One of the series IN CAMERA, this is a collection of photographs of the Fleet Air Arm, illustrating the activities, ships and aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm and its predecessor the Royal Naval Air Service. Collection begins pre-First World War and goes through to the mid 1990's.

For many decades a fascinating and sizeable archive of photographs, depicting the operations and equipment of British naval aviation, has remained unrecorded and largely unseen in countless documents held at the Public Record Office at Kew. Other equally important images of British naval aviation and the Fleet Air Arm can also be found in the collections of the world-famous Fleet Air Museum at RNAS Yeovilton. Together these two important collections cover a period from 1912, when British naval aviation was making its first tentative steps, through to the high-technology Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the 1990s.The Fleet Air Arm in Camera 1912-1996 brings a representative selection of these two collections to the notice of a wider audience. Many of the 240 photographs are published here for the first time and give the reader a fascinating kaleidoscope of images depicting the vast range of offensive, defensive, shore and carrier-based operations in which the FAA and its predecessors - the Naval Wing of the RFC and the Royal Naval Air Service - have been involved over a period of more than eighty years.

This is a concise history of the Royal Navy's air arm during World War II, from their Arctic convoys, to the battle of Malta, and the last raids on Japan. Amazingly, the Admiralty only had 406 operational pilots and eight carriers when war broke out, but a mere six years later there were over 3,000 operational pilots and 53 aircraft carriers patrolling the seas in every theatre of the war. This book charts the rapid evolution of the Fleet Air Arm during the war as air power took over at the cutting edge of naval warfare. Mark Barber's account is highly illustrated with photographs and specially commissioned full-colour artwork and offers an overview of the British Fleet Air Arm, from recruitment and training through to combat accounts. Discover some of the most dramatic actions of the war as Royal Navy aces battled against the Axis forces scoring both the first and last kills of the war.

Helicopters have been going to sea with the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm for over 70 years. Initially used for search and rescue (SAR) duties from aircraft carriers, the rapid development of both the helicopters and service experience resulted in them taking on the vital anti-submarine (and later anti-ship) attack roles. The 1956 Suez campaign saw the first operational use of Whirlwind helicopters for the insertion of troops by air into a battle zone, a capability which was expanded with more helicopters such as the Wessex, Sea King and today’s Merlin. Through their vital role in the 1960s Indonesian Confrontation, the Commando helicopter force became universally referred to as the ‘Junglies’. It is often said that if either of the 1982 Task Force aircraft carriers had been lost the Falklands War could not have been won. The same would surely have been true without helicopters. Their vital tasks, including inserting Special Forces behind enemy lines, protecting the Task Force from Exocet missile attack and recovering wounded troops whilst under enemy fire, are rightly hailed as being instrumental. At home, the essential SAR effort by both the Royal Navy and their RAF counterparts has resulted in incredible stories of saving lives against the odds. Royal Navy destroyers and frigates have also long since benefitted from having their own helicopter Flight aboard. Frequently operating in extremes of weather, flying a Wasp, Lynx or today’s Wildcat from and back to a heaving deck is every bit as risky as flying fixed-wing aircraft off the carriers of old. Once dismissed as a novelty, the helicopter has more than proved itself. Indeed, for ten years until the arrival of the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, the Fleet Air Arm’s operational force was entirely rotary-wing. Today’s Merlins and Wildcats, with their dedicated aircrew, maintenance and support staff continue to demonstrate just how vital an asset the helicopter has become. Here are the words of the men and women themselves, skillfully brought to life by Steve Bond and profusely illustrated in color and b/w.

This book uncovers many hidden facts and untold stories of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), shedding light on its remarkable history, much of which has not been widely published. It offers a concise yet vivid account of how the Royal Navy’s Air Service (RNAS) evolved over the years, shaped by over a century of political manoeuvring and its long-standing rivalry with the Royal Air Force. Even today, the FAA continues to operate in the shadow of the RAF, as seen in the ongoing developments surrounding the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers and the F-35B aircraft they now carry, frequent subjects in the media. Few know that the last serviceman to die in the Second World War was an FAA pilot, shot down over Japan at the very end of the Pacific conflict. While FAA victories such as Taranto and the Falklands are well known, it may surprise readers to learn that the FAA briefly flew Lancasters in 1946. And in the Gulf War, FAA Westland Lynx helicopters made history by virtually wiping out Iraq’s navy using Sea Skua missiles, the first time seaborne helicopters achieved such a feat. This book also features the most comprehensive post-1945 timeline of the FAA, a reflection of the decline of Britain’s maritime power over recent decades. Enriching the narrative are personal anecdotes from FAA personnel, highlighting their bravery, dedication, and sacrifice in the line of duty.

This photographic record of the RAF during the 1950s looks set to appear widely. Featuring varied and dynamic visual representation throughout, the events of this important decade are enlivened to great effect. The 1950s was a pivotal decade in aviation for many reasons. The RAF were employed in a great number of post-WWII roles, and the beginning of the Cold War saw many advances in the field of developmental aviation. The early years of the decade saw the Coronation of HRH Queen Elizabeth II take place, and a variety of photographs taken at the Queen's Review flypast at RAF Oldham on the 15 July 1953 are arrayed here. Meteors, Sabres, Chipmunks, Canberras, Vulcans... the list goes on. A wide selection of action shots illustrate the impressive aesthetics of some of these aircraft in formation. Shots of aircraft utilised during the course of the Cold War also feature, as do highly intriguing photographs of the Thor Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles, stored on Bomber Command bases towards the end of the decade. Each chapter focusses on a specific year, relaying all the most fascinating highlights. This is a colourful, insightful and image-packed history, told with narrative flair and a clear passion for the subject matter at hand.