Winged Crusaders: The Exploits of 14 Squadron RFC & RAF 1915-45 - Hardcover

Napier, Michael

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1781590591 ISBN 13: 9781781590591

Publisher: Pen and Sword Aviation, 2013

Synopsis

Formed in 1915 and still operational today, 14 Squadron is one of the RAF's longest serving and most senior Squadrons. Spending the first thirty years of its operational life in the Middle East, the history of this Squadron is a rich one, but one that, until now, has gone largely unrecorded. Napier effectively brings together all the historical scraps and shreds of stories, which make up the collective history of this unit, from 1915 -1945, a period of great military and social upheaval. The author himself attests to the fact that the work is not merely about the airplanes operational history during this period, or the stark military facts (although enthusiasts of both these areas will find much here); rather, the work concerns itself largely with the people who flew such aircraft. Recording the dramatic trials and tribulations of the people who were 14 Squadron, Napier provides a sympathetic and engaging account of this period of Military History.

About this title

About the Author:

The elder son of an army officer, Michael Napier joined the RAF in 1978 and served with 14 Squadron as a Tornado pilot in the late 1980s and again in the early 1990s. These two tours engendered a deep interest in 14 Squadron’s distinguished history. He was appointed as Honorary Secretary of the 14 Squadron Association in 2003 and since then has carried out extensive research into the Squadron’s heritage. Michael, who is now is an airline captain, lives in the Cotswolds with his wife and two children.

Review:

This is a well-written account by the Hon Sec of the 14 Squadron Association which is full of detail and illustrated with a good selection of photographs and maps and is recommended to all with an interest in RAF squadron histories. -Bookshelf The good news is that it is a well-written and, within the constraints imposed by its page count, comprehensive narrative account of the history...It is admirably detailed. - Royal Air Force Historical Society Journal Napier's book is a model of what a squadron history should be. Well illustrated chapters fully describes the unit's activities not only through the First and Second World Wars, but also the inter-war years when it flew operations in Transjordan and Palestine. Napier's well-written text is complemented by extensive footnotes and appendices, including a very useful list of references and all the aircraft flown during the period covered. This excellent book will appeal to former squadron members, historians and modellers alike. Britain At War

About this edition

• Publisher: Pen and Sword Aviation
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1781590591
• ISBN 13: 9781781590591
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 384