This is an account of the air conflict during the Middle East war of 1948-49; it also traces the roots of civil and military aviation in the Middle East back to the early days of the 20th century, and includes the region's involvement in both World Wars. This book is the result of extensive collaboration between three authors of differing backgrounds and sympathies.Brian Cull represents the "British" point of view, as well as that of the many dozens of American, Canadian, South African and British volunteers who flocked to Israel's aid. Shlono Aloni, an Israeli historian, naturally reflects his country's attitude and position. David Nicolle, however, has been a staunch supporter of the Arab cause since the early 1960s, and lived in Jordan from 1983 to 1987. The authors have produced an account which, by combining their various specializations and differing viewpoints, is as accurate and unbiased as possible. Although certain information has been made available to the respective authors from official sources, sadly few of the Arab agencies approached responded favourably, if at all. Therefore, "Spitfires Over Israel" should be regarded as an authoritative account rather than an authenticated history. The book includes extracts from interviews/correspondence with a number of American, Canadian, South African, British and Israeli volunteer pilots; and extracts from interviews/correspondence with former Egyptian Air Force personnel and with former RAF pilots who found themselves involved in the 1948-49 conflict.

Spitfires Over Israel

History

Nicolle, David

Aloni, Shlomo

Cull, Brian

Middle East

Grub Street Publishing

This is the first comprehensive account of aerial operations over the Aegean based on extracts from official operations and aircrew combat reports. The author is an established aviation author.

Fighters over the Aegean: Hurricanes over Crete, Spitfires over Kos, Beaufighters over the Aegean 1943 - 44

Military

Fonthill Media

During the Battle of France, the handful of RAF squadrons were heavily engaged. The Luftwaffe commenced raids over England and during July, German aircraft were harrying shipping in the Channel. Many of the RAF aircrews experiencing combat for the first time survived as the 'first of the few' to participate in the forthcoming defense of Britain - the Battle of Britain. This volume covers the story of the RAF fighting in France in June 1940; the author's earlier publication entitled Twelve Days in May, covered the period 10-21 May. This account excludes the epic story of the fighting over Dunkirk during the evacuation, 27 May-4 June, which has been adequately covered elsewhere, but otherwise continues the story of RAF and Luftwaffe operations up to the eve of the 'official' start of Battle of Britain, 10 July

First of the Few: 5 June - July 1940

The Bristol Blenheim entered Bomber Command service in 1937 and became one of the Command’s most important aircraft. On its inception, the Blenheim was fast and sleek, and at the outbreak of war, achieved a number of early firsts. It was the first British aircraft to enter German airspace and attacked warships near Wilhelmshaven. The war, however, showed the Blenheim was outdated and extremely vulnerable to flak and fast Luftwaffe fighters such as the Bf 109 and Bf 110. It suffered horrific losses during the Battle of France: 144 Squadron lost almost its entire bombers in one mission. The fighting in France revealed the Blenheim Mk IV to be under armored, under armed and slow. Before being replaced by the Wooden Wonder, the mighty Mosquito, the Blenheim soldiered on with almost suicidal consequences for its crews. Blenheims Over Greece and Crete: RAF and Greek Blenheims in Action 1940-1941 covers the operations, often tragic, of the Blenheims during the fighting over Greece and Albania. By the end of the fighting and withdrawal to Crete, all three squadrons had effectively been wiped out, with great sacrifice by the crews involved. One of the airmen involved was No. 30 Squadron’s Sgt Lofty Lord whose grandson Simon has amassed much information and photographs, many previously unpublished, from survivors and/or their families. The same three squadrons, with many new crews to replace those lost in Greece, later fought together in Sumatra and Java (the Dutch East Indies) in an endeavor to repel the Japanese invasion. Written by one of the world's leading authorities on Second World War military aviation, this is a gripping account of the heroics of the small band of British and Greek airmen who flew the Blenheims against ever-increasing odds, particularly once the Luftwaffe were determined to decimate them.

Blenheims over Greece and Crete: Operations of 30, 84 and 211 Squadrons 1940-1941

Europe

Plt Off Oliver Ormrod, better known as 'Sonny' to his RAF compatriots due to his youthful appearance, was just four days past his twentieth birthday when he was killed in action after his Hurricane was shot down. During his brief fighting career at Malta in February to April 1942, he was credited with only two enemy aircraft destroyed, although he shared in the destruction of three others. Ormrod also claimed three ‘probables’ and at least six damaged. A total of a dozen successes at a time when the Hurricane was completely outclassed by Bf 109Fs of JG53, his bravery and valor were recognized by the award of a DFC. Although extracts from Ormrod's diary have appeared in various publications over the years, the editors/authors now offer the complete story of his brief period of combat in the skies over Malta. He was one of many young lives lost in the effort to safeguard Malta and he was there when only Hurricanes were available to combat the Luftwaffe's onslaught. This is his story...

The Diary of Sonny Ormrod DFC: Malta Fighter Ace

Biographies & Memoirs

Galea, Frederick

Leaders & Notable People

By the end of 1941, following its participation in the Battle of Britain, 249 was posted to Malta. Having been informed that its pilots would be required to fly from the deck of an aircraft carrier, intensive practice flights took place with two Hurricanes fitted with long-range tanks, making shortened take-off runs from an airfield runway. And that was that. The following month, having been ferried to Gibraltar, the aircraft were off-loaded on to the Ark Royal and all 20 safely reached Malta. This was the beginning of 249’s Mediterranean adventure in the defense of Malta. Spitfires would follow early in 1942 and by the time it moved to a new theater of operations, 249 had claimed 245 air victories in the skies over Malta, producing many ace pilots such as ‘Screwball’ Beurling, Laddie Lucas, Johnny Plagis, John Lynch, to name but a few.

249 at Malta: RAF's Top-Scoring Fighter Squadron

This volume carries on where FIRST OF THE FEW finished, in the same style and format. 10 July―the official first day of the Battle of Britain―witnessed increased aerial activity over the Channel and along the eastern and southern seaboards of the British coastline. The main assaults by ever-increasing formations of Luftwaffe bombers, escorted by Bf109s and Bf110s, were initially aimed at British merchant shipping convoys plying their trade of coal and other materials from the north of England to the southern ports. These attacks by the Germans often met with increasing success although RAF Spitfires and Hurricanes endeavoured to repel the Heinkels, Dorniers and Ju88s, frequently with ill-afforded loss in pilots and aircraft. Within a month the Channel was effectively closed to British shipping. Only a change in the Luftwaffe’s tactics in mid-August, when the main attack changed to the attempted destruction of the RAF’s southern airfields, allowed small convoys to resume sneaking through without too greater hindrance.

Battle for the Channel: The First Month of the Battle of Britain 10 July – 10 August 1940

Following the Casablanca Conference in January 1943, at which the Americans refused to back Britain's plan to invade the Dodecanese Islands in the Aegean, to be followed by an invasion of the Greek mainland, a weakened British attempt was made with disastrous results. The Americans wished to concentrate all their forces in capturing Sicily and then invading southern Italy. In this first comprehensive account of aerial operations over the Eastern Mediterranean/Aegean, the first chapter covers the disastrous Hurricane attack on Crete (Operation Thesis), an attempt to divert Axis attention from Sicily; subsequent chapters deal with British landings on the islands of Kos and Leros when Spitfires vainly attempted to hold the Luftwaffe at bay. Meanwhile, Beaufighters flying from North Africa and Cyprus roamed over the Aegean attacking shipping and aerial transports with success but at a heavy cost, until the Germans withdrew from the Aegean and the Greek mainland. In addition, specially modified Spitfires are detailed to combat pressurized high-altitude Ju 87 spy planes used by the Luftwaffe based on Crete, and the Fleet Air Arm with its Seafires, Wildcats and Hellcats over the Aegean. Also, the book includes many firsthand accounts from both British and German aircrew extracted from official reports and memoirs.

Fighters over the Aegean: Hurricanes over Crete, Spitfires over Kos, Beaufighters over the Aegean, 1943-44

Brian Cull's definitive Fighters over Malta: Gladiators and Hurricanes 1940-1942 is a highly detailed account of the gallant band of RAF and Commonwealth pilots who flew Gladiators and Hurricanes in defense of Malta between June 1940 and April 1942, when help in the guise of Spitfires finally arrived. Most of the Hurricanes which held this tiny outpost of the British Empire in the heart of Axis-dominated territory had been flown from the decks of aircraft carriers or from bases in North Africa, while a handful of fighter pilots arrived by Sunderland flying boats or other aircraft in transit from the UK via Gibraltar. Many of these pilots were inexperienced and quickly paid the supreme price, particularly when the Messerschmitt pilots of the elite 7/JG26 arrived in Sicily in early 1941, and later in the year when more from JG53 made their presence felt. A number of important personal diaries and journals have come to light, and these have been widely quoted to provide the atmospheric background, the thoughts and the hopes of some of the Hurricane pilots who defended Malta. Not all of the diarists survived, but their impressions provide a fitting tribute to their courage, aspirations and fears. Much of the early period of the air defense of Malta is enhanced by the personal experiences of Flt Lt (then Sgt Plt) James Pickering AFC, who flew Hurricanes with 261 Squadron.

Fighters over Malta: Gladiators and Hurricanes 1940-1942

Historical

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Cull, Brian. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Cull, Brian

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Cull, Brian. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Spitfires Over Israel

Fighters over the Aegean: Hurricanes over Crete, Spitfires over Kos, Beaufighters over the Aegean 1943 - 44

First of the Few: 5 June - July 1940

Blenheims over Greece and Crete: Operations of 30, 84 and 211 Squadrons 1940-1941

The Diary of Sonny Ormrod DFC: Malta Fighter Ace

249 at Malta: RAF's Top-Scoring Fighter Squadron

Battle for the Channel: The First Month of the Battle of Britain 10 July – 10 August 1940

Blenheims over Greece and Crete: Operations of 30, 84 and 211 Squadrons 1940-1941

Fighters over the Aegean: Hurricanes over Crete, Spitfires over Kos, Beaufighters over the Aegean, 1943-44

Fighters over Malta: Gladiators and Hurricanes 1940-1942