Our first virtual coffee break!

Peter came up with this idea to keep people interested between virtual meetings. Peter has been reading and interesting book and has asked that it be publicised to all the members. Here we go:

The Kamikaze Hunters by Will Airedale.

This is a very exciting read revealing the involvement of the British Pacific Fleet operating along side the Americans in some of most fierce operations of the Pacific War - a subject that may not be known to many enthusiasts and modellers alike. Giving details of the the training of Fleet Air Arm pilots in the USA and then forming air groups on the British carriers and becoming part of task force 56, Much of the operations were against heavily defended ground targets detailing the excitement and action involved in such operations as well as some mention of the humour that came to the fore from time to time.

For the modeller this is a appetite wetter for modelling British Avengers known in the Fleet Air Arm as Tarpons and Corsairs all made in kit form by Hasegawa. All in all a good read in lock down times. 

This reminded me of a book I read a few years ago by one of my favourite authors from my youth. I am referring to John Winton. He wrote some very funny books about the Royal Navy but two books stick in my mind - one is HMS Leviathan - The aircraft carrier Leviathan is the biggest, most powerful vessel the British Navy has ever commissioned. The showpiece of the navy, however, has limped from one crisis to another, from technical problems to dissent among her massive crew. Commander Bob Markready vows to whip it into shape. - a good read if you can get it - try Abe Books. However, the book that I am referring to with relevance to Peter's book is "Aircraft Carrier". This is a fictional story about activities around the Sakishima Gunto (south of Okinawa) during the last few days of the war.

April 1945. High in the sky above the Sakishima Gunto - the chain of Japanese-held islands running between Formosa and Okinawa- a flight of Corsair fighters from a British aircraft carrier has destroyed a flight of Japanese Nakajima fighters. This story captures the intensity of the last few months of the war in the Pacific. For RNVR lieutenant-commander and squadron leader known as Skipper, there is a personal problem to be decided. His captain has suggested he accept a permanent commission in the Royal Navy after the war is over. But at home in Wiltshire his father is eagerly waiting for his only son to come home from the wars.

Well, I hope that you enjoyed our little break. If any one has an idea for the next one, please contact me