<div><B>A fascinating overview of the Allies&rsquo; post-WWII program to gain access to advanced Nazi war machines and the technology they ultimately recovered. </B><BR />  <BR /> Prior to the Allied D-Day assault on Normandy, France, rumors had already been circulating that high-tech Nazi super-weapons (<I>wunderwaffe</I>) had reached or were near completion. At the war&rsquo;s end, a mad scramble ensued to discover the enemy&rsquo;s secrets, fueled in large part by a US desire to regain its technological edge and to keep these weapons out of Soviet hands. Operation Lusty (LUftwaffe Secret TechnologY) was in full swing.<BR />  <BR /> In <I>Operation Lusty</I>, aviation historian Graham M. Simons delivers a comprehensive and detailed history of the program while cataloging the advanced war equipment that was ultimately discovered&mdash;from U-boats, carriers, and battleships to radar equipment and operating systems, to fighters, bombers, rockets, and other V-weapons. With access to previously unreleased documentation and wide-ranging archival materials, Simons distinguishes what was fact in the Nazi arsenal from what was pure fantasy, dreamed up by Joseph Goebbels&rsquo;s powerful propaganda machine.<BR />  <BR /><I>Operation Lusty </I>sheds new light on the furious race for postwar technological superiority, and offers an insider&rsquo;s look at the full spectrum of military spoils that were gained.</div>

Operation Lusty

<div><B>A definitive look at the plane that revolutionized air travel and its place in aviation history from the author of <I>Comet! The World&rsquo;s First Jet Airliner</I>.</B><BR />  <BR /> The Boeing 707 family&mdash;that includes the forerunner Model 367-80, the KC-135 series of military transports and the slightly smaller Model 720&mdash;was the pioneer of the sweptback wing, incorporating podded engines borrowed from the B-47 military bomber. It was the aircraft that many regard as the design that really ushered in the Jet-Age.<BR />  <BR /> This book from the established aviation historian Graham Simons examines the entire course of the Boeing 707&rsquo;s history, charting an impressive design evolution and illustrating the many ways in which the 707&rsquo;s legacy continues to be felt to this day. In laying the foundation for Boeing&rsquo;s preeminence on the world&rsquo;s jetliner market during the 1980s and 90s, the 707 paved the way for future innovations in both civilian and military fields and Graham Simons has put together an image-packed history that records the historic and landmark milestones of this iconic aircraft type.<BR />  <BR /> &ldquo;The book is well worth the price and will provide many hours of intriguing reading and research support. It is a good addition to one&rsquo;s aviation bookshelf.&rdquo;&mdash;Air Power History<BR />  <BR /> &ldquo;An impressive volume that is well-written, and easy to read. Its research is of a high standard. It will, of course, appeal to Boeing 707/C-135 &lsquo;enthusiasts&rsquo; and as such could well become a &lsquo;Standard Reference Work&rsquo; on its subject.&rdquo;&mdash;NZ Crown Mines</div>

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Boeing 707 Group

<div><B>&ldquo;Fascinating insight into the early development of the B-17 Flying Fortress . . . undoubtedly outshines other books on this significant WWII aircraft.&rdquo; &mdash;Air Mail</B><BR />  <BR /> The Boeing B-17 was the first American heavy bomber to see action in World War II when it was supplied to the RAF. The design originated in 1934 when the US Air Corps was looking for a heavy bomber to reinforce air forces in Hawaii, Panama and Alaska. For its time, the design included many advanced features, and Boeing continued to develop the aircraft as experience of the demands of long-distance flying at high altitude was gained.<BR />  <BR /> When the United States entered WWII, production of the aircraft was rapidly increased and it became the backbone of the USAAF in all theaters of war. This book describes how it was built and utilizes many hitherto unpublished photographs from the design studio and production lines. It illustrates and explains the many different roles that the aircraft took as the war progressed. Heavy bomber, reconnaissance, antisubmarine, and air-sea rescue operations; there were few roles that this solid design could not adopt.</div>

Boeing B-17

<div><B>&ldquo;A grand spread of images showing the aircraft, and more importantly the men who flew and maintained her . . . a must for 8th Air Force aficionados.&rdquo;&mdash;<I>War History Online</I></B><BR />  <BR /> Without doubt Boeing Flying Fortress B&amp;Ndash;17F 41-42285 Memphis Belle and her crew generate an image that is an all-American icon. Indeed, it has been claimed that the Memphis Belle is in the top five of the most famous American aircraft of all time.<BR />  <BR /> In September 1942, a new Flying Fortress was delivered at Bangor, Maine, to a crew of ten eager American lads headed by Robert K. Morgan, a lanky 24-year-old USAAF pilot from Asheville, N. C. The boys climbed aboard, flew their ship to Memphis, and christened her Memphis Belle in honor of Morgan&rsquo;s fianc&eacute;, Miss Margaret Polk of Memphis, and then headed across the Atlantic to join the US Eighth Air Force in England.<BR />  <BR /> Between November 7, 1942 and May 17, 1943, they dropped more than 60 tons of bombs on targets in Germany, France and Belgium. The Memphis Belle flew through all the flak that Hitler could send up to them. She slugged it out with Goering&rsquo;s Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs. She was riddled by machine gun and cannon fire. Once she returned to base with most of her tail shot away. German guns destroyed a wing and five engines. Her fuselage was shot to pieces, but Memphis Belle kept going back.<BR />  <BR /> The Memphis Belle crew has been decorated 51 times. Each of the 10 has received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and three Oak Leaf Clusters. The 51st award was Sergeant Quinlan&rsquo;s Purple Heart.</div>

B-17 Memphis Belle

<div>There has been bookshelf after bookshelf of books compiled, written and published about British aircraft, the Royal Air Force and the activities of its pilots during World War Two. Tales of derring do, bravery and gallantry quite rightly litter the bookshelves and libraries, but little has appeared in print about the could be called the unsung heroes, those that designed, built and maintained the fighting equipment used to eventually defeat the enemy.This is all the more incredible when one realizes that there exists a huge archive of images that have survived which clearly show the skills and scale of what went on. These images of war—many of which are seen here for almost the first time in seventy years—form a remarkable tribute to the designers, engineers and workers who did so much.Following the end of the Great War, the Royal Air Force was drastically reduced in both manpower and equipment. The application of a 'Ten Year Rule in which the British Government foresaw no war being fought during the next ten years resulted in minimal defense expenditure throughout the 1920s.Financial restrictions went on until the early 1930s, when it at last became apparent that Germany was developing expansionist and aggressive tendencies that could no longer be ignored. The British Government and Air Ministry at last began to develop plans of their own to expand and develop the Royal Air Force.  The Cabinet approved a number of plans, but a revised one often replaced each one before the original could be completed.Between 1933 and 1939, the Royal Air Force was given higher priority in terms of rearmament plans than the other services. The policy was driven by the pursuit of parity with Germany more than by defense and strike needs, for there was no fixed ratio of bombers to fighter aircraft to guide procurement.There could be no expansion without manufacturing capacity and luckily these manufacturers were not only capable of producing, but they also recorded much of their activities and remarkably a huge archive of images have survived which clearly show the skills and scale of what went on. These images of war—many of which are seen here for almost the first time in seventy years—form a remarkable tribute to the designers, engineers and workers who did so much.</div>

Fighters Under Construction in World War Two

<div>The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was almost certainly the most versatile Second World War Bomber. Apart from its bombing role in all theaters of operation, the B-24 hauled fuel to France during the push towards Germany, carried troops, fought U-boats in the Atlantic and, probably most important of all, made a vital contribution towards winning the war in the Pacific. Its most famous single exploit is possibly the raid on the Ploesti oil fields in August 1943.The B-24 ended World War Two as the most produced Allied heavy bomber in history, and the most produced American military aircraft at over 18,000 units, thanks in large measure to Henry Ford and the harnessing of American industry. It still holds the distinction as the most produced American military aircraft. The B-24 was used by several Allied air forces and navies, and by every branch of the American armed forces during the war, attaining a distinguished war record with its operations in the Western European, Pacific, Mediterranean and China-Burma-India theaters.This book focuses on the design, engineering, development and tactical use of the many variants throughout the bombers service life. The overall result is, as David Lee, the former Deputy Director of the Imperial War Museum at Duxford said upon reading the final manuscript, to be acquainted with ...all you never knew about the B-24!The book is enlivened by the many dramatic photographs which feature, and this coupled with the clarity of Simons' prose makes for an engaging and entertaining history of this iconic Allied bomber, a key component in several of their biggest victories and a marvel of military engineering.</div>

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

<div><B>&ldquo;A well written history of a history-changing aircraft,&rdquo; the bomber that carried the two atomic bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki in WWII (<I>Aeromilitaria</I>).</B><BR /><BR /> The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was a four-engined heavy bomber flown primarily by the United States in World War Two and the Korean War. The name &ldquo;Superfortress&rdquo; was derived from that of its well-known predecessor, the B&amp;Ndash;17 Flying Fortress. The B-29 was the progenitor of a series of Boeing-built bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, trainers and tankers including the variant, B-50 Superfortress.<BR /><BR /> The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War Two. A very advanced bomber for its time, it included features such as pressurized cabins, an electronic fire-control system and remote-controlled machine-gun turrets. Though it was designed as a high-altitude daytime bomber, in practice it actually flew more low-altitude nighttime incendiary bombing missions. It was the primary aircraft in the American firebombing campaign against Japan in the final months of World War Two. Unlike many other World War Two-era bombers, the B-29 remained in service long after the war ended, with a few even being employed as flying television transmitters. The type was finally retired in the early 1960s, with 3,960 aircraft in all built.<BR /><BR /> Without doubt there is a clear, strong requirement to &ldquo;put the record straight&rdquo; using primary source documentation to record the undoubted achievements alongside and in context with the shortcomings to the type&rsquo;s design and operation that have otherwise received scant attention. The book covers all variants and is profusely illustrated.</div>

B-29 Superfortress

<div>It's impossible to tell the story of Court Line without telling that of Autair, founded by helicopter pioneer William 'Bill' Armstrong. Autair itself was an offshoot of his global helicopter operation, but Bill also had his finger in many aviation 'pies' including a multitude of operations in Africa, where so many aircraft and airlines were created, bought and sold with such prolificacy that even he could not remember the names and how many there were! There is also the background to Court Line's shipping concerns and the Caribbean operations of the hotel chains and regional airline Leeward Islands Air Transport which Court owned for a while.Covered in detail is the introduction, demonstration and use of the Lockheed TriStar wide-bodied airliner, the first of the type used in the Inclusive Tour business.Court Line Aviation and Tom Gullick's Clarksons Holidays brought to the forefront the concept of value-for-money Inclusive Tour holidays following the 'vertical integration' business model whereby owning and controlling each step of the holiday allowed the company to make a small profit at every stage.The orange, pink, turquoise and yellow jets brought flashes of color to dreary British airports, and quickly streamed a multi-colored rainbow across European skies to Mediterranean destinations and even further afield. Truly they did indeed put colors in the Sky!</div>

Colours in the Sky

<div>Captain Sir Geoffrey de Havilland was one of the worlds true pioneers of powered flight, a man as important to Britain in aviation terms as the Wright brothers were to America. From humble beginnings, he went on to develop some of the finest aircraft to see action during the First World War, before going on to create the illustrious company that bore his name. All of this began in his youth when, without experience, plans or instructions, he embarked on the ambitious task of not only building his very first flying machine, but also constructing the engine to power it.This book explores the influences and milestones of his early years before going on to examine his company, The De Havilland Aircraft Company Limited, in detail. Amongst the momentous machines that he had a hand in creating were the Gipsy Moth and Tiger Moth—two iconic aircraft types destined to set a variety of aviation records whilst being piloted by de Havilland himself. Another highlight of the company's history saw the esteemed aviatrix Amy Johnson fly solo from England to Australia in a Gipsy Moth in 1930. The high-performance designs and monocoque wooden construction methods passed through the supremely elegant DH.91 Albatross into the Mosquito. The company then followed up these successes with the high-performing Hornet fighter, which pioneered the use of metal-wood and metal-metal bonding techniques, eventually resulting in the worlds first jet airliner, the fabulous Comet.Every one of De Havillands products are listed and recorded in detail here, as are all the designs that never left the drawing board and the products of De Havilland's companies in Australia and Canada. Fully illustrated throughout, this volume is sure to be highly prized amongst serious collectors.</div>

De Havilland Enterprises

<div><B>&ldquo;A fascinating insight into one of the Cold War&rsquo;s most interesting concept aircraft . . . [with] new information, photographs and first-hand accounts.&rdquo; &mdash;Flypast</B><BR /><BR /> During the 1950s, plans were being drawn at North American Aviation in Southern California for an incredible Mach-3 strategic bomber. The concept was born as a result of General Curtis LeMay&rsquo;s desire for a heavy bomber with the weapon load and range of the subsonic B-52 and a top speed in excess of the supersonic medium bomber, the B-58 Hustler. However, in April 1961, Defense Secretary McNamara stopped the production go-ahead for the B-70 because of rapid cost escalation and the USSR&rsquo;s newfound ability to destroy aircraft at extremely high altitude using either missiles or the new Mig-25 fighter. Nevertheless, in 1963 plans for the production of three high-speed research aircraft were approved and construction proceeded. In September 1964 the first Valkyrie, now re-coded A/V-1, took to the air for the first time and in October went supersonic.<BR /><BR /> This book is the most detailed description of the design, engineering and research that went into this astounding aircraft. It is full of unpublished details, photographs and firsthand accounts from those closely associated with the project. Although never put into full production, this giant six-engined aircraft became famous for its breakthrough technology, and the spectacular images captured on a fatal air-to-air photo shoot when an observing Starfighter collided with Valkyrie A/V-2 which crashed into the Mojave Desert.<BR /><BR /><B>&ldquo;Well-illustrated with numerous diagrams and black and white photographs, the book provides an interesting insight into one of the so-called &lsquo;white elephant&rsquo; projects of the 1960s.&rdquo; &mdash;Jets Monthly</B></div>

Valkyrie: the North American XB-70

<div>Yvonne Pope Sintes only ever wanted to fly. But in the 1950s, very few women were allowed into the male dominated world of aviation. Whilst many women were consigned to the role of house-wife, Yvonne chose a different path. Her dream was to join the ranks of the Royal Air Force, crisscrossing international skies. Despite an awareness of the pitfalls that might await her, she embarked upon her mission. Her story, told here for the first time and in her own words, is one characterized by gritty determination against the odds, a startling level of achievement and a continually modest approach to life and her own accomplishments.A career trajectory marked by such landmark achievements as becoming the first female Air Traffic Controller with the Ministry of Aviation, the first female civil airline pilot in the UK, and the first female jet airline captain in Britain are relayed in this inspiring autobiography. Bomb scares, engine failures and other perilous episodes punctuated Yvonne's experience. All are enlivened during the course of the narrative. A raft of prestigious awards including the Brabazon Cup, the International Owner and Pilots Association award for best Air Traffic Controller in Europe, the Amelia Earhart memorial Scholarship for licensed pilots to advance in aviation, the Whitney Straight Award for courage and determination in pursuit of an aviation career (awarded by Princess Anne) and the British Airline Pilots Association Award for work towards air safety  all were awarded to Yvonne during the course of a spectacular career, the details of which make for a truly inspiring and engrossing read.Yvonne has taken this opportunity to record the pitfalls and landmark successes of her career for posterity. She does so in a style that is at once both humble and immensely celebratory of a profession that has meant so much to her."I first met Yvonne and her husband Miguel in Mahon during September 1992 when I was researching my book on Dan-Air. It was immediately clear that she had a rare and fascinating story that deserved telling in its entirety to reach a much wider audience. I am pleased and proud to have played a small part in making that happen!" - Graham M. Simons, EditorAs featured in the Surrey Advertiser, Essence Magazine and Discover Your History</div>

Trailblazer in Flight

<div><B>The aviation historian and author of <I>Memphis Belle</I> presents an authoritative analysis of the groundbreaking, post-WWI series of military aircraft.</B><BR />  <BR /> In the years following the First World War, a new imperative arose in aviation technology: stealth, speed, and precision. American aircraft designer Jack Northrop developed a streamlined craft that did away with superfluous appendages, including the weighty fuselage and tail units. This was an extreme measure, but Northrop was determined to push aircraft design to a new level.<BR />  <BR /> Eliminating both the fuselage and tail meant placing the pilot, the engines, and the payload entirely within the wing envelope. The resulting craft, Northrop&rsquo;s flying wings, were some of the most spectacular machines ever to grace the skies. With barely any vertical surfaces at all, they looked like something from the realm of science fiction. Indeed, one even appeared in the film version of H.G. Wells&rsquo; <I>War of the Worlds</I>.<BR />  <BR /> Written off by many as a mere novelty, the development of these unique bombers provided aeronautical innovations that paved the way for a raft of new designs. During the 1970s, when the United States needed a new strategic bomber to replace the B-52 Superfortress, the flying wing design was brought to the fore once again. The B-2 Spirit was born out of this, continuing the legacy of this stealthy design. This craft, along with the B-35, the eight-engined YB-49 and the YRB-49A, are all highlighted in this authoritative history. Detailed analyses of each design, set within a wider historical context, make for a compelling record of this landmark design.</div>

Northrop Flying Wings

<div>Every 7 minutes, an A380 takes off or lands somewhere in the world...The Airbus was initially designed and developed in order to provide a contender to the Boeing's growing monopoly of the skies in the biggest large-aircraft market in the world. Ambitious in design, the undertaking seemed mammoth. Yet scores of aviation engineers and pilots worked to get the design off the ground and the Airbus in our skies. This double-decker, wide-body, 4 engine jet airliner promised to redefine expectations when it came to commercial flight. Five years on from its launch, Graham Simons provides us with this, an impressively illustrated narrative history of the craft, its achievements, and the legacy it looks set to provide to a new generation of aviation engineers, enthusiasts and passengers.Operated by airlines such as Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Quantas and Lufthansa, the story of the A380 could be said to represent the story of modern-day travel itself, characterised by major technological advances across the world that constantly push the boundaries of expectation. Sure to appeal broadly across the market, this is very much a commemorative volume, preserving the history of this iconic craft in words and images.</div>

The Airbus A380

<div><B>&ldquo;A masterpiece of the most diligent research and extraordinary detail and surely represents the definitive study of the Comet . . . a terrific book.&rdquo;&mdash;Royal Aeronautical Society</B><BR />  <BR /> This volume from the respected and well-regarded aviation historian and author Graham Simons is &ldquo;a solid book of such scope that you&rsquo;ll probably consult it for a lot more than just Comet material&rdquo; (<I>SpeedReaders.info</I>). <BR />  <BR /> Extensively illustrated throughout, <I>Comet!</I> features details lifted directly from enquiry and salvage reports, much of which have never been published before and offers a unique insight into the failures and tragedies that blighted the early days of development, laying down lessons that were ultimately to benefit later designs. As part of his research into the book, the author met and interviewed Harry Povey, the De Havilland Production Manager and John Cunningham, the Comet test pilot who would be the first to experience flight at the helms of the iconic craft. Both of these first-hand accounts are relayed in the book, adding a deeper sense of authenticity and a more personalized account of proceedings than facts and reports alone are able to achieve.<BR />  <BR /> Attention is also paid to the derivative Nimrod design, and the book features an interview that the author conducted with the aircraft commander of the last ever Nimrod operational flight. Interviews of this kind are supplemented by the author&rsquo;s own narrative of proceedings, setting personal experience within historical context and exploring the themes and historical topics that the interviews evoke.<BR />  <BR /> &ldquo;An outstanding account of the life of the Comet . . . all readers will find inspiration and achievement in the tale.&rdquo;&mdash;Firetrench</div>

Comet!

<div>Howard Hughes' life ambition was to make a significant contribution to the field of aviation development. But the monumental folly of his endeavours on the H-KI Hercules meant that he came to be known and remembered to a great extent for all the wrong reasons. The 'Spruce Goose' (a name Hughes detested) became a product of his wild fixation on perfection and scale. Once completed, it was the largest flying machine ever built. Its wingspan of 320 feet remains the largest in history. Yet it only completed one flight; flying for a mile on its maiden voyage above Long Beach Harbour, before being consigned to the history books as a failure.Experienced author Graham M. Simons turns his attention to the production process that saw this colossus take shape. In words and images, all aspects of this process are illustrated. We have shots taken during the initial design period, images of the craft under construction, and photographs taken at the test flights. In addition, Simons has been gifted access to the highly prized and rarely seen aircraft manual produced for the aircraft, content from which has been extracted and used to supplement the narrative.The book goes on to explore the political issues that sprung up as a result of Hughes' endeavours, looking into the Senate War Investigations Committee's findings which explored the extent to which government funds had been utilised in the development and construction of the airship, adding a whole new layer of controversy to the proceedings.</div>

Howard Hughes and the Spruce Goose

<div>This book is for the passengers and aviation buffs who use Londons main airports. It includes a brief history, plans and photographs for each of the five airports, together with directions and information about gates, security, passport control, shopping, restaurants, car parks and other transport connections. Details of Air Traffic Control in London airspace is explained with the inclusion of aerial photographs taken during approach to landing so passengers may locate places of interest whilst flying.</div>

London's Airports

<div><B>A history of the high-speed wooden aircraft&mdash;from bomber to fighter, to photographic and weather reconnaissance&mdash;from the author of <I>B-17 Memphis Belle</I>.</B><BR />  <BR /> During the history of aviation there have been very few aircraft that have achieved immediate success when entering front-line service. The de Havilland Mosquito was one such aircraft. It was not designed to an RAF requirement, but was the result of an initiative of the designers and builders to utilize the skills of woodworkers and the relative abundance of wood in the crisis years of World War II. The result was an airplane that could be built quickly, was extremely fast and extremely versatile. The pilots loved it.<BR />  <BR /> This book describes how it was built and utilizes many hitherto unpublished photographs from the design studio and production lines. It illustrates and explains the many different roles that the aircraft took as the war progressed. Fighter, bomber, reconnaissance, night fighter there were few tasks that this brilliant design could not adopt.<BR />  <BR /> &ldquo;To most <I>Britain at War</I> readers, the de Havilland Mosquito needs little introduction. Dramatic as such low-level attacks were, there is, as Graham Simons reveals in this latest insight into a remarkable aircraft, far more to the wartime service of the &lsquo;mossy.&rsquo;&rdquo;&mdash;Britain at War</div>

Mosquito

<div><B>&ldquo;Readers with an interest in the early days of organized civil mass air transport will enjoy having a familiar story be retold from a Greek perspective.&rdquo; &mdash;</B><B>SpeedReaders</B><BR />  <BR /> The Olympic Airways story has fascinated Graham M. Simons for many years. This new book represents the culmination of decades spent researching the history of this fascinating Greek airline. It is a story of evolution, conflict, personality and politics, all set against a backdrop of world and civil wars, coups and countercoups.<BR />  <BR /> During the course of his research, it became apparent to the author that many of the fine details pertaining to the company weren&rsquo;t widely known, although almost everyone had heard of the towering, controversial, leading figurehead who oversaw much of the central part of the story: Aristotle Socrates Onassis. His colorful life is threaded through this history, lending it drama and multiple levels of intrigue.<BR />  <BR /> The airline&rsquo;s story cannot be told in isolation. Olympic did not spring fully formed into being in 1957. The named company may have come into being then, but its roots were set much further back in history through a number of predecessor airlines&mdash;both national and international&mdash;who had been using the Hellenic Republic and Ath&iacute;na as the crossroads of the air for the Eastern Mediterranean since the dawn of aviation.<BR />  <BR /> This is the story of the birth and dramatic life of an airline with a checkered, controversial and complicated history. Graham M. Simons has skillfully woven all the various threads to create a powerful and important historic record.</div>

Olympic Airways

<div><B>The author of <I>Boeing 707 Group: A History</I> delivers &ldquo;a stunning study in early French aviation design with a plethora of aircraft&rdquo; (<I>IPMS/USA</I>).</B><BR />  <BR /> France has been called the cradle of aviation by many&mdash;a fact that cannot be disputed, although some have tried. By the end of the 19th century, she led the world in lighter-than-air flight. Any concern about heavier-than-air flight was dismissed as inevitable, and France would achieve it in due course.<BR />  <BR /> France was also the first nation to stage air exhibitions. Unlike their counterparts in Britain, Germany and America, French designers were thoroughly entrepreneurial and tried a wide variety of adventurous styles from pusher to canard and monoplane to multiplane. In 1909 the first Air Show was held at the Grand Palais in what was to become an enduring tradition. Every year, the aircraft exhibitions were a massive success.<BR />  <BR /> It is not surprising that all this derring-do, all these technological achievements and all this innovation drew reporters and photographers like moths to a flame. The men, the machines, the places and the events all were recorded, reported, reproduced and then were filed away. Hundreds of images appeared in print, but thousands were printed up only as contact prints from large-format glass negatives and then disappeared into albums to be forgotten about. In the mid-1990s the author came across one such treasure-trove; a number of dust-covered albums containing around five hundred images of aircraft, airships and expositions&mdash;it is doubtful if most have appeared in print before, so this will probably be the first time the events of these French pioneers have ever been showcased.</div>

Early French Aviation, 1905–1930

<div><B>This military history offers a provocative take on the “Special Relationship” between the UK and the USA from the close of WWI into the Cold War.</B><br/><br/>After the Great War, the American government contemplated what it would mean to pursue global superpower status. One potential consequence might have been conflict with Great Britain. And so, the US drew up War Plan Red: a scheme by which American forces invaded Canada and the Caribbean, drawing the Royal Navy into North American waters—and leaving the rest of the British Empire vulnerable to attack.<br/><br/>In 1939, the American military created an intelligence-gathering machine within their Embassy in London under Ambassador Joe Kennedy. Two years later, the US Army Special Observer Group traveled to Britain to plan for Anglo-American cooperation should the United States enter World War II. Their intelligence-gathering activities spread out as far as the Middle East, Africa, South America, Russia, and Asia—far beyond the terms of the original brief. <br/><br/>At the start of the Cold War, a whole new range of subterfuge was initiated by the CIA. So, were the Americans allies or spies? In this enlightening study, acclaimed military historian Graham M. Simons examines how two of history’s greatest allies could find themselves in bitter conflict.</div>

The Secret US Plan to Overthrow the British Empire

<div><B>An in-depth history of the controversial airplane, from its design, development and service to politics, power struggles, and more.</B><br/><br/>The Boeing 737 is an American short- to medium-range twinjet narrow-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, a division of the Boeing Company. Originally designed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from the 707 and 727, the 737 has grown into a family of passenger models with capacities from 85 to 215 passengers, the most recent version of which, the 737 MAX, has become embroiled in a worldwide controversy.<br/><br/>Initially envisioned in 1964, the first 737-100 made its first flight in April 1967 and entered airline service in February 1968 with Lufthansa. The 737 series went on to become one of the highest-selling commercial jetliners in history and has been in production in its core form since 1967; the 10,000th example was rolled out on 13 March 2018.<br/><br/>There is, however, a very different side to the convoluted story of the 737’s development, one that demonstrates a transition of power from a primarily engineering structure to one of accountancy, number-driven powerbase that saw corners cut, and the previous extremely high safety methodology compromised. The result was the 737 MAX. Having entered service in 2017, this model was grounded worldwide in March 2019 following two devastating crashes.?<br/><br/>In this revealing insight into the Boeing 737, the renowned aviation historian Graham M. Simons examines its design, development and service over the decades since 1967. He also explores the darker side of the 737’s history, laying bare the politics, power-struggles, changes of management ideology and battles with Airbus that culminated in the 737 MAX debacle that has threatened Boeing’s very survival.</div>

Boeing 737

<div><B>A history of the British airline company, featuring details on the aircrafts, routes, and operations, as well as stories from the crews and staff.</B><br/><br/>Founded in 1961 as Euravia by British businessman Ted Langton and aviation consultant J.E.D. Walker, at a time of considerable turmoil for the independent sector of the British air operators’ industry, Britannia Airways went on to become the world’s largest holiday airline.<br/><br/>Just as Court Line evolved from Autair, so Britannia Airways evolved from Euravia. Both UK airlines had strong links with the travel industry; Court Line with Clarksons Holidays, and Britannia with the Thomson Group, in particular the ‘Sky Tours’ brand. Both were innovative in their own ways, and both grabbed the UK travel industry by the scruff of the neck and shook it into the jet age – Court line traveling down the brasher cheap-and-cheerful road, while Britannia took the more staid, upmarket route.<br/><br/>By 1972, Britannia had developed to such a degree that it was the biggest of the British independent charter airlines. It was also a groundbreaking operation—during the late 1960s, it became the first charter airline to offer assigned seating, as well as hot in-flight meals. Prior to the mid-1970s, Britannia, much like other British charter airlines of the era, had concentrated upon low-cost flights to Spain and the use of provincial airports to provide its services. The company’s management, however, harbored ambitions to grow beyond this. As a result, for example, Britannia's 767s began regular charter flights between Britain and Australia in 1988, a route to New Zealand being added the following year.<br/><br/>Between 1968 and 1984, Britannia carried nearly forty-two million passengers, while the company’s fleet grew to include twenty-nine Boeing 737s and a pair of 767s. Drawing on the author’s in-depth research and knowledge, as well as firsthand interviews with individuals such as Ted Langton, the original tour operator who wanted his own airline, and Jed Williams, who created Britannia, this the full story of one of the most important airlines in the history of civil aviation.</div>

Graham M. Simons
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Books By Graham M. Simons (21 Books)