Short aircraft: books - history and technology

75 Years of Short Brothers Aircraft Advertisements 1909–1984

This compilation of British aviation industry advertisements comprises the listings for Short Brothers (Shorts) Aircraft from 1909 to 1984. It is one of a series of compilations providing a unique source of reference for researchers, enthusiasts and anyone interested in the timelines of British aviation industry companies.
The advertisement images are reproduced at one per page and without any accompanying narrative. Each item includes the source, title and original date of publication.

Short Stirling : RAF Heavy Bomber in World War II (Legends of Warfare)

Introduced in 1941, the Short Stirling was the Royal Air Force's first four-engine heavy bomber of the Second World War. However, early on, the Stirling's performance was compromised by several issues: a reduced wingspan, which resulted in serious limitations on maximum altitude capability; the two-stage landing gear proved to be dangerously frail; and the bomb-bay design proved incapable of carrying large-scale blockbuster bombs. Its altitude ceiling limitations left the aircraft particularly vulnerable to isolation and dispatch by enemy night fighters within the bomber stream, and it was these factors that ultimately led to its withdrawal from Britain's strategic bombing campaign over occupied Europe.

By November 1943, it was replaced by the more effective Handley Page Halifax and Avro Lancaster. However, it did see important second-line duty in the glider-towing, paratroop drop, minelaying, and supply roles. The Stirling also saw post-WWII duties as a passenger transport up to the late 1940s.

This book is a concise, visual history of this lesser-known RAF WWII bomber.

Short Stirling : The First of the RAF Heavy Bombers

"Short Stirling: The First of the RAF Heavy Bombers" is dedicated to the RAF's first four-engine heavy bomber and is the culmination of an incredible thirty years' comprehensive research.

Illustrated with largely unpublished wartime photographs, it describes the design, construction and factories where Stirlings were produced. The men and women who built them relate their stories and the aircrews give their personal accounts of operating the Stirling.

A chapter is devoted to the training of aircrews and flying the Stirling is described in detail. Not forgotten is the work of RAF ground crews and maintenance units, often working outdoors in sub-zero conditions.
Then there are the civilian men and women who undertook repairs; little adulation was given for the vital work they achieved in rebuilding battle-damaged Stirlings.

The final transport version of the Stirling is featured both in its RAF and post-war civilian role and how it went full circle to become a bomber once more in the hands of the Egyptian Air Force.

Short Stirling Units of World War 2 (Osprey)

Of the RAF's trio of four-engined heavy bombers in World War 2, the mighty Short Stirling was the first to enter service in August 1940. From its first raid in February 1941, the Stirling was at the forefront of the British night bombing offensive against Germany before unacceptably high losses forced its relegation to second-line duties later in the war.
In its modified form as the Mark IV the Stirling fulfilled vital roles with the RAF as a paratroop transport and glider tug on D-Day, at Arnhem and on the Rhine crossing as well as flying countless Special Duties operations over Occupied Europe and Norway.
Its last gasp was in 1948-49 when a handful of Mk Vs were acquired by the Royal Egyptian Air Force to bomb Israel in the First Arab-Israeli War.

Containing numerous first-hand combat accounts from the crews that flew the bomber and detailed profile artwork, "Short Stirling Units of World War 2" uncovers the history of one of the RAF's greatest World War 2 bombers.

Qantas and the Empire Flying Boat

Between 1938 and 1948, Qantas Short Empire flying boats navigated a dramatic and dangerous period for commercial aviation. They flew the Singapore-Sydney section of the prewar Imperial Airways UK-Australia air route, introducing a new level of luxury travel to the route.
However, the outbreak of war cut short this brief glamorous time and brought the Qantas boats increasingly onto the front line.

Containing over 160 stunning illustrations, many previously unpublished, this book details the history of the Empire flying boats as they went from luxurious carriers to military service in roles that included the resupply and evacuation of Allied military forces.

Sunderland Squadrons of World War 2 (Osprey)

The elegant Sunderland was the RAF's staple maritime patrol aircraft throughout WW2. Crucial in the Battle of the Atlantic, the Sunderland was instrumental in defeating the U-Boat menace which threatened to starve the UK into submission.
Nicknamed the Flying Porcupine due to its heavy armoury of 14 guns, the Sunderland proved an immediate success in battle. Aside from its worldwide use with the RAF, it saw action with the RAAF, RNZAF and RCAF.

This is the first book devoted to the Sunderland's WW2 service to be published in over a decade.

Aircraft and Aerospace Manufacturing in Northern Ireland : An Illustrated History - 1909 to the Present Day

Northern Ireland has an enviable, extensive and often unappreciated role in aviation history.
With a focus on aircraft manufacturing from the first pioneering steps by Lilian Bland, Joseph Cordner and a young Harry Ferguson, through a century of developments in production and research, this illustrated volume highlights that history and the people who played a part.

Using over 300 black and white and colour images, with extended captions, the authors take a chronological look at how, from innovative beginnings, a successful aircraft and aerospace industry has thrived locally through periods of war and peace.
Aircraft from both military and civil backgrounds are featured including the early experiments, licensed military production, flying boats, conversions, fascinating research designs, jet and missile developments, and successful transport and passenger aeroplanes. Details of both locations and people help to bring the story to life.

Written by two experts on the topic and drawing on the archives and collections of Bombardier Belfast and Ulster Aviation Society, this volume contains much previously unpublished material.