Action Stations 5: South West

This latest volume in the Action Stations series is unique in that two of the airfields described were used by the Luftwaffe for the greater part of the war - in the Channel Islands, of course. Covering also the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset and parts of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Hampshire, this area is often thought of as being removed from the main action of the war. However, it was from Mount Batten that a Sunderland made the first U-boat kill, and from St Eval that a Liberator crew established a record by sinking two U-boats in the space of 20 minutes. The famous Bruneval raid was launched from Thruxton, and John Cunningham established his reputation as a night fighter pilot at Middle Wallop. Spitfires were test-flown from High Post and Gloster jets, including the Meteor and Javelin, from Moreton Valence. The Empire Central Flying School was established at Hullavington, in-flight refuelling was pioneered at Tarrant Rushton and Barnes Wallis conducted his early experiments in variable geometry flight from Predannack. This is thus an area abounding in aeronautical interest, and also includes the oldest military airfield in the country - Larkhill.


by Chris Ashworth
Published by Patrick Stephens Ltd 1982 1st edition 233pp yellow high-lighter on page 26 otherwise fine, d/j spine faded.





Note:
"Long" descriptions, where shown, may have been taken from the book's dust jacket notes, and as such are relevant to the date of publication (e.g. any references to "new edition" "previously unpublished photographs" etc.) and not the present.