Page 93 - History of War - Issue 25-16

REVIEWS

A HISTORY OF THE ROYAL NAVY: E

Writer: Daniel Owen Spence Publisher: IB Tauris Price: £20 Release
ACONCISESUMMARYOFTHEROYALNAVYANDITSROLEINBRITAIN’SFORMERDOMINA

For centuries, the might of the Royal Navy wealth they hoped to accrue could only be
enabled Britain to rule the waves and conquer achieved through the prowess of a vast navy,
vast swathes of the globe. However, it was so a l eet in turn sustained by the wealth of these
much more than an invasion leet. private interests and the riches it discovered
Owen Spence triumphantly explores how in these new territories. The result of this rapid
the most important arm of the largest empire expansion, expedited during the era of Pax
in history contributed to the spreading of the Britannica following the defeat of Napoleonic
values, laws and even sports of this small but France in 1815, inspired a wealth of patriotic
ambitious island. poetry, artwork and books. This fervour also
The cultural impact of the Royal Navy, both spread abroad as colonial subjects judged
abroad and at home, is as fascinating as the themselves by their “Britishness”.
many battles it waged to secure Britain’s status However, this faded through time as colonies
as a global power. Spence recounts both with such as India began to seek independence
equal aplomb. in the late 1940s, having rallied to Britain’s
Francis Drake’s famous expeditions of the call during World War II. Spence masterfully
16th century preceded the real expansion of concludes his work by emphasising the intrinsic
the empire in the 1700s as private companies link between the Royal Navy’s decline and the
sought to establish new trade abroad. The fading of Britain’s global inl uence.

“THE CULTURAL IMPACT OF THE ROYAL NAVY, BOTH ABROAD AND
AT HOME, IS AS FASCINATING AS THE MANY BATTLES IT WAGED
TO SECURE BRITAIN’S STATUS AS A GLOBAL POWER”

SOVIET

AUTOGYR

Writer: Mikhail Maslov Publisher: Helion an 1929-1942
Price: £21.95 Released: Out Now
ANEXHAUSTIVEHISTORYOFTHEEARLYSOVIETHELICO

As the title may suggest, this immensely detailed exam
bizarre-looking autogyros created in the Soviet union b
World War II may only attract the attention of the most
of aviation. Divided into two parts, Maslov’s book spare
praising the men of TsAGI Institute responsible for the
and the numerous variations they created. From the ea
models to the irst prototypes of the A-7 two seater irs
(to which section two of the book is dedicated), the aut
lengths not to overlook a single machine.
Supported by ighter planes, but also equipped with
capabilities, the autogyros proved themselves to be a
particularly for spotting artillery, coming of age in the i
German invasion of Russia in June 1941.
An increase in the number of autogyro lying courses
hostilities is testament to the Russians’ faith in a cont
lay the foundations for the development of modern hel
While some of the text is so saturated in facts and m
top speeds to rotor diameters) as to make it an endura
the level of dedication that Maslov lavishes upon his su
Some beautiful illustrations and photographs of the
the autogyros themselves, occasionally in a state of ru
landing, add a welcome second dimension. After all, th

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