Page 89 - All About History - Issue 34-16

Reviews

ZEMKE’S WOLFPACK

56 reasons for the Luftwaffe to fear the RAF

Author Nigel Julian and Peter Randall Publisher Fighting High Publishing
Price £25 Released Out now

he United States put its P-47 Thunderbolt had entered
latest, abortive test of the service and the 56th, as a part
trillion-dollar F-35 stealth of the RAF, were a fighter unit
fighter through its paces in to be feared by the Germans.
TJanuary 2015, which led to Led by Hubert Zemke, it played
the test pilot penning a damning to the strengths of the large
five-page brief of its capabilities. It and heavily armed P-47s with
seems that further development three-wave tactics that divided
and improvement is required in and conquered the enemy in
the future of this bleeding edge air-to-air combat, and chalked up
aircraft, but at least they’re in good hundreds of kills by the end of
hands. The renowned 56th Fighter World War II.
Wing that trains F-35 pilots has With a foreword by the son of
its origins in World War II, in the the eponymous colonel himself,
Royal Air Force, at a time when Zemke’s Wolfpack charts the
the United States had no real air day-to-day of the 56th in more
force to speak of, just a group of than 400 captioned photographs
flying enthusiasts and some ageing drawn from archives and
hardware. In 1943, the Royal Air rare personal collections. The
Force was still the frontline weapon photographs are as fascinating
to be feared by the Luftwaffe, but as the stories of the ground crew,
by then the Americans and the trainers and pilots are unique.

EAUTIFUL IDIOTS AND

RILLIANT LUNATICS

SIDEWAYS LOOK AT TWENTIETH-CENTURY LONDON
ne city, one century – endless fun

uthor Rob Baker Publisher Amberley Price £14.99 Released Out now

s we enter a new year, there’s always a of Britain or the Treaty of Versailles. Instead he
period of reflection. It’s safe to say that in explores the rich history of 20th-century London
the mere 16 years of this century we’ve through an eclectic mix of sensation, scandal and
experienced an incredible amount of high society. He favours characters over heroes,
innovation and progress, especially in and provides a highly entertaining collection, from
ence and technology. However, it’s nothing the Kray twins and their gangster paradise to the
mpared to the rollercoaster ride that was the 1970 Miss World Competition and its feminist
h century, one that saw two world wars, the protesters. The book is most appealing through its
men’s vote, the invention of the internet and diversity, as it covers everything from flappers and
nfortunately – Vanilla Ice. In this book, Rob swing dancers, suffragettes and politicians to glam
ker explores its most poignant events, which rockers and hippies.
monstrated the century’s cultural shifts and The combination of Baker’s selection of events
gress in society. He does so through focusing and his entertaining voice makes for a glamorous
the cultural hub stood at the centre of the account of the 20th century that will capture the
h-century revolution: London. attention of those not accustomed to nonfiction,
n the highlights taken from his blog ‘Another while providing enough context and background
kel in the Machine’ used to summarise the information to keep those with an academic
h century, Baker doesn’t bother with the Battle interest in 20th-century history interested.
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