De Havilland Hornet, Vampire et Vixen : livres - histoire, types et technique

Renowned aviation author Tony Buttler, with co-authors Collins and Derry, presents a detailed and fully illustrated account of the de Havilland Hornet and Sea Hornet in service, from the prototypes to the last surviving fragments.
It includes 38 specially commissioned and highly accurate colour illustrations, as well as more than 220 black and white and colour photographs. A listing of airframes is also included.

The de Havilland Vampire was the second of the RAF's first-generation, post-Second World War jet fighters to enter service. It began life as an interceptor but was soon re-tasked in the day fighter/ground attack roles with the 2nd Tactical Air Force in Germany from 1948 to 1954 and with the RAF's Middle and Far East Air Forces.
Throughout its forty-six-year career, it collected many notable firsts: it was the first jet fighter to cross the Atlantic; the first jet to land on an aircraft carrier; and the first jet trainer on which student pilots qualified for their 'Wings'.

In addition to playing a full part in the RAF's order of battle during the 1940s and 1950s, the Vampire also served with the Fleet Air Arm and became an export success story for the British aircraft industry with hundreds sold to air forces worldwide.
For a brief period during the 1950s, the Vampire formed the backbone of the RAF's night-fighter force and between 1952 and 1967 the Vampire trainer was responsible for a steady flow of trained pilots for the RAF, Royal Navy and foreign air forces.

This comprehensive, lavishly illustrated history covers the Vampire's development and operational service. It has been written with the full co-operation of the manufacturer, MoD, RAF and other world air forces, mixing narrative and technical detail with vivid personal accounts from those involved with the aircraft.
Comprehensive appendices include technical specifications, production details, serials and export details.

The De Havilland DH.100 Vampire was the second jet engine fighter to be used in service in Great Britain and at the same time the first single-engine jet plane of the type mass-produced in the UK.
It was so internationally successfully that Italy also built it under license and its use marked the Italian post-war rebirth from 1948 to 1950 of both the national industry and the Aeronautica Militare Italiana, for whom the aircraft was the first jet engine fighter.

The volume is rich with black and white and color photographs, profiles and drawings.

The Venom carried out more operational ground attack sorties than any other RAF aircraft since the Second World War, but its history has hitherto been sadly neglected. With the co-operation and assistance of many former Service and civilian pilots, the record can finally be set straight in what is the definitive history of this ground-attack, all weather and naval strike fighter.

David Watkins discusses the problems of the trials and development programme and takes a detailed look at the aircraft's operational service with the air arms of Australia, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Iraq and Venezuela.
Of particular interest is information relating to the Sea Venom's career with the Fleet Air Arm. It also contains a comprehensive account of Venom sorties during the Suez campaign, the 'Firedog' operations in Malaya and the protracted anti-terrorist offensive in Aden and Oman. These accounts throw new light on the conflicts and have been compiled from interviews, private papers and personal accounts.

Accompanying the text is a wealth of photographs, line drawings and maps, a number of which are from private collections and are previously unpublished.