The Avro Manchester was a disaster as an aircraft. But from inauspicious beginnings came a legend - the Lancaster.
The Avro Manchester; Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow
Playlist - Second World War
The Belyaev DB-LK; How Many Ideas Can a Designer Sandwich into an Aircraft?
Combining a semi-flying wing – which were incidentally swept forward – an four crew sandwiched into engine nacelles, the DB-LK was unique.
Arsenal-Delanne 10-C2; The Hunchback of Villacoublay
Many French fighter aircraft are things of amazing grace and beauty. It is difficult to say that about the Arsenal-Delanne 10-C2.
The Martin Baker MB.5; Best British Fighter to Never Serve?
Adored by the pilots who flew it, the Martin Baker MB.5 represents the prop fighter in it’s final – and arguably finest – form.
The Martin Baker MB.3; Heavy Hitting Fighter That Has Saved Thousands
A prototype fighter which had the heaviest armament in the world, the loss of the MB.3 led to developments that saved thousands of lives.
How a Stray Fighter Nearly Led to Special Forces Raid and Saddled the Swiss Air Force with a Bunch of Lemons
When an advanced German fighter had to put down in neutral Switzerland, the Nazi’s considered extreme actions to keep its technology secret.
The Fokker D.XXI; Dutch Defender that Served a Surprisingly Long Time
Designed for use in the tropics of the Dutch empire and for rugged use on primitive fields, the Fokker D.XXI achieved fame in frozen Finland.
Worthy of an Oscar; The Curtiss Wright CW-21 Demon
Designed and built to a perceived need for a rapid climbing interceptor, the CW-21 Demon never really made a mark.
Americans Flying for Britain; The Eagle Squadrons
Americans keen to get into the war against Germany flocked to join the Eagle Squadrons of the RAF in World War Two.
“Killing Rommel” (2008) by Steven Pressfield
It must first be pointed out that this is not a factual book; it is a novel and, as such, is an unusual selection to be on Military Matters, which generally deals with factual sources. The reason for its inclusion is that Pressfield manages to convey something in this book that most writers never seem to get right – the sheer confusion, boredom and terror of war.
MAC and CAM; When Merchantmen Became Aircraft Carriers
Few situations were more desperate than that of the British in the early years of World War Two when they faced being starved into submission by German blockade. Desperate times, as the saying goes, call for desperate measures. And few measures show how desperate the British were to combat the threat of submarine and air attack on their convoys than the first stopgap counters to the threat; the CAM and MAC vessels of the British and Dutch merchant marine – in essence civilian aircraft carriers!
