RAF

In the first ninety years of its existence as an independent air arm, the Royal Air Force has carved for itself a reputation second to none. Its achievements both in war and peace are legendary and read like a roll call of aviation milestones of the twentieth century. To mark the ninetieth anniversary of its formation, aviation author Roy Conyers Nesbit has written and compiled this beautifully illustrated popular history of Britain's 'junior' Service. Covering all of the main campaigns and historical events, the concise narrative relates the history of the RAF from its formation on 1 April 1918, through the testing years of the interwar period, followed by the desperate struggle of the Second World War, into the precarious peace of the nuclear age, and concludes with today's hi-tech RAF poised on the edge of the millennium. From the 'stick and string' biplanes of 1918, up to the complex supersonic jets of the late 1990s, the stirring history of the RAF is brought vividly to life through a fascinating selection of more than 450 photographs and paintings, many of which are reproduced here for the first time. Each illustration is accompanied by a fully researched caption that complements the main text. This book is a fine tribute to all those men and women who have served their country in peace and war over eighty momentous years, many of whom gave their lives. It will appeal to all with an interest in aviation and in the role that the RAF continues to play in defending our nation.