Midland describes this edition as a companion to the author's earlier book on Farnborough, but this time, it concentrates on the programs of the Fleet Air Arm vice the RAF as in the earlier volume. Also like the earlier volume, it starts at the earliest days of aviation and continues right up to the present, though FAA testing is no longer performed at Farnborough, but at RAE Bedford.

It is a surprise to those newly introduced to the subject of naval aviation, just how many innovations were a result of FAA requirements. The use of tail hooks, the catapult (both open and tracked), and the carrier landing fresnel lens system are just a few of the items originally developed by the British. Though many of these were adapted or improved to meet US and other nation's requirements, the main work was pretty well British.

The book is extremely detailed when it comes to the various sections. This is not your average large print, light reading volume and as such, requires a rather high level of interest in the subject. It starts around WWI as interest in aviation and how it can be adapted to ships gets underway. First with simple ramps for take-off and later as the thought of assisted launch gains headway. There is a great deal of space provided in the book on the development of ship board catapult systems, with the British using a considerable variety of designs. Each are covered in some detail.

 Then, of course, comes work into getting the plane back on board and it is realized that this takes a bit more room. Various early designs are discussed until the now standard tail hook and arresting wire system is developed. As there is more to arresting gear than just a cable, a look at this important aspect of naval aviation is also fully discussed. Along with this is the development of crash barriers for those who happen to miss all those wires or have equipment failure. The book also covers what the British call accelerators, which are what most call catapults, those devices built within the decks of aircraft carriers to launch planes into the air. Along with this are the various bits and pieces needed to attach to aircraft to not only get them airborne, but also to hold them back until the proper launch parameters have been met.

To improve gunnery skills against incoming aircraft, there was interest in pilotless aircraft, mostly for use as drone targets and that is also covered in some detail as well. The navalization of a number of aircraft types is discussed along these lines as well.

All through this the facilities at Farnborough are built and developed to meet the changing needs of the services. The author uses a superb collection of period photographs of not only the facilities, but also of the men who ran them and the projects that were underway at different times of the FAA's use of the sites.

This all makes for a most imposing volume that is absolutely jam packed with information and the fascinating development of these various systems. As I mentioned, it is not light reading but an in-depth look at what makes naval aviation possible today.

March 2009

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