Book Reviews MILES AIRCRAFT

Afterburner Book Reviews JUNKERS F13 The World’s First All-Metal Today, only four complete original F13s are First fl own in preserved, with a fi fth being under restoration. There 1919, this small, Airliner are also plans to build two fl ying examples. By L Andersson et al There are, of course, numbers of books about six-seater, Junkers aircraft and the F13 is inevitably covered single-engined EAM Books EEIG, 3 Gatesmead, Haywards Heath to some extent and so, one may ask, is there room airliner, with RH16 1SN, UK (www.junkersf13.com). 2012. for another book on the F13? The answer is ‘yes’, its distinctive 288pp. Illustrated. £39.95 (Plus postage/packing because this book is very well researched indeed and (UK — £6, Europe — £12, Rest of the World — brings together information from a large number of corrugated £20). ISBN 978-0-9573744-0-9. contributors and sources. The authors tell us that the metal skin, was information was gathered over 40 years or more, a the fi rst aircraft Today, the Junkers F13 looks rather quaint but lengthy gestation, if not something of a record! designed its claim to fame is given in the book’s title. First The readable text (and many photos) is fl own in 1919, this small, six-seater, single-engined followed by 57 pages of production lists which specifi cally airliner, with its distinctive corrugated metal skin, are comprehensive and detailed, although the to carry was the fi rst aircraft designed specifi cally to carry authors mention that there are still questions to be passengers passengers. Among its various innovations was the answered and more research to be made. Although interesting feature of a trim tank under the rear there is no index, it is not too diffi cult to track down fi n to allow C of G adjustments to be made by the details of specifi c aircraft in the text. The book transfer of fuel (50 years later, a more sophisticated concludes with illustrations of F13 airmail stamps version of this method of longitudinal trim was and 15 coloured side view drawings. If you have a employed on Concorde). Junkers or an airliner section in your bookshelves, The F13 could be fi tted with an undercarriage of then this book will be an important addition. wheels, fl oats or skis to permit operation all over the world, in all kinds of environments and conditions. Antony L Kay MILES AIRCRAFT — THE EARLY YEARS Production, Research and Kestrel in-line engines dried up and the Master had to be radically redesigned to use the Bristol Mercury Development during radial engine. This was one of many tasks for the World War II design team (and, of course, those in the hangars). By P Amos The stresses and strains of war-time aircraft production were not just confi ned to the aircraft themselves. Peter Amos covers the directives Air-Britain (Historians), 41 Penshurst Road, Leigh, that Miles had to implement, like setting up a Tonbridge, Kent TN11 8HL. 2012. 432pp + disk. factory in Northern Ireland, mainly to alleviate the Illustrated. £47.50. ISBN 978-0-85130-430-4. unemployment problem there and, before that Amidst the great wealth of information and the shadow factory near Swindon, as well as the incredible detail in this book, we fi nd that it ‘overfl ow’ facility in Liverpool Road, Reading. As completely captures the atmosphere of urgency, of early as January 1939, Minister for Air Sir Kingsley dedication and of innovation necessary to win WW2 Wood had opened the big extension to the Woodley in the air. factory and the moving assembly line, the fi rst in We follow the designer, the draughtsman, Britain. Continuing with production of wooden the workforce when we read the text and the aircraft was against the trend for mainly metal ample illustrations provided through many years machines but Miles produced many more than of dedication to his subject by Peter Amos and would have been possible with all-metal and, at the beautifully produced by Air-Britain. same time, their research and development went on So many wartime problems had to be overcome, apace with, for instance, the Monitor. notably the number of aircraft types that had to This is a book for the serious student but also Top: Miles M25 Martinet. be hastily modifi ed to overcome shortages of for the sheer wonder of the variety and interest of Centre: Miles M30 X Minor, components and materials as, in the case of the Miles Aircraft from 1939 to 1945. U-0233, research aircraft. Bottom: The fi rst Miles M20 Miles Master — a really important part of advanced all-wood fi ghter, AX834. training strategy — when the supply of Rolls-Royce Jean Fostekew RAeS (NAL). 44 AEROSPACE / JANUARY 2014 MUSTANG Thoroughbred Stallion of the thin. The ‘Structures & Systems’ chapter is primarily a reprint of the Pilots Training Manual, which covers Air most of the ground expected, but also includes the By S Pace intriguing fact that the P-51 had a ‘Rear Warning Radio’. Fonthill Media Limited, Millview House, Toadsmoor While there is not a great deal on combat Road, Stroud GL5 2TB, UK. 2012. 224pp. operations in the body of the work, a number of Illustrated. £25. ISBN 978-1-78155-051-9. combat reports from 1944/45 are reproduced in an Appendix which also includes an overview This is a substantial volume in large format with an of the Mustang’s history written by a former impressive number of photographs and illustrations, chairman of North American Aviation. While outline specifi cations are included for most variants, these including a 30-page centre spread of high quality are a little sparse when it comes to performance, colour photographs. The written content covers the which is usually limited to a top speed at a given full Mustang story, starting with a scene-setting Top: RAF North American altitude (The American Fighter by E Angelucci description of the early days of North American Mustang I. and P M Bowers (Haynes Publishing Group. Aviation and its products. The history of the aircraft Centre: North American P-51H Mustang, 44-64164. 1987), mentioned in the Bibliography, is more is adequately described, from the early British Above: North American P-82 comprehensive in this respect). requirement, through later USAAF involvement, to Twin Mustang. There is a substantial amount of information RAeS (NAL). the realisation of the true potential of the Mustang on serial and charge numbers scattered around with the fi tting of the Merlin engine. the book, including a 15-page appendix, together The subsequent development of the aircraft into with lists of the units that operated the various the best long-range escort fi ghter of WW2, in its variants. Overall production numbers are given, P-51D/K form, is then addressed, while less well divided between the two major production facilities, known aspects, such as the A-36 attack variant and but it is not possible to reconcile the overall total the light-weight variants, are also included. In truth, it In truth, it is with the individual yearly numbers and there are is diffi cult to identify any facet of the Mustang story inconsistencies between numbers quoted on pages that has been neglected, especially with dedicated diffi cult to 51 and 52. Despite these and a small number of chapters on the RAF Mustang variants, the P-82 identify any other editorial glitches, this book remains a useful Twin Mustang, Korean War operations, foreign facet of the reference source on one of the most signifi cant operators and the two-seat and purpose-built aircraft of its era. variants, including the turboprop-powered Mustangs. Mustang story However, given the scope of the book, some of that has been Colin Frazer these chapters are, perhaps understandably, a little neglected ... AMRAeS @aerosociety i linkedin.com/raes f facebook.com/raes www.aerosociety.com JANUARY 2014 45 Afterburner Book Reviews AIRWAY TO THE EAST 1918-1920 And the Collapse of No.1 Aerial Route RAF By C Semple Pen & Sword Aviation, Pen & Sword Books, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, S Yorkshire S70 2AS, UK. 2012. 252pp. Illustrated. £19.99. ISBN 978-1- 84884-657-9. No.1 Aerial Route RAF is at the core of some fascinating insights into a wide range of important historical events. Events that took place before, during and after the attempt to establish the route. Inspired by material found in his late father’s scrapbook, Clive Semple presents a detailed, interesting and enlightening view of a little known period in aviation history. Even before WW1 ended, there had been some strategic thinking about the future of British military and civil aviation. However, the reason for an attempt to establish No.1 Aerial Route and fl y 51 bombers from England to Egypt is seen as political and senior military incompetence during the war. This incompetence is held by the author The start of the England to to India and the reconnaissance of the route to Australia fl ight from Hounslow Australia. He, his brother and two mechanics fl ying a to be ultimately responsible for the tragedy that is Aerodrome, London, 12 the Middle East today. As one reads more of the November 1919. In fl ying Vickers Vimy, were the eventual winners of the race. chaotic circumstances surrounding the attempt clothing (from left) Ross They left England on 12 November and eventually to establish the route, the more one realises that Smith, Keith Smith, Sergeant touched down in Darwin on 10 December. Both the the project was doomed to failure.

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