This book not only records the significant events of Canadian aviation but also pays tribute to the 'forgotten flyers who flew by guess and by God or with calculating caution - for the sheer love of flying - in the early days.' The opening chapter recounts the first tentative experiments with that overgrown monster, the flying machine - at this stage, the glider. Next come the Barnstormers, the first professional airmen, trying desperately to wrest a living from the air, pioneering in the field of practical flying as little more than vaudeville performers. These were the days of daring aero-acrobatics and tense and crowded air-meets. The First World War saw a tremendous advance in technical manoeuvres and in pilot skill; the first aviation school was established in Toronto, where the War Birds learned to fly. An unparallelled boom in aviation followed the war. Public interest had been aroused by the celebrated achievement of Canada's Air Force, and many young men, the restlessness of the war still in them, were obsessed by the itch to fly again. The dollar-a-minute days marked the beginning of passenger travel and a steady increase in experimental flying, to bear its practical fruit in days to come. The next chapter is one of heroic enterprise - the conquest of the Atlantic and the spanning of the Continent. No less epic is the history of the bush pilots who tamed the Canadian North. We must be grateful to Mr. Ellis for rescuing from obscurity this important chapter in our history.
Polish fliers had to fight for their existence from the chaotic beginnings in the aftermath of World War I, through the Nazi and Soviet juggernauts in September 1939. In White Eagles the authors describe, squadron by squadron in enormous detail, exactly how the well trained but isolated Poles fought bitterly against their invaders. Using outdated tactics and old equipment, they proved to be the most successful and courageous airmen to defend England during the summer of 1940.
This book describes in detail the camouflage and markings of the day fighters used by the Polish Air Force in 1939-47. Aircraft of Polish, French, British, American, Soviet and German origin are shown. Written by a well-known quartet of distinguished Polish aviation historians: Kopański, Belcarz, Gretzyngier and Matusiak. Many historical photos and color profiles.
Maltese aviation artist and historian Richard J. Caruana, who started his career just over 50 years ago, celebrates this special milestone with a work dedicated to his country's struggle for survival during the Second World War. Three air battles during that conflict were decided in the air and changed the course of history: the Battle of Britain, the Battle of Malta, and the Battle of Midway. This short narrative gives an outline of the Malta Battle's history which is then illustrated with close to 200 color profiles and other drawings. This book is a veritable successor to the author's best-selling Malta G.C. - Victory in the Air, published in 1996 which is now out of print.
This book is a true modeler's reference, covering all aspects of the MiG-15 from production to service use in a concise and accessible way. The text description is well supported with line diagrams and photographs to highlight the many changes made over the production run of Russia's first massed produced jet fighter. Details of both Russian and license production in Poland, Czechoslovakia and China, where unique variations occurred, are also provided. Amongst many tables in the book covering production lots, factories and the real value of this book are pages of detailed photographs and technical drawings. From fuselage to wings, tail, cockpit and armament, nothing is ignored. For anyone who plans to build a MiG-15 in scale form, and there have been many choices released in recent years, this book is an essential source of reference. It contains scale plans in 1/72nd, 1/48th and 1/35th scales; photos and drawings from Technical Manuals; superb color illustrations of camouflage and markings; rare b/w archive photographs; color photos of preserved aircraft. Essential reading for aviation historians, enthusiasts & scale modelers.