Graham Simons: 16 books

This new volume from the respected and well-regarded aviation historian and author Graham Simons is sure to appeal to all aviation enthusiasts, including as it does a wide array of historical sources and archival information drawn together into one consolidated volume – the closest to a definitive...

Every 7 minutes, an A380 takes off or lands somewhere in the world...

The Airbus was initially designed and developed in order to provide a contender to the Boeing's growing monopoly of the skies in the biggest large-aircraft market in the world. Ambitious in design, the undertaking seemed mammoth....

The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was almost certainly the most versatile Second World War Bomber. Apart from its bombing role in all theaters of operation, the B-24 hauled fuel to France during the push towards Germany, carried troops, fought U-boats in the Atlantic and, probably most important of...

Jack Northrop’s flying wings - or to give them their more correct title, all wing aircraft - were some of the most spectacular, graceful and elegant flying machines ever to grace the skies. A design as aeronautically pure as a flying wing had huge advantages over conventional aircraft design. This...

This book is for the passengers and aviation buffs who use London’s main airports. It includes a brief history, plans and photographs for each of the five airports, together with directions and information about gates, security, passport control, shopping, restaurants, car parks and other transport...

Captain Sir Geoffrey de Havilland was one of the world’s true pioneers of powered flight, a man as important to Britain in aviation terms as the Wright brothers were to America. From humble beginnings, he went on to develop some of the finest aircraft to see action during the First World War, before...

There has been bookshelf after bookshelf of books compiled, written and published about British aircraft, the Royal Air Force and the activities of its pilots during World War Two. Tales of derring do, bravery and gallantry quite rightly litter the bookshelves and libraries, but little has appeared...

Without doubt Boeing Flying Fortress B-17F 41-42285 Memphis Belle and her crew generate an image that is an all-American icon. Indeed, it has been claimed that the Memphis Belle is in the top five of the most famous American aircraft of all time. In September, 1942, a new Flying Fortress was delivered...

The Boeing 707 family - that includes the forerunner Model 367-80, the KC-135 series of military transports and the slightly smaller Model 720 - was the pioneer of the sweptback wing, incorporating podded engines borrowed from the B-47 military bomber. It was the aircraft that many regard as the design...

A fascinating overview of the Allies’ post-WWII program to gain access to advanced Nazi war machines and the technology they ultimately recovered.   Prior to the Allied D-Day assault on Normandy, France, rumors had already been circulating that high-tech Nazi super-weapons (wunderwaffe) had reached...

It's impossible to tell the story of Court Line without telling that of Autair, founded by helicopter pioneer William 'Bill' Armstrong. Autair itself was an offshoot of his global helicopter operation, but Bill also had his finger in many aviation 'pies' including a multitude of operations in Africa,...

During the history of aviation there have been very few aircraft that have achieved immediate success when entering front-line service. The de Havilland Mosquito was one such aircraft. It was not designed to an RAF requirement, but was the result of an initiative of the designers and builders to utilize...

During the 1950s, at the time Elvis Presley was rocking the world with Hound Dog and the USA was aiming to become the world’s only superpower, plans were being drawn at North American Aviation in Southern California for an incredible Mach-3 strategic bomber. The concept was born as a result of General...

An in-depth look at the political machinations involving the Concorde conspiracy, with inside information from CIA records and JFK and LBJ Presidential libraries  The story of Concorde and the American Supersonic Transport (SST) project is one of spies, lies, arrogance, deceit, and presidential...