Man is Not Lost

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{detailed description}The autobiography of FC Richardson, who made an outstanding contribution to the history of the RAF. "Dickie" Richardson is best remembered as the author of Air Navigation (a manual known in the Service simply as AP 1234), the classic text book published in 1941 which taught thousands of aircrew how to find their way about the skies.
An instant success, with some 140,000 copies being produced, it was translated into many languages and used at all RAF training schools.
Although written in the form of an autobiography, these memoirs are more a commentary on the author's colleagues in the RAF, and their way of life. It fills a gap in the 1930's documentation of RAF history, recording the formative experiences of an officer who could justly claim to have been one of the most influential exponents of the art of air navigation to have served in the RAF during the Second World War.
Richardson's fascinating story is illuminated by comments and anecdotes which illustrate his unique place in history. He describes his training in Egypt with only the bare minimum of navigation facilities, and his subsequent highly challenging operations flying through east and west Africa.
In 1936 he successfully competed for one of the limited number of permanent commissions, and was granted his wish of specialising in air navigation. After qualifying, he was posted to the Air Ministry to rewrite the obsolete official air navigation manual. His masterly book helped to turn wartime civilians into RAF aircrew.
In November 1941 he escaped from his desk and returned to flying duties, commanding a squadron of Whitleys in the Battle of the Atlantic. He was then appointed Chief Navigation Officer at Coastal Command HQ. where his operational experiences led him to initiate significant changes in the role and status of navigators. He highlighted the need for a second navigator on missions exceeding ten hours. and made it possible for navigators to become aircraft captains.
Richardson's story reveals rarely recorded insights into the comradeship which characterised the RAF, and also highlights the important contributions that he made to its operational efficiency.
{Author / Publisher / Date}by Group Captain "Dickie" Richardson
Published by Airlife 1997 1st edn. 272pp illustrated, index. 16x24
{condition}last few pages slightly affected by damp, no staining, otherwise very good, including d/j.
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