505th Bombardment Group, USAAF

The 505th Bombardment Group, USAAF, was a B-29 unit that took part in the strategic bombing campaign against Japan and the mining campaign that cut off the Japanese Home Islands.

504th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy)

The 504th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) was a B-29 Superfortress group that took part in the bombing campaign against Japan and the mining campaign that helped to cut Japan off from the remnants of her empire.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.479 Vanneau

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.479 Vanneau was the last entry in the Vanneau family and was powered by a SNECMA 14X Super Mars engine.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.478 Vanneau

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.478 Vanneau was the designation given to a version of the Vanneau that was to have been powered by an Italian produced Isotta Fraschini Delta engine.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.477 Vanneau

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.477 Vanneau was an experimental variant of the M.S.475 Vanneau V that was given a Renault engine.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.476 Vanneau

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.476 Vanneau was an experimental variant of the M.S.475 Vanneau V, and was given a greatly modified wing.

British Army Uniforms from 1751 to 1783, Carl Franklin.

British Army Uniforms from 1751 to 1783, Carl Franklin.

A splendid visual guide to the uniforms of the British army during the period of the Seven Years' War and the American War of Independence, with a full page of colour illustrations for each infantry, cavalry and guard regiment. A super guide for the modeller or painter, making it effortless to visualise each of the hundreds of units covered.
[read full review]

Warfare in the Ancient World, Brian Todd Carey, Joseph B. Allfree & John Cairns.

Warfare in the Ancient World, Brian Todd Carey, Joseph B. Allfree & John Cairns.

Looks at twenty-one major battles and the armies that fought them, and traces how warfare developed over the long span of Ancient History. Written as an undergraduate textbook the result is a useful overview of four and a half thousand years of military history, supported by some excellent battle maps.
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Waterloo 1815 - Captain Mercer's Journal, ed. W.H. Fitchett.

Waterloo 1815 - Captain Mercer's Journal, ed. W.H. Fitchett.

A fascinating account of the Waterloo campaign as seen by an officer in the horse-artillery, focusing almost entirely on events as they were known to Mercer at the time. As a result we get a real idea of the fog of war and just how little an participant in a major battle might know about the wider events of the day.
[read full review]

Cruiser HNLMS Tromp, Jantinus Mulder.

Cruiser HNLMS Tromp, Jantinus Mulder.

Looks at the design, construction and wartime career of the light cruiser HNLMS Tromp, one of the most famous Dutch ships of the Second World War and the ship the Japanese claimed to have sunk more often than any other. Contains a good selection of photographs and plans of the Tromp and an account of her wartime career that focuses on the more dramatic moments of her career in Far Eastern seas.
[read full review]

Images of War: Great Push, the Battle of the Somme 1916, William Langford.

Images of War: Great Push, the Battle of the Somme 1916, William Langford.

A selection of photographs taken from the pictorial magazine The Great Push, which ran from July to November 1916 and included some 700 official photographs and film stills. A fascinating collection of photographs that give an interesting insight into the image the British Army wanted to give of the fighting on the Somme.
[read full review]

China's Wars - Rousing the Dragon 1894-1949, Philip Jowett.

China's Wars - Rousing the Dragon 1894-1949, Philip Jowett.

Covers the period from the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95 to the Communist victory in the Civil War of 1946-49, a period dominated first by the warlords who ripped China apart and then by the Japanese who attempted to take advantage of the chaos to establish their own brutal Empire in China.
[read full review]

Morane-Saulnier M.S.475 Vanneau V

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.475 Vanneau V was the final production version in the Vanneau family and was a two-seat advanced trainer that remained in use from 1950 into the late 1960s.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.474 Vanneau IV (Plover)

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.474 Vanneau IV (Plover) was a carrier-borne version of the Vanneau two-seat trainer, produced for the French Aéronavale.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.472 Vanneau II (Plover)

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.472 Vanneau II (Plover) was the first production version of the Veaneau and was a two-seat trainer that was used by the French Armée de l'Air from 1946 until the late 1960s.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.470 Vanneau (Plover)

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.470 Vanneau (Plover) was the prototype of a family of two-seat trainers that served with the French air force and navy in the post-war period.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.1500 Epervier (Sparrowhawk)

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.1500 Epervier (Sparrowhawk) was designed in response to a requirement for a counter-insurgency aircraft for use in Algeria.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.530

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.530 was the last in a long series of parasol wing training aircraft to be built by Morane-Saulnier.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.450

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.450 was an improved version of the M.S.406 developed for a French fighter requirement of 1937 but that didn't enter production.

Siege of Norham (June-July 1463)

The siege of Norham (June-July 1463) was the most active Scottish intervention in the fighting in Northumberland in 1461-64 but ended as an embarrassing fiasco after the Lancastrian-Scottish army fled in the face of a Yorkist relief force.

Siege of Dunstanburgh Castle of December 1462

The siege of Dunstanburgh Castle of December 1462 was a Yorkist victory that helped secure temporary control of the main Northumbrian castles but that was soon undone.

Warsaw 1944 - An Insurgent's Journal of the Uprising, Zbigniew Czajkowski.

Warsaw 1944 - An Insurgent's Journal of the Uprising, Zbigniew Czajkowski.

The wartime journal of a teenage Polish fighter who took part in the Warsaw uprising of 1944 and was one of only three in his ten-strong squad to survive the battle. Written just after the fighting it takes us down into the streets and sewers of Warsaw as the brave but doomed uprising struggled to hold off the Germans in the vain hope that the Soviets would liberate the city.
[read full review]

The Fear in the Sky: Vivid Memories of Operational Aircrews in World War Two, Pat Cunningham.

The Fear in the Sky: Vivid Memories of Operational Aircrews in World War Two, Pat Cunningham.

Ten mini-memoirs written by operational aircrew who fought in a variety of different roles during the Second World War, including bomber command, night fighters, met flights, torpedo bombers and covering a mix of duties, including pilots, navigators, gunners, engineers and wireless operators. Most also give a brief summary of their post-war lives and reflect on their earlier exploits.
[read full review]

The Journey's End Battalion: The 9th East Surrey in the Great War, Michael Lucas.

The Journey's End Battalion: The 9th East Surrey in the Great War, Michael Lucas.

A history of the battalion in which R.C. Sherriff, author of Journey's End, served during the First World War, mainly focusing on the actual history of the battalion but with sections on Sherriff's experiences, how they influenced his work and the writing and reception of his famous play.
 [read full review]

USS Dayton (CL-105)

USS Dayton (CL-105) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that entered just in time to take part in the final fighting in the Pacific in 1945, and that served in the Mediterranean after the war before going into the reserve in 1949.

USS Atlanta (CL-104)

USS Atlanta (CL-104) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that saw action in the last months of the Second World War, winning two battle stars.

USS Wilkes-Barre (CL-103)

USS Wilkes-Barre (CL-103) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that saw combat in the Pacific during 1945, taking part in the raids on the Japanese home islands and the fighting at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. She won four battle stars for her actions in the Pacific.

USS Portsmouth (CL-102)

USS Portsmouth (CL-102) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that entered service just after the end of the Second World War and briefly served in the Mediterranean before entering the reserve fleet.

USS Amsterdam (CL-101)

USS Amsterdam (CL-101) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that reached the Pacific Fleet just in time to take part in the last carrier strikes against the Japanese Home Islands, but that entered the reserve soon after the end of the war and remained there until she was scrapped.

Cleveland Class Light Cruisers

The Cleveland Class Light Cruisers were the most numerous class of cruisers ever built, with 52 ordered, 29 completed as cruisers and 9 as light aircraft carriers, with 22 of the cruisers seeing service during the Second World War.

The British Sailor of the Second World War, Angus Konstam.

The British Sailor of the Second World War, Angus Konstam.

A concise look at the life of the British sailor of the Second World War, looking at their training, daily life on the ships (with the difference between different types and sizes of particular interest), the activities of the Home Fleet, Mediterranean Fleet and various Far Eastern fleets and the eventual process of demobilisation.
[read full review]

The Napoleonic Art of Keith Rocco, Peter Harrington

The Napoleonic Art of Keith Rocco, Peter Harrington.

Looks at the paintings of a modern proponent of the historical painting genre, with high quality prints of a wide selection of his paintings, ranging from studies of individual soldiers to large scale battle scenes. Supported by a useful text that explains the historical context for the painting and the artist's methods and motivation.
[read full review]

USS Galveston (CL-93/ CLG-3)

USS Galveston (CL-93/ CLG-3) was laid down as a Cleveland class light cruiser but was eventually completed as a guided missile cruiser and served throughout the 1960s, fighting in Vietnam.

USS Little Rock (CL-92)

USS Little Rock (CL-92) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that entered service too late to participate in the Second World War but that was later converted into a guided missile cruiser (CLG-4) and served with the Mediterranean Fleet.

Siege of Bamburgh Castle of June-July 1464

The siege of Bamburgh Castle of June-July 1464 was a Yorkist victory that ended the Lancastrian campaign in Northumberland that had begun in the aftermath of the battle of Towton, and was also the first occasion when an English castle was defeated by gunpowder artillery.

Siege of Bamburgh Castle (December 1462)

The siege of Bamburgh Castle (December 1462) was a Yorkist victory that briefly gave them control of Bamburgh Castle, on the Northumbrian coast.

Eager for Glory: The untold story of Drusus the Elder, Conqueror of Germany, Lindsay Powell.

Eager for Glory: The untold story of Drusus the Elder, Conqueror of Germany, Lindsay Powell.

 A useful biography of an important figure during the birth of Imperial Rome, a stepson of Augustus, successful general who conquered the area just to the north of the Alps and campaigned in Germany, where he reached the Elbe, and a skilled administrator and even an explorer.
 [read full review]

US Marine Infantry Combat Uniforms and Equipment 2000-12, J Kenneth Eward.

US Marine Infantry Combat Uniforms and Equipment 2000-12, J Kenneth Eward.

Looks at the equipment used by the US Marine Corps during a prolonged period of combat that forced the introduction of improved uniforms, protective equipment and weapons to deal with an unexpectedly dangerous battlefield. Behind the sea of acronyms (for which the author can't be blamed!) is a very valuable account of the way in which the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have forced the Marines into a rapid programme of re-equipment.
 [read full review]

Siege of Alnwick (December 1462-6 January 1463)

The siege of Alnwick (December 1462-6 January 1463) saw the castle captured by the Yorkists, although only after a Lancastrian and Scottish relief army had rescued the garrison.

Siege of Alnwick Castle (July 1462)

The siege of Alnwick Castle (July 1462) saw a Yorkist army capture the castle, which changed hands repeatedly between 1461 and 1464.

Battle of Towton (29 March 1461)

The battle of Towton (29 March 1461) was the decisive battle of the first phase of the Wars of the Roses and saw the young Edward IV defeat one of the largest Lancastrian armies to take to the field during the war.

Battle of Ferrybridge (27-28 March 1461)

The battle of Ferrybridge (27-28 March 1461) took place on the day before the battle of Towton and saw the Yorkists force their way across the River Aire at Ferrybridge, defeating a Lancastrian attempt to hold the line of the river.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.435 P.2

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.435 P.2 was a two-man advanced trainer based on the M.S.405 single seat fighter that was ordered into production in 1939 but that wasn't delivered before the fall of France.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.433

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.433 was a design for a two-seat training aircraft that would have been based on the M.S.430 and powered by a Gnome-Rhône 7Kfs radial engine.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.430

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.430 was a two-seat training aircraft based on the M.S.405 single-seat fighter.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.408

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.408 was a single-seat version of the M.S.430 training aircraft that was evaluated by the Armee de l'Air, but that wasn't accepted for service.

Focke-Wulf Ta 400

The Focke-Wulf Ta 400 was a design for a six-engined long range bomber capable of reaching the United States from Continental Europe. A wind tunnel model was produced, but the design never reached the prototype stage.

Focke-Wulf Fw 300

The Focke-Wulf Fw 300 was originally a design for a long range civil airliner, but it was adapted for possible use as a long range reconnaissance aircraft and guided weapons carrier.

The Longbow, Mike Loades.

The Longbow, Mike Loades.

A super look at the longbow as a military weapon, covering the development of the bow, how it might have been used in battle (taking into account the number of arrows we know to have been available, physical stamina etc), and the way in which the multi-level armour of the period coped with the threat. An excellent guide to this iconic English weapon and its role in battle.
[read full review]

Servants of Evil - Voices from Hitler's Army, Bob Carruthers

Servants of Evil - Voices from Hitler's Army, Bob Carruthers.

A selection of first hands accounts of their experiences written by members of the German army, the U-boat arm of the navy and the Luftwaffe, tracing the rise and fall of the Nazi war machine. Fascinating both for the experiences of the writers and for its insight into their misconceptions and the impact Nazi propaganda had on them.
[read full review]

Focke-Wulf Ta 283

The Focke-Wulf Ta 283 was a design for a twin-engined ramjet powered fighter aircraft that was under development during 1945 but that was never completed.

Focke-Wulf Ta 183

The Focke-Wulf Ta 183 was a design for an advanced single-seat jet fighter that was under development towards the end of the Second World War.

Second battle of St. Albans (17 February 1461)

The second battle of St. Albans (17 February 1461) was a Lancastrian victory that opened the road to London and appeared to give them a chance to take advantage of their earlier victory at Wakefield, where Richard, duke of York, had been killed.

Siege of the Tower of London (2-19 July 1460)

The siege of the Tower of London (2-19 July 1460) saw the Lancastrian forces in London isolated in the Tower while the main Yorkist army moved north to victory at Northampton (Wars of the Roses)

Battle of Mortimer's Cross (2 February 1461)

The battle of Mortimer's Cross (2 February 1461) was Edward, earl of March's first battlefield victory and was the start of a campaign that would end with him securely crowned as King Edward IV.

Battle of Wakefield (30 December 1460)

The battle of Wakefield (30 December 1460) was a major Lancastrian victory that resulted in the death of Richard, duke of York, his son Edmund of Rutland and one of his most important followers, Richard Neville, earl of Salisbury.

457th Bombardment Group

The 457th Bombardment Group was a B-17 group that took part in the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign from February 1944 until April 1945.

399th Bombardment Group, USAAF

The 399th Bombardment Group, USAAF, was a training unit that was based in the United States from its formation in 1943 until it was disbanded in 1944.

393rd Bombardment Group

The 393rd Bombardment Group was a training unit that was based in the US from its formation in 1943 until it was inactivated in 1944.

Battle of Northampton (10 July 1460)

The battle of Northampton (10 July 1460) was a major Yorkist victory that transformed their fortunes after their disasterous failure at Ludford Bridge in 1459, and that ended with the capture of Henry VI and the death of several important Lancastrian leaders.

Capture of Sandwich (June 1460)

The capture of Sandwich (June 1460) was a key Yorkist success that allowed the exiled earls of Salisbury, Warwick and March to invade England from their base at Calais at the start of the campaign that ended with the great Yorkist victory at Northampton.

USS Oklahoma City (CL-91)

USS Oklahoma City (CL-91) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that saw three months of active service in the pacific during the Second World War and that went on to be converted into a guided missile cruiser and serve in that role for nearly twenty years.

USS Astoria (CL-90)

USS Astoria (CL-90) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that fought in the Pacific from December 1944 to the end of the war, fighting off the Philippines, Okinawa and supporting attacks on the Japanese Home Islands.

Raid on Sandwich of 15 January 1460

The raid on Sandwich of 15 January 1460 saw a Yorkist force based at Calais attack Sandwich, capturing both a Lancastrian fleet being built in the port and the commander of the garrison (Wars of the Roses).

Battle of Ludford Bridge (12-13 October 1459)

The battle of Ludford Bridge (12-13 October 1459) was a humiliating defeat that appeared to have ended any hopes of a Yorkist victory in the Wars of the Roses.

USS Miami (CL-89)

USS Miami (CL-89) was a Cleveland class light carrier that fought in the Pacific from June 1944 until April 1945 when she was recalled for a refit.

USS Duluth (CL-87)

USS Duluth (CL-87) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that joined the Pacific fleet in the spring of 1945 but was damaged in a typhoon and only entered combat in the last few weeks of the Second World War.

Compared and Contrasted: Weapons of World War II, Michael E. Haskew.

Compared and Contrasted: Weapons of World War II, Michael E. Haskew.
Compares competing weapons systems using a series of generally well designed illustrations, allowing the reader to get an idea of how the different tanks, aircraft, guns and ships of particular periods compared to each other. A nice idea that makes it easier to visualise some of the reality behind the dry statistics that normally describe these weapon systems.
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Finland's War of Choice - The Troubled German-Finnish Coalition in World War II, Henrik O. Lunde.

Finland's War of Choice - The Troubled German-Finnish Coalition in World War II, Henrik O. Lunde.

A history of the Finnish 'Continuation War', which found the Finns fighting alongside the Germans in the Soviet Union, a democracy fighting alongside a dictatorship in perhaps the most brutal conflict in history. Looks at the background to Finnish entry into the war, their confused war aims, the course of the fighting and the eventual Finnish attempts to exit the war and survive as an independent nation.

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The Mareth Line 1943: The End in Africa, Ken Ford.

The Mareth Line 1943: The End in Africa, Ken Ford.

Looks at the final battles between Montgomery and Rommel, from the retreat after El Alamein, through the various short-lived delaying battles to the fight for the Mareth Line and the final collapse of the Axis position in North Africa, including the battle for the Mareth Line. Clearly written and well illustrated, this covers a period in North Africa that is often skipped over.
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Albert Kesselring, Pier Paolo Battistelli.

Albert Kesselring, Pier Paolo Battistelli.

A short biography of Albert Kesselring, who began the Second World War as a senior Luftwaffe commander during the invasion of Poland and the battle of Britain but is best known for his role as commander-in-chief in Italy for most of the lengthy German defence of the Italian peninsula, where he played a major part in holding up the Allied advance for so long.
[read full review]

Battle of Blore Heath (23 September 1459)

The battle of Blore Heath (23 September 1459) was the only significant Yorkist success after the resumption of open warfare in 1459, part of the first phase of the Wars of the Roses.

First battle of St. Albans (22 May 1455)

The first battle of St. Albans (22 May 1455) was the first battle of the Wars of the Roses, and was a Yorkist victory that saw Richard, duke of York temporarily take control of Henry VI's government.

USS Vicksburg (CL-86)

USS Vicksburg (CL-86) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that was used as a training ship during 1944 before joining the Pacific Fleet in 1945 in time to take part in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and the attacks on the Japanese Home Islands.

USS Manchester (CL-83)

USS Manchester (CL-83) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that was completed too late to see combat during the Second World War but that was heavily involved in the fighting in Korea. Manchester received nine battles stars for Korean service.

USS Providence (CL-82)

USS Providence (CL-82) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that entered service too late to see combat in the Second World War. She was later converted into a Guided Missile Cruiser as CLG-6 and served into the early 1970s.

USS Houston (CL-81)

USS Houston (CL-81) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that entered combat in June 1944 during the invasion of the Marianas. She had a short combat career which ended when she was hit by a torpedo on 14 October 1944.

The SBS in World War II - An Illustrated History, Gavin Mortimer.

The SBS in World War II - An Illustrated History, Gavin Mortimer.

Follows the history of the Special Boat Squadron from a fairly disastrous start to its later successes across the eastern Mediterranean. The small size of the unit allows Mortimer to include detailed accounts of many if not most SBS operations, including some disasters amongst the many spectacular successes.
 [read full review]

Secret Flotillas: Clandestine Sea Operations to Brittany 1940-44 Vol 1, Brook Richards.

Secret Flotillas: Clandestine Sea Operations to Brittany 1940-44 Vol 1, Brook Richards.

Looks at the efforts to maintain a clandestine sea link between Britain and Brittany, transferring agents and supplies to France and rescuing a wide range of people from France (including members of the resistance on the run, Allied airmen and other evaders). A splendid account of a difficult and bold series of operations.
[read full review]

USS Fargo (CL-85)

USS Fargo (CL-85) was laid down as a Cleveland class light cruiser but completed as an Independence class light carrier.

USS Wilmington (CL-79)

USS Wilmington (CL-79) was laid down as a Cleveland class light cruiser, but was completed as an Independence class light carrier.

USS Dayton (CL-78)

USS Dayton (CL-78) was laid down as a Cleveland class light cruiser, but was completed as an Independence class aircraft carrier.

USS Huntington (CL-77)

USS Huntington (CL-77) was laid down as a Cleveland class light cruiser but was completed as an Independence class aircraft carrier.

Battle of Stamford Bridge (31 October or 1 November 1454)

The battle of Stamford Bridge (31 October or 1 November 1454) was a clash between the Neville and Percy families fought in the year before the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses, and a sign of the increasing instability brought on by the mental illness of Henry VI.

Battle of of Heworth (24 August 1453)

The 'battle' of Heworth (24 August 1453) was a skirmish between the Neville and Percy families that raised tension in the north of England in the period immediately before the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses

USS Biloxi (CL-80)

USS Biloxi (CL-80) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that served in the Pacific from the start of 1944 to the end of the war, supporting the fast carrier task force and taking part in the invasions of Saipan, the Philippines, the Palaus and Okinawa and the battles of the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf.

USS Topeka (CL-67)

USS Topeka (CL-67) was built as a Cleveland class light cruiser (CL-67) and in that guise fought at Okinawa and took part in the attacks on the Japanese Home Islands during 1945. She was later rebuilt as a guided-missile cruiser (CLG-8) and had another ten years of active service in that role during the 1960s.

Naval Battle of the Yalu River (17 September 1894)

The Naval Battle of the Yalu River (17 September 1894) was a Japanese victory that saw them inflict heavy losses on the main Chinese fleet early in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95.

First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895)

The First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) was Japan's first overseas war after she came out of isolation in the 1860s, and saw the rapidly modernised Japanese armed forces inflict an embarrassing defeat on less successfully modernised Chinese forces.

Medieval Warfare Vol III Issue 4 - The Albigensian Crusade: Catharism condemned.

Medieval Warfare Vol III Issue 4 - The Albigensian Crusade: Catharism condemned.

Focuses on the early thirteenth century crusade against the Cathar heresy in southern France, a bloodthirsty episode that greatly expanded the definition of a crusade. Also includes a look at the fate of disabled warriors and the Hungarian campaign in Italy in 1348-50.
[read full review]

Medieval Warfare III 3 - The advance of the Seljuq Turks: Byzantine power in decline.

Medieval Warfare III 3 - The advance of the Seljuq Turks: Byzantine power in decline.

Looks at both sides in the clash between Byzantium and the Seljuq Turks, with articles on Manzikert and Myriokephalon, the rise of the Seljuqs, Seljuq technology, the Byzantine army of the period and the Byzantine sources. Also looks at the Scottish invasion of England of 1138 and late Medieval Irish warriors.
[read full review]

Medieval Warfare II 6: Frustrating the Fatimids: Basil II and the conquest of Syria.

Medieval Warfare II 6: Frustrating the Fatimids: Basil II and the conquest of Syria.

Looks at the clash between Byzantium and the impressive Fatimid Empire, which had expanded from north Africa to include Egypt and much of Syria, before being halted by the able Byzantine emperor Basil II. Also includes articles on rural revolts in Burgundy, the siege of Harlech, the siege of Rouen and the naval commander Eustace the Monk.
[read full review]

USS Springfield (CL-66)

USS Springfield (CL-66) was commissioned as a Cleveland class light cruiser (CL-66) and fought in the Pacific during the Second World War. She was later converted into a Providence class Guided Missile Cruiser (CLG-7), and her active career lasted until 1974. During her short combat career she was awarded two battle stars.

USS Pasadena (CL-65)

USS Pasadena (CL-65) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that fought in the Pacific, taking part in attacks on Formosa, the Japanese Home Islands, Indo-China, the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The Pasadena earned five battle stars during World War II.

Destination Berchtesgaden - The US Seventh Army during World War II, John Frayn Turner & Robert Jackson.

Destination Berchtesgaden - The US Seventh Army during World War II, John Frayn Turner & Robert Jackson.

 A straightforward narrative history of the US Seventh Army's battles from Sicily, to the south of France and on to the Ardennes, the German border, the crossing of the Thine and the advance into Germany.
[read full review]

Unusual Footnotes to the Korean War, Paul Edwards,

Unusual Footnotes to the Korean War, Paul Edwards,

 A selection of 33 short articles on unusual aspects of the Korean War, covering most phases of the war and a wide range of interesting topics that help remove the normal image of this as a fairly monolithic war. A nice way of bringing together a collection of interesting stories, most of which wouldn't have supported an entire book of their own. [read full review]

The Great Event, B. Randolph Beynon

The Great Event, B. Randolph Beynon.

A lengthy history of the American Civil War supported by a vast number of quotations - over 1,000 during the full length of the book, with a good mix of familiar and unfamiliar quotes from a wide range of figures on both sides, all connected by a good history of the war. [read full review]

Robert E. Lee in War and Peace - The Photographic History of a Confederate and American Icon, Donald A. Hopkins.

Robert E. Lee in War and Peace - The Photographic History of a Confederate and American Icon, Donald A. Hopkins.

 Combines an examination of every known 'from life' photograph of Robert E. Lee with an history of photography during this period and biographies of the photographers who took the photos. A fascinating book for the general reader and a useful reference work for the collector.
[read full review]

383rd Bombardment Group, USAAF

The 383rd Bombardment Group, USAAF, went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a training unit and then as a B-29 unit in the Eighth Air Force in the Pacific.

380th Bombardment Group

The 380th Bombardment Group was a B-24 unit that entered combat from Australia and that was attached to the RAAF for most of its operational career, fighting over New Guinea, the Dutch East Indies, Bornea, the Philippines, Formosa and eventually Japan.

378th Bombardment Group

The 378th Bombardment Group was a short-lived anti-submarine warfare unit that served in the US during 1942.

377th Bombardment Group

The 377th Bombardment Group was an anti-submarine group that operated for a short period in 1942.

376th Bombardment Group

The 376th Bombardment Group was a heavy bomber unit that was formed in the Mediterranean theatre and remained there until the spring of 1945, fighting in North Africa, Italy and raiding across the southern part of the Nazi Empire.

346th Bombardment Group, USAAF

The 346th Bombardment Group, USAAF, went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a US-based training unit and the second as part of the Eighth Air Force in the Far East.

A Gunner's Great War, Ian Ronayne.

A Gunner's Great War, Ian Ronayne.

Based around the journal of Clarence Ahier, a Jersey man who served in the artillery during the First World War, fighting on the Somme in 1916 and Ypres in 1917 before ending up as part of the British garrison in India. The journal is supported by a useful framework that puts Ahier's experiences into context. A useful view of the Great War from the position of the guns rather than from the trenches.
[read full review]

Hitler's Wave Breaker Concept: An Analysis of the German End Game in the Baltic, Henrik O. Lunde.

Hitler's Wave Breaker Concept: An Analysis of the German End Game in the Baltic, Henrik O. Lunde.

A detailed examination of the thinking that led to a large German army being trapped on the Baltic coast during the last months of the Second World War, when those experienced troops would have been invaluable in the battle for Berlin. Looks at Hitler's reasons for insisting on defending the Baltic coast and tests them to see if they were valid.
[read full review]

Empires of the Dead - How One Man's Vision led to the Creation of WWI's War Graves, David Crane.

Empires of the Dead - How One Man's Vision led to the Creation of WWI's War Graves, David Crane.

Combines a biography of Fabian Ware and a history of the Commonwealth war cemeteries that he played such a major part in creating. Recreates the controversies that surrounded these cemeteries that are now such an accepted part of the British and Commonwealth reaction to the slaughter of the Great War.
[read full review]

The Complete George Cross, Kevin Brazier.

The Complete George Cross, Kevin Brazier.

A single volume history of the George Cross, with brief accounts of each award, both of the George Cross and of awards that were later exchanged for the GC, a total of 406 awards at the time of writing. The main focus is on brief accounts of the incidents which led to the award, with a sentence of two on earlier life or later fate. A good single volume reference work on the GC.
[read full review]

Mitsubishi Ki-40

The Mitsubishi Ki-40 was a design for a long range twin-engined aircraft based on the Ki-39 fighter.

Mitsubishi Navy 7-Shi Experimental Carrier Fighter (1MF10)

The Mitsubishi Navy 7-Shi Experimental Carrier Fighter (1MF10) was an unsuccessful design for a fighter to replace the Nakajima A2N, and was the first low wing monoplane fighter to be submitted to the Japanese Navy.

Saladin's Holy War of 1187-1192

Saladin's Holy War of 1187-1192 was the culmination of a lifetime of planning, and saw Saladin inflict a crushing defeat on the Crusaders at Hattin, capture Jerusalem and conquer most of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and then successfully defend most of those conquests against the forces of the Third Crusade led by Richard the Lionheart, king of England.

336th Bombardment Group, USAAF

The 336th Bombardment Group, USAAF, was a training unit that was based in the US from 1942-44.

335th Bombardment Group, USAAF

The 335th Bombardment Group, USAAF, was a training unit that served in the United States during the Second World War.

323rd Bombardment Group

The 323rd Bombardment Group was a B-26 Marauder unit that formed part of the Eighth and then Ninth Air Forces and took part in the campaign against German positions in occupied France before D-Day and supported the Allied armies after the invasion.

Images of War: Royal Flying Corps, Alistair Smith.

Images of War: Royal Flying Corps, Alistair Smith.

Four photo albums showing aspects of live in the RFC, including training at Tangmere and in Canada and early seaplanes on the River Crouch. Includes some astounding pictures of aircraft destroyed in crashes or by bad weather, as well as a good selection illustrating daily life in the RFC away from the front line.
[read full review]

With Napoleon's Guard in Russia - The memoirs of Major Vionnet 1812, Louis Joseph Vionnet, trans. Jonathan North

With Napoleon's Guard in Russia - The memoirs of Major Vionnet 1812, Louis Joseph Vionnet, trans. Jonathan North.

Fascinating memoir written by an officer in the French Imperial Guard during the campaign in Russia in 1812 and the main part of the campaign in Germany in 1813. Vionnet gets us to Moscow rather quickly, but provides far more detail for the fire in Moscow and the desperate retreat which destroyed the Grand Army.
[read full review]

Saladin (1137/8-1193)

Saladin (1137/8-1193) was one of the greatest leaders of the Muslim world. He created an empire that included Egypt, Syria, the Hejaz and Mesopotamia, and used his power to inflict a crushing defeat on the Crusader states, capturing Jerusalem and holding it against the forces of the Third Crusade. Despite his successes against the Crusaders Saladin gained an impressive reputation in Western Europe, where he became known as one of the most chivalrous enemies of Christendom.

Saladin's Conquest of Syria, 1174 to 1186

Saladin's Conquest of Syria, which took from 1174 to 1186, established him as the ruler of a powerful empire that included Egypt, Syria and parts of Mesopotamia, and that gave him a real chance of crushing the Crusader states.

334th Bombardment Group, USAAF

The 334th Bombardment Group, USAAF, was a training unit that served in the United States during the Second World War.

333rd Bombardment Group, USAAF,

The 333rd Bombardment Group, USAAF, had two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a training unit and then as a B-29 group in the Eighth Air Force in the Far East.

322nd Bombardment Group

The 322nd Bombardment Group was a medium bomber group that had a disastrous introduction to combat in the spring of 1943, losing ten out of eleven aircraft on its second raid, but that went on to develop effective medium level medium bomber tactics and supported the Allied armies after the D-Day invasions.

The First Blitz, Andrew P Hyde.

The First Blitz, Andrew P Hyde.

 Inspired by a family connection to one of the victims of a bomb that hit a London primary school in June 1917, this book looks at the development of the German aerial attacks on Britain, with a focus on the most successful period of Gotha raids, the unit that carried them out and the leader who briefly turned that unit into an effective weapon.
 [read full review]

Images of War: Stuka, Hitler's Lethal Dive Bomber, Alistair Smith.

Images of War: Stuka, Hitler's Lethal Dive Bomber, Alistair Smith.

A collection of photos from the album of Erich Heine, a Stuka gunner and radio operator who mainly fought on the Eastern Front. Includes a good selection from his training, portraits, group photos, some fascinating aerial shots and a set from Luftwaffe funerals that illustrate how dangerous the ground attack role could be.
 [read full review]

331st Bombardment Group

The 331st Bombardment Group went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a replacement training unit and second as a B-29 unit with the Twentieth Air Force.

330th Bombardment Group, USAAF

The 330th Bombardment Group, USAAF, had two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a training unit and then as a B-29 unit that took part in the strategic bombing campaign against Japan.

321st Bombardment Group, USAAF

The 321st Bombardment Group, USAAF, was a B-25 group that fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and southern France, sinking the battleship Strasbourg during that campaign.

Jocks in the Jungle - Black Watch & Cameronians as Chindits, Gordon Thorburn.

Jocks in the Jungle - Black Watch & Cameronians as Chindits, Gordon Thorburn.

Looks at two of the normal units of British soldiers that were turned into Chindits and took part in the second and most gruelling of the Chindits raids. Looks at the history of the two regiments, the first Chindit operation, all building up to a detailed examination of the second Chindit raid, focusing on the columns that included the Black Watch and Cameronians.
[read full review]

Images of War: The Germans in Flanders 1915-1916, David Bilton.

Images of War: The Germans in Flanders 1915-1916, David Bilton.

A narrative history of the fighting in Flanders in 1915 and 1916 as seen from the German side, supported by a superb collection of photographs. Concludes with a chronology of the main events during these two years and a brief history of each German division that fought in Flanders in this period.
[read full review]

320th Bombardment Group, USAAF

The 320th Bombardment Group, USAAF, was a B-26 Marauder unit that fought in North Africa, Sicily and Italy before moving to the western Front to take part in the fighting in France and Germany.

319th Bombardment Group

The 319th Bombardment Group entered service as a B-26 unit that took part in Operation Torch and the campaign in of Italy, before at the start of 1944 it was withdraw to the US, converted to the A-26 and moved to Okinawa, where it entered combat against the Japanese in July 1945.

312th Bombardment Group

The 312th Bombardment Group fought in the South West Pacific, starting as a light bomber group equipped with P-40 fighter-bombers. It soon converted to the A-20 and used these aircraft in New Guinea and the Philippines. Late in the war the group began to convert to the Consolidated B-32 Dominator, but only a handful of these heavy bombers saw combat before the end of the fighting.

Mitsubishi Experimental Special-purpose Carrier Reconnaissance Aircraft (2MR5)

The Mitsubishi Experimental Special-purpose Carrier Reconnaissance Aircraft (2MR5) was one of a series of aircraft designed for Mitsubishi by Dr Alexander Baumann of Stuttgart University.

Mitsubishi Experimental Tobi-type Reconnaissance Aircraft (2MR1)

The Mitsubishi Experimental Tobi-type Reconnaissance Aircraft (2MR1) was a potentially promising aircraft that was badly damaged during an official Japanese Army test flight and never entered production.

310th Bombardment Group

The 310th Bombardment Group was a B-25 Mitchell group within the Twelfth Air Force that served in North Africa, Sicily and on the mainland of Italy, mainly targeting Axis communication targets.

309th Bombardment Group

The 309th Bombardment Group was a training group that served in the United States from early in 1942 until it was disbanded in the spring of 1944.

308th Bombardment Group

The 308th Bombardment Group was a heavy bomber unit that was based in China from March 1943 until June 1945, from where it supported the Chinese and attacked the Japanese Empire from the west.

Siege of Azaz (15 May-21 June 1176)

The siege of Azaz (15 May-21 June 1176) was one of a series of successes for Saladin in the aftermath of his victory at the battle of Tall as-Sultan (22 April 1176) and helped put pressure on the authorities in Aleppo.

Nur ad-Din's three campaigns in Egypt in 1164-69

Nur ad-Din's three campaigns in Egypt in 1164-69 led to the overthrow of the Shi'a Fatimid dynasty, the restoration of orthodox Sunni rule in Egypt, and played a major part in the rise of Saladin.

Nakajima L1N1 Navy Type AT-2 Transport

The Nakajima L1N1 Navy Type AT-2 Transport was the designation given to a number of Army Ki-34 twin-engined transport aircraft that were handed over to the Japanese Navy.

Nakajima E12N1 Experimental 12-Shi Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane

The Nakajima E12N1 Experimental 12-Shi Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane was Nakajima's last reconnaissance seaplane design and lacked the handling to enter service.

The Boys of '67: Charlie Company's War in Vietnam, Andrew Wiest.

The Boys of '67: Charlie Company's War in Vietnam, Andrew Wiest.

Inspired by a meeting with a veteran of the company, this followed Charlie Company from its formation in the US, through training and on to its original men's year-long tour of duty in Vietnam. A rather melancholy book, as the men we have followed begin to be killed or wounded without any sign that their efforts were having any impact in Vietnam, but a very valuable study of the impact of war.
[read full review]

Giap - The General who Defeated American in Vietnam, James A Warren.

Giap - The General who Defeated American in Vietnam, James A Warren.

 Biography of the most important Vietnamese general during the wars against France and the United States, a military leader who understood that political will was the key to the result of both wars and who was able to wear down the will of one of the world's great super powers.
 [read full review]

Nakajima J5N1 Tenrai (Heavenly Thunder)

The Nakajima J5N1 Tenrai (Heavenly Thunder) was a design for a single-seat twin-engine interceptor that reached the prototype stage during 1944 but that didn't enter production.

Nakajima J1N

The Nakajima J1N, allied code name 'Irving', was originally designed as a long range fighter aircraft for operations over China, but entered service as a long-range reconnaissance aircraft and later became a night fighter, when it was known as the Gekko (Moonlight).

The Hunters and the Hunted - the Elimination of German Surface Warships around the World, 1914-15, Bryan Perrett.

The Hunters and the Hunted - the Elimination of German Surface Warships around the World, 1914-15, Bryan Perrett.

A study of the fate of the warships of Imperial Germany's that found themselves posted overseas at the start of the First World War, most of which undertook campaigns as surface raiders, attacking Allied shipping around the world. Some had dramatic careers, but all were tracked down and sunk by early in 1915, after a major effort by the Royal Navy and other Allied navies.
[read full review]

Bayonets - An Illustrated History, Martin J. Brayley.

Bayonets - An Illustrated History, Martin J. Brayley.

A super guide for the collector or reference work for the historian, looking at the bayonets used in thirty-seven countries since 1650, covering over 300 different bayonets with historical details, design notes and excellent colour photos. Perhaps a bit too focused for the general reader, but a valuable reference work for the bayonet collector or military historian.
[read full review]

Nakajima Ki-201 Karyu (Fire Dragon)

The Nakajima Ki-201 Karyu (Fire Dragon) was the Japanese Army's attempt to produce a jet fighter, and like the Navy's Kikka closely resembled the Messerschmitt Me 262.

Nakajima Ki-82

The Nakajima Ki-82 was a design for a new aircraft to replace the disappointing Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu, but the success of the Mitsubishi Ki-67 meant that the design was never completed.

Battle of Tall as-Sultan (22 April 1176)

The battle of Tall as-Sultan (22 April 1176) was a major victory won by Saladin during his conquest of Syria, and saw him defeat the allied armies of Aleppo and Mosul.

Siege of Alexandria of 29 July- 2 August 1174

The siege of Alexandria of 29 July- 2 August 1174 was a brief and very unsuccessful attempt by the Normans of Sicily to play a part in the overthrow of Saladin, then vizier of Egypt.

Ancient Warfare Vol VII, Issue 3: Conquerors of Italy: The Early Roman Republic..

Ancient Warfare Vol VII, Issue 3: Conquerors of Italy: The Early Roman Republic..

Focuses on the centuries of warfare that saw Rome grow from a small city-state dominated by its Etruscan neighbours into the only power left in mainland Italy and one on the verge of bursting out into the rest of the Ancient world.  An interesting selection of articles on this pivotal but fairly obscure period of Roman history.
 [read full review]

Ancient Warfare Vol VII, Issue 2: Struggle for control: Wars in ancient Sicily.

Ancient Warfare Vol VII, Issue 2: Struggle for control: Wars in ancient Sicily.

Focuses on the series of wars between Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans and native Sicilians that turned Sicily into a battleground in the centuries before the eventual Roman conquest, with good coverage of the wars between the Greek and Punic settlers and the tyrants that ruled for so long. Also looks at Roman ownership marks, attempts to avoid service in the Legions and Alexander's victory at the Granicus.
[read full review]

Ancient Warfare Vol VII, Issue 1: Warriors of the Nile - Conflict in Ancient Egypt.

Ancient Warfare Vol VII, Issue 1: Warriors of the Nile - Conflict in Ancient Egypt.

 Looks at the sources for Ancient Egyptian military history, the equipment buried with Tutankhamen, the battle of Kadesh, Egypt's fortified borders, the Hyksos, and letters between the major Kings of the period. Also looks at the standards held by the Roman Legion and a clash between an outpost of Macedonian civilisation in central Asia and the Han Empire of China.
[read full review]

Nakajima Ki-80

The Nakajima Ki-80 was a version of the Ki-49 Donryu Army Type 100 Heavy Bomber designed for use by formation leaders. Two were built in October 1941, but they did not enter service.

Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu (Storm Dragon) 'Helen'

The Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu (Storm Dragon) 'Helen' was a somewhat disappointing Japanese Army bomber that served in China, New Guinea and the Philippines, but proved to be vulnerable to Allied fighters as the war progressed and to have disappointing speed and handling.

Secret Weapons: Death Rays, Doodlebugs and Churchill's Golden Goose, Brian J. Ford.

Secret Weapons: Death Rays, Doodlebugs and Churchill's Golden Goose, Brian J. Ford.

A good popular history of the secret weapons of the Second World War, the scientific research behind them, their effect on the war (if any) and their impact on the post-war world. Covers a wide range of projects from all of the major combatants, includes good sections on the code breakers, rocketry and the nuclear bomb.
[read full review]

Edge of Empire: Rome's Frontier on the Lower Rhine, Jona Lendering and Arjen Bosman.

Edge of Empire: Rome's Frontier on the Lower Rhine, Jona Lendering and Arjen Bosman.

An interesting look at the history of the Low Countries and nearby areas during the Roman Empire, when they formed part of the border of the Roman world. The authors paint a picture of a largely prosperous area that survived the fall of Rome better than most, but that was vulnerable to attack from across the Rhine.
[read full review]

Nakajima G10N Fugaku (Mount Fuji)

The Nakajima G10N Fugaku (Mount Fuji) was a design for a very heavy bomber capable of reaching the United States from bases in Japan while carrying a useful payload.

Nakajima G5N Shinzen (Mountain Recess)

The Nakajima G5N Shinzen (Mountain Recess) was a four-engined heavy bomber that was based on the Douglas DC-4E transport aircraft.

Siege of Montreal (21 September-October 1171)

The siege of Montreal (21 September-October 1171) was a controversial episode of the career of Saladin after he lifted the siege, probably because his overlord Nur ad-Din was approaching with a second army.

Siege of Ayla/ al-Aqaba (31 December 1170)

The siege of Ayla/ al-Aqaba (31 December 1170) was one of Saladin's earliest successes against the Crusaders and saw him gain control of a key point on the pilgrim route from Egypt to Mecca and Medina.

To the Last Man - The Battle for Normandy's Cotentin Peninsula and Brittany, Randolph Bradham.

To the Last Man - The Battle for Normandy's Cotentin Peninsula and Brittany, Randolph Bradham.

An account of the American campaigns in the Cotentin and in Brittany, the first well known as part of the D-Day campaign, the second less familiar as the focus of the action began to move east. The second half is stronger, partly because of that lack of familiarity.
[read full review]

The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror, Gordon Williamson.

The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror, Gordon Williamson.

 Looks at the full history of the SS, including its formation, the Waffen SS fighting units and the many other sections of the organisation, including the SD, the Gestapo, the concentration camps and the vast industrial empires it controlled.
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The True German: The Diary of a World War II Military Judge, Werner Otto Müller-Hill.

The True German: The Diary of a World War II Military Judge, Werner Otto Müller-Hill.

 A diary recording the last year of the Second World War as seen by a German military judge with a hostile view of the Nazi regime and a surprising amount of knowledge of the darker secrets of the holocaust. A fascinating read, and a valuable source for a study of the last year of the Third Reich.
[read full review]

Nakajima E8N 'Dave' Navy Type 95 Reconnaissance Seaplane

The Nakajima E8N 'Dave' Navy Type 95 Reconnaissance Seaplane was a biplane that replaced the earlier Nakajima E4N Navy Type 90-2-2 Reconnaissance Seaplane and was a very similar design.

Nakajima E4N

The Nakajima E4N was a reconnaissance biplane that went through two very different designs before entering service with the Japanese Navy during the 1930s.

Nakajima E2N

The Nakajima E2N was a sesquiplane reconnaissance aircraft that served as a catapult based short-range reconnaissance aircraft and as a training aircraft for several years after entering production in 1927.

Nakajima D3N Experimental 11-Shi Carrier Bomber

The Nakajima D3N Experimental 11-Shi Carrier Bomber was designed to replace the Aichi Type 97 Carrier Bomber, but lost out to the Aichi D3A1.

Greece and Rome at War, Peter Connolly.

Greece and Rome at War, Peter Connolly.

 An excellent military history of Ancient Greece and Rome, including an outline of military events and a detailed examination of the organisation and equipment of the armies of the period, based on a mix of documentary evidence, art and archaeology, hands-on reconstructions and visits to the battlefields.
[read full review]

The Birth of the Royal Marines 1664-1802, Britt Zerbe.

The Birth of the Royal Marines 1664-1802, Britt Zerbe.

A study of the formation of the Royal Marines, focusing on the fifty years from 1755 when the current Marine Corps was formed. Organised thematically, looking at the formation, administration, manning and uses of the Marines, both as a police force (onboard ship and on shore) and as a military force.
[read full review]

Siege of Darum (Mid December 1170)

The siege of Darum (Mid December 1170) was part of Saladin's first major offensive against the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, and was abandoned after a relief army appeared on the scene.

Siege of Damietta (25 October-19 December 1169)

The siege of Damietta (25 October-19 December 1169) was the main event in a failed Crusader and Byzantine attempt to conquer Egypt and undo the Syrian occupation of that country.

Panzerkampfwagen Neubaufahrzeuge

The Panzerkampfwagen Neubaufahrzeuge was a design for a multi-turreted medium-heavy tank that was produced in 1934-35 but that wasn't accepted for production.

Sonderkraftfahrzeug or Sd.Kfz numbers

Sonderkraftfahrzeug or Sd.Kfz numbers were ordnance numbers allocated to German military vehicles during the period of German re-armament in the 1930s and throughout the Second World War.

Battle of the Horns of Hamah (13 April 1175)

The battle of the Horns of Hamah (13 April 1175) was an important battle during Saladin's campaign to gain control of Syria and saw him defeat a combined army from Aleppo and Mosul.

Siege of Aleppo (30 December 1174-March 1175)

The siege of Aleppo (30 December 1174-March 1175) was Saladin's first attempt to capture Aleppo and take control of Nur ad-Din's young son and heir.

Nakajima-Fokker Ki-6 Type 95-2 Crew Trainer

The Nakajima-Fokker Ki-6 Type 95-2 Crew Trainer was based on the Fokker Super Universal and was designed to train the crews of multi-place bomber aircraft.

Nakajima C2N

The Nakajima C2N was a reconnaissance version of the Fokker Super Universal passenger transport aircraft, produced under license in Japan by Nakajima.

15cm sIG33 (Sfl) auf Jagdpanzer 38(t)

The 15cm sIG33 (Sfl) auf Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer was a modified version of the standard Hetzer anti-tank vehicle that carried a 15cm heavy howitzer.

Panzerkampfwagen 38(d)

The Panzerkampfwagen 38(d) was a modified and expanded version of the Panzer 38(t) that was to have been used as the basis for a family of new weapons during 1945 but that never reached production.

Carve Her Name With Pride, R. J. Minney.

Carve Her Name With Pride, R. J. Minney.

 The classic biography of Violette Szabo, one of the most famous SOE operatives of the Second World War, tracing her life from her childhood in Britain and France to her brief tragic wartime marriage and her career in SOE, which saw her captured on her second mission, imprisoned, tortured and finally executed in the last days of the war.
[read full review]

Airway to the East 1918-1920 and the collapse of No.1 Aerial Route RAF, Clive Semple.

Airway to the East 1918-1920 and the collapse of No.1 Aerial Route RAF, Clive Semple.

An account of the disastrous failure of the RAF's first attempt to move large numbers of aircraft over a long distance by air, in this case from France to Egypt in 1919. Eight men were killed and many of the aircraft were lost before the attempt was abandoned, but it did provide some invaluable experience in the long-distance movement of military aircraft.
[read full review]

Nakajima Ki-68

The Nakajima Ki-68 was a design for a four-engined heavy bomber based on the Douglas DC-4E.

Nakajima Ki-34 Army Type 97 Transport

The Nakajima Ki-34 Army Type 97 Transport was a twin-engined light transport that was originally developed as a smaller version of the Douglas DC-2 for use on short range, low traffic civil airline routes.

Flammpanzer 38(t) Hetzer

The Flammpanzer 38(t) Hetzer was the designation given to twenty Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzers that were converted to carry flame throwers instead of their normal 7.5cm guns

Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer

The Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer was by far the best in a series of tank hunters based on the Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) and was a totally redesigned version of the vehicle that carried a powerful 7.5cm tank gun that was carried in the superstructure of the vehicle, just as in the more famous StuG family.

Italian Rapier Combat: Capo Ferro's 'Gran Simalcro', ed. Jared Kirby.

Italian Rapier Combat: Capo Ferro's 'Gran Simalcro', ed. Jared Kirby.
A translation of a classic Italian manual on fighting with the rapier, complete with reproductions of a mix of illustrations from two early editions of this famous work. Most technical terms have been left in Italian, with clear explanations at the start, so the book is best suited to someone with an interest in fencing or authentic period fighting methods.
 [read full review]

Walcheren 1809, Martin R. Howard.

Walcheren 1809, Martin R. Howard.
A history of one of the great disasters of British military history, when a large army was sent to try and capture Antwerp but stalled at Walcheren where disease destroyed the army. A good study of a failed amphibious expedition and an example of how not to carry out a large scale expedition
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Nan Shui ('Blessing of the South')

The Nan Shui ('Blessing of the South') was one of two fast cruisers built in Germany in the 1880s for the Chinese Nanyang fleet.

Nan Ch'en ('Ornament of the South')

The Nan Ch'en ('Ornament of the South') was one of two fast but unarmoured cruisers built in the 1880s in Germany for the Chinese Nanyang fleet.

Nan Ch'en ('Ornament of the South')

The Nan Ch'en ('Ornament of the South') was one of two fast but unarmoured cruisers built in the 1880s in Germany for the Chinese Nanyang fleet.

Nakajima Ki-19

The Nakajima Ki-19 was a twin-engined heavy bomber that was developed in 1936-37, but that lost out to the Mitsubishi Ki-21.

Nakajima Ki-8

The Nakajima Ki-8 Experimental Two-Seat Fighter was a single-engine two-seat fighter produced as a private venture in the hope that the Japanese army would be interested.

The Waterloo Archive: Volume IV: British Sources, ed. Gareth Glover.

The Waterloo Archive: Volume IV: British Sources, ed. Gareth Glover.

A splendid selection of sources, mainly letters written just before and after the battle of Waterloo, describing the campaign, the battle itself and its aftermath. Provides a mix of personal accounts of the fighting, rumours from the period before and after and the mundane concern of the soldiers in the field. A fantastic source for anyone interested in Waterloo or in Napoleonic warfare in general.
 [read full review]

Operation Barbarossa - The German Invasion of Soviet Russia, Robert Kirchubel.

Operation Barbarossa - The German Invasion of Soviet Russia, Robert Kirchubel.

An excellent operational history of Barbarossa based on the three Osprey Campaign books, but with the text entirely reorganised and expanded where necessary. Supported by the usual excellent Osprey maps and illustrations, the result is a detailed but readable account of Operation Barbarossa, the biggest German gamble of the Second World War.
[read full review]

Sixteen new Second World War pictures

Today we add sixteen new pictures (http://www.historyofwar.org/recent_pictures.html), all related to the Second World War and including a collection from Norway in 1940.

Munitionsfahrzeug 38(t)

The Munitionsfahrzeug 38(t) was an ammunition carrying vehicle produced to work alongside the 15cm sIG Grille.

15cm sIG33 (Sfl) auf PzKpfw 38(t) Grille (Bison)

The 15cm sIG33 (Sfl) auf PzKpfw 38(t) Grille (Bison), SdKfz 138/1 was a self-propelled artillery gun that mounted the standard German 15cm heavy howitzer on the chassis of the obsolete Panzerkampfwagen 38(t).

Siege of Alexandria (April-August 1167)

The siege of Alexandria (April-August 1167) was Saladin's first recorded independent command, and he managed to hold the city until both sides were exhausted and a peace treaty could be negotiated.

Battle of Babain (18 March 1167)

The battle of Babain (18 March 1167) was an inconclusive battle during Nur ad-Din's second invasion of Egypt that is best know for being Saladin's first recorded major battle.

Somme Success: The Royal Flying Corps and the Battle of the Somme 1916, Peter Hart.

Somme Success: The Royal Flying Corps and the Battle of the Somme 1916, Peter Hart.

A compelling account of the aerial battle fought alongside the more famous fighting on the ground during the long battle of the Somme. Focuses on what the air forces were attempting to achieve and how successful they were, with the more familiar duals between air aces and technological developments placed more firmly in context than is normally the case.
[read full review]

Stalingrad The Infernal Cauldron, Stephen Walsh.

Stalingrad The Infernal Cauldron, Stephen Walsh.

A good medium length of the battle of Stalingrad, covering the build-up to the German siege, the siege itself, the Soviet counterattack and German attempts to break through to the trapped Sixth Army. Well illustrated and supported by clear useful maps both of the fighting in the city itself and of the wider campaigns.
[read full review]

Aufklarungspanzer 38(t) (SdKfz 140/1)

The Aufklarungspanzer 38(t) (SdKfz 140/1) was a reconnaissance tank that was produced in small numbers by converting existing Panzer 38(t) gun tanks.

Panzerjager 38(t) fur 7.5cm PAK 40, ausf M (SdKfz 138)

The Panzerjager 38(t) fur 7.5cm PAK 40, ausf M (SdKfz 138) was the final and best version of the Marder III anti-tank vehicle to enter production.

Australian Campaign on Bougainville

The Australian Campaign on Bougainville lasted from November 1944 until the Japanese surrender on the island in August 1945 and saw fighting renewed on the island as the Australians attempted to clear the last Japanese strongholds.

Operation Blissful, the Choiseul Raid of 27 October-4 November 1943

Operation Blissful, the Choiseul Raid of 27 October-4 November 1943, was a diversionary attack designed to distract Japanese attentions away from Bougainville, the next American target in the Solomon Islands.

Nakajima C6N Saiun (Painted Cloud) 'Myrt'

The Nakajima C6N Saiun (Painted Cloud) 'Myrt' was a fast long-range reconnaissance aircraft that entered service in the summer of 1944 and was almost immune to Allied interception.

Nakajima D2N

The Nakajima D2N was Nakajima's last attempt to design a dive-bomber, and was developed in cooperation with the Japanese Navy.

British Paratroop vs Fallschirmjäger: Mediterranean 1942-43, David Greentree.

British Paratroop vs Fallschirmjäger: Mediterranean 1942-43, David Greentree.

Focuses on three direct clashes between British and German paratroops in North Africa and Sicily, a period when the Germans were already battle hardened while their British opponents were learning their craft. Combines a brief history of both forces with more detailed examinations of the three clashes and an examination of the lessons both sides learnt from them.
[read full review]

Anti-Tank: The Story of a Desert Gunner in the Second World War, Mark Carter.

Anti-Tank: The Story of a Desert Gunner in the Second World War, Mark Carter.

The real life adventures of the commander of a 25pdr gun crew in North Africa, through the period of rapid advances and retreats and on to the final Allied advance after El Alamein. Focuses on the more dramatic episodes of Carter's career, producing an exciting account of his life during the ever-changing desert war.
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Panzerjager 38(t) fur 7.5cm PAK 40 ausf H (SdKfz 138)

The Panzerjager 38(t) fur 7.5cm PAK 40 ausf H (SdKfz 138) was the second version of the Marder III tank hunter and the first to be armed with a German gun.

Panzerjager 38(t) fur 7.62cm PAK 36(t)

The Panzerjager 38(t) fur 7.62cm PAK 36(t) was the first of three variants of the Marder III and was an anti-tank vehicle produced by mounting captured Soviet guns on the chassis of the Panzerkampfwagen 38(t). 

Nakajima B4N Experimental 9-Shi Carrier Attack Aircraft

The Nakajima B4N Experimental 9-Shi Carrier Attack Aircraft was an unsuccessful Nakajima entry in a 1934 carrier bomber contest.

Nakajima C3N

The Nakajima C3N was a design for a carrier based reconnaissance aircraft that reached the prototype stage but that was superseded by another Nakajima design, the B5N 'Kate'.

Images of War: Panzer IV at War 1939-1945, Paul Thomas.

Images of War: Panzer IV at War 1939-1945, Paul Thomas.

A super collection of photos of the Panzer IV and related vehicles, tracing its evolution from the infantry support tank of 1939, to the king of the mid-war battlefield and on its use as the basis of a large number of related vehicles towards the end of the war. Lot of good pictures from different angles make this a useful book for the modeller.
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The Rice Paddy Navy, US Sailors Undercover in China, Linda Kush.

The Rice Paddy Navy, US Sailors Undercover in China, Linda Kush.

The story of a US Navy weather reporting service that expanded into a major military force in China, training guerrillas, running an intelligence network, and also managing to report on the weather in China, a key factor in forecasting the weather over the Pacific theatre.
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Nakajima Ki-4 Army Type 94 Reconnaissance Aircraft

The Nakajima Ki-4 Army Type 94 Reconnaissance Aircraft was a multi-purpose Army support biplane that was the first aircraft to be designed by a private firm but with direct Army involvement in the design process.

Nakajima Type 91 Fighter

The Nakajima Type 91 Fighter was a parasol wing monoplane that served as the main fighter aircraft for the Japanese army after its introduction in 1932.

TNH n.A. or Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) neuer Art (new model)

The TNH n.A. or Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) neuer Art (new model) was a reconnaissance tank based on the PzKpfw 38(t) that was produced in 1942 for German trials but that didn’t enter production.

Panzerkampfwagen 38(t)

The Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) began life as the Czech LT-38 light tank, but the vast majority of them were produced after the German takeover of Czechoslovakia and they were an important element in the German armoured forces during the invasion of France, the brief campaign in Greece and the early part of the invasion of the Soviet Union.

Flakpanzer 38(t) ausf M (SdKfz 140)

The Flakpanzer 38(t) ausf M (SdKfz 140) was a stop-gap anti-aircraft vehicle produced by mounting a single 20mm cannon on the chassis of Panzer 38(t) tank.

Panzerkampfwagen 35(t)

The Panzerkampfwagen 35(t) began life as the Czechoslovak LT-35, but was taken over by the German army and was used with some success in Poland and France, before being phased out in the face of superior Soviet armour during 1942.

invasion of Puruata Island (1-2 November 1943)

The invasion of Puruata Island (1-2 November 1943) took place on the same day as the main Allied invasion of nearby Bougainville and saw a force of Marine raiders capture this small island close to the main American beachhead.

Koiari Raid (29 November 1943)

The Koiari Raid (29 November 1943) was an unsuccessful attempt by the US Marines on Bougainville to interrupt a possible Japanese supply line to the south of the American beachhead on Empress Augusta Bay.

Huan T'ai

The Huan T'ai was the third of a series of light cruisers built in China for the Chinese Nanyang fleet, and remained in service for fifteen years before lost in a collision with the liner Empress of India.

Ching Ch'ing

The Ching Ch'ing was one of five fast un-armoured cruisers built for the Chinese Nanyang fleet, based at Shanghai.

No.21 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF

No.21 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF, took part in the long campaign against Rabaul, both from bases on Bougainville and Green Island and supported the Australian offensive on Bougainville.

No.20 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF

No.20 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF, spent two spells on Bougainville, where it supported the fighting on the ground and took part in the campaign against Rabaul. It also took part in the campaign against Rabaul during a short spell on Green Island during 1944 and a longer spell based on New New Britain in 1945

The Peninsular War: Wellington's Battlefields Revisited, Ian Fletcher.

The Peninsular War: Wellington's Battlefields Revisited, Ian Fletcher.

A collection of beautifully taken colour photographs showing key elements of the British battlegrounds of the Peninsular War, from the early battles in Portugal, through Spain to the invasion of France. Gives a clear idea of the sort of landscapes faced by Wellington and his opponents and acts as useful supplement to any general history of the war.
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Bronze Age Military Equipment, Dan Howard.

Bronze Age Military Equipment, Dan Howard.

A detailed survey of Bronze Age weapons, armour and shields, focusing mainly on the rare survivals and the textual evidence to try and reproduce the military equipment of the Near East, Middle East and eastern Mediterranean. A very valuable summary of the current state of knowledge on this early period in military history.
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Blackbeard's Last Fight, Pirate Hunting in North Carolina 1718, Angus Konstam.

Blackbeard's Last Fight, Pirate Hunting in North Carolina 1718, Angus Konstam.

A look at one of the smallest famous naval battles, when Blackbeard and around twenty five pirates were attacked and defeated by sixty Royal Navy men on two unarmed ships, a battle that was seen as the marking the end of the 'Golden Age' of piracy. An interesting look at a well planned and well executed anti piracy raid.
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Operation Enduring Freedom: America's Afghan War 2001 to 2002, Tim Ripley.

Operation Enduring Freedom: America's Afghan War 2001 to 2002, Tim Ripley.

A well balanced account of the American campaign to topple the Taliban and disrupt or destroy Al Qaeda, with interesting sections on the pre-war Taliban, the CIA's early involvement in Afghanistan, the uneven progress of the short war and the controversial aftermath of the removal of the Taliban from power.
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Doflug D-3803

The Doflug D-3803 was the final member of the Morane-Saulnier M.S.405/ M.S.406 family, and was an improved version of the D-3802 developed by Dornier in Switzerland.

Doflug D-3802/ Morane-Saulnier M.S.540

The Doflug D-3802/ Morane-Saulnier M.S.540 was developed in Switzerland from the M.S.450 and was basically an improved version of the M.S.406.

A Reluctant Hero: The Life and Times of Robert Ryder VC, Richard Hopton.

A Reluctant Hero: The Life and Times of Robert Ryder VC, Richard Hopton.

A biography of the naval commander at the St Nazairre raid, who after a pre-war career dominated by sailing ships (he sailed home from China in a yacht built for the task and was the naval commander on the British Graham Land Expedition), he had a fairly distinguished wartime career, which included the raid on St. Nazairre, Dieppe and the D-Day Landings.
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The Silent Service in World War II, ed. Edward Monroe-Jones and Michael Green.

The Silent Service in World War II, ed. Edward Monroe-Jones and Michael Green.

 A collection of first-hand accounts of life in American submarines in the Pacific during the Second World War, from the early days in a handful of out-of-date subs to the eventual dominance of the fleet submarines and the destruction of much of the Japanese merchant marine.
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Mitsubishi Experimental Short Range Reconnaissance Aircraft (2MR7)

The Mitsubishi Experimental Short Range Reconnaissance Aircraft (2MR7) was a private venture design produced just before the more successful 2MR8, which entered service as the Army Type 92 Reconnaissance Aircraft.

Mitsubishi Experimental 8-Shi Two-seat Fighter (Ka-8)

The Mitsubishi Experimental 8-Shi Two-seat Fighter (Ka-8) was produced in response to work on two-seat fighters in Europe and the United States, but was abandoned after the second prototype disintegrated in the air.

Operation Cherryblossom, the invasion of Bougainville (1 November 1943-March 1944)

Operation Cherryblossom, the invasion of Bougainville (1 November 1943-March 1944) was the last major operation during the Solomon Islands campaign and saw the Americans occupy a secure bridgehead on an Island that the Japanese had decided to make a bastion of their defensive line.

Kai Che

The Kai Che was the first of five fast cruisers built for the Chinese Nanyang fleet during the 1880s. All five were un-armoured cruisers of composite construction that were obsolete by the time they were completed.

Tsi Yuen

The Tsi Yuen was a protected cruiser that served with the Chinese navy until 1895 before being taken over by the Japanese.

No.19 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF

No.19 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF, took part in the battle against the Japanese counterattack on Bougainville in March 1944, the campaigns to neutralise Kavieng and Rabaul and helped provide air cover at Los Negros, the most westerly base used by the RNZAF in the Pacific.

No.18 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF

No.18 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF, took part in the invasions of the Treasury Islands and Bougainville in 1943, and spent much of 1944 and 1945 supporting the American and Australian campaigns on that island. It also spent some time on Green Island, taking part in the long campaign against Rabaul.

Five Days that Shook the World, Nicholas Best.

A history of the last five days of the Second World War in Europe, from the death of Mussolini to the German surrender, focusing on the viewpoint and reactions of participants in those events, including soldiers, civilians, politicians and future celebrities. A fascinating read and an unusual view of these famous days.
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Flying Catalinas, The Consolidated PBY Catalina in World War Two, Andrew Hendrie.

A detailed operational history of the Catalina written by a wartime member of RAF Coastal Command. Mainly consists of accounts of individual Catalina sorties, including most attacks on Submarines and some notable air-sea rescue missions, giving a clear picture of the wide-ranging service of this remarkable aircraft.
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US Eighth Air Force in Europe: Vol 2 The Eagle Spreads It's Wing: Blitz Week, Black Tuesday, Blood and Oil, Martin W. Bowman.

Starts with the attack on Ploesti and covers the costly period when US bombers were penetrating deep into Germany without fighter escorts, including the raids on Regensburg and Schweinfurt and ending in December 1943. This is an excellent first hand and oral history of the bombing campaign, although would benefit from a stronger structure.
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The Spanish Army in North America, 1700-1793, René Chartrand.

The Spanish Army in North America, 1700-1793, René Chartrand.

Covers a large topic - the regular Spanish and American and American militia troops that served in Central America, Cuba, Hispaniola, Mexico and across a vast area that stretched from California to Florida. Supported by some excellent illustrations, including a super set of uniform drawings from 1780.
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Yang Wei protected cruiser

The Yang Wei was a protected cruiser built for China by Armstrongs, and that like her sister ship Chao Yung was sunk at the battle of the Yalu River in 1894.

Chao Yung protected cruiser

The Chao Yung was a protected cruiser built for China by Armstrongs, and that was sunk at the battle of the Yalu River of 1894. She was the sister ship of the Yang Wei¸ also lost at the Yalu.

Focke-Achgelis Fa 336

The Focke-Achgelis Fa 336 was a design for a powered version of the Fa 330 gyro kite.

Focke-Wulf Fw 186

The Focke-Wulf Fw 186 was a gyroplane that was developed in 1937-38 to compete with the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, but that never entered production.

Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 Backstelze (Water Wagtail)

The Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 Backstelze (Water Wagtail) was the most numerous and simplest of Focke's rotor craft and was a simple unpowered gyro kite designed to increase the viewing distance from a U-boat.

Focke-Achgelis Fa 284

The Focke-Achgelis Fa 284 was a design for a helicopter 'flying crane' designed to move heavy cargos suspended below the aircraft.

A Splendid Little War, Derek Robinson.

The fourth entry in the author's RFC Quartet follows a British squadron fighting in southern Russia during the 'Intervention' of 1919, tracing the activities of a fictional squadron of volunteers fighting for Denikin and against the Bolsheviks. Combines a good grasp of the dark and wild humour of the often short-lived aircrews with a realistic feel for the human cost of the British intervention in a chaotic civil war.
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Deceiving Hitler, Terry Crowdy.

Looks at the full range of methods used to deceive the Germans during the Second World War, from the earliest attempts to discourage a German invasion to the triumphant deception plans that surrounded the D-Day landings. Covers physical deception (models, false radio signals etc) and the famous double cross network of controlled German agents to paint a full picture of the British deception campaign.
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Words of War - Speeches that Inspired Heroic Deeds, Anthony Weldon.

A selection of extracts from speeches and other quotes about war, mainly from military or political leaders, but with a scattering of other figures and a section of fictional extracts. A wide ranging selection with a mix of long extracts and short quotes, giving a good idea of the nature of each of the chosen figures.
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Underground Structures of the Cold War: The World Below, Paul Ozorak.

Looks at what underground structures were built, when and most importantly why, focusing on the main players in the Cold War but with brief chapters on a wide range of countries. The focus of most structures was on survivability during a nuclear war, so the book serves as a vivid reminder of the apocalyptic dangers of the Cold War.
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Battle of Tassafaronga (30 November 1942)

The battle of Tassafaronga (30 November 1942) was the last of six naval battles to be fought around Guadalcanal, but although it ended as a notable Japanese victory it came during a minor supply mission and had little impact on the long-term course of the fighting.

Naval battle of Guadalcanal (13-15 November 1942)

The naval battle of Guadalcanal (13-15 November 1942) was a series of connected engagements that saw the defeat of the last major Japanese attempt to bring reinforcements to Guadalcanal and was the most important of the six naval battles that were fought around Guadalcanal.

No.17 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF

No.17 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF, took part in the fighting around Guadalcanal in 1943, supported the invasion of Vella Lavella, the campaigns on Bougainville and the long campaign to neutralise Rabaul. It ended the war providing fighter cover on Los Negros, the most westerly Pacific base to be used by the RNZAF.

No.16 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF

No.16 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF, took part in the invasion of New Georgia, the American and Australian campaigns on Bougainville and the long campaign to neutralise Rabaul.

Focke-Achgelis Fa 269

The Focke-Achgelis Fa 269 was a design for a convertiplane that would have taken off and landed like a helicopter but flown in level flight like a standard fixed-wing aircraft.

Focke-Achgelis Fa 225

The Focke-Achgelis Fa 225 was the prototype of a rotary wing glider, combining the rotor from a Fa 223 with the fuselage of a DFS 230 freight glider.

Rommel & Caporetto, John Wilks and Eileen Wilks.

Rommel & Caporetto, John Wilks and Eileen Wilks.

Two interesting books in one - first a general history of the battle of Caporetto, where the Germans and Austrians nearly broke the Italian army and second an examination of the young Rommel's role in the battle where he first made his name.
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Images of War: The Russian Revolution, World War to Civil War 1917-1921, Nik Cornish.

Images of War: The Russian Revolution, World War to Civil War 1917-1921, Nik Cornish.

A good selection of photos covering all of the main factions during the Russian Revolution and the costly Civil War that followed, including some of pre-Revolutionary times and of the Germans who occupied parts of western Russia during 1918. All supported by useful captions and a good brief history of the period.
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US Eighth Air Force in Europe: Eager Eagles 1941-Summer 1943, Martin W. Bowman.

US Eighth Air Force in Europe: Eager Eagles 1941-Summer 1943, Martin W. Bowman.

A good oral history of the first two years of the Eighth Air Force, from the attack on Pearl Harbor and the formation of the Eighth to July 1943 and Blitz Week. This is the period of early escorted raids and the first raids into Germany, ending before the famous costly raids that proved the need for long range fighters.
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Light Dragoons: The Making of a Regiment, Allan Mallinson.

Light Dragoons: The Making of a Regiment, Allan Mallinson.

A history of the four cavalry regiments that were eventually merged to form the current Light Dragoons regiment, following the four regiments from their formation in the Eighteenth century through almost all of Britain's wars since then, with chapters added to this edition to fill the gap between 1993 and 2006.
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Focke-Achgelis Fa 224

The Focke-Achgelis Fa 224 was to have been a two-seat sports helicopter based on the experimental Focke-Wulf Fw 61/ Focke-Achgelis Fa 61, the first practical helicopter in the world.

Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drache (Dragon)

The Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drache (Dragon) was a twin-rotor helicopter that entered service in small numbers late in the Second World War.

Yu Yuen

The Yu Yuen was a fully rigged steam frigate that was one of the largest warships built in China before the 1930s, but that was sunk by the French early in 1885.

Hai An

The Hai An was one of the largest warships built in China before the 1930s, and was a three-masted steam frigate that had a rather undistinguished career.

No.15 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF

No.15 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF, fought in the South Pacific, helping to defend Guadalcanal and taking part in the invasions of New Georgia and Bougainville and the later Australain campaign on Bougainville well as the long campaign to neutralise the Japanese base at Rabaul.

No.14 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF

No.14 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF, took part in the fighting in the South Pacific, serving on Guadalcanal, during the invasions of New Georgia and Bougainville and the long campaigns to neutralise Rabaul and Kavieng.

Tigers in Normandy, Wolfgang Schneider.

Tigers in Normandy, Wolfgang Schneider.

A detailed history of the role of the Tiger Tank during the Battle of Normandy, tracing the fate of most individual tanks as well as the role they played in the overall battle. Supported by a huge number of photos, most of which are tied to the text and by some excellent maps.
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Retreat and Rearguard 1914: The BEF's Actions from Mons to the Marne, Jerry Murland.

Retreat and Rearguard 1914: The BEF's Actions from Mons to the Marne, Jerry Murland.

A very detailed account of the days from the battle of Mons to the end of the retreat and the first steps towards victory on the Marne, a period dominated by a long retreat and a number of fierce rear-guard actions. Well supported by eyewitness accounts of the retreat, and with evidence from the British, French and German sides, this is a good addition to the literature on this well-studied period.
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Ting Yuen ('Eternal Peace')

The Ting Yuen ('Eternal Peace') was one of two battleships built for China by the Vulcan yard at Stettin, and fought in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95.

Chen Yuan ('Striking from far away')

The Chen Yuan ('Striking from far away') was one of two battleships ordered from Germany by China, and fought in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95, eventually being captured by the Japanese.

Battle of Songhwan (29 July 1894)

The battle of Songhwan (29 July 1894) was Japan's first overseas battle for three hundred years, and saw the Japanese army in Korea defeat a Chinese force on the road to Asan in a battle that took place several days before the official outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95.

Battle of Phung-Tao or Asan (25 July 1894)

The battle of Phung-Tao or Asan (25 July 1894) was an encounter battle between Chinese and Japanese naval forces that took place before the official outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95.

Secrets of the Spitfire, Lance Cole.

Secrets of the Spitfire, Lance Cole.

 A biography of Beverley Shenstone, a Canadian aeronautical engineer who played the leading role in designing the modified elliptical wing of the Spitfire. Looks at his entire career, from early days in Canada and Germany, through his time in Germany and on to his post-war career in civil aviation, but with a clear focus on that distinctive wing, the science behind it, and the reasons it was so effective.
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The Schweinfurt-Regensburg Mission, Martin Middlebrook.

The Schweinfurt-Regensburg Mission, Martin Middlebrook.

A very detailed account of the costly American daylight raids on Regensburg and Schweinfurt of 17 August 1943, a pair of maximum effort attacks that were meant to cripple parts of German industry but instead made it clear that even the heavily armed B-17 Flying Fortress couldn't operate without fighter escort.
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