The Hawker Typhoon was designed to Air Ministry specification F.18/37 which sought to take advantage of the new generation of 2000hp engines and satisfy the latest requirements in armament. This major step up demanded a larger and more advanced airframe than that of the company’s then current Hurricane and by March 1938 work had commenced on the first two prototypes; one with the Napier Sabre, soon called ‘Typhoon’ and the other with a Rolls-Royce Vulture, later to be named the ‘Tornado’; this latter machine was the first to fly, on 6 October 1939. The Vulture did not give too many problems in the Hawker fighter but by the end of 1940 it was experiencing serious trouble with its installation in the Avro Manchester bomber, and as a result the project was abandoned. With the third engine (Bristol Centaurus) of the new generation still some way off, the Air Ministry had little option but to concentrate on the Typhoon, which had made its first flight on 24 February 1940. The new aircraft encountered teething problems and was also delayed by production priorities for other Hawker types during the Battle of Britain. During its early operational life the Typhoon had to overcome problems that threatened to end its service, but these were eventually remedied so that, by the last quarter of 1943, the Typhoon had become a reliable aircraft. Improvements included the introduction of the new single piece ‘blown’ hood, a four-bladed propeller and an enlarged tailplane, but there was no change in designation. When production ceased in November 1945, 3317 Typhoons had been built. At first pure fighters were produced, but, by the spring of 1943, only the fighter-bomber version was coming off the production line and by the end of the year all the Typhoon squadrons were undertaking some form of ground attack role. On the eve of D-Day the Typhoon had become the backbone of the 2TAF fighter-bomber force with no less than eighteen squadrons active. This book narrates the operational usage of the three RCAF squadrons, Nos. 438, 439 & 440. Illustrated with 48 photos and 9 colour plates.

Available as a paperpack version with ISBN 979-1096490-96-7

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PDF version is also available as 9791096490-97-4

(see below)

New file uploaded August 2026 – revised edition

The Spitfire Mk.IX is one of the best known versions of the Spitfire. However, it should never really have existed. Its creation can be attributed to the appearance of the Focke-Wulf Fw190 over western Europe at the end of 1941. Royal Air Force pilots were quick to state the Spitfire Mk.V, the frontline RAF fighter at the time in Great Britain, was outclassed in many aspects by the new German fighter. The RAF, therefore, had to urgently find a solution to improve the Spitfire and with a new Merlin engine, the Spitfire Mk IX was born. The Mk.IX was produced for almost three years and would become one of the main fighters and fighter-bombers of the RAF in Europe in 1944 and 1945. In total, during the Second World War more than 100 fighter units were totally or partially equipped with the Spitfire. Among them, there were four Auxiliary Air Force squadrons which flew the Mk IX with the Fighter Command or/and the 2 TAF (501, 504, 602 and 611) and a fifth in Italy (601). Illustrated with 45 photographs and 9 colour profiles.

Available as a paperpack version with ISBN 979-1096490-94-3

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Hawker had its roots in the aftermath of the First World War, which resulted in the bankruptcy of the Sopwith Aviation Company. The new team began to work on new models and during the 20s and the 30s, the company produced a few fighter aircraft which saw operational service with the RAF. Until Hawker designed the famous Hurricane, a few biplane fighters were put into service in the RAF, the Woodcock, the Fury, the Nimrod and the Demon of which the last three were still in service when war broke out even if it was not necessary in the fighter role. Over 100 photos and 9 colour profiles illustrate the book, a book which covers also the usage of the Fury by the SAAF which fought again the Italians in East Africa in 1940-1941 and the Demon by the RAAF.

Available as a paperback version as 979-1096490-92-9

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The Hawker Hurricane was the first of the modern fighter types to begin re-equipping the RAF in the 1930s. As the RAF was undergoing a massive expansion in the mid-thirties, the Hurricane, which performed well during its trials, was soon ordered in large numbers. In June 1936, the first order was placed for 600 aircraft. In November 1938, just after the Munich Crisis, another order was placed for 1000. When war broke out almost 500 Hurricanes had been delivered to Fighter Command and that number had reached 2300 one year later. The Hurricane remained the backbone of the RAF’s fighter force at least until 1942 in Europe, 1943 in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and 1944 in the Far East, when more modern types were introduced or became more plentiful. It remained in frontline inventory in the Middle and Far East until the very last days of the war. Indeed, while the Hurricane as a pure fighter was easily obsolete by that time, it proved to be a fine fighter-bomber. The Hurricane was involved in most of the first combats against the Luftwaffe over France and then over Britain. The basic model was continually improved and the Mk.II appeared in 1941. In 1940, American volunteers began to reach the UK to enlist in the RAF to fight against the Luftwaffe. Once trained they formed their own units, called the Eagle squadrons and in 1940-1941 three fighter squadrons were formed, Nos. 71, 121 and 133 equipped with Hurricanes…The Americans pilots would soon claim their first victories over the Luftwaffe. 30 photos, 5 profiles.

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PDF version is also available as 9791096490-91-2

The Spitfire Mk.IX is one of the best known versions of the Spitfire. However, it should never really have existed. Its creation can be attributed to the appearance of the Focke-Wulf Fw190 over western Europe at the end of 1941. Royal Air Force pilots were quick to state the Spitfire Mk.V, the frontline RAF fighter at the time in Great Britain, was outclassed in many aspects by the new German fighter. The RAF, therefore, had to urgently find a solution to improve the Spitfire and with a new Merlin engine, the Spitfire Mk IX was born. The Mk.IX was produced for almost three years and would become one of the main fighters and fighter-bombers of the RAF in Europe in 1944 and 1945. In total, during the Second World War more than 100 fighter units were totally or partially equipped with the Spitfire. Ten 2TAF fighter squadrons of the RCAF flew the type. That includes three squadrons (441, 442 and 443) which were transferred in December 1943 from Canada to the UK to reinforce the RCAF Overseas. About 50 photographs, 10 colour profiles.

Available as a paperpack version with ISBN 979-1096490-88-2

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PDF version is also available as 9791096490-89-9

REVISED APRIL 2024 (bios added)

In the years following the end of WW1, the RAF produced a variety of specifications for long-range reconnaissance flying boats. During the thirties, some types were put into service, the Blackburn Iris, the Blackburn Perth and the Short Rangoon which never gave full satisfaction until the Short Singapore came up. The Short Singapore was built in significant numbers and was still in service when WW2 broke out. The Singapore remained in service until the end of 1941 with the RAF and the last ones were passed on to the RNZAF which used them up to the spring of 1943. This book covers the operational usage of these four biplane flying boats illustrated with 50 photos and 12 colour profiles.

Available as a paper version with ISBN 979-1096490-86-8

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PDF version is also available as 9791096490-85-1

The Hawker Tempest was derived from the Hawker Typhoon. The new design was tested with various engines and eventually the Mk V was the first to enter service making its operational debut in January 1944 with the ADGB. The Tempest participated actively to the V-1 hunt during the summer of 1944, then the Tempest was sent to the Continent to join the 2TAF.
During the war eight fighter squadrons became operational on Tempest including 486 (NZ) Squadron, the first to convert but also the only non-British unit to fly it. The book covers the operational usage of this squadron. Close to 50 photos illustrate the book alongside eleven colour profiles and one colour plate.

REVISED JULY 2024

Available as a paperpack version with ISBN 979-1096490-84-4

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PDF version is available as 979-1096490-85-1

The Spitfire was designed as a short-range interceptor which first flew on 5 March 1936 and was soon ordered in large quantities.The first production Spitfire came off the assembly line in mid-1938 and by the outbreak of war over 300 have been delivered to the RAF and ten squadrons already operational. During the Phoney War, the Spitfire was not deployed on the Continent and remained based on its British stations to defend the country while other squadrons were converted. It is in this role the Spitfire claimed its first victories over the Luftwaffe. When the military situation obliged the British to evacuate the continental Europe via Dunkirk, the Spitfire squadrons were called to cover the withdrawal, a period during which the type performed.
This chapter covers the operational usage of the Auxiliary squadrons (602, 603, 603, 609, 610, 611 and 616) between 1 September 1939 and 30 June 1940. Over 40 photographs and 8 colour plates illustrate the book.

(see SQUADRONS 62 for the Regular squadrons)

updated November 2023

Profiles:

K9962/LO-A – 602 Sqn (S/L AD Furquhar)

N3105/XT-P – 603 Sqn

L1068/PR-B – 609 Sqn

L1000/DW-M – 610 Sqn

R6595/DW-O – 610 Sqn

K9999/FY-D – 611 Sqn

L1055/QJ-U – 616 Sqn

Available as a paperpack version with ISBN 979-1096490-82-0

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PDF version is available as 979-1096490-83-7

new PDF uploaded November 2023

The Spitfire XIV was the logical development of the Spitfire Mk XII (see SQUADRONS! 5). The Mk.XIV differed from the Mk.XII in that the longer, two-stage supercharged Griffon 65 was mounted further forward. A new five-bladed Rotol propeller was used and was the most obvious visual difference compared to earlier marks. The first batch of aircraft to fly with the Griffon 60 series engines were six converted Mk.VIIIs . The first one of these was flown on 20 January 1943, with production ordered following a series of trials. The first aircraft left the production line in October 1943 following the amendment of existing Spitfire contracts. The XIV was initially seen as an interim design pending the Spitfire Mk.XVIII’s availability. Delays with the XVIII meant the XIV became one of the major Spitfire fighter variants and a valuable asset for the RAF during the final year of the war. The XIV was built as a fighter, but was also developed for fighter-reconnaissance (FR) to replace the effective, but ageing, Mustang in the Tac/R role. During the war only a limited number of squadrons were equipped with the type and among them, Nos. 41, 91, 130, 610 Sqns. This book covers the operational usage of the Spitfire XIV by these four fighter squadrons, as well the RAF tactical reconnaissance units (Nos. 2 and 268) which became operational before the end of the war in Europe. A short chapter covers also the arrival of the Spitfire XIV in the Far East. This book is illustrated with about 75 photos and ten colour profiles.

Profiles:

NH745/EB-V (S/L D.I. Benham)

MV260/EB-P (F/L A.O. Gaze – Australia)

NH654/DL-F (Lt H. de Bordas – France)

RB188/DL-K 

RM738/AP-A (S/L P.V.K. Tripe – Canada)

RB159/DW-D (S/L R.A. Newberry)

MV257/JEJ (G/C JE. Johnson)

TZ136/XC-P (S/L J.F. Roberts)

RN133/FF-B (S/L K.L. Charney)

RN135/YB-A (S/L J.H. Lacey)

Paperback version is available with ISBN 979-1096490-80-6

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PDF version is available as 979-1096490-81-3

(new PDF uploaded August 2023)

The Westland Whirlwind belongs to that category of aircraft which entered production but failed to live up to their designers’ expectations. Its unreliable engines can be seen as a major reason for this but it only serves to hide other serious problems. Indeed, even with better engines the results would probably have been the same, as the concept of a twin-engined fighter aircraft capable of meeting single-engined fighters escorting bombers formations on an equal footing was fallacious, as combat in WW2 was soon to prove. Only two squadrons flew the Whirlwind, Nos. 137 and 263 Squadrons.
This book is a deeply revised edition of Allied Wings No. 4 published in 2013, with the text largely enhanced and new photographs added. In all 60 photos and 12 colour profiles.

available as a paperback version with ISBN 979-1096490-78-3