Vliegtuigen - Groot-Brittannië: boeken - historie

From War to Peace : a Photographer's View of British Aviation During the 1940s

A photographic record of the aviation scene in Britain between the years 1940-1949. The photographs were taken by E. J. Riding (1916-1950) who spent his working life in the aviation industry, but was tragically killed in a flying accident.
During his short life, he worked as an aircraft engineer, professional photographer, draughtsman, aero-modeller and aviation writer.

Riding began taking photographs of aircraft in 1931 aged fifteen. Fortunately, he kept copious notes recording the locations and dates of when and where aircraft were photographed.
During the 1940s, he covered the rapid transition from propeller-driven aircraft to first-generation jets. The early part of the book covers Riding's wartime work as an aircraft inspector with two major aircraft companies, mostly illustrated with photographs taken surreptitiously.

Once civil aviation returned in January 1946, Riding took many air-to-air photographs of light aircraft that made regular visits to Heathrow and Croydon to photograph the new generation of airliners.
Three Farnborough air shows are featured in addition to several race meetings, including one featuring the latest piston and jet fighters.

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British Aircraft Before the Great War

For the very first time, the history of British pre-World War I aircraft has been gathered together in one volume, with more than 900 of them well illustrated. This book constitutes a most valuable contribution about a remarkable period in aviation history and is a memorial to the bravery and inventiveness of the intrepid pioneers of that far off era.
Among the many famous manufacturer's covered are Avro, Sopwith, Shorts, and Bristol. Many lesser known designers and builders such as Martin-Handasyde and Howard Wright are also given ample coverage.

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Why Not? - The Story of the Honourable Charles Stuart Rolls

Charles Rolls, medeoprichter van Rolls-Royce, was de eerste Engelsman die omkwam bij een vliegtuigongeluk. Hij was slechts 30 jaar oud. Zijn overlijden op 12 juli 1910 was een nationale tragedie en haalde wereldwijd de krantenkoppen. Hoewel hij destijds beroemd was, wordt hij nu vaak vergeten, ondanks zijn grote bijdragen aan de luchtvaart en de auto-industrie.

Voordat hij in 1904 samenwerkte met Henry Royce, was Rolls al een pionier. In 1898 maakte hij zijn eerste ballonvaart en vanaf 1901 experimenteerde hij met gemotoriseerd vliegen. In 1909 werd hij internationaal erkend toen hij als eerste een retourvlucht over het Kanaal maakte in een Wright Flyer.

Als zoon van een edelman was Rolls één van de eerste en jongste autofanaten in Groot-Brittannië. Als succesvol coureur hielp hij de auto populair te maken. Toen hij overtuigd was van de betrouwbaarheid ervan, richtte hij zich op de luchtvaart.

Deze biografie beschrijft het leven van Charles Rolls als visionair industrieel, piloot en recordbrekende coureur. Het boek bevat veel citaten uit zijn eigen geschriften en tijdsdocumenten over de beginjaren van de auto en de luchtvaart.

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Flying Boats of the Solent and Poole

Flying boats have been a familiar sight in the Solent since the dawn of aviation. Two of Britain's major manufactures, Saunders-Roe and Supermarine, were based in Cowes and Woolston respectively. The area has been home to flying boats of Imperial Airways and, latterly, BOAC and Aquila Airways.

With a terminal at Hythe and then Southampton Docks, one could view not just majestic ocean liners but huge flying boats too, from the Empire boats of Imperial Airways to the majestic Saunders-Roe Princess, built in the post-war period. During wartime, BOAC operated their vital flying boat services from Poole Harbour. In fact, BOAC was based at Poole for longer than Southampton - a fact frequently overlooked, mostly due to wartime censorship.

Post-war route expansion was also undertaken while still at Poole. Military aviation in the area saw flying boats operated from RAF Calshot and RAF Hamworthy, with types ranging from elderly biplanes to Sunderlands.
Mike Phipp takes us on a tour of the Solent area and Poole Harbour's flying boat heritage using many previously unpublished images of the aircraft plus the men and women that flew and maintained them.

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SBAC Farnborough : a History

Home to the famous biennial Farnborough Air Show, the town of Farnborough in the south of England has had a pivotal role in the history of British aviation since flying commenced from the site in 1905.
The Royal Aeronautical Establishment was set up there and rapidly expanded as the scene of many significant developments in British aviation for many decades. Over the years, a range of buildings were constructed for various purposes and to house specific functions such as wind tunnels.

Many of these buildings are now listed and protected as part of a museum on the site. Farnborough is best known for its experiments and development of aircraft types. After the Second World War, it played host to a considerable variety of aircraft, including a number of Axis types captured during the war.

Beautifully illustrated and written by a leading aviation expert, SBAC Farnborough: A History is the definitive book on the subject of Farnborough from 1932 onwards.

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