UK Airfields of the Cold War - Philip Birtles

UK Airfields of the Cold War by Philip Birtles
Hardcover: 160 pages
Publisher: Midland Publishing (17 May 2012)
Language English
ISBN-10: 1857803469
ISBN-13: 978-1857803464

Written by an accomplished military aviation author, this new study is the result of many years of research, and will be essential reading for all historians of the period and keen aviation enthusiasts. There is growing interest today in the Cold War era in British history. This new book provides a new study of Cold War airfields that will be of interest to all those who study airfield history and archaeology. This new title provides a background to the Cold War airfields in Britain. Phillip Birtles gives readers an airfield by airfield coverage of those in operation from the start of the Cold War during the Berlin Air Lift in the late 1940s to the end of the Cold War with the fall of the Berlin Wall at the end of the 1980s. The book covers both RAF/FAA and USAF airfields in Britain, and charts the changes that took place at these airfields in this period including the development of aircraft from the first postwar jet aircraft to aircraft types that are still flying today. Alongside descriptive text outlining each airfield, the units and aircraft operating from that airfield and its role in the Cold War are also explained in great detail. Descriptive text is complemented by almost 200 contemporary photographs, colour and black and white, maps and airfield plans.

A well-known author of coffee-table books. It will be interesting to see if this book brings anything new to the table. Under its old management, the publisher would have ensured an excellent book. However, I will reserve judgement now that Midland is only an imprint of Ian Allan. I wonder if they are doing a book on Railways of the Cold War?

It is to be hoped that it's more accurate than the author's previous 1999 '"World War 2 Airfields' (Which should have been retitled 'Some of World War 2's Airfields'). It covers the author's selection of just 478 sites - e.g. Catfoss, Dumfries, Evanton, Marston Moor, Peplow, Riccall and Seighford all had significant histories and current remains, but were omitted.) That volume abounded with errors including incorrect building and hangar designations, closure dates, and NGRs (Did you know that Grangemouth, Shipdham and Shepherd's Grove are in the North Sea ?).

Yep I agree, his books can be generalistic, it's definitely time for dedicated airfield historians to start writing these books.

WJT;95822 wrote:

A well-known author of coffee-table books.

last book of his i brought i used as a mat fot the coffee cups, still got the coffee stains on!!! Please let this one be better and at least have some element of reseach in it.......

But it's essential reading......

I note that the description of his 'Battle of Britain Airfields' states:

A comprehensive book examining every aspect of the airfields used during the Battle of Britain.

That is indeed some claim!