Re-released books by Ralph Barker
Recently published by Silvertail Books.
The Incredible True Story of Britain's 'Kamikaze' Pilots of World War Two
The Extraordinary True Story of Aviation’s Greatest Competition.
'An unforgettable tale of high-stakes action, ingenuity and raw courage. This war story's got it all' Rowland White, Author of Vulcan 607
'IF WE FAIL IN THIS, THEN WE LOSE THE WAR'
With the Battle of Britain won, Winston Churchill and his military chiefs faced an even more fearsome challenge in the Battle of the Atlantic.
Thwarted in his plans to invade, Hitler decided he would starve Britain into submission instead. Operating in conjunction with U-Boats, long-range Condor aircraft manned by élite German airmen attacked Allied ships far beyond the range of any land-based RAF fighters, with devastating results.
To counter the Luftwaffe threat, men from the RAF and Fleet Air Arm were asked to volunteer to be catapulted from the foredecks of merchant ships in specially modified Hawker Hurricanes. But with nowhere to land afterwards, it was a one-way mission.
If the British fighter pilots survived combat, they would have no option but to bail out into the North Atlantic and hope they were picked up by the one of the convoy escorts.
Survival was anything but certain ...
'Extraordinary ... excitingly told' Sunday Express
'Masterly' Daily Telegraph
'Excellent ... a first-rate account' Aviation News
'Graphic and highly readable' Flight International
‘Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines meets Le Mans. Hugely entertaining. And deadly serious’ Rowland White
It was the greatest international competition of its day – a thrilling, globe-trotting, high speed air racing series that married cutting-edge technology with astonishing skill, bravery and danger.
Duelling at 400 mph just a few feet from sea surface left pilots little margin for error. For over a decade, as aircraft of Great Britain, the United States, France and Italy fought for the prize, the Schneider Trophy represented the pinnacle of aviation development.
A succession of world records fell to machines that combined super-charged brute power with streamlined good looks. With the RAF’s Supermarine S6B, legendary aircraft designer R.J Mitchell honed the genius that produced the Spitfire, while Rolls-Royce advanced the state-of-the-art with an powerful V-12 engine that paved the way for its war-winning masterpiece, the Merlin.
Featuring an extraordinary cast of characters, from Jimmy Doolittle to T.E. Lawrence, and packed with tales of excitement, ingenuity, derring-do, triumph and tragedy on every page, The Schneider Trophy Races brings vividly to life the world’s fastest motorsport.
‘Extraordinary … excitingly told’ Sunday Express
‘Excellent … a first-rate account’ Aviation News
‘A masterly account’ Daily Telegraph
‘Outstanding … compelling’ Aeroplane
‘Excellent. Enthralling. Irresistible’ Motorsport
English print and ebooks available via Amazon.
All other rights available on request
English print and ebooks available via Amazon.
All other rights available on request
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