Book Reviews the ROYAL AIR FORCE
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Afterburner Book Reviews THE ROYAL AIR FORCE The first one hundred years By J Buckley and P Beaver Oxford University Press, Oxford. 2018. xvi; 259pp. Illustrated. ISBN 978-0-19-879803-3. Conceived in the midst of war through the 1917 Air Force (Constitution) Act, the formation of the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 1 April 1918 – through the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) – created “arguably the largest air force then in existence” (p 26) though the authors’ opening chapter concludes “in reality ... the Great War did a great deal more for air power than air power did for the war” (p 28) rather overlooking the personal sacrifice of the thousands of airmen who lost their lives in WW1. This sets for the tone for this revisionist Above: Short S25 Sunderland Coningham among others) supported by the Chain reassessment of the capabilities and effectiveness GRV, SZ589. Initially, the Home radar, Royal Observer Corps, Air Transport RAF struggled to hit a moving of the RAF during its first century, it being noted target at sea in WW2. Auxiliary and the massive acceleration in aircraft that it has “ ... only existed in an era of diminishing RAeS (NAL). production and aircrew training. national wealth and declining relative global Post-1945, as the RAF entered the jet age the power” (p 6). Post-WW1 the legacy of Trenchard analysis (96pp) focuses more on the technological and Salmond ensured the RAF’s survival through capabilities of the RAF’s fleet – over 70 aircraft its cost-effective Imperial policing of British types are mentioned “... a host of new designs, some colonies and areas of administration, particularly excellent, and a few mediocre” (p 156) – and their in Mesopotamia/Iraq/Persia, underlining how weapon systems, perhaps reflecting the specialisms long Britain has played a key role in this region (a of the two co-authors. Operations in Suez, Aden, fascinating interwar period for which the reader Malayan Insurgency, Kenyan Mau-Mau Emergency, should consult C Bowyer RAF Operations 1918- Falklands, the Gulf Wars, Kosovo, Afghanistan, 1938 [William Kimber. 1988]; V Flintham Truculent Libya through to the Tornado air strikes against Tribes Turbulent Skies [Air-Britain. 2015] and B Syria in April 2018 among others are described, Renfrew Wings of Empire [The History Press. 2015] as the narrative flows back and forth – sometimes to learn more). confusingly – across the decades (supported by The central core of the book (77 pages) is informative maps which show the geographical occupied by a penetrating review of air operations strategic importance of Malta, Singapore, Cyprus of WW2 – based partly on the statistical analysis and the Ascension Islands) as “the RAF’s fortunes undertaken by Operational Research – in which ebbed and flowed with the fortunes of the nation” both the failings (on a number of occasions the (p 180). Many of these operations took place in the RAF’s initial inability to hit a moving target at sea shadow of the Cold War, epitomised in the creation is recorded) and accomplishments are noted, of the nuclear V-Force bomber capability, RAF reflecting the authors’ perspective that “the Germany and the deployment of the Douglas Thor RAF’s role in the Second World War is pivotal to In conclusion IRBM. understanding the air force’s standing in society” The book ends with a balanced assessment (p 4). Particularly revealing is the chapter on the this compact of the impacts of the seemingly endless cycle of operations of Bomber Command and its raids on volume is political defence reviews (seven are separately Dresden, Cologne and Hamburg among others. not a book to recorded between 1990-2010), the ‘future “No other element of the RAF’s history has been so be skimmed proofing’ of the RAF symbolised in the anticipated controversial, so mired in deeply held myths, and so deployment in 2021 of the Protector long- fogged by ill-informed pontification” (p 94) – which through but endurance UAV and the launch in January 2018 of ultimately cost the lives of around 55,000 serving deserves to be the RAF Carbonite-2 reconnaissance satellite as personnel. In addition to personal sacrifice ultimately closely read for the militarisation of outer space evolves. The lack of Britain was not overrun through a co-ordinated the insightful resources against demands is apparent throughout, combination of organisation within the RAF and as aircraft types have to serve longer than originally the individual capabilities of its High Commanders commentary it planned for – for example the Chinook “... is likely (Dowding, Portal, Tedder, Harris, Joubert de la Ferté, contains to serve for seven decades, as there is no true 44 AEROSPACE / DECEMBER 2019 replacement on the horizon” (p 233) – a revealing statement recording: “Aircraft not in regular RAF operation earn extra revenue as passenger transport for package holidaymakers” (pp 233-234), surely a role that its founder Trenchard did not envisage for the RAF’s fleet. In conclusion this compact volume is not a book to be skimmed through but deserves to be closely read for the insightful commentary it contains on the challenges which the RAF has faced during its first century of existence. Brian Riddle Affiliate RAF Chinook helicopters from18 (B) Squadron practising desert operations during Exercise Vortex Warrior. Could the Chinook see 70 years’ service in the RAF? MoD/Crown copyright (2019). THE MAN WHO BUILT THE SWORDFISH The Life of Sir Richard Fairey technology; with war in prospect, he obtained large orders for planes like the Fairey Swordfish and the By A Smith Fairey Battle. The Swordfish, as a canvas-covered, open cockpit biplane, was already obsolete by WW2 I B Tauris & Co Ltd, 6 Salem Road, London W2 but, because of its durability and outstanding crews, 4BU, UK. 2018. xxii; 455pp. Illustrated. £25. ISBN it gained many successes against enemy shipping 978-1-78831-336-0. until 1942 when a whole squadron was annihilated, while the Fairey Battle light bomber was always too Adrian Smith’s biography of Richard Fairey marks an slow and vulnerable to succeed. For all that, through important addition to accounts about the colourful a combination of shrewd company reconstructions, and enduring entrepreneurs from the early days successful investments and his assiduity “in cultivating of British aircraft construction. Fairey’s 40-year contacts at every level of Government and the Armed working relationship with the Royal Navy richly merits Forces,” Fairey himself surmounted the economic comparison with other long-standing pioneers like Sir Richard Fairey, blizzards of the time to become an increasingly rich Tommy Sopwith, Geoffrey de Havilland, Frederick 1887-1956. RAeS (NAL). man. Handley Page (whose own biography is still to be Fairey spent the war in Washington heading the written) and the Short Brothers. Adrian Smith’s British Air Commission concerned with the supply of Smith rapidly introduces his readers to someone aircraft from America, for which he was awarded a of large stature (Fairey was over 6 feet 6 inches biography Knighthood. By now a sick man he returned to Fairey tall) with a strong early interest in aviation and a of Richard to help oversee its Delta 2 supersonic fighter and the determination never to be poor. We learn that Fairey Fairey marks Rotodyne, a large compound helicopter, whose costly acquired his theoretical knowledge of engineering development after his death, led Fairey Aviation to be the hard way through evening classes at Finsbury an important subsumed by Westland. As for the Delta 2, although Technical College – a flagship establishment for addition to capturing the World Speed record, it was never as vocational education – while working full-time. His accounts about easy to fly – nor such a good weapons platform as aviation career was launched when winning a national the colourful the English Electric Lightning – which resulted in its model aircraft competition held at Crystal Palace cancellation. following which he straightway sold his innovative and enduring While Smith’s wide ranging and acute biography design to Gamages, the famous London store. He entrepreneurs fully recognises Fairey’s ferocious right-wing bias, then, in 1911, commenced work with designer J W from the financial ruthlessness and sedulous courting of the Dunne developing his experimental aircraft before early days of powerful, he also has no doubt that – unlike others joining the Short Brothers at their aeroplane factory – he never fell for Fascist propaganda and never on the Isle of Sheppey. Within 30 months he had British aircraft ceased to believe that Britain would have to fight progressed to become Works Manager and Chief construction Germany again. Engineer. Even so, in spite of his undoubted achievements, In 1915 Fairey formed his own company the reader has the distinct impression that Fairey’s constructing aircraft for the Royal Navy, during the enterprises never reached the highest levels of 1920s and early 1930s producing cutting-edge Peter Reese Sopwith’s Hawker Company nor matched the seaplanes. However, not all were of advanced- AMRAeS repeated inventive triumphs of Geoffrey de Havilland. Find us on Twitter i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com DECEMBER 2019 45 Afterburner Book Reviews TAKING TO THE AIR An Illustrated History of Flight By L Ford The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB, UK. 2018. 224pp. Illustrated £25. ISBN 978- 0-7123-5261-1. Britannia Must Rule the Air ... Issued under the auspices of the Aerial League of Great Britain ... This Song May be Sung in Public Without Fee or Licence’ (published c.1913 and a chorus to rally round in these uncertain troubled times) is just of the many delights to be found turning the pages of this visual celebration of how the spectacle of aviation has pervaded the artistic imagination and popular culture from prehistory magazine covers (which are beautifully reproduced through to the glamour of jet age and Dan Dare in this volume), films and air displays of the time as “ ..