But Not in Anger

This book is not a history of Royal Air Force Transport Command, which existed from 1943 until 1967. Nor does it attempt to describe all the air transport work undertaken by the RAF from its formation in 1918 to the present day.
Its main purpose is to record the highlights of British military air transport in the early years, when flying itself was an adventure, and the RAF was pioneering air routes beyond the resources of civil aviation, finding out by trial and error how best the transport aeroplane could assist in supporting Britain's military obligations overseas. Much of this work has never been described in any detail, and faded files in the Public Records Office contain some remarkable, stranger than fiction, stories.
During World War II air transport may be said to have come of age. The old concept of a dual-purpose bomber-transport aircraft served admirably for the 'little wars' of the 1920s and 1930s, but thereafter combat aircraft developed rapidly to the extent where such compromises were no longer acceptable. Air transport became a normal - and reliable - method of travelling, and commercial aircraft largely American - were readily adaptable for military use.
It has not been possible within the space of this book to deal with all the outstanding air transport activities of World War II, if for no other reason than that there were so many of them. Nor. have the historic major airborne forces operations been included, since they are already well covered in specialist works. The emphasis has been directed towards the lesser-known flights of the second war, and on the air transport contribution to some of the actions better remembered for the work of the land forces.


by C. Cole and R. Grant
Published by Ian Allan 1979 1st edition. 176pp profusely illustrated, index. 18x24 very good, including d/j.





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jacket notes, and as such are relevant to the date of publication (e.g. any references to "new edition" "previously unpublished photographs" etc.)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.

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