People, Bottom Line, Books & Video Reviews

The B-17 section tells the story of not only the development of an advanced bomber that was far ahead of its time when rolled out in the mid 1930s, but also of the intense skirmishing between the US Army Air Corps and Navy over roles and the growing move towards an independent US Air Force. Told too is how the B-17 was sent on mass daylight precision bombing raids to Germany in the face of fierce air defences unescorted. This book well details the successes and failures of these raids and how against this background the B-17 evolved into an effective strategic bomber that could sustain enormous punishment and battle damage.

Likewise the Lancaster section details the evolution of a formidable four engined heavy bomber from the unsuccessful twin engined Manchester. The Boeing B-17, B-29 & Lancaster by Stewart Wilson tells the story of the three classic bombers of WW2. The Lancaster chapters also detail this most famous bomber’s use for night-time area bombing raids to German cities and the battle and counter battles in this first electronic warfare environment, with the development of such high tech novelties as bombing radars, airborne search radars, jammers and window (chaff). The book also details the development of the improved Lincoln successor.

Finally the B-29 chapters explore WW2’s most technologically advanced piston engined bomber. The mighty Superfortress pushed the technological barriers of the day and because of this it endured innumerable early technological problems, and its entry into service was less than auspicious. Its problems overcome, the B-29 was the first land based bomber able to reach the Japanese islands and dropped the two atomic bombs that brought WW2 to an early end. The section dealing with the atomic bomb is balanced, Australian Aviation doesn’t resort to hype and is well worth reading. Finally the B-29 section also details the development of the improved B-50 and KB-50 tanker.

Boeing B-17, B-29 & Lancaster is available from most major newsagencies in soft cover, or direct from Aerospace Publications, PO Box 3105, Weston Creek ACT 2611, ph (06) 288 1677 fax (06) 288 2021 for $22.95 for softcover and $32.95 for hardcover, plus $4.95 postage.

Military Transports Directory And Far East Air Arms And Australasia: Ian Carroll

These incredibly indepth publications are intended, according to the publisher, as the most comprehensive hard core enthusiasts’ spotting and research books available. This claim is not far from the truth.

The Military Transports Directory lists each known individual military transport aircraft with every air arm (including individual CIS states) in the world. The book’s definition of transport is quite broad and apart from the obvious covers VIP transports, government aircraft, special mission platforms, tankers, maritime patrol aircraft, AEW, EW and even light twins in military service. The aircraft are listed under their operators and for each individual aircraft the book lists its serial number, construction number where known, operating unit and location when known and the date it was last observed.

Far East Air Arms and Australasia follows a similar format but lists the current orders of battle of each air arm of Asia and Australasia with the same headings but with every aircraft of every type in service listed.

Both books are available from Mach III Publications, PO Box 199, Cloverdale WA 6015. Far East Air Arms and Australasia is available for $23 inc postage, Military Transports Directory is available for $28 including postage.

Oplane Performance, Planning & Loading For The Air Transport Pilot: Aviation Theory Centre

This impressive publication is the latest authoritative aviation theory manual produced by the Aviation Theory Centre’s well qualified editorial team. As its title implies this book has been designed and written to fill a void by providing a reference work for Australian Air Transport Pilot Licence students. The manual covers takeoff performance, enroute performance, landing, fundamentals of flight planning, 727 flight planning data, operational flight planning and aircraft loading.

By its nature ATPL theory is a complex and challenging subject. This manual does well to clearly and concisely explain each topic. The text is easy to read and comprehend and is backed up by numerous tables and diagrams, while the manual’s format is well laid out and easy to follow.

Aeroplane Performance, Planning & Loading for the Air Transport Pilot is available from Aviation Theory, 131 Nelson Pl, Williamstown 3016 ph (03) 9397 2011, fax (03) 9397 1675.

Fiat Cr.42: Giorgio Apostolo

This well produced dual Italian/English language book goes a long way to redress the imbalance of the poor coverage given to one of WW2’s lesser known fighters, the Fiat CR.42 Falco, Italy’s last biplane fighter.

This book is the first in a series that will detail the history and development of various Italian aircraft, and is aimed at the aircraft enthusiast and aircraft modeller. Modellers in particular are well catered for as the book lists indepth the CR.42’s technical features and contains detailed line drawings and colour side views.

The production and combat history of the slow but highly manoeuvrable CR.42 is also well detailed and gives a good account of one of history’s lesser known fighters. The book is also written from an Italian perspective and so the type is viewed in a slightly different light than usual, which is interesting.

Fiat CR.42 is available direct from Australian Aviation the author, Giorgio Apostolo, Via Ampere 49, 20131 Milan, Italy or fax +39 2266 3854, for It Lire 25,000 (approx $A20) including postage.

Buy your kids a job, holiday in Australia…

From The Dawn Of Aviation. The Qantas Story: John Stackhouse

As its name suggests, this book is a comprehensive review of Qantas’ 75 year history, timed to coincide with this year’s anniversary.

The Qantas Story is a very detailed account of Australia’s most famous airline from its birth until the present day, and as such studies Qantas’ humble beginnings, its first international flights using the DH.86 biplane, its disjointed war services including the record breaking double sunrise nonstop Perth/Ceylon flights, postwar nationalisation and expansion with Constellations, the entry into service of the revolutionary 707 jets, a history of TAA and Australian Airlines, the 747 age and modern changes including privatisation.

This exhaustively researched and well presented volume is available from Focus Publishing, refer advert on p36 for more details.

Spitfires Over Darwin 1943: Jim Grant

The title of this book sums up its contents nicely and its authenticity is enhanced by the fact that the author was one of those who flew Spitfires over Northern Australia at the time.

This privately published 208 page softback covers the activities of the Spitfire units of No 1 Wing and their pilots extremely well and provides excellent background to the politics and historical circumstances which brought them into action against the Japanese. Combining both historical and anecdotal narrative, the words are well supported by maps, tables (including a very useful listing of all Spitfire losses from whatever cause in the area during 1943) and an interesting selection of photographs.

The late Clive Caldwell, Australia’s top scoring fighter pilot and CO of 1 Wing, provides the book’s foreword and his words sum up what is a very worthy contribution to Australian military aviation history: “… an accurate and balanced account of our efforts in Darwin in 1943. It is long overdue and I certainly appreciate that we now have a record of the way it really was”.

Spitfires Over Darwin 1943 is available direct from Jim Grant at 37/5 Hart St, Lane Cove, 2066 for $31.00 including postage and packing.