Kev Darling – författare

This is the story of British naval flying from aircraft carriers, from its conception in World War One to the present day. It includes the types of aircraft and the men who flew them, the carriers and the evolution of their designs, the theatres of war in which they served and their notable achievements and tragedies. It traces navy flying from the early days of the biplane, through the rapid developments during World War Two to the post-war introduction of jet-powered flight. The British inventions of the angled flight deck and later vertical landing jets revolutionised sea warfare and allowed the carrier to play a vital part in many recent land wars when naval aircraft flew in support of Allied land forces.Although the British carriers have always been smaller than their American counterparts, the Royal Navy and its aircraft have always been in the van of the development of ships and aircraft. This is the proud history of British Naval flying and ships such as HMS Eagle, HMS Hermes, HMS Glorious, HMS Ark Royal and many more.

The end of the Second World War provided little rest for air forces and the aircraft industry. Both sides now had to put enormous energy into research and development to gain an edge. For the British aircraft industry it meant producing aircraft quickly, and on tight budgets: for Bomber Command to carry Britain’s new nuclear deterrent, and for Fighter Command to defend the country.This book examines the RAF’s British-made combat jet aircraft of this turbulent and frightening period, up to the cancellation of TSR-2 and the end of the British aircraft industry as it then was. The great names, Hunter, Vulcan, Lightning, Harrier, are considered alongside less well known types, and the story of each key aircraft is told from development to operational use.This book is part of the Britain’s Heritage series, which provides definitive introductions to the riches of Britain’s past, and is the perfect way to get acquainted with British military jets in all their variety.