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 Customer Reviews
Not what I was expecting , 10 Nov 2008
I received this book as a free gift as part of a magazine subscription so I can't really complain too much. The book is well produced and relatively interesting as it tells the Spitfire story from a different point of view (that of a restorer). But I must say I am disappointed as I had built a mental picture of what the book was going to be like and in reality it is very different. Being a Haynes manual I expected it to be similar to their car workshop manuals but for a Spitfire. That is it would tell you had to strip down, replace, repair and service your spitfire with lots of detailed exploded diagrams and photos. I don't own a Spitfire so it wouldn't have been of practical value but all the same, would have been quite interesting. In reality the only thing common to the Haynes car workshop manual is the layout and look of the front cover. Instead the book is largely anecdotal about spitfires that have been found and restored. It's still okay but I'd have been disappointed with it if I had paid for it and would have considered seeking a refund. My advice would be not to dismiss it outright on the basis of my review but please try and look at it before purchase to see if it is what you'd expect and want.
Cheers, Nigel
useful & fun !!, 28 Apr 2008
Although not an exhaustive technical chronology of this iconic plane this book is a very revealing perspective from various angles. Especially appealing to the non expert it exposes information that would normally be difficult to aquire.
Particularly interesting are the practical issues of flying the Spit today , respect is due to those with the wallet & fortitude to provide the vast majority with the joy of watching it in action !!
Refreshing and worth it's place on the bookshelf.
Spitfire Manual - An opportunity missed, 03 Mar 2008
Those of us that have used Haynes manuals for car maintenance would have expected similar technical coverage for the Spitfire.
And for an aircraft that evolved from a lightweight fighter (Max weight Mk1 = 6,200lb) to a heavy naval strike fighter (max weight Mk47 = 12,750lb) what an evolution that was. That beautiful elliptical wing went through several variants to cope with the weight, performance and armament increase - and the naval version had folding wings.
It would have been wonderful to see, in true Haynes style, how the design team, under Joe Smith, coped with the continual operational pressure to keep the Spitfire the best fighter in the world but unfortunately this was not to be.
The Spitfire Manual is "just another Spitfire Book", it has some excellent photographic artwork and briefly attempts to cover the development and the use of the aircraft.
About a third of the book covers, in photographs, the rebuilding of an RAF Memorial Flight Aircraft but as for that technical coverage, do not look here.
Pity - I would have kept my copy if it had.
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Customer Reviews
Not what I was expecting , 10 Nov 2008
I received this book as a free gift as part of a magazine subscription so I can't really complain too much. The book is well produced and relatively interesting as it tells the Spitfire story from a different point of view (that of a restorer). But I must say I am disappointed as I had built a mental picture of what the book was going to be like and in reality it is very different. Being a Haynes manual I expected it to be similar to their car workshop manuals but for a Spitfire. That is it would tell you had to strip down, replace, repair and service your spitfire with lots of detailed exploded diagrams and photos. I don't own a Spitfire so it wouldn't have been of practical value but all the same, would have been quite interesting. In reality the only thing common to the Haynes car workshop manual is the layout and look of the front cover. Instead the book is largely anecdotal about spitfires that have been found and restored. It's still okay but I'd have been disappointed with it if I had paid for it and would have considered seeking a refund. My advice would be not to dismiss it outright on the basis of my review but please try and look at it before purchase to see if it is what you'd expect and want.
Cheers, Nigel
useful & fun !!, 28 Apr 2008
Although not an exhaustive technical chronology of this iconic plane this book is a very revealing perspective from various angles. Especially appealing to the non expert it exposes information that would normally be difficult to aquire.
Particularly interesting are the practical issues of flying the Spit today , respect is due to those with the wallet & fortitude to provide the vast majority with the joy of watching it in action !!
Refreshing and worth it's place on the bookshelf.
Spitfire Manual - An opportunity missed, 03 Mar 2008
Those of us that have used Haynes manuals for car maintenance would have expected similar technical coverage for the Spitfire.
And for an aircraft that evolved from a lightweight fighter (Max weight Mk1 = 6,200lb) to a heavy naval strike fighter (max weight Mk47 = 12,750lb) what an evolution that was. That beautiful elliptical wing went through several variants to cope with the weight, performance and armament increase - and the naval version had folding wings.
It would have been wonderful to see, in true Haynes style, how the design team, under Joe Smith, coped with the continual operational pressure to keep the Spitfire the best fighter in the world but unfortunately this was not to be.
The Spitfire Manual is "just another Spitfire Book", it has some excellent photographic artwork and briefly attempts to cover the development and the use of the aircraft.
About a third of the book covers, in photographs, the rebuilding of an RAF Memorial Flight Aircraft but as for that technical coverage, do not look here.
Pity - I would have kept my copy if it had.
A must read for anyone interested in the history of 'Tanks', 30 Oct 2008
A very authoritative and well researched work. Truly a must read for members of the Regiment, as it doesn't flinch away from some unpalatable truths. The various machinations and infighting of Whitehall are laid bare, in the development of the world's first true armoured fighting vehicle, including the impediment of and encouragement of the new Corps from the most surprising of Wartime celebrities. Most importantly, it lets us see the thoughts the staff of the new corps and the pioneering officers and men who crewed these first wagons. Most, if not all of the angles seem to be covered.
This book should sit proudly next to BH Liddel Hart's The Tanks, for although not as well written, time has undoubtedly allowed a different view to be articulated.
Interesting fact from the book; Matilda (Infantry Tank MkI), meaning "'mighty in battle' in old German." Not a comic duck or Hugh Elles's mistress.......
Surprised it has taken this long to produce a book like this, 13 Sep 2008
Not being an expert on the period I can only say that to this layman this is an interesting and very readable book. It is maybe just 50 or so pages too long because whilst I welcome the many personal anecdotes and tales (some of them very funny indeed!) I think the author may just over egg the pudding somewhat. I am sure that more technically minded folk may pick over some of the detail in here but on the whole I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in warfare and the Great War in particular
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Customer Reviews
Not what I was expecting , 10 Nov 2008
I received this book as a free gift as part of a magazine subscription so I can't really complain too much. The book is well produced and relatively interesting as it tells the Spitfire story from a different point of view (that of a restorer). But I must say I am disappointed as I had built a mental picture of what the book was going to be like and in reality it is very different. Being a Haynes manual I expected it to be similar to their car workshop manuals but for a Spitfire. That is it would tell you had to strip down, replace, repair and service your spitfire with lots of detailed exploded diagrams and photos. I don't own a Spitfire so it wouldn't have been of practical value but all the same, would have been quite interesting. In reality the only thing common to the Haynes car workshop manual is the layout and look of the front cover. Instead the book is largely anecdotal about spitfires that have been found and restored. It's still okay but I'd have been disappointed with it if I had paid for it and would have considered seeking a refund. My advice would be not to dismiss it outright on the basis of my review but please try and look at it before purchase to see if it is what you'd expect and want.
Cheers, Nigel
useful & fun !!, 28 Apr 2008
Although not an exhaustive technical chronology of this iconic plane this book is a very revealing perspective from various angles. Especially appealing to the non expert it exposes information that would normally be difficult to aquire.
Particularly interesting are the practical issues of flying the Spit today , respect is due to those with the wallet & fortitude to provide the vast majority with the joy of watching it in action !!
Refreshing and worth it's place on the bookshelf.
Spitfire Manual - An opportunity missed, 03 Mar 2008
Those of us that have used Haynes manuals for car maintenance would have expected similar technical coverage for the Spitfire.
And for an aircraft that evolved from a lightweight fighter (Max weight Mk1 = 6,200lb) to a heavy naval strike fighter (max weight Mk47 = 12,750lb) what an evolution that was. That beautiful elliptical wing went through several variants to cope with the weight, performance and armament increase - and the naval version had folding wings.
It would have been wonderful to see, in true Haynes style, how the design team, under Joe Smith, coped with the continual operational pressure to keep the Spitfire the best fighter in the world but unfortunately this was not to be.
The Spitfire Manual is "just another Spitfire Book", it has some excellent photographic artwork and briefly attempts to cover the development and the use of the aircraft.
About a third of the book covers, in photographs, the rebuilding of an RAF Memorial Flight Aircraft but as for that technical coverage, do not look here.
Pity - I would have kept my copy if it had.
A must read for anyone interested in the history of 'Tanks', 30 Oct 2008
A very authoritative and well researched work. Truly a must read for members of the Regiment, as it doesn't flinch away from some unpalatable truths. The various machinations and infighting of Whitehall are laid bare, in the development of the world's first true armoured fighting vehicle, including the impediment of and encouragement of the new Corps from the most surprising of Wartime celebrities. Most importantly, it lets us see the thoughts the staff of the new corps and the pioneering officers and men who crewed these first wagons. Most, if not all of the angles seem to be covered.
This book should sit proudly next to BH Liddel Hart's The Tanks, for although not as well written, time has undoubtedly allowed a different view to be articulated.
Interesting fact from the book; Matilda (Infantry Tank MkI), meaning "'mighty in battle' in old German." Not a comic duck or Hugh Elles's mistress.......
Surprised it has taken this long to produce a book like this, 13 Sep 2008
Not being an expert on the period I can only say that to this layman this is an interesting and very readable book. It is maybe just 50 or so pages too long because whilst I welcome the many personal anecdotes and tales (some of them very funny indeed!) I think the author may just over egg the pudding somewhat. I am sure that more technically minded folk may pick over some of the detail in here but on the whole I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in warfare and the Great War in particular
An excellent overview, 09 Oct 2008
This is an excellent overview of the full history of this legendary aircraft. The author has produced a lucid and well written account of it's history ,gestation and service. The photography and graphics are first class, with the fold outs being particularly well designed. I have read many books about the Spitfire but this is truly exceptional. This would make an ideal Christmas present for any aviation enthusiast.
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Customer Reviews
Not what I was expecting , 10 Nov 2008
I received this book as a free gift as part of a magazine subscription so I can't really complain too much. The book is well produced and relatively interesting as it tells the Spitfire story from a different point of view (that of a restorer). But I must say I am disappointed as I had built a mental picture of what the book was going to be like and in reality it is very different. Being a Haynes manual I expected it to be similar to their car workshop manuals but for a Spitfire. That is it would tell you had to strip down, replace, repair and service your spitfire with lots of detailed exploded diagrams and photos. I don't own a Spitfire so it wouldn't have been of practical value but all the same, would have been quite interesting. In reality the only thing common to the Haynes car workshop manual is the layout and look of the front cover. Instead the book is largely anecdotal about spitfires that have been found and restored. It's still okay but I'd have been disappointed with it if I had paid for it and would have considered seeking a refund. My advice would be not to dismiss it outright on the basis of my review but please try and look at it before purchase to see if it is what you'd expect and want.
Cheers, Nigel useful & fun !!, 28 Apr 2008
Although not an exhaustive technical chronology of this iconic plane this book is a very revealing perspective from various angles. Especially appealing to the non expert it exposes information that would normally be difficult to aquire.
Particularly interesting are the practical issues of flying the Spit today , respect is due to those with the wallet & fortitude to provide the vast majority with the joy of watching it in action !!
Refreshing and worth it's place on the bookshelf. Spitfire Manual - An opportunity missed, 03 Mar 2008
Those of us that have used Haynes manuals for car maintenance would have expected similar technical coverage for the Spitfire.
And for an aircraft that evolved from a lightweight fighter (Max weight Mk1 = 6,200lb) to a heavy naval strike fighter (max weight Mk47 = 12,750lb) what an evolution that was. That beautiful elliptical wing went through several variants to cope with the weight, performance and armament increase - and the naval version had folding wings.
It would have been wonderful to see, in true Haynes style, how the design team, under Joe Smith, coped with the continual operational pressure to keep the Spitfire the best fighter in the world but unfortunately this was not to be.
The Spitfire Manual is "just another Spitfire Book", it has some excellent photographic artwork and briefly attempts to cover the development and the use of the aircraft.
About a third of the book covers, in photographs, the rebuilding of an RAF Memorial Flight Aircraft but as for that technical coverage, do not look here.
Pity - I would have kept my copy if it had. A must read for anyone interested in the history of 'Tanks', 30 Oct 2008
A very authoritative and well researched work. Truly a must read for members of the Regiment, as it doesn't flinch away from some unpalatable truths. The various machinations and infighting of Whitehall are laid bare, in the development of the world's first true armoured fighting vehicle, including the impediment of and encouragement of the new Corps from the most surprising of Wartime celebrities. Most importantly, it lets us see the thoughts the staff of the new corps and the pioneering officers and men who crewed these first wagons. Most, if not all of the angles seem to be covered.
This book should sit proudly next to BH Liddel Hart's The Tanks, for although not as well written, time has undoubtedly allowed a different view to be articulated.
Interesting fact from the book; Matilda (Infantry Tank MkI), meaning "'mighty in battle' in old German." Not a comic duck or Hugh Elles's mistress.......
Surprised it has taken this long to produce a book like this, 13 Sep 2008
Not being an expert on the period I can only say that to this layman this is an interesting and very readable book. It is maybe just 50 or so pages too long because whilst I welcome the many personal anecdotes and tales (some of them very funny indeed!) I think the author may just over egg the pudding somewhat. I am sure that more technically minded folk may pick over some of the detail in here but on the whole I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in warfare and the Great War in particular An excellent overview, 09 Oct 2008
This is an excellent overview of the full history of this legendary aircraft. The author has produced a lucid and well written account of it's history ,gestation and service. The photography and graphics are first class, with the fold outs being particularly well designed. I have read many books about the Spitfire but this is truly exceptional. This would make an ideal Christmas present for any aviation enthusiast. A fantastic book!, 08 Feb 2008
Quite simply one of the best books on the Great War I have ever read. Beautifully written and with a wealth of photos and diagrams it transports you back to the dark days of the Salient.
Buy it. Terrific book!, 15 Jan 2008
As other reviwers have said, this is superbly researched and put together. The mix of original photos and plans with modern photos of the tunnels and dugouts as they appear now, plus the combination of eyewitness comments and authors' commentary make this a superb production. Having visited mine craters and a few dugouts and the tunnel system at Vimy, this book made me appreciate more fully the scale and organisation of this activity on both sides. Highly recommended. A must for Great War enthusiasts!, 01 Feb 2007
There is no doubt, that many excellent books have been written and published on the wide ranging and different aspects of the Great War, these include both general as well as specialist publications which are aimed at either the general reader or expert or often both. I have personally read many books on this tragic conflict, some I find fascinating, others are rather run of the mill and are possibly recycled from previous publications. This splendid title is however one that shines out and I am sure, it will be of tremendous interest to a wide audience of both amateur and professional military historians, researchers and general readers alike.
The war beneath the "killing fields" of the Western Front has in my opinion until now been overshadowed and often neglected by authors and publishers by what took place above the ground. This truly magnificent book will, without a doubt do much to draw attention to the skilful , yet unseen game of "cat and mouse" that was taking place in the damp and dirty tunnels underground.
I can honestly say that this volume made interesting reading and succeeded in stimulating my own interest in carrying out further research into this fascinating aspect of the Great War. The authors (all tunnelling experts), have in fact been inundated with enquiries on this subject since the publication of Sebastian Faulke's "Birdsong" and have as a result carried out over twenty five years painstaking research, excavations and investigation to be able to produce this brilliant title.
The book is packed with a tremendous amount of gripping information and is backed up with a host of colourful maps, in excess of 450 colour as well as black and white photographs and many highly detailed and professional diagrams. Many of the photographs are unique and will keep the reader engrossed like I was for many hours.
If there is one book to buy on this intriguing subject, this is it - I am sure you will not be disappointed!
Compelling, thorough and beautifully presented, 14 Aug 2005
This is a beautiful book about an awful subject. It is put together with great care and skill and carries the reader through. I am not particularly a war buff but I found this unputdownable. It is clearly a labour of love and the years of work that have gone into it have created an absolutely marvelous book. Forget Birdsong!, 10 Nov 2004
Whilst the common reader will not mind (or indeed know) Birdsong borrows wholesale from older accounts, this definitive tome accurately depicts a) how WW1 underground warfare was fought on the Western Front b) presents illustrated eye-witness accounts of previous unpublished work and c) how 30 years of research on the battlefield by the authors, mostly for the first time, has discovered significant parts of the tunnel system, with Flanders Fields geology preserving artifacts and systems to a unique degree. There are plentiful contemporary diagrams and photographs of projected operations as well as modern colour photographs of the author's investigations. The three author's different specialties avoids the common author bias of single author books, with the eye for detail giving the military and amateur enthusiast alike a mass of information. A must for the military and amateur enthusiast at a very reasonable hardback price, this book fills a gap of a little known but highly important theatre of operations, little known due to the secrecy involved in wartime mining.
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The Vulcan Story
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Customer Reviews
Not what I was expecting , 10 Nov 2008
I received this book as a free gift as part of a magazine subscription so I can't really complain too much. The book is well produced and relatively interesting as it tells the Spitfire story from a different point of view (that of a restorer). But I must say I am disappointed as I had built a mental picture of what the book was going to be like and in reality it is very different. Being a Haynes manual I expected it to be similar to their car workshop manuals but for a Spitfire. That is it would tell you had to strip down, replace, repair and service your spitfire with lots of detailed exploded diagrams and photos. I don't own a Spitfire so it wouldn't have been of practical value but all the same, would have been quite interesting. In reality the only thing common to the Haynes car workshop manual is the layout and look of the front cover. Instead the book is largely anecdotal about spitfires that have been found and restored. It's still okay but I'd have been disappointed with it if I had paid for it and would have considered seeking a refund. My advice would be not to dismiss it outright on the basis of my review but please try and look at it before purchase to see if it is what you'd expect and want.
Cheers, Nigel useful & fun !!, 28 Apr 2008
Although not an exhaustive technical chronology of this iconic plane this book is a very revealing perspective from various angles. Especially appealing to the non expert it exposes information that would normally be difficult to aquire.
Particularly interesting are the practical issues of flying the Spit today , respect is due to those with the wallet & fortitude to provide the vast majority with the joy of watching it in action !!
Refreshing and worth it's place on the bookshelf. Spitfire Manual - An opportunity missed, 03 Mar 2008
Those of us that have used Haynes manuals for car maintenance would have expected similar technical coverage for the Spitfire.
And for an aircraft that evolved from a lightweight fighter (Max weight Mk1 = 6,200lb) to a heavy naval strike fighter (max weight Mk47 = 12,750lb) what an evolution that was. That beautiful elliptical wing went through several variants to cope with the weight, performance and armament increase - and the naval version had folding wings.
It would have been wonderful to see, in true Haynes style, how the design team, under Joe Smith, coped with the continual operational pressure to keep the Spitfire the best fighter in the world but unfortunately this was not to be.
The Spitfire Manual is "just another Spitfire Book", it has some excellent photographic artwork and briefly attempts to cover the development and the use of the aircraft.
About a third of the book covers, in photographs, the rebuilding of an RAF Memorial Flight Aircraft but as for that technical coverage, do not look here.
Pity - I would have kept my copy if it had. A must read for anyone interested in the history of 'Tanks', 30 Oct 2008
A very authoritative and well researched work. Truly a must read for members of the Regiment, as it doesn't flinch away from some unpalatable truths. The various machinations and infighting of Whitehall are laid bare, in the development of the world's first true armoured fighting vehicle, including the impediment of and encouragement of the new Corps from the most surprising of Wartime celebrities. Most importantly, it lets us see the thoughts the staff of the new corps and the pioneering officers and men who crewed these first wagons. Most, if not all of the angles seem to be covered.
This book should sit proudly next to BH Liddel Hart's The Tanks, for although not as well written, time has undoubtedly allowed a different view to be articulated.
Interesting fact from the book; Matilda (Infantry Tank MkI), meaning "'mighty in battle' in old German." Not a comic duck or Hugh Elles's mistress.......
Surprised it has taken this long to produce a book like this, 13 Sep 2008
Not being an expert on the period I can only say that to this layman this is an interesting and very readable book. It is maybe just 50 or so pages too long because whilst I welcome the many personal anecdotes and tales (some of them very funny indeed!) I think the author may just over egg the pudding somewhat. I am sure that more technically minded folk may pick over some of the detail in here but on the whole I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in warfare and the Great War in particular An excellent overview, 09 Oct 2008
This is an excellent overview of the full history of this legendary aircraft. The author has produced a lucid and well written account of it's history ,gestation and service. The photography and graphics are first class, with the fold outs being particularly well designed. I have read many books about the Spitfire but this is truly exceptional. This would make an ideal Christmas present for any aviation enthusiast. A fantastic book!, 08 Feb 2008
Quite simply one of the best books on the Great War I have ever read. Beautifully written and with a wealth of photos and diagrams it transports you back to the dark days of the Salient.
Buy it. Terrific book!, 15 Jan 2008
As other reviwers have said, this is superbly researched and put together. The mix of original photos and plans with modern photos of the tunnels and dugouts as they appear now, plus the combination of eyewitness comments and authors' commentary make this a superb production. Having visited mine craters and a few dugouts and the tunnel system at Vimy, this book made me appreciate more fully the scale and organisation of this activity on both sides. Highly recommended. A must for Great War enthusiasts!, 01 Feb 2007
There is no doubt, that many excellent books have been written and published on the wide ranging and different aspects of the Great War, these include both general as well as specialist publications which are aimed at either the general reader or expert or often both. I have personally read many books on this tragic conflict, some I find fascinating, others are rather run of the mill and are possibly recycled from previous publications. This splendid title is however one that shines out and I am sure, it will be of tremendous interest to a wide audience of both amateur and professional military historians, researchers and general readers alike.
The war beneath the "killing fields" of the Western Front has in my opinion until now been overshadowed and often neglected by authors and publishers by what took place above the ground. This truly magnificent book will, without a doubt do much to draw attention to the skilful , yet unseen game of "cat and mouse" that was taking place in the damp and dirty tunnels underground.
I can honestly say that this volume made interesting reading and succeeded in stimulating my own interest in carrying out further research into this fascinating aspect of the Great War. The authors (all tunnelling experts), have in fact been inundated with enquiries on this subject since the publication of Sebastian Faulke's "Birdsong" and have as a result carried out over twenty five years painstaking research, excavations and investigation to be able to produce this brilliant title.
The book is packed with a tremendous amount of gripping information and is backed up with a host of colourful maps, in excess of 450 colour as well as black and white photographs and many highly detailed and professional diagrams. Many of the photographs are unique and will keep the reader engrossed like I was for many hours.
If there is one book to buy on this intriguing subject, this is it - I am sure you will not be disappointed!
Compelling, thorough and beautifully presented, 14 Aug 2005
This is a beautiful book about an awful subject. It is put together with great care and skill and carries the reader through. I am not particularly a war buff but I found this unputdownable. It is clearly a labour of love and the years of work that have gone into it have created an absolutely marvelous book. Forget Birdsong!, 10 Nov 2004
Whilst the common reader will not mind (or indeed know) Birdsong borrows wholesale from older accounts, this definitive tome accurately depicts a) how WW1 underground warfare was fought on the Western Front b) presents illustrated eye-witness accounts of previous unpublished work and c) how 30 years of research on the battlefield by the authors, mostly for the first time, has discovered significant parts of the tunnel system, with Flanders Fields geology preserving artifacts and systems to a unique degree. There are plentiful contemporary diagrams and photographs of projected operations as well as modern colour photographs of the author's investigations. The three author's different specialties avoids the common author bias of single author books, with the eye for detail giving the military and amateur enthusiast alike a mass of information. A must for the military and amateur enthusiast at a very reasonable hardback price, this book fills a gap of a little known but highly important theatre of operations, little known due to the secrecy involved in wartime mining.
Vulcan to the skies!, 21 Nov 2006
Not only for aviation enthusiasts (although they will be truly captivated!) - for all men who are still boys glimpsing the sheer power and grace of this great British plane. The combination of photos and info is probably not technical enough for die-hard anoraks, but is more than enough to inspire awe in the rest of us. The actual book is quite small - an ideal stocking filler:)
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Customer Reviews
Not what I was expecting , 10 Nov 2008
I received this book as a free gift as part of a magazine subscription so I can't really complain too much. The book is well produced and relatively interesting as it tells the Spitfire story from a different point of view (that of a restorer). But I must say I am disappointed as I had built a mental picture of what the book was going to be like and in reality it is very different. Being a Haynes manual I expected it to be similar to their car workshop manuals but for a Spitfire. That is it would tell you had to strip down, replace, repair and service your spitfire with lots of detailed exploded diagrams and photos. I don't own a Spitfire so it wouldn't have been of practical value but all the same, would have been quite interesting. In reality the only thing common to the Haynes car workshop manual is the layout and look of the front cover. Instead the book is largely anecdotal about spitfires that have been found and restored. It's still okay but I'd have been disappointed with it if I had paid for it and would have considered seeking a refund. My advice would be not to dismiss it outright on the basis of my review but please try and look at it before purchase to see if it is what you'd expect and want.
Cheers, Nigel useful & fun !!, 28 Apr 2008
Although not an exhaustive technical chronology of this iconic plane this book is a very revealing perspective from various angles. Especially appealing to the non expert it exposes information that would normally be difficult to aquire.
Particularly interesting are the practical issues of flying the Spit today , respect is due to those with the wallet & fortitude to provide the vast majority with the joy of watching it in action !!
Refreshing and worth it's place on the bookshelf. Spitfire Manual - An opportunity missed, 03 Mar 2008
Those of us that have used Haynes manuals for car maintenance would have expected similar technical coverage for the Spitfire.
And for an aircraft that evolved from a lightweight fighter (Max weight Mk1 = 6,200lb) to a heavy naval strike fighter (max weight Mk47 = 12,750lb) what an evolution that was. That beautiful elliptical wing went through several variants to cope with the weight, performance and armament increase - and the naval version had folding wings.
It would have been wonderful to see, in true Haynes style, how the design team, under Joe Smith, coped with the continual operational pressure to keep the Spitfire the best fighter in the world but unfortunately this was not to be.
The Spitfire Manual is "just another Spitfire Book", it has some excellent photographic artwork and briefly attempts to cover the development and the use of the aircraft.
About a third of the book covers, in photographs, the rebuilding of an RAF Memorial Flight Aircraft but as for that technical coverage, do not look here.
Pity - I would have kept my copy if it had. A must read for anyone interested in the history of 'Tanks', 30 Oct 2008
A very authoritative and well researched work. Truly a must read for members of the Regiment, as it doesn't flinch away from some unpalatable truths. The various machinations and infighting of Whitehall are laid bare, in the development of the world's first true armoured fighting vehicle, including the impediment of and encouragement of the new Corps from the most surprising of Wartime celebrities. Most importantly, it lets us see the thoughts the staff of the new corps and the pioneering officers and men who crewed these first wagons. Most, if not all of the angles seem to be covered.
This book should sit proudly next to BH Liddel Hart's The Tanks, for although not as well written, time has undoubtedly allowed a different view to be articulated.
Interesting fact from the book; Matilda (Infantry Tank MkI), meaning "'mighty in battle' in old German." Not a comic duck or Hugh Elles's mistress.......
Surprised it has taken this long to produce a book like this, 13 Sep 2008
Not being an expert on the period I can only say that to this layman this is an interesting and very readable book. It is maybe just 50 or so pages too long because whilst I welcome the many personal anecdotes and tales (some of them very funny indeed!) I think the author may just over egg the pudding somewhat. I am sure that more technically minded folk may pick over some of the detail in here but on the whole I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in warfare and the Great War in particular An excellent overview, 09 Oct 2008
This is an excellent overview of the full history of this legendary aircraft. The author has produced a lucid and well written account of it's history ,gestation and service. The photography and graphics are first class, with the fold outs being particularly well designed. I have read many books about the Spitfire but this is truly exceptional. This would make an ideal Christmas present for any aviation enthusiast. A fantastic book!, 08 Feb 2008
Quite simply one of the best books on the Great War I have ever read. Beautifully written and with a wealth of photos and diagrams it transports you back to the dark days of the Salient.
Buy it. Terrific book!, 15 Jan 2008
As other reviwers have said, this is superbly researched and put together. The mix of original photos and plans with modern photos of the tunnels and dugouts as they appear now, plus the combination of eyewitness comments and authors' commentary make this a superb production. Having visited mine craters and a few dugouts and the tunnel system at Vimy, this book made me appreciate more fully the scale and organisation of this activity on both sides. Highly recommended. A must for Great War enthusiasts!, 01 Feb 2007
There is no doubt, that many excellent books have been written and published on the wide ranging and different aspects of the Great War, these include both general as well as specialist publications which are aimed at either the general reader or expert or often both. I have personally read many books on this tragic conflict, some I find fascinating, others are rather run of the mill and are possibly recycled from previous publications. This splendid title is however one that shines out and I am sure, it will be of tremendous interest to a wide audience of both amateur and professional military historians, researchers and general readers alike.
The war beneath the "killing fields" of the Western Front has in my opinion until now been overshadowed and often neglected by authors and publishers by what took place above the ground. This truly magnificent book will, without a doubt do much to draw attention to the skilful , yet unseen game of "cat and mouse" that was taking place in the damp and dirty tunnels underground.
I can honestly say that this volume made interesting reading and succeeded in stimulating my own interest in carrying out further research into this fascinating aspect of the Great War. The authors (all tunnelling experts), have in fact been inundated with enquiries on this subject since the publication of Sebastian Faulke's "Birdsong" and have as a result carried out over twenty five years painstaking research, excavations and investigation to be able to produce this brilliant title.
The book is packed with a tremendous amount of gripping information and is backed up with a host of colourful maps, in excess of 450 colour as well as black and white photographs and many highly detailed and professional diagrams. Many of the photographs are unique and will keep the reader engrossed like I was for many hours.
If there is one book to buy on this intriguing subject, this is it - I am sure you will not be disappointed!
Compelling, thorough and beautifully presented, 14 Aug 2005
This is a beautiful book about an awful subject. It is put together with great care and skill and carries the reader through. I am not particularly a war buff but I found this unputdownable. It is clearly a labour of love and the years of work that have gone into it have created an absolutely marvelous book. Forget Birdsong!, 10 Nov 2004
Whilst the common reader will not mind (or indeed know) Birdsong borrows wholesale from older accounts, this definitive tome accurately depicts a) how WW1 underground warfare was fought on the Western Front b) presents illustrated eye-witness accounts of previous unpublished work and c) how 30 years of research on the battlefield by the authors, mostly for the first time, has discovered significant parts of the tunnel system, with Flanders Fields geology preserving artifacts and systems to a unique degree. There are plentiful contemporary diagrams and photographs of projected operations as well as modern colour photographs of the author's investigations. The three author's different specialties avoids the common author bias of single author books, with the eye for detail giving the military and amateur enthusiast alike a mass of information. A must for the military and amateur enthusiast at a very reasonable hardback price, this book fills a gap of a little known but highly important theatre of operations, little known due to the secrecy involved in wartime mining.
Vulcan to the skies!, 21 Nov 2006
Not only for aviation enthusiasts (although they will be truly captivated!) - for all men who are still boys glimpsing the sheer power and grace of this great British plane. The combination of photos and info is probably not technical enough for die-hard anoraks, but is more than enough to inspire awe in the rest of us. The actual book is quite small - an ideal stocking filler:)
Simply brammers, 04 Nov 2004
This is easily the fifteenth copy of Jackspeak that I've bought over the years, and it just gets better with every edition. It's now the standard gizzit that I give Americans so they can understand a bit more of what this Pompey Girl says. Funny, genuinely informative, and as absorbing to browse through as it is essential for reference. The illustrations by Tugg are priceless.
Let me spin you a dit, pull up a bollard shippers, 02 Nov 2001
A book of true entertainment to those who have, and have not, served in the Andrew. Revised several times since it was first published, with a percentage of the profit going to the South Atlantic Medal Association (1982)(SAMA(82)). Doc Rick Jolly spent most of his carear as a Naval Doctor with the Bootnecks and the Waffoos(Royal Marines and Fleet Air Arm). He may be remembered by most as the Doctor in charge of 'The Red and Green Life Machine' (the field hospital at Ajax Bay during the Falklands's War), and was decorated by both the British and Argentine governments.
The navy at its best, 25 Aug 2001
My son is in the "mob" and forever "spinning a dit" so at least I know what he is talking about! The book is full of the best and worst of navy humour and a facinating insight into their constantly evolving language.
A light hearted dictionary of the Royal Navy's slang, 06 Feb 2001
"Then my oppo told this great dit about the Jimmy - they were in a drop of roughers and ... " If you've ever been confused by Jolly Jack's conversations, here's your chance to find out what it all means. The author is (was?) a Doctor in the RN and has compiled a fairly comprehensive dictionary of the unusual and inventive vocabulary used by the sailors of today's Royal Navy. As well as explaining the meaning and use of the words he gives some glimpse as to their derivation. If I have any critique it is that the Fleet Air Arm are over credited as the source of many words though this is probably a reflection of where the author served most of his time. Still, this doesn't detract from the book. Heartily recommended.
EXCELLENT, 14 Jun 2000
As an ex matelot who served 23 years in the RN I found this a marvellous read. Although primarily a dictionary of slang and containing a lot of words more applicable to Marines and F.A.A. it still provides a lot of entertainment. If you do not like vulgarity it is not for you.I have even loaned my copy to non-servicemen/women who have thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Customer Reviews
Not what I was expecting , 10 Nov 2008
I received this book as a free gift as part of a magazine subscription so I can't really complain too much. The book is well produced and relatively interesting as it tells the Spitfire story from a different point of view (that of a restorer). But I must say I am disappointed as I had built a mental picture of what the book was going to be like and in reality it is very different. Being a Haynes manual I expected it to be similar to their car workshop manuals but for a Spitfire. That is it would tell you had to strip down, replace, repair and service your spitfire with lots of detailed exploded diagrams and photos. I don't own a Spitfire so it wouldn't have been of practical value but all the same, would have been quite interesting. In reality the only thing common to the Haynes car workshop manual is the layout and look of the front cover. Instead the book is largely anecdotal about spitfires that have been found and restored. It's still okay but I'd have been disappointed with it if I had paid for it and would have considered seeking a refund. My advice would be not to dismiss it outright on the basis of my review but please try and look at it before purchase to see if it is what you'd expect and want.
Cheers, Nigel useful & fun !!, 28 Apr 2008
Although not an exhaustive technical chronology of this iconic plane this book is a very revealing perspective from various angles. Especially appealing to the non expert it exposes information that would normally be difficult to aquire.
Particularly interesting are the practical issues of flying the Spit today , respect is due to those with the wallet & fortitude to provide the vast majority with the joy of watching it in action !!
Refreshing and worth it's place on the bookshelf. Spitfire Manual - An opportunity missed, 03 Mar 2008
Those of us that have used Haynes manuals for car maintenance would have expected similar technical coverage for the Spitfire.
And for an aircraft that evolved from a lightweight fighter (Max weight Mk1 = 6,200lb) to a heavy naval strike fighter (max weight Mk47 = 12,750lb) what an evolution that was. That beautiful elliptical wing went through several variants to cope with the weight, performance and armament increase - and the naval version had folding wings.
It would have been wonderful to see, in true Haynes style, how the design team, under Joe Smith, coped with the continual operational pressure to keep the Spitfire the best fighter in the world but unfortunately this was not to be.
The Spitfire Manual is "just another Spitfire Book", it has some excellent photographic artwork and briefly attempts to cover the development and the use of the aircraft.
About a third of the book covers, in photographs, the rebuilding of an RAF Memorial Flight Aircraft but as for that technical coverage, do not look here.
Pity - I would have kept my copy if it had. A must read for anyone interested in the history of 'Tanks', 30 Oct 2008
A very authoritative and well researched work. Truly a must read for members of the Regiment, as it doesn't flinch away from some unpalatable truths. The various machinations and infighting of Whitehall are laid bare, in the development of the world's first true armoured fighting vehicle, including the impediment of and encouragement of the new Corps from the most surprising of Wartime celebrities. Most importantly, it lets us see the thoughts the staff of the new corps and the pioneering officers and men who crewed these first wagons. Most, if not all of the angles seem to be covered.
This book should sit proudly next to BH Liddel Hart's The Tanks, for although not as well written, time has undoubtedly allowed a different view to be articulated.
Interesting fact from the book; Matilda (Infantry Tank MkI), meaning "'mighty in battle' in old German." Not a comic duck or Hugh Elles's mistress.......
Surprised it has taken this long to produce a book like this, 13 Sep 2008
Not being an expert on the period I can only say that to this layman this is an interesting and very readable book. It is maybe just 50 or so pages too long because whilst I welcome the many personal anecdotes and tales (some of them very funny indeed!) I think the author may just over egg the pudding somewhat. I am sure that more technically minded folk may pick over some of the detail in here but on the whole I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in warfare and the Great War in particular An excellent overview, 09 Oct 2008
This is an excellent overview of the full history of this legendary aircraft. The author has produced a lucid and well written account of it's history ,gestation and service. The photography and graphics are first class, with the fold outs being particularly well designed. I have read many books about the Spitfire but this is truly exceptional. This would make an ideal Christmas present for any aviation enthusiast. A fantastic book!, 08 Feb 2008
Quite simply one of the best books on the Great War I have ever read. Beautifully written and with a wealth of photos and diagrams it transports you back to the dark days of the Salient.
Buy it. Terrific book!, 15 Jan 2008
As other reviwers have said, this is superbly researched and put together. The mix of original photos and plans with modern photos of the tunnels and dugouts as they appear now, plus the combination of eyewitness comments and authors' commentary make this a superb production. Having visited mine craters and a few dugouts and the tunnel system at Vimy, this book made me appreciate more fully the scale and organisation of this activity on both sides. Highly recommended. A must for Great War enthusiasts!, 01 Feb 2007
There is no doubt, that many excellent books have been written and published on the wide ranging and different aspects of the Great War, these include both general as well as specialist publications which are aimed at either the general reader or expert or often both. I have personally read many books on this tragic conflict, some I find fascinating, others are rather run of the mill and are possibly recycled from previous publications. This splendid title is however one that shines out and I am sure, it will be of tremendous interest to a wide audience of both amateur and professional military historians, researchers and general readers alike.
The war beneath the "killing fields" of the Western Front has in my opinion until now been overshadowed and often neglected by authors and publishers by what took place above the ground. This truly magnificent book will, without a doubt do much to draw attention to the skilful , yet unseen game of "cat and mouse" that was taking place in the damp and dirty tunnels underground.
I can honestly say that this volume made interesting reading and succeeded in stimulating my own interest in carrying out further research into this fascinating aspect of the Great War. The authors (all tunnelling experts), have in fact been inundated with enquiries on this subject since the publication of Sebastian Faulke's "Birdsong" and have as a result carried out over twenty five years painstaking research, excavations and investigation to be able to produce this brilliant title.
The book is packed with a tremendous amount of gripping information and is backed up with a host of colourful maps, in excess of 450 colour as well as black and white photographs and many highly detailed and professional diagrams. Many of the photographs are unique and will keep the reader engrossed like I was for many hours.
If there is one book to buy on this intriguing subject, this is it - I am sure you will not be disappointed!
Compelling, thorough and beautifully presented, 14 Aug 2005
This is a beautiful book about an awful subject. It is put together with great care and skill and carries the reader through. I am not particularly a war buff but I found this unputdownable. It is clearly a labour of love and the years of work that have gone into it have created an absolutely marvelous book. Forget Birdsong!, 10 Nov 2004
Whilst the common reader will not mind (or indeed know) Birdsong borrows wholesale from older accounts, this definitive tome accurately depicts a) how WW1 underground warfare was fought on the Western Front b) presents illustrated eye-witness accounts of previous unpublished work and c) how 30 years of research on the battlefield by the authors, mostly for the first time, has discovered significant parts of the tunnel system, with Flanders Fields geology preserving artifacts and systems to a unique degree. There are plentiful contemporary diagrams and photographs of projected operations as well as modern colour photographs of the author's investigations. The three author's different specialties avoids the common author bias of single author books, with the eye for detail giving the military and amateur enthusiast alike a mass of information. A must for the military and amateur enthusiast at a very reasonable hardback price, this book fills a gap of a little known but highly important theatre of operations, little known due to the secrecy involved in wartime mining.
Vulcan to the skies!, 21 Nov 2006
Not only for aviation enthusiasts (although they will be truly captivated!) - for all men who are still boys glimpsing the sheer power and grace of this great British plane. The combination of photos and info is probably not technical enough for die-hard anoraks, but is more than enough to inspire awe in the rest of us. The actual book is quite small - an ideal stocking filler:)
Simply brammers, 04 Nov 2004
This is easily the fifteenth copy of Jackspeak that I've bought over the years, and it just gets better with every edition. It's now the standard gizzit that I give Americans so they can understand a bit more of what this Pompey Girl says. Funny, genuinely informative, and as absorbing to browse through as it is essential for reference. The illustrations by Tugg are priceless.
Let me spin you a dit, pull up a bollard shippers, 02 Nov 2001
A book of true entertainment to those who have, and have not, served in the Andrew. Revised several times since it was first published, with a percentage of the profit going to the South Atlantic Medal Association (1982)(SAMA(82)). Doc Rick Jolly spent most of his carear as a Naval Doctor with the Bootnecks and the Waffoos(Royal Marines and Fleet Air Arm). He may be remembered by most as the Doctor in charge of 'The Red and Green Life Machine' (the field hospital at Ajax Bay during the Falklands's War), and was decorated by both the British and Argentine governments.
The navy at its best, 25 Aug 2001
My son is in the "mob" and forever "spinning a dit" so at least I know what he is talking about! The book is full of the best and worst of navy humour and a facinating insight into their constantly evolving language.
A light hearted dictionary of the Royal Navy's slang, 06 Feb 2001
"Then my oppo told this great dit about the Jimmy - they were in a drop of roughers and ... " If you've ever been confused by Jolly Jack's conversations, here's your chance to find out what it all means. The author is (was?) a Doctor in the RN and has compiled a fairly comprehensive dictionary of the unusual and inventive vocabulary used by the sailors of today's Royal Navy. As well as explaining the meaning and use of the words he gives some glimpse as to their derivation. If I have any critique it is that the Fleet Air Arm are over credited as the source of many words though this is probably a reflection of where the author served most of his time. Still, this doesn't detract from the book. Heartily recommended.
EXCELLENT, 14 Jun 2000
As an ex matelot who served 23 years in the RN I found this a marvellous read. Although primarily a dictionary of slang and containing a lot of words more applicable to Marines and F.A.A. it still provides a lot of entertainment. If you do not like vulgarity it is not for you.I have even loaned my copy to non-servicemen/women who have thoroughly enjoyed it.
Great Attention to Detail, 15 Jul 2008
If someone mentioned the name of Robert Hardy to you, you would probably bring to mind a picture of an English actor with a plummy-voice and tweed suit, who has appeared in countless television and theatre dramas and you would be correct. Many people do not know Robert Hardy's alter ego, the author and man who is interested in medieval weaponry in general and the English longbow in particular. Robert Hardy also has a long association with the Royal Armouries, so it soon becomes apparent that his love and knowledge of weaponry has been gleaned over a long period of time. With these qualifications it is only right and proper that people interested in the subject are more than ready to read what the author has to say on the subject.
I found the book both fascinating and informative. I did however feel that some of the photographs could have been slightly better, but this is a minor criticism and I suppose there are only so many ways that you can photograph a bow before the photographs begin to look repetitive. The book covers every conceivable question anyone could possibly ask on the subject of the longbow the medieval equivalent of the automatic rifle.
The book takes us from when the longbow was first used, possibly 8,000 years ago, right through until the present day. It gives detailed information on how to make a longbow from scratch, showing the tools and material needed. It covers all the major battles where either the outcome was decided by this fearsome weapon, or it featured heavily in the battle and even shows photographs of bows that were raised with the Mary Rose, Henry VIII's ship of war.
I found it fascinating to read about a weapon that virtually every Englishman had to practice using at some point during his life, much like the football practice that many young men religiously attend today. Although in the case of the longbow, depending on the period in history, we are talking about it was compulsory.
Specialist Subject: Verbiage & Pomposity, 09 Jul 2004
Like other books of its type, this one has a lot of information contained within it, but Hardy's writing style is awful and it's hard to get beyond the appalling verbosity. There is little structure to the book, and Hardy meanders back and forth through his subject doing to the English language what the English longbowmen did to the French at Crecy. A good Editor could have turned this book into something really special. Sadly the wealth of information and enthusiasm for the subject is obscured by Hardy's writing style and the need to include far more information than is necessary (the endless anorakish appendices are especially pointless). It may be the definitive work on the subject, but it's an up-hill struggle to read.
A definitive text., 31 Jan 2003
This excellent book gives a comprehensive history of the longbow. It covers the development of the bow and arrow from its humble beginnings to the heyday of the longbow and the famous battles with the French and at home in the Wars of the Roses. It explains many technical aspects, such as why yew is such a good material for bow-making, the various stages of making a longbow and how arrow points developed to penetrate chain mail and armour. Robert Hardy describes the raising of the Mary Rose, the discovery of so many longbows on board and how those bows were tested. In short the author proves himself to be extremely knowledeable, passionate and willing to impart the information that he must have worked so diligently to obtain.
Very accurate and clear book, 05 Aug 2001
This book is exceptional since it is very clear and complete from the historical and technical points of view. The author is clearly in love with the subject, and so am I.I have long been looking for the corresponding video, published by the BBC, but without luck.If anyone can tell me how to obtain it,please advise. Thank you.
A succint thorough history of the longbow through the ages., 10 Apr 2001
This book is the key book for any longbow fanatic, plus an interesting read for anyone at all interested in this immensely powerful weapon which is key to our past. It follows the origins of the longbow from neadertal bows to the famed longbowmen of Crecy and Agincourt, then its sad decline from a lethal weapon to a sporting pastime plus it tells of the ceremonial bow regiments of the victorian era. Lastly it contains a detailed description of how a beginner should set about making their own bow, the tools the wood and the time that is needed, followed by an appendix laying out the physical properties of the woods used and how the bow and the arrows should relate to each other in length or strength. The author, the well known Robert Hardy has a very relaxed style and you immediately feel comfortable immersed in the knowledge and experience and photographs that he has ammassed as a master of the longbow for the last sixty years. A great read.
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Customer Reviews
Not what I was expecting , 10 Nov 2008
I received this book as a free gift as part of a magazine subscription so I can't really complain too much. The book is well produced and relatively interesting as it tells the Spitfire story from a different point of view (that of a restorer). But I must say I am disappointed as I had built a mental picture of what the book was going to be like and in reality it is very different. Being a Haynes manual I expected it to be similar to their car workshop manuals but for a Spitfire. That is it would tell you had to strip down, replace, repair and service your spitfire with lots of detailed exploded diagrams and photos. I don't own a Spitfire so it wouldn't have been of practical value but all the same, would have been quite interesting. In reality the only thing common to the Haynes car workshop manual is the layout and look of the front cover. Instead the book is largely anecdotal about spitfires that have been found and restored. It's still okay but I'd have been disappointed with it if I had paid for it and would have considered seeking a refund. My advice would be not to dismiss it outright on the basis of my review but please try and look at it before purchase to see if it is what you'd expect and want.
Cheers, Nigel useful & fun !!, 28 Apr 2008
Although not an exhaustive technical chronology of this iconic plane this book is a very revealing perspective from various angles. Especially appealing to the non expert it exposes information that would normally be difficult to aquire.
Particularly interesting are the practical issues of flying the Spit today , respect is due to those with the wallet & fortitude to provide the vast majority with the joy of watching it in action !!
Refreshing and worth it's place on the bookshelf. Spitfire Manual - An opportunity missed, 03 Mar 2008
Those of us that have used Haynes manuals for car maintenance would have expected similar technical coverage for the Spitfire.
And for an aircraft that evolved from a lightweight fighter (Max weight Mk1 = 6,200lb) to a heavy naval strike fighter (max weight Mk47 = 12,750lb) what an evolution that was. That beautiful elliptical wing went through several variants to cope with the weight, performance and armament increase - and the naval version had folding wings.
It would have been wonderful to see, in true Haynes style, how the design team, under Joe Smith, coped with the continual operational pressure to keep the Spitfire the best fighter in the world but unfortunately this was not to be.
The Spitfire Manual is "just another Spitfire Book", it has some excellent photographic artwork and briefly attempts to cover the development and the use of the aircraft.
About a third of the book covers, in photographs, the rebuilding of an RAF Memorial Flight Aircraft but as for that technical coverage, do not look here.
Pity - I would have kept my copy if it had. A must read for anyone interested in the history of 'Tanks', 30 Oct 2008
A very authoritative and well researched work. Truly a must read for members of the Regiment, as it doesn't flinch away from some unpalatable truths. The various machinations and infighting of Whitehall are laid bare, in the development of the world's first true armoured fighting vehicle, including the impediment of and encouragement of the new Corps from the most surprising of Wartime celebrities. Most importantly, it lets us see the thoughts the staff of the new corps and the pioneering officers and men who crewed these first wagons. Most, if not all of the angles seem to be covered.
This book should sit proudly next to BH Liddel Hart's The Tanks, for although not as well written, time has undoubtedly allowed a different view to be articulated.
Interesting fact from the book; Matilda (Infantry Tank MkI), meaning "'mighty in battle' in old German." Not a comic duck or Hugh Elles's mistress.......
Surprised it has taken this long to produce a book like this, 13 Sep 2008
Not being an expert on the period I can only say that to this layman this is an interesting and very readable book. It is maybe just 50 or so pages too long because whilst I welcome the many personal anecdotes and tales (some of them very funny indeed!) I think the author may just over egg the pudding somewhat. I am sure that more technically minded folk may pick over some of the detail in here but on the whole I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in warfare and the Great War in particular An excellent overview, 09 Oct 2008
This is an excellent overview of the full history of this legendary aircraft. The author has produced a lucid and well written account of it's history ,gestation and service. The photography and graphics are first class, with the fold outs being particularly well designed. I have read many books about the Spitfire but this is truly exceptional. This would make an ideal Christmas present for any aviation enthusiast. A fantastic book!, 08 Feb 2008
Quite simply one of the best books on the Great War I have ever read. Beautifully written and with a wealth of photos and diagrams it transports you back to the dark days of the Salient.
Buy it. Terrific book!, 15 Jan 2008
As other reviwers have said, this is superbly researched and put together. The mix of original photos and plans with modern photos of the tunnels and dugouts as they appear now, plus the combination of eyewitness comments and authors' commentary make this a superb production. Having visited mine craters and a few dugouts and the tunnel system at Vimy, this book made me appreciate more fully the scale and organisation of this activity on both sides. Highly recommended. A must for Great War enthusiasts!, 01 Feb 2007
There is no doubt, that many excellent books have been written and published on the wide ranging and different aspects of the Great War, these include both general as well as specialist publications which are aimed at either the general reader or expert or often both. I have personally read many books on this tragic conflict, some I find fascinating, others are rather run of the mill and are possibly recycled from previous publications. This splendid title is however one that shines out and I am sure, it will be of tremendous interest to a wide audience of both amateur and professional military historians, researchers and general readers alike.
The war beneath the "killing fields" of the Western Front has in my opinion until now been overshadowed and often neglected by authors and publishers by what took place above the ground. This truly magnificent book will, without a doubt do much to draw attention to the skilful , yet unseen game of "cat and mouse" that was taking place in the damp and dirty tunnels underground.
I can honestly say that this volume made interesting reading and succeeded in stimulating my own interest in carrying out further research into this fascinating aspect of the Great War. The authors (all tunnelling experts), have in fact been inundated with enquiries on this subject since the publication of Sebastian Faulke's "Birdsong" and have as a result carried out over twenty five years painstaking research, excavations and investigation to be able to produce this brilliant title.
The book is packed with a tremendous amount of gripping information and is backed up with a host of colourful maps, in excess of 450 colour as well as black and white photographs and many highly detailed and professional diagrams. Many of the photographs are unique and will keep the reader engrossed like I was for many hours.
If there is one book to buy on this intriguing subject, this is it - I am sure you will not be disappointed!
Compelling, thorough and beautifully presented, 14 Aug 2005
This is a beautiful book about an awful subject. It is put together with great care and skill and carries the reader through. I am not particularly a war buff but I found this unputdownable. It is clearly a labour of love and the years of work that have gone into it have created an absolutely marvelous book. Forget Birdsong!, 10 Nov 2004
Whilst the common reader will not mind (or indeed know) Birdsong borrows wholesale from older accounts, this definitive tome accurately depicts a) how WW1 underground warfare was fought on the Western Front b) presents illustrated eye-witness accounts of previous unpublished work and c) how 30 years of research on the battlefield by the authors, mostly for the first time, has discovered significant parts of the tunnel system, with Flanders Fields geology preserving artifacts and systems to a unique degree. There are plentiful contemporary diagrams and photographs of projected operations as well as modern colour photographs of the author's investigations. The three author's different specialties avoids the common author bias of single author books, with the eye for detail giving the military and amateur enthusiast alike a mass of information. A must for the military and amateur enthusiast at a very reasonable hardback price, this book fills a gap of a little known but highly important theatre of operations, little known due to the secrecy involved in wartime mining.
Vulcan to the skies!, 21 Nov 2006
Not only for aviation enthusiasts (although they will be truly captivated!) - for all men who are still boys glimpsing the sheer power and grace of this great British plane. The combination of photos and info is probably not technical enough for die-hard anoraks, but is more than enough to inspire awe in the rest of us. The actual book is quite small - an ideal stocking filler:)
Simply brammers, 04 Nov 2004
This is easily the fifteenth copy of Jackspeak that I've bought over the years, and it just gets better with every edition. It's now the standard gizzit that I give Americans so they can understand a bit more of what this Pompey Girl says. Funny, genuinely informative, and as absorbing to browse through as it is essential for reference. The illustrations by Tugg are priceless.
Let me spin you a dit, pull up a bollard shippers, 02 Nov 2001
A book of true entertainment to those who have, and have not, served in the Andrew. Revised several times since it was first published, with a percentage of the profit going to the South Atlantic Medal Association (1982)(SAMA(82)). Doc Rick Jolly spent most of his carear as a Naval Doctor with the Bootnecks and the Waffoos(Royal Marines and Fleet Air Arm). He may be remembered by most as the Doctor in charge of 'The Red and Green Life Machine' (the field hospital at Ajax Bay during the Falklands's War), and was decorated by both the British and Argentine governments.
The navy at its best, 25 Aug 2001
My son is in the "mob" and forever "spinning a dit" so at least I know what he is talking about! The book is full of the best and worst of navy humour and a facinating insight into their constantly evolving language.
A light hearted dictionary of the Royal Navy's slang, 06 Feb 2001
"Then my oppo told this great dit about the Jimmy - they were in a drop of roughers and ... " If you've ever been confused by Jolly Jack's conversations, here's your chance to find out what it all means. The author is (was?) a Doctor in the RN and has compiled a fairly comprehensive dictionary of the unusual and inventive vocabulary used by the sailors of today's Royal Navy. As well as explaining the meaning and use of the words he gives some glimpse as to their derivation. If I have any critique it is that the Fleet Air Arm are over credited as the source of many words though this is probably a reflection of where the author served most of his time. Still, this doesn't detract from the book. Heartily recommended.
EXCELLENT, 14 Jun 2000
As an ex matelot who served 23 years in the RN I found this a marvellous read. Although primarily a dictionary of slang and containing a lot of words more applicable to Marines and F.A.A. it still provides a lot of entertainment. If you do not like vulgarity it is not for you.I have even loaned my copy to non-servicemen/women who have thoroughly enjoyed it.
Great Attention to Detail, 15 Jul 2008
If someone mentioned the name of Robert Hardy to you, you would probably bring to mind a picture of an English actor with a plummy-voice and tweed suit, who has appeared in countless television and theatre dramas and you would be correct. Many people do not know Robert Hardy's alter ego, the author and man who is interested in medieval weaponry in general and the English longbow in particular. Robert Hardy also has a long association with the Royal Armouries, so it soon becomes apparent that his love and knowledge of weaponry has been gleaned over a long period of time. With these qualifications it is only right and proper that people interested in the subject are more than ready to read what the author has to say on the subject.
I found the book both fascinating and informative. I did however feel that some of the photographs could have been slightly better, but this is a minor criticism and I suppose there are only so many ways that you can photograph a bow before the photographs begin to look repetitive. The book covers every conceivable question anyone could possibly ask on the subject of the longbow the medieval equivalent of the automatic rifle.
The book takes us from when the longbow was first used, possibly 8,000 years ago, right through until the present day. It gives detailed information on how to make a longbow from scratch, showing the tools and material needed. It covers all the major battles where either the outcome was decided by this fearsome weapon, or it featured heavily in the battle and even shows photographs of bows that were raised with the Mary Rose, Henry VIII's ship of war.
I found it fascinating to read about a weapon that virtually every Englishman had to practice using at some point during his life, much like the football practice that many young men religiously attend today. Although in the case of the longbow, depending on the period in history, we are talking about it was compulsory.
Specialist Subject: Verbiage & Pomposity, 09 Jul 2004
Like other books of its type, this one has a lot of information contained within it, but Hardy's writing style is awful and it's hard to get beyond the appalling verbosity. There is little structure to the book, and Hardy meanders back and forth through his subject doing to the English language what the English longbowmen did to the French at Crecy. A good Editor could have turned this book into something really special. Sadly the wealth of information and enthusiasm for the subject is obscured by Hardy's writing style and the need to include far more information than is necessary (the endless anorakish appendices are especially pointless). It may be the definitive work on the subject, but it's an up-hill struggle to read.
A definitive text., 31 Jan 2003
This excellent book gives a comprehensive history of the longbow. It covers the development of the bow and arrow from its humble beginnings to the heyday of the longbow and the famous battles with the French and at home in the Wars of the Roses. It explains many technical aspects, such as why yew is such a good material for bow-making, the various stages of making a longbow and how arrow points developed to penetrate chain mail and armour. Robert Hardy describes the raising of the Mary Rose, the discovery of so many longbows on board and how those bows were tested. In short the author proves himself to be extremely knowledeable, passionate and willing to impart the information that he must have worked so diligently to obtain.
Very accurate and clear book, 05 Aug 2001
This book is exceptional since it is very clear and complete from the historical and technical points of view. The author is clearly in love with the subject, and so am I.I have long been looking for the corresponding video, published by the BBC, but without luck.If anyone can tell me how to obtain it,please advise. Thank you.
A succint thorough history of the longbow through the ages., 10 Apr 2001
This book is the key book for any longbow fanatic, plus an interesting read for anyone at all interested in this immensely powerful weapon which is key to our past. It follows the origins of the longbow from neadertal bows to the famed longbowmen of Crecy and Agincourt, then its sad decline from a lethal weapon to a sporting pastime plus it tells of the ceremonial bow regiments of the victorian era. Lastly it contains a detailed description of how a beginner should set about making their own bow, the tools the wood and the time that is needed, followed by an appendix laying out the physical properties of the woods used and how the bow and the arrows should relate to each other in length or strength. The author, the well known Robert Hardy has a very relaxed style and you immediately feel comfortable immersed in the knowledge and experience and photographs that he has ammassed as a master of the longbow for the last sixty years. A great read.
Brilliant, 30 Nov 2004
A truly magnificent read, more detail than I could have imagined.
Superbly written, wonderful history, brilliant photographs.
The man hours spent on research & the actual writing of this book must be mind-blowing. An ideal book to have in your library. I cant praise highly enough!
An acclaimed account of this renowned squadron, 08 Jun 2003
Clearly, the previous review does not relate to Dambusters (The Definative History of 617 Squadron at War)! What a delight it was for me to find such a readable book on WW2 Bomber Command. This complete war time history of my particular passion, 617 Squadron, is not a re-write, and contains much new material gleaned from eye witnesses and historical documents. It is impressively presented and expertly written giving a full history of the Squadron from its formation until the end of the war, obviously including the legendary Dam's raid. It contains some 350 photographs, many of which are published for the first time and if, like me, you are an enthusiast you must have it in your library. It is also an enjoyable read for those who have little knowledge of the Squadron outside of the Dams raid as it gives poignant insight into the human scale of loss. I particularly enjoyed the Chapter on the Dortmund-Ems Canal raid which has never been examined in detail before.
What I found fascinating was the translation of the original German transcript of the Court Martial arising out of the failure of the Luftwaffe to protect the Battleship "Tirpitz". To me, the book is all the more incredible as the information coming out of Germany was only possible through the help of Chris Ward's German friend Andreas Wachtel, one of the few bomber command historians of his nationality. Enthusiasts of Bomber Command will, no doubt, already know Chris Ward through is Bomber Command Squadron Profile series but nothing will prepare you for the impact of this fabulous book! I look forward to reading other reviews in due course.
A Must Have Book For Serious Collectors of WW 2 Aviation, 04 May 2003
I eagerly awaited delivery of this magnificently researched book
about "The Dambusters" and 617 squadron,the author must have spent an enormous ammount of time researching this book, you will
not be disappointed,although only covering two years from the
conception of 617 squadron (1943-1945)it details every mission
undertaken after the dams raid and including the Tirpitz and
beyond.
More poignantly there is a chapter at the end of the book
about the "Dams" crash sites and about (in the books words)
"unsung heroes" the guys who kept the Lancs flying
The book is supported by many original photographs,and will be
a very worthy addition to any collectors library.
This is definitely a don,t miss book
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Customer Reviews
Not what I was expecting , 10 Nov 2008
I received this book as a free gift as part of a magazine subscription so I can't really complain too much. The book is well produced and relatively interesting as it tells the Spitfire story from a different point of view (that of a restorer). But I must say I am disappointed as I had built a mental picture of what the book was going to be like and in reality it is very different. Being a Haynes manual I expected it to be similar to their car workshop manuals but for a Spitfire. That is it would tell you had to strip down, replace, repair and service your spitfire with lots of detailed exploded diagrams and photos. I don't own a Spitfire so it wouldn't have been of practical value but all the same, would have been quite interesting. In reality the only thing common to the Haynes car workshop manual is the layout and look of the front cover. Instead the book is largely anecdotal about spitfires that have been found and restored. It's still okay but I'd have been disappointed with it if I had paid for it and would have considered seeking a refund. My advice would be not to dismiss it outright on the basis of my review but please try and look at it before purchase to see if it is what you'd expect and want.
Cheers, Nigel
useful & fun !!, 28 Apr 2008
Although not an exhaustive technical chronology of this iconic plane this book is a very revealing perspective from various angles. Especially appealing to the non expert it exposes information that would normally be difficult to aquire.
Particularly interesting are the practical issues of flying the Spit today , respect is due to those with the wallet & fortitude to provide the vast majority with the joy of watching it in action !!
Refreshing and worth it's place on the bookshelf.
Spitfire Manual - An opportunity missed, 03 Mar 2008
Those of us that have used Haynes manuals for car maintenance would have expected similar technical coverage for the Spitfire.
And for an aircraft that evolved from | | |