This is a book about which I'd heard, but never seen. As it is into its 20th edition, I must say that it has to be a most popular one.

As a bit of a background. In the UK and other places in the world, 'spotting' is a huge hobby and there are legions of people who spend their time trying to add to their visual collection of whatever the subject might be. It could be birds, it could be trains or, in this case, it could be aircraft. Aircraft that are no longer in flying condition as the case is here.

Wrecks & Relics is the work of Ken Ellis and concentrates on the British Isles, as that seems to be where the hobby is the most popular. The book covers preserved, instructional and derelict airframes and is listed according to the county in the UK and Ireland where the airframe is located. Though you might think that these airframes would be somewhat static, the location and condition of these often changes. Aircraft are moved to new locales, older planes are put out of service or cut up for scrap, or placed in areas of honor atop a pole or in a museum.

Keeping track of all this isn't the easiest thing and through a legion of helpful followers, the author is able to provide the most up-to-date listing of what is where.

Each airframe has all of the known data about it listed on each page and beside it is a small box so that the enthusiast can check off having seen or visited the airframe in question. I did notice that there tends to be quite a few cockpit sections scattered about the UK and though not complete aircraft, these are also included as a part of the UK's aviation heritage.

In with the 320 pages of data are over 96 color photos of some of the subjects in question. The listing is not just limited to military aircraft, but civil ones as well, making for a most comprehensive reference. It is a book that quickly sells out and is a must for the enthusiast.

June 2007

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