tulikomento
Supreme Leader
Vaihteeksi ilmailukirjallisuutta. FB-kaverini David Gledhill laati kyseisen arvostelun. David on eläkkeellä oleva entinen RAF:n lentoupseeri (F-4 Phantom & Tornado F3), joten tietänee mistä puhuu.
Thinking The Unthinkable by Nigel Walpole.
This 230 word paperback came with a magnificent inset, signed by many of the contributors. Nicely produced, well structured and well written, the book is compelling reading, as one would expect from an author of Nigel Walpole's stature.
Starting with my dislikes which were few. The fascinating images are monochrome and some colour would have been a bonus. The pictures are numerous but quite small. I can only assume this was a publishing constraint because they deserved to be larger. This is quandary as none are worthy of omission. Nevertheless, the content is superb and would have been essential viewing in a Cold War intelligence vault.
The book begins with an explanation of the operational context before looking at the squadrons, air defence, command and control, strike attack and finishing with military realities. The emphasis is a little more with the East German Air Force than with NATO, but I suspect that is what most western readers would wish. The insights into how the EGAF trained and flew is fascinating and benefits from many firsthand recollections. It spans the years from immediately after WW2 to the fall of "The Wall".
For the era in which I served in Germany, it reinforced my own view of how we in NATO would have fared and the quality and capabilities we would have faced; reassuringly so. Having researched many of the topics myself, I can vouch for the accuracy and credibility of the descriptions.
The author, in his Preface says that the book is "no literary gem, nor is it an intellectual polemic on the Cold War". I would disagree. It is an authoritative work that examines, in some detail, the strengths and weaknesses of both air forces. It is undoubtedly a worthy addition to any bookshelf and a must for those interested in the Cold War.
Thinking The Unthinkable by Nigel Walpole.
This 230 word paperback came with a magnificent inset, signed by many of the contributors. Nicely produced, well structured and well written, the book is compelling reading, as one would expect from an author of Nigel Walpole's stature.
Starting with my dislikes which were few. The fascinating images are monochrome and some colour would have been a bonus. The pictures are numerous but quite small. I can only assume this was a publishing constraint because they deserved to be larger. This is quandary as none are worthy of omission. Nevertheless, the content is superb and would have been essential viewing in a Cold War intelligence vault.
The book begins with an explanation of the operational context before looking at the squadrons, air defence, command and control, strike attack and finishing with military realities. The emphasis is a little more with the East German Air Force than with NATO, but I suspect that is what most western readers would wish. The insights into how the EGAF trained and flew is fascinating and benefits from many firsthand recollections. It spans the years from immediately after WW2 to the fall of "The Wall".
For the era in which I served in Germany, it reinforced my own view of how we in NATO would have fared and the quality and capabilities we would have faced; reassuringly so. Having researched many of the topics myself, I can vouch for the accuracy and credibility of the descriptions.
The author, in his Preface says that the book is "no literary gem, nor is it an intellectual polemic on the Cold War". I would disagree. It is an authoritative work that examines, in some detail, the strengths and weaknesses of both air forces. It is undoubtedly a worthy addition to any bookshelf and a must for those interested in the Cold War.
