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Aviation History
1981
1981 - 3894.PDF
Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 by C. F. Andrews and E. B. Morgan (ISBN 0 370 10018 2—£15-00) and Schneider Trophy Aircraft 1913-1931 by Derek James (ISBN 0 37030328 8— £12-50). Both published by Putnam, 9 Bow Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7AL. The latest products in the celebrated Putnam aero nautical series are always eagerly awaited, and none more so than that featuring the producer of some of the finest flying boats and one of the greatest fighters. The name Super- marine was coined by Noel Pemberton Billing as the telegraphic address of the company he founded in 1914 (An drews and Morgan provide a brief account of the somewhat eccentric Pemberton Billing aircraft as an in troduction to their main theme). Sensibly, in the light of the super abundance of publications devoted to the Spitfire, they have not allowed this machine to occupy more than its fair share of pages. Ample space is also given to the less celebrated types and the "also-flews". The book is divided into two mainstreams of de velopment: from the First World War AD Flying Boats through to the Seagull of the late 1940s, and from the 1925 Schneider Trophy contest S.4 racing seaplane to the N.113/ Scimitar, which first flew in January 1956. Of course, this leaves a few odd men out; the little Sparrow biplane/ monoplane, the Type 179 "Giant", and the B.12/36 bomber—Mitchell's last design—are bunched at the end. Although this gives the book a dis jointed appearance, it is obviously the best solution to a rather tricky problem. The final sections cover design pro jects (a most fascinating aspect, in my opinion), Spitfire production dis persal, type and production lists, and Class B registrations. Altogether, the book is a worthy addition to the series. Hot on the heels of the Super- marine book comes Derek James's survey of Schneider Trophy aero planes; it marks the 50th anniversary Books of the final contest. Inevitably, be cause of Supermarine's prominent in volvement, there is some overlap with the publication mentioned above, but this is the volume for those specific ally interested in the events or in racing aircraft generally. While not professing to be a history of the contests—we already have a wealth of literature on that aspect—• the book does begin with a resume of the 12 events before turning to type-by-type descriptions of the com peting machines in all their variety. And what variety: seaplanes, flying boats, and hydrofoils; biplane and monoplane, single- and twin-engined. Some of the more unusual produc tions, including the hopelessly over- ambitious Piaggio-Pegna P.c.7, are to be found in the Non-Starters and Pro jects section. Engine enthusiasts are not forgotten; 22 pages are devoted to those highly powered and finely tuned engineering marvels. The overall impression is one of amazement at the international effort and expense that was dedicated to the winning of a single trophy. Although the Schneider Trophy now rests in England, one should always remem ber that brilliant designers in France, Italy, and America produced aero planes every bit as beautiful as Mitchell's triumphant Supermarine S.6B. Mr James's book pays due tribute to them all. PHILIP JARRETT Understanding Aircraft Structures by John Cutler (Granada Publishing, PO Box 9, Frogmore, St Albans, Herts; £12-50—ISBN 0 246 11310 3). Twelve chapters of easy-to-read technical terms describe aircraft structures for those who have to listen to engineers and who need to know what they mean by the words that they use. An Illustrated Guide to the Air War over Vietnam by Bernard Nalty, George Watson and Jacob Neufeld (Salamander Books, 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1 3AF; £3-95— ISBN 0 86101 0809). Large-pocket- sized, slim volume describes more than 50 military aircraft brought to gether—in this case—because they all took part in the Southeast Asia conflict. World War II in the Air: Europe edited by Col James Sunderman, USAF (Van Nostrand Reinhold, Molly Millers Lane, Wokingham, Berks; ISBN 0 442 20045 5—£7-60). Antho logy from 40 previous writings about the European air war, mostly from first-hand experience. Action Stations: 3—Military airfields of Wales and the North West by David Smith (Patrick Stephens, Bar Hill, Cambridge; ISBN 0 85059 485 5 —£8-95). "Biographies" of one UK region's Service aerodromes, which grew in number from 27 to 115 during the Second World War. Saga of the Superfortress by Steve Birdsall (Sidgwick and Jackson, 1 Tavistock Chambers, Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2SG; ISBN 0 283 98786 3—£10-95). Story of "this awesome weapon" from inception to the dropping of the first atomic bomb. "The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was the greatest airplane of World War II". Flyers by Douglas Brown (Hamlyn, Astronaut House, Hounslow, Feltham, Middx; ISBN 0 600 30494—£2-95). Latest volume in the publishers' History Eye-witness series describes major waypoints along aviation's route and anticipates operational Space Shuttle missions. Warships of the Soviet Navy by Capt R. E. Moore (Jane's, 238 City Road, London EC3V 2PU; ISBN 0 531 03731 2—£8 • 95). "An authoritative and com pletely up-to-date assessment of one of the most powerful navies the world has ever seen". Written by an ex- deputy director of British Naval In telligence. RAAF Camouflage & Markings 1939- 45: Vol 1 by Geoffrey Pentland (avail able in UK from Patrick Stephens, Bar Hill, Cambridge; ISBN 0 85880 036 5). First of two volumes depicts Australian military aircraft paint schemes during the Second World War and includes 16 colour plates. VIII FLIGHT International, 12 December 1981
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