The “H” version of He 111 was the most popular variant of the described bomber. The first model of this version – the H-0 – was based on the serial He 111P-2 but was equipped with Junkers 211A-1 engines, which later were used as a standard propulsion of He 111H variants, eventually replacing lighter, but weaker and difficult to acquire Daimler Benz engines DB 601 units (they were prioritized to fighters).

La première édition de cet album historique, référence incontestable et pratiquement introuvable, est enfin rééditée, revue, corrigée et augmentée. L’ouvrage offre avec un luxe d’informations, de détails et de photos un panorama exhaustif de l’intervention de la chasse allemande dans le ciel de Normandie et de l’Île de France puis en Provence, après le débarquement allié sur les côtes méditerranéennes.

As late as the first half of the 1930s, the innovations which led the shift from the biplane to the monoplane airplane designs reached the aeronautical industry in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, traditionally considered secondrate compared to those of the major European powers. By then, the Vazduhoplovstvo vojske Kraljevine Jugoslavije (VVKJ Royal Yugoslav Air Force) was hopelessly outdated. The core of its arsenal consisted of obsolete biplanes, including the Breguet 19 light bombers, Potez 25 trainers, Avia BH 33 fighters, as well as Dewoitine D1 high wing monoplanes fighters. Due to the reluctance of the long term allies to supply modern equipment to renew the aging Air Force, the Yugoslav government lost precious time by failing to commit immediately to the industrial cooperation with the only other available source at the time, Germany.

Those who knew Wing Commander Alan Michael ‘Sticky’ Murphy remember a man who was an inspiration both on and off duty. Indeed, it motivated James H. Coley, who served as a navigator in No. 23 Squadron, to write a book dedicated to his commanding officer’s memory and honour. In 1941 Sticky joined the ‘cloak and dagger’ 1419 (Special Duties) Flight, pioneering short take off and landings dropping agents into occupied Europe. It was extremely hazardous and daring work. On one flight his Lysander was ambushed by Germans, with Sticky having to fly home seriously wounded, and his exploits on a mission to rescue a comrade, John Nesbitt-Dufort, would earn him the award of the Distinguished Service Order. Such feats made him a legend in the secret and clandestine circles in which he moved, a time Sticky recalled as ‘The greatest fun ever.’ In 1943 Sticky converted to Mosquitoes, and was posted to Malta and No. 23 Squadron. Night after night Sticky led the way, following the Squadron motto ‘Semper Aggressus – Always on the attack’, which he was more inclined to translate as ‘Right lads! After the bastards!’. Sticky soon took command of No 23 Squadron, and became loved for his humanity, daring leadership, and natural charm to all. In 1944 Sticky returned to the United Kingdom and Bomber Command’s No. 100 Group, carrying out dangerous intruder operations against German night fighter bases, and it was on one such operation that Sticky flew his final fateful sortie.It was said that those who knew Sticky never forgot his infectious laugh, his joy of living, and indomitable personality. Let there be no doubt that in any Valhalla of warriors, Sticky Murphy sits beside his contemporaries on equal terms and with a smile.

STUKA! The very name is synonymous with the screaming sirens and the crump of heavy bombs. For the lightly armed Partisan forces it meant despair, defeat and in a lot of cases, death. For five long years Stuka units in the Balkan theater have come and gone, depending on the Axis war fortunes. They did not have permanent base, as was the case with NSGR. 7 for example, but the bomb loads that the Ju 87 carried and the precision to deliver them, was the wining combination. In all major military operations in Yugoslavia against Tito’s forces, Stuka was an element which was always included in Commander’s plans. In September 1943 it was Stukas who spearheaded the defeat of the Italian forces since German land forces were few in numbers. Until the last day of WW II in Yugoslavia, Stuka was on the first line of fire even against a strong foe such as the Red Army.

Shot down in his Avro Manchester on the Thousand Bomber raid of 30/31 May 1942 Bomber Command observer and navigator John Valentine saw out the rest of the Second World War as a prisoner in Germany. During that period, he wrote extensively to his wife Ursula, telling her of his survival, the circumstances in which he was shot from the sky, his capture, and the daily rigours of life as a prisoner of war. Extraordinarily, and despite being extremely ill, when John was finally liberated he brought back all the letters and photographs he had received from Ursula. Across all their correspondence, parts of which had been blacked out, the word ‘Gepruft’ (‘checked’ in German) had been stamped by the German censor. In addition to the correspondence written during the dark days when John was a prisoner, further letters exist penned when a pregnant Ursula lived in London at the time of the Luftwaffe Blitz, John was training for aircrew duties with the Royal Air Force, and during his operational career with No. 49 Squadron on Hampden and Manchester bombers. In total, this extraordinary archive consists of 224 letters and postcards from John and 305 from Ursula, with a further 73 written to John during his long periods of hospitalisation after his return.These letters, which have been compiled and edited by John and Ursula’s daughter Frances, provide a unique and unprecedented insight in to how two people struggled to find solace, and keep their hopes and love alive despite the anxieties of John’s dangerous operational life and his three years behind barbed wire. Illustrated with previously unpublished photographs Gepruft is a truly remarkable and comprehensive account of the effect of the Second World War on the lives of a young married couple, and their generation.

Robust to the point of supporting operations on unprepared runways and in an environment with 36°C temperature and humidity at 100 per cent. Independent to operate without any ground support and taking off from narrow and short runways from border Army Battalions. Technological for integrating in a 4th generation cockpit the most modern technology including Datalink, HOTAS, Head-up Display, night and thermal vision and use of up to 1,500kg of conventional and guided weaponry with also ballistic protection for pilots. Unlike other models in its class that were born for advanced training being converted to combat employment, the genesis of Embraer's turboprop single-engine EMB-314 Super Tucano is a robust attack aircraft capable of staying weeks in continuous operation with high availability index and attending to the most varied types of missions. And holds almost nothing from it predecessor EMB-312 Tucano. The two .50 inches machine guns installed inside the wings allow a superior combination of 130 types of armament positioned at five external points under the wings and fuselage. With more than 250 units produced and performing missions ranging from armed reconnaissance, escort, COIN and even air defense, Super Tucano is used by Brazil and 11 other countries. Manufactured under license in the USA, Colombia, Afghanistan, Dominican Republic, Mauritania and Brazil itself have already made real use of the Super Tucano in various occasions. The US may become the next Embraer turboprop operator on close air support flights with a contract that can reach 300 airplanes.

Due to China’s strong dependence/reliance on its economic development but also due to its rising political ambitions with the aim to resume a central role in the regional and global affairs, it is vital for China to show some sort of military presence in its area of influence. Consequently, within the past decade, China’s military – in both strategic considerations and the modernisation of procedures and material as well – has undergone some of the most profound reforms since its establishment and the Chinese Navy and its Naval Air Arm play an ever more increasing role to achieve these goals.The 2016-released National ‘white paper’ has emphasized a greater focus on the seas and clearly stated that China’s has to establish itself as a major maritime power. Consequently, the PLN will shift its focus from 'offshore waters defence' to an 'open seas protection'. That means in parallel to the PLAAF’s modernisations, the changes for the PLN – and concerning the scope off the book the PLANAF – will be probably even more dramatic when the PLANAF creates a modern, capable 'Blue Water' force. In terms of modern systems, the PLNAF will steadily increase its naval capabilities by introducing more modern multirole-capable systems but most important by the establishment of an indigenous carrier force.Similar to the original /Modern Chinese Warplanes/and /Flashpoint China/ books, this uniquely compact yet comprehensive directory serves as a magnificently illustrated, in-depth analysis and directory of modern Chinese Naval Air Power.It is organised in four parts: the most important military aircraft and their weapons found in PLANAF service today; aircraft markings and serial number systems; the recent modernization efforts and structural reforms and orders of battle for the People's Liberation Naval Air Force.

The aim of those who created the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) was clear – to provide a world-class facility to serve as a point for recognition, remembrance and reconciliation for Bomber Command. In 2018 that aim was achieved.‘Our Story, Your History – The International Bomber Command Centre’ details the story behind the IBCC, the people who came up with the initial idea and the extraordinary dedication and creativity that made the project a reality. The IBCC’s Mark Dodds tells the remarkable story of how the concept arose, the various design and construction phases, the remarkable efforts to raise the necessary funds, and the cutting-edge development of the comprehensive losses database and digital archive. Dr Robert Owen provides a military history of Bomber Command from the first operational flight, less than an hour after war was declared against Germany in September 1939, to the end of hostilities five years and eight months later in May 1945. Historian and author Steve Darlow tells the human story of the aircrews who flew and fought in the skies above Germany and the Nazi occupied territories, drawing on numerous first-hand accounts from veterans. Dr Dan Ellin provides an insight in to the experiences of the male and female ground personnel who served with the Command, and author Sean Feast details the tragic stories behind the loss of specific crews, all of whom are remembered on the IBCC’s Wall of Names.Illustrated throughout with images showing the development of the project and wartime pictures of those whose memory is central to the project, ‘Our Story, Your History’ is a fitting reminder to current and future generations of the commitment and sacrifice associated with the men and women, from 62 different nations, who came together in Bomber Command during the Second World War.

Aviation was still in its infancy when World War I broke out. The first men to take to the skies above the battlefield undertook reconnaissance. Pilots and observers soon branched out into primitive bombing attempts, and attacking enemy aircraft when they came into contact. Nascent air forces produced manuals to help these pioneers as they took warfare into a new dimension.Pulling together information from British manuals such as A Few Hints for the Flying Officer and Practical Flying, as well as American, German and French training guides, this pocket manual shows what type of information the pilots were given. From the basics of how to care for, start, and fly an aircraft, through tactics and strategy in the air, identifying whether vehicles below were friend or foe, interacting with mechanics, and coordinating with army or naval forces, this fascinating time capsule opens up the world of the Great War aviator. With introductions to the manuals by Chris McNab, setting them in context and providing background.

The emergence of the Ki-84 was spurred by the availability of a new 18-cylinder Ha-45 twin radial engine manufactured by Nakajima. The first prototype of the new fighter was ready on March 20, 1943, with the first flight taking place in April. In June 1943, as the flight test program continued, two more prototypes were completed. The second series of 42 “additional prototypes” was built between March and June 1944. The full-scale production of the Ki-84’s first and basic version Ki-84 Ko was launched in Ota in April 1944 when the production and flight testing of prototype machines was still ongoing. All Ki-84 Ko fighters featured offensive armament consisting of two fuselage-mounted Ho-103 12.7 mm guns and two Ho-5 20 mm cannons installed in the wings. Early-production examples were still powered by the Ha-45-11 engines, but those were soon replaced by the Ha-45-12 engines developing 1825 hp. Later a more advanced version of the engine was introduced – Ha-45-21 – which featured a more efficient supercharger and developed 1990 hp.

Alexander Graham Bell and his team of innovative young engineers created groundbreaking new technologies during three years of furious activity in Baddeck, Nova Scotia, in the early 1900s. The knowledge and skills of this group allowed them to innovate flight technologies which have continued to be fundamental to aircraft design. In this book, aviation author Terrance MacDonald puts together, for the first time, the full story of their achievements. Bell's unique group of engineers, a mechanical specialist and a military officer, built over twenty airplanes, which incorporated many new sophisticated technological developments. Bell's well-known Silver Dart was only one of a long line of his team's experimental airplanes.This book describes the aircraft, the people, and the communities who participated with Bell in his mission to construct a reliable and secure flying machine. Over the years the group started to lose members, and when the Canadian government refused to purchase aircraft based on Bell's experiments the reconfigured group folded. Meanwhile, one group member left to found a major aircraft manufacturing operation in the US.Bell's team carefully documented all their work, and as a consequence there are hundreds of compelling photos from this era. The book includes 60+ of these images, and offers links to early movies documenting these aircraft and their flights.

Marcel Migeo is a big name in the heroic epoch of French aviation, even though he is not as famous as Mermoz, Guillaumet or Saint-Exupéry – he knew all three of them. Refusing a path all mapped-out as a civil servant in the Ministry of Finance, he chose aviation because of his taste for travel and adventure. In January 1923, he left for Syria, sent there as a fighter pilot in the 53rd Escadrille of the Levant, based at Deir-ez-zor. On a Breguet XIV he took part in peace keeping operations in Syria, earning himself the Croix de Guerre and the Médaille du Levant and bar. Each day he wrote down the important events of his daily life in his moleskin notebook: his flying missions, his relations with the local population, his discovery of Syrian towns and countryside. These notes gave rise to a manuscript, unpublished until today. He became an insurance broker in his native city, Reims. Marcel Migeo wrote ten or so books most of which were devoted to flying. We owe him accounts of the war, like Batailles dans le ciel (Grand Prix Littéraire de l’Aéro-Club de France) and biographies of Saint-Exupéry, Henri Guillaumet, Maryse Bastié and Dider Daurat. Almost a hundred years later, his writings on Syria have a pertinent and astonishingly contemporary flavour since the country is being torn apart by a six-year-old civil war which has taken on an international dimension. The journalist and writer, Patrick Poivre d’Arvor, himself from Reims, has written the preface to this book as a tribute to the memory of Marcel Migeo whom he knew and whose tales of youth in turn have something to do with developing his own interest in that heroic period of aviation.