Panzer Commander, The Memoirs of Hans von Luck

June 4th, 2013

B1832

The quality of writing is excellent. It is vivid and engaging. It paints the finest of verbal pictures and it does so without demonstration of ego. Only pride in service, according to the rites of a military cast that has existed in Central Europe for a thousand years, guarding the East Gate to the benefit of Western Europe.

This is one of few the books that MUST be part of any library that covers any of the aspects covered by the author. It is a book that must be read by Germans and by Europeans because it is one of the building blocks of knowledge that creates the palace of history. That the strong motivation was to honour a young wife’s wish that their children should understand their father and his part in an epic conflict between nations, and to understand their heritage, is, in itself, commendable. That the completed work is shared with any who have the wit to pick up the book and read it is an inestimable bonus.

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Memoirs of a Stuka Pilot

June 4th, 2013

B1831

This is an engaging book and a rare personal view of flying one of the most iconic aircraft of WWII. There are also many interesting differences between Mahlke’s perceptions and those expressed by Rudel in his 1950s Stuka Pilot book. That may in part be a result of the different backgrounds of the two pilots. Mahlke was very much the professional pilot, taking part in WWII from the beginning. Rudel had very strong NSDP affiliations, was initially considered a poor pilot, being left behind when his squadron deployed to the Balkans and Crete, but eventually becoming a highly proficient Stuka pilot who ended up flying with an artificial leg made by one of his squadron engineers. Rudel became a favourite of Hitler and received a decoration specifically created to be awarded to him. After 1945, Rudel was named on several watch lists that recorded the movement of individuals considered to be unreformed Nazis. Against that background for Rudel, Mahlke began his career as a naval pilot intended to serve on the carrier Graf Zeppelin. When it was decided not to complete the carrier, or intended sister ships, the air group was disbanded and the pilots transferred to the Luftwaffe. The carriers were expected to be equipped with Stukas and Me 109s, incorporating some naval modifications. That meant that Muhlke was transferred to a Luftwaffe squadron flying standard Stuka dive bombers. Having been shot down and badly burned on the Eastern Front, Muhlke ended up in staff positions during the latter stages of the war.

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Luftwaffe Combat Reports

June 4th, 2013

B1830

This is a book that every reader with an interest in aviation, and or World War Two will need to read. It is a collection of personnel accounts, assembled at the end of the war when memories were fresh and the collectors were skilled military interrogators. The result is a book that captures the essence of the air war from a German perspective. It is unfortunate that a similar collection of information was not compiled for the victors. Following the tradition of war, the history is written by the victors, who are keen to conceal some of the weaknesses and errors of their own military formations.

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Secret Flotillas, Clandestine Sea Operations in the Western Mediterranean, North African & the Adriatic, 1940-1944, Volume 2

June 4th, 2013

B1829

This book was written on information specially made available from restricted archives, being one of a series of studies by carefully selected historians. As a result, it contains information that had not been made public before and still provides the most complete analysis and accounts of naval activities during WWII. This book is Volume 2 by the late Brooks Richards and covers clandestine sea operations in the Mediterranean Theatre from 1940-1944. Although the book is a very valuable information source for the most serious of readers, it is not a dry account. It provides excitement and intrigue in a very readable style that concludes with all of the tables that should be included into a source work. There is illustration, confined to a B&W plate section and a few maps in the body of the book, but the illustration fully supports the unique content.

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RAF Typhoon, 1994 onwards (all marks), Owners’ Workshop Manual

June 4th, 2013

B1828

This is the finest review of the Typhoon II yet to be published. It contains outstanding photographs in full colour in a heavily illustrated work. It provides an insight into owning, flying and maintaining what the manufacturers claim is the world’s most advance multi-role fast jet.

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Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future, Space Fleet Operations Manual

June 4th, 2013

B1827

Into the grey world of National Socialist Britain came a colourful weekly comic paper, The Eagle, the first issue published on 14th April 1950. Every Wednesday a generation of children eagerly opened the latest edition of this comic weekly. Brainchild of parish vicar Marcus Morris, this new publication was ground breaking. Roughly half of the pages were printed in full colour at a time when most publications aimed at any audience were almost entirely printed in a single colour.

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SAR Spotlight On, SARSO Issue Four

May 18th, 2013

SARSO4

The fourth issue of this new serial publication reviewed Combat SAR, MASH and CSH field hospitals, combat SAR helicopters and tilt rotor aircraft. The issue looked at the Race2Recovery and Walking With The Wounded teams of military battle casualties who were recovered, treated and rehabilitated to take part in demanding challenges on equal terms with uninjured comptetitors.

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SAR Spotlight On, SARSO Issue Three

May 18th, 2013

SARSO3

The third issue of this new serial publication reviewed the Royal National Lifeboat Institute beach-launched all-weather lifeboats and the introduction of the new Shannon Class ALB. This review includes the RNLI Headquarters and the new ALB factor that is being built on the Headquarters site. In addition a review of the Shannon Class and its launching system, the Mersey Class, which is being replaced by the Shannon, is reviewed together with its launching system. The first two Lifeboat stations to received the Shannon during 2013 are covered together with the Aldeburgh station that has yet to be listed to have its Mersey Class replaced by the Shannon.

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SAR Spotlight On, SARSO Issue Two

May 18th, 2013

SARSO2v1

The second issue of this new serial publication led with the story of the IMO 2012 Exceptional Bravery At Sea Award, made to three RCAF SAR techs (one posthumous), the issue also reviewed the actions of the Cormorant helicopter crew who were not included in the IMO Award but received the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators Guild Award for Gallantry. Canadian SAR service and the Canadian Coast Guard are reviewed, together with the NSR Mountain Rescue and the volunteer Canadian Lifeboat Institute.

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SAR Spotlight On, SARSO Issue One

May 18th, 2013

SARSO1v1

The series is dedicated to Search And Rescue internationally, across the range of SAR services and including the treatment and rehabilitation of rescued casualties. The first issue of this new serial publication led with the story of the IMO 2012 Exceptional Bravery At Sea Award, made to a rescue swimmer of the Chilean Navy. The issue then reviewed the rescue and the SAR services maintained by the Chilean Government and the CVBS volunteer lifeboat service.

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