AUGUST 2010 - AVAILABLE NOW
Welcome to Aircraft — the home of classic aviation.
With a superb new look, more pages than ever, 13 exciting issues a year and the work of the best writers and photographers in the business, Aircraft is the magazine for the true aviation aficionado. Continuing the rich history of Aircraft Illustrated, established over 40 years ago, Aircraft offers a contemporary take on the greatest years of aviation, the glory days of charismatic aircraft. From the most famous historic airliners to the most exciting military jets of all time, our coverage is second to none.
CONTRIBUTORS TO THE MAGAZINE - Denis J. Calvert
One of Aircraft's longer-serving contributors, Denis became one of the two founding fathers of Inter-Air Press and started writing for the magazine in 1972. The fact of having been born at Farnborough just eight days after Chuck Yeager went supersonic in the Bell X-1 may, or, of course, may not, have had an effect on his lifelong interest in British military aviation. Now resident in East Anglia, Denis also contributes to the magazine's monthly book reviews.
BOOK OF THE MONTH - English Electric Lightning
To say he got it wrong is to put it mildly. Defence Minister Duncan Sandys announced in the House on 4 April 1957 that the development of manned fighter aircraft for the RAF was to cease forthwith in favour of surface-to-air missiles. At a stroke, a generation of promising British supersonic fighter projects was axed. Only English Electric's P1 (it had yet to be christened Lightning) survived, probably because a development batch of 20 aircraft was already on order. In retrospect, Sandys' decision seems short-sighted and even crass yet, at the time, few commentators were prepared to stand up and tell him that he was talking out of his afterburner.
Editor's Blog - Latest Post
UPCOMING AIRSHOWS IN AUGUST
01 East Kirkby, Lincs: RAF Benevolent Fund 90th Anniversary Airshow (Tel: 01790 763207 | web: www.lincsaviation.co.uk)
01-02 Stoke Golding, Leics: Stoke Golding Stakeout (Tel: 01827 712706 | web: www.flysga.co.uk)
02 Elvington, N Yorks: Yorkshire Air Museum Thunder Day (Tel: 01904 608595 | web: www.yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk)
02 Old Warden, Beds: Shuttleworth Collection Military Pageant Air Show (Tel: 01767 627927 | web: www.shuttleworth.org)
06-09 Ashton Court, Bristol, Avon: Bristol International Balloon Fiesta (Tel: 0117 953 5884 | web: www.bristolfiesta.co.uk)
08-09 Damyns Hall, Essex: Military and Flying Machines (Tel: 01702 523457 | web: www.mvt-essex.org.uk)
SPECIAL ONLINE REPORTS
Commemorating the Berlin Airlift, 60 years on — a special Aircraft online report
The Berlin Airlift was launched after the Soviets progressively cut off water, rail and road links with the Western sectors of the city, leaving the 2.2 million citizens with a rapidly dwindling stock of foodstuffs and other essentials...(Read More)
