Book Reviews TOP SECRET WORCESTERSHIRE By S Burrows and M Layton

Brewin Books, Studley. 2018. 216pp. Illustrated. £14.95 ISBN 978-1-85858-581-9.

This very readable book could be subtitled ‘Flight test work at Defford and Pershore airfields in support of radar development during and after WW2’. But obviously the publishers wanted a somewhat more eye-catching title! The book can be read by anyone interested in the recent history of Worcestershire and by those who enjoy books on how we won the war. It ought to be in most local bookshops next to such popular volumes as Herefordshire and Worcs Airfields in the Second World War in the Countryside book series. However, the treatment is different, as the book is made more Above: WB492 was the first of three Avro Ashton 3 aircraft and was used by the Radar Research human from anecdotal reminiscences from those Flying Unit, Defford, for radar bombing research. BAE Systems. who were there, or their now grownup children. Also, of course, the thrust of the volume is on radar development and how these flight test airfields supported this work and the ‘boffins’ at Malvern. The book thus balances the technical side with the human and social side. There are some plans and lots of pictures, many supplied by those providing anecdotes to the authors. It is not a ‘heavy’ technical book but presents enough detail about wavelengths, frequency bands and radar properties to achieve near the vulnerable south coast. Thus the move of the understanding of how this helped the war effort. the Telecommunications Research Establishment The competition between Klystron and Magnetron (TRE) to Malvern and its growth to the post-war is a key feature of the early years. Fortunately Royal Research and Development Establishment for winning the war the Magnetron came out as (RRDE) and Royal Signals and Radar Establishment superior but nearly did not because of a horrific (RSRE) and onwards to DRA, DERA then QinetiQ flying accident. are all charted although in less detail as the In fact, the horrors of wartime flying are not more recent work of Malvern is not in the public shied away from and the tragedies are described for domain. The story also covers the work of the the flight test department and the other users of the Telecommunications Flying Unit (TFU), Special airfields, such as the bomber training squadrons that Installation Unit (SIU) and Radar Research Flying had to support the 1,000-bomber raids but did not Unit (RRFU) among others. The Defford flight test all came back. airfield was closed in 1957 and the work transferred The backbone of the book is to take the reader to Pershore. However, the authors cover Pershore’s through the use of radar [RAdio Detection And story from its start and includes its wartime history Ranging] in the development of applications to as a bomber Operational Training Unit (OTU) help win the war. It thus covers OBOE and H2S and the Ferry Unit. In fact, the later part of the (navigational and bombing aids), ASV [Air-to- book highlights the development of the Defford Surface-Vessel] (to detect submarines) and other radio telescope as part of the radio astronomy radar systems such as Boozer (counter-measure), interferometry chain in support of Jodrell Bank. Not Monica, Moonshine, Parrot (early IFF [Identification The book is a surprising, as Sir Bernard Lovell spent the war at Friend or Foe]), Mandrel and Rebecca with BABS good read and Defford. [Beam Approach Beacon System] (for instrument may lead many The book is a good read and may lead many approaches) among others. All are described in the to want to know more about the area and its text. Their contributions to the war are all explained to want to know contribution to radar development. This is helped with support of anecdotes of those airmen who more about by copious references and acknowledgements to needed to use them. the area and publications and the museums and heritage groups In the background to this book is the migration its contribution who maintain the sites and memorabilia. to Malvern of the various organisations that developed these radar applications and their need to radar Eur Ing Mike Stanberry for safety during WW2 from their original sites development FRAeS

44 AEROSPACE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN AIR TRANSPORTATION

By A Benito and G Alonso Solar panels at Narita . be integrated into the market. One of the most Takashi M. interesting points concerns how the introduction of energy efficient aircraft can lead to faster fleet Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, The Boulevard, renewal, owing to the cost of inefficiency, shortening Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, UK. the economic life of older models of aircraft and 2018. vi; 235pp. Illustrated. £111. ISBN 978-0-12- demonstrating the importance of fuel costs in 812581-6. airlines’ business decisions. As well as covering all the essential areas of If you are looking for a great introduction to energy energy reduction regarding aircraft design and efficiency and the aviation industry, then you’ve operations in each stage of flight, there are obvious found it with this book. It starts broad, setting the limitations on how much these can be developed wider scene of energy and transport, before moving in the future. This leaves other areas of reduction into specific elements of air transport system from taking an important role in the overall energy aircraft design to operational procedures, air traffic reduction of the industry, particularly at . control and infrastructure. The concluding chapters Here, some of the strategies covered by the authors focus more broadly again on environmental issues may be obvious, such as the installation of solar and efficiency-related regulation and certification. panels, but also covers those that are less well While aviation undoubtedly has a huge benefit known; like the use of geothermal technology to to society and the economy, minimalisation of melt ice and snow on runways, thus reducing the its energy use is vital; not only because of the use of snowploughs, as well as harmful chemical negative environmental impacts it has but also to de-icing. allow for sustainable growth as the resources it Other books on this topic can be overwhelming relies on become scarcer and costlier. This book with pages full of equations, so this book is does not preach a specific solution but gives a refreshing in its brevity while somehow still being comprehensive overview of how far the industry very comprehensive. It may not win any awards for has come and the options available going forward, While aviation writing and a big downside is the high price but, including real world examples of where strategies undoubtedly overall, I would strongly recommend this to both have been deployed. has a huge those who are either looking for a great introduction The more in-depth chapters focus on the energy to the topic, or those with more familiarity looking efficiency measures in most areas, both on the benefit to for a place where all the information is brought ground and in the sky. For example, the chapter society and together in a succinct, well-structured way. on aircraft design gives an overview of efficiency the economy, past, present and future. It doesn’t just look at the minimalisation introduction of technology and new aircraft types, Dr Holly A Edwards such as the A320neo and B737 MAX in isolation, of its energy Environment Specialist but instead gives an insight into how these will use is vital NATS

JANUARY 2020 45 Book Reviews “THE MAN WHO TOOK THE RAP” Sir Robert Brooke-Popham and the Fall of Singapore By P Dye

Naval Institute Press, 291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA. 2018. xx; 426pp. Illustrated. $44.95. ISBN 978-168247-358-0.

It was high time that someone wrote a biography of Sir Robert Brooke-Popham who played a significant role in the evolution of the and there can be no better man for the task than Air Vice- Marshal Peter Dye who gave 35 years dedicated service as an engineer officer before spending six years as the Director General of the Royal Air Force Museum. His earlier book The Bridge to Airpower (Naval Institute Press. 2015) – reviewed in AEROSPACE August 2016 – was a definitive account of the development of the logistic and engineering support Officers of the Royal Flying Corps. From left: Lieutenant Geoffrey de Havilland, Captain Dawes, system of the Service during 1914-1918 and Captain Gordon, Lieutenant Wadham, Major Robert Brooke-Popham, Lieutenant Playfair, Lieutenant much of this was down to the remarkable energy Charteris, Major Frederick Sykes, Lieutenant Ashton, Lieutenant L’Estrange Maloney, Commander Sampson, Lieutenant Spender Grey, Lieutenant Barrington Kennett and Lieutenant Fox. and foresight of Brooke-Popham who, for over IWM (RAE-O 790). four years, worked tirelessly in France to create an organisation which endured. When the war ended ‘B-P’ had a series of important appointments: he was the first He had a formidable task. As a joint commander, Commandant of the RAF Staff College and then he had operational control of land and air forces the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) of Fighting but no authority over the colonial administration. Area (which was to become Fighter Command). Surprisingly, the naval forces remained under the Next, he then went to the most important overseas operational control of the Admiralty. B-P’s tasks command as AOC Iraq where he oversaw the air were to avoid war with Japan and to improve policing activities and also gained experience of political/military co-ordination across the region. The diplomacy when he stood in as High Commissioner staff of his small HQ never numbered more than a following the death of the incumbent. He returned total of 20 and the forces at his disposal were less to in 1931 to be the Commandant of the than he believed necessary. He was unaware that Imperial Defence College and, two years later, he a War Cabinet report stating that the Far East was became the Commander-in-Chief (CinC) of the Air not a priority for the British Government had been Defence of Great Britain, a post considered to be compromised and passed to the Japanese. second in importance only to that of Chief of the Air Brooke-Popham achieved a great deal during Staff (CAS). the next two years but he faced criticism, much At the end of this tour, retirement beckoned As well as of it unjustified, and he was told that he would be but CAS revived the post of Inspector General setting the replaced. In the six weeks before his successor and selected Brooke-Popham for the role which arrived, Japan invaded Malaya and made rapid involved resolving problems which crossed command record straight, progress. boundaries. He retired in 1937 and accepted the his excellent Peter Dye’s meticulously researched account appointment as the Governor of . He was book makes of B-P’s life, produced with the full co-operation beginning to improve the situation there and to enjoy a valuable of the family and access to his personal papers, his job when war was declared in September 1939 is comprehensive and very well written. His and he was recalled to the Service. He was sent to contribution conclusions are fair and balanced. As well as setting to oversee the establishment of the aircrew to the the record straight, his excellent book makes a training scheme and then to South Africa on a similar documentation valuable contribution to the documentation of the mission before returning to England in June 1940 to of the history history of the Royal Air Force. find that he was CAS’s unofficial troubleshooter. Four months later, at the age of 62, he was appointed as of the Royal Air Sir Roger Austin the CinC Far East, his final post. Force KCB AFC

46 AEROSPACE LAKER The Glory Years of Sir By A Grzesik and G Dix

Recursive Publishing Ltd (www.RecursivePublishing. com). 2019. Distributed by The Myrtle Press, Billing Wharf, Station Road, Cogenhoe, Northamptonshire NN7 1NH, UK. xvii; 637pp. Illustrated. £20. ISBN 978-0-9956486-0-9.

Sir Freddie Laker was a big man, a major player in Britain’s post-war aviation. Of his many achievements perhaps the most striking was his launch of the Skytrain route in 1976 from London Gatwick to New York which, through its simple, no-booking formula and affordable ticket prices hoovered up the existing and not inconsiderable charter traffic between Britain and the United States. He also built a unique design of vehicle-ferry, the Carvair. He was instrumental in launching the BAC One-Eleven jet and helped the British Labour government out of a hole by ordering the Airbus A300; this after he had won a bruising contest with the same Above: Sir Freddie Laker and fellow, but he was never a QC [pp 131, 143]. The government over the introduction of Skytrain. Skytrain model kit. RAeS (NAL). Queen did not return from Kenya on her accession The book covers his early years in its first 130 in a that was later to join the Laker pages. Skytrain’s conception through to initial Airways fleet [p 113]. Capacity restrictions on the execution comprises the next 180 pages. The first Skytrain licence were limited to 189 seats remaining 250 pages are devoted to the last two during the winter season only [p 165]. Curiously, in a years of ’ existence, ending somewhat whole chapter dedicated to the first Laker Skytrain abruptly on the day that the Receiver was appointed flight GK10 to New York on 26 September 1977, on 5 February 1982. One of the authors, Gregory no mention is made of the touching moment when Dix, worked for Laker as his North American Laker greeted the first Skytrain passenger by name operations manager and much of the last section is and sold her her ticket, using the elaborate NCR a blow-by-blow account of Dix’s activities as Laker cash register he had had installed. tried to advance his Skytrain concept to , Aspects of the later chapters are interesting, Hong Kong and the Pacific basin. especially those that reflect Dix’s experience in The authors’ credentials are impeccable and I America relating to Douglas DC-10 operations, was struck by a sentence in the Introduction: “Be performance and passenger acceptance. He spills assured that painstaking fact checking and research the beans on Laker’s collusion in North Atlantic of the subject has been carried out.” Doubtless that fares fixing and there are some fairly lurid accounts was the intention but without a bibliography and of Laker’s personal life. Much of the writing is text notes it is hard for the reader to judge where repetitious; there is constant reference to Laker’s fact and fiction part company, the more so as the state of mind but, to the authors’ credit, they are book is written with much direct speech and insight as open in their criticism of his actions, as they are into thought processes and not just Sir Freddie’s. Of his many admiring of his undoubted qualities. The first section of the book is especially irritating, achievements The book includes ten appendices covering relying heavily not only on the biography Fly Me, I’m perhaps the timelines of activities, passenger and performance Freddie (Weidenfeld and Nicolson. 1980) by Roger most striking statistics, and fleet details. At just under 600 pages, Eglin and Berry Ritchie (Eglin does at least get the book is a hefty tome that could have done with mentioned in the text) but also Air Ferry (Tourism was his launch some serious developmental editing. It does not tell International. 1995) an illuminating account of civil of the Skytrain the full story by any means but recounts in some aviation in the 1950s by Douglas Whybrow which route in 1976 detail the last two years of Laker Airways’ existence, goes unacknowledged, even though Whybrow was from London some of which has to be taken on trust. an early Laker employee. Then there are the mistakes. To cite but three: Gatwick to New Guy Halford-MacLeod His Honour Harvey Crush FRAeS was a splendid York FRAeS

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