Kirjahaku

A limited edition hardcover book along with two DVDs packed with rare archival footage and interviews with 18 survivors It was a crucial moment of World War II. 1940. The Royal Air Force, virtually alone, defended the skies of Britain against massed formations of German bombers. They put up such a ferocious defense that Hitler gave up ideas of invading Britain and turned his attention to an assault on the Soviet Union. Of those pilots who courageously flew their Spitfires and Hurricanes against the Luftwaffe barely a handful remain. The authors have interviewed 18 survivors and it is their memories and anecdotes that make this book unique. Highly illustrated throughout with rarely seen images, this book is packed with great stories of aerial combat and being shot down, of the classic fighters that they flew and fought in and against, of making and losing friends and colleagues, of a strained social life in the midst of battle, and, most of all, of standing steadfast in the face of overwhelming odds. It is coupled with an authoritative and lively narrative.

A celebratory book and two documentaries about the famous aircraftIn the age of metal fuselages and wings how could an aircraft largely built of wood possibly become one of the most famous British aircraft ever and arguably the best military aircraft of World War II? The Mosquito was built by de Havilland which had already created classics such as the Tiger Moth and Dragon Rapide. It would prove to be the most versatile aircraft in the Royal Air Force's wartime inventory being used as bomber, day and night fighter, for reconnaissance, pathfinding, minelaying, and photographic roles as well as in Coastal Command for attacks on enemy shipping. It could patrol, intrude, attack, and evade as well as anything else flying at the time. Almost 8,000 Mosquitos were built and they were flown by almost every countrys pilots fighting with the allies including Americans, Canadians, Australians, and South Africans.The publishers of Mosquito: Unseen Images from the Archives have scoured the archives to come up with an unrivaled selection of rare and unseen images showing the full history of the Mosquito from its inception before the war through its hugely successful wartime career to the final post-war flights. Accompanying this ground-breaking book are two documentaries: De Havilland presents the Mosquito, and early film telling the aircrafts history and Gaining Altitude, the story of the rebuilding of a Mosquito to airworthy condition in Canada.

The world got a little smaller in July 1949 when the first jet-powered airliner took to the skies barely four years after the end of the Second World War. Not only was the de Havilland Comet 1 was a lot faster than previous airliners, it could fly higher and further. It was packed with new technology but, perhaps most importantly for those early passengers, it was a quiet, luxurious and even pleasant experience, something that could never be said for the noisy piston-engine aircraft that came before. The Comet s leadership in jet travel for the future was assured until aircraft began crashing. The first ones were put down to pilot error but two disastrous events in 1954 grounded the fleet and Britain s advantage over the rest of the world was lost. Boeing caught up with its ubiquitous 707 and the Comet was destined to become but a memory. However, rising from the ashes came a new Comet one that was bigger and more powerful than before and designed for completely different roles. Where the first Comets had provided an expensive and plush way to travel for the rich few, the new Comet 4s carried more passengers to a multitude of destinations inevitably becoming key carriers for the early package holidaymakers. At the same time they became vital strategic transports for the RAF as the British Empire receded. This book tells the full story of the world s first jet-powered airliner, from its remarkable beginnings, through its early flight trials programme to its entry into service. The type s military career is also covered, as is its construction; also included in this volume are details of the numerous variants produced and those still surviving as exhibits today. There are also twenty-four superb artworks by world-renowned aviation illustrator Juanita Franzi.

It was to be created for one man and one airline but became one of the best and most elegant aircraft ever to grace the skies. Howard Hughes was one of the wealthiest people in the world. He bought control in TWA, the huge American airline, and wanted to make it special. He wanted an aircraft that would give TWA the edge and begin the country's first ever coast-to-coast service carrying twenty passengers and freight. In fact he wanted a lot of them. Hughes discussed it with Lockheed, one of the smaller aviation companies in the USA, but they had grander plans. What they built was the Constellation, one of the greatest airliners of all time. Lockheed Constellation tells the story of the aircraft that was used by more than 100 airlines and air forces in thirty-eight countries; an airliner that came to epitomise the grand and romantic age of flight in the post-war years before the jet engine ruled. It tells of the wartime development which made the USAAF buy the first few aircraft off the production line; the post-war development which would see nine variants built; of the great airlines around the globe that would make the Constellation their first choice flagships; of the amazing technological advances made during development; and of the enduring legacy of this unique aircraft.

Possibly the most famous fighting formations of the Burma campaign during the Second World War were the Long Range Penetration Groups, more commonly known as the Chindits. Colonel Orde Wingate was given permission to attempt long-range operations deep within Japanese-held territory with the aim of sowing alarm and confusion amongst the enemy and disrupting Japanese plans for the invasion of India. For this, Wingate was given the Indian 77th Infantry Brigade. In February 1943 this force crossed into Burma on its first Chindit operation, codenamed Loincloth. The Chindits took the Japanese by surprise, putting one of the main railway lines out of order, but the Japanese responded quickly, interdicting supply drops to the Chindits who soon began to suffer severely from exhaustion and shortages of water and food. With three brigades chasing them, the Chindits headed back to India, being forced to break up into small groups to avoid capture. By the time the 77th Brigade crossed the border, it had lost a third of its strength. Despite the heavy losses, Wingate had shown that British troops could operate successfully against the Japanese in inhospitable terrain. Promoted to acting major general Wingate was granted permission to undertake another Chindit operation, but this time on a far greater scale. In Operation Thursday Wingate aimed to fly a force of 10,000 men, 1,000 mules, equipment and supplies into clearings in the heart of Burma behind enemy lines. The operation proved a considerable success, the Chindits causing mayhem amongst the Japanese forces. Wingate, though, did not live to see the end of Operation Thursday, as he was killed when the aircraft in which he was being transported to one of the Chindit bases crashed into the jungle. In this wonderful collection of photographs, drawn in large part from one man's photograph albums, we see the harsh conditions in which the Chindits had to operate, and the terrible physical state of many of the men who survived the jungles, the dry plains, and the ferocious Japanese enemy.