicopter aerodynamics and operations, providing an understandable explanation of the topic under discussion, aided by good clear diagrams.

As stated in the preface, the manual would be a valuable reference for the recently qualifled helicopter pilot who may have passed his theory exams, but has yet to gain the experience to tie the practical to the theory. As that experience is gained, reference to the appropriate section of the manual should meld the two together. The manual is well indexed, providing quick access to specific subject matters. Obtainable from the author, Walter Wagtendonk, 442 Tuapiro Road, Katinkati, NZ. Ph/Fax 075491250 $NZ60. 00 post free.

Secret Action of 305:

Smith & Coghlan The inaugural winner of the Royal Australian Air Force’s Heritage Award for Literature in 1988, this very readable book deals with and documents the little publicised, but nevertheless highly interesting story of an RAAF radar unit during WW2.

Written by two members of No 305 Radar Station during the war, the book documents, in a warm and informative style the life of an early warning radar station based in New Guinea. This very readable account provides a fascinating insight into an area of Australian military history that, while it has received little attention, was so important during the course of the war.

Available from the RAAF Museum, RAAF Williams, Vic or leading booksellers.

 Solo Around the World:

Dick Smith This book is an intriguing, fascinating and in depth account of the exploits of Dick Smith in his global record breaking flights in his Bell Jetranger.

In Delta India Kilo, now residing in the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, DickSmith flew more than 1500 hours and 250,000 kilometres on recorbreaking flights around the world, to the North Pole and Australia. Of very high quality with many awe-inspiring photographs (450), this large book goes a long way to portray the magnitude and many accomplishments of Dick Smith, and the number of exotic locations he visited on the way.

Available from leading book stores.

Raaf Air Power Doctrine:

Gary Waters, Editor “RAAF Air Power Doctrine – A Collection of Contemporary Essays” is exactly that, and provides a good cross section of views on the subject. The title contains six separate papers with uniquely Australian perspectives on air power doctrine and the role of air power in defending Australia. For those with a professional interest in the area, this title is a most useful supplement to the RAAF’s AAP-1000 Air Power Manual, as it illustrates much of the reasoning which underpins the RAAF’s official document. In a more historical sense, it is a good snapshot of Australian military thinking of the late eighties and early nineties.

Published by the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the ANU. Available from SDSC, ANU, GPO Box 4, Canberra, ACT 2601, for $10 plus p&p.