Aviation History Articles
Researched articles by Charles E. MacKay, drawn from his published books on Scottish and military aviation history.
- Beardmore Aviation: The Scottish Industrial Giant That Built Airships, Carriers and Aero-Engines
How William Beardmore and Co built HMS Argus, the R34 airship, the Tornado engine behind R101 and more aircraft at Dalmuir, Scotland, from 1913 to 1930.
Related book: Beardmore Aviation: The Story of a Scottish Industrial Giant's Aviation Activities - £12.93
- The Clydeside Aviation Revolution: How Glasgow's Shipyards Built Aircraft in the Great War
How Glasgow Clydeside shipyards built aircraft, airships and aero engines in the Great War: Beardmore, Weir, Denny, the R34 and Red Clydeside, fully sourced.
Related book: Clydeside Aviation: Volume One The Great War - £12.89
- German Aircraft of the Great War 1914-1918: From the Fokker Eindecker to the Albatros and the Fokker D.VII
How German Great War aircraft evolved from the Fokker Eindecker to the Albatros fighters and the Fokker D.VII, 1914-1918, by Charles E. MacKay.
Related book: German Aircraft in the Great War - £12.89
- British Aircraft of the Great War: The RFC, RNAS and the Fighters of 1914-1918
How Britain built its Great War air arm: RFC and RNAS fighters, bombers, seaplanes and flying boats of 1914-1918, and the procurement system that supplied them.
Related book: British Aircraft of the Great War: Fighters Bombers Seaplanes Trainers Flying Boats - £12.93
- Messerschmitt Me 262: The First Operational Jet Fighter, 1944-1945
The Messerschmitt Me 262 was the first operational jet fighter, entering Luftwaffe service in 1944. Development, combat record, and why it came too late.
Related book: This was the Enemy: The Luftwaffe 1945 - £12.89
- The British Nuclear Deterrent in the Jet Age: V-Bombers and the Cold War
How Britain built its Cold War nuclear deterrent: V-bombers, German rocket origins, Blue Steel, Polaris and Thor. Charles E. MacKay archival aviation history.
Related book: Sonic to Standoff: The Evolution of the British Nuclear Deterrent - £13.96
- North American F-86 Sabre: The RAF's Cold War Swept-Wing Fighter
How the Canadair-built F-86 Sabre armed RAF squadrons in 1950s NATO Germany. Korea, MiG Alley and the Bechers Brook ferry flights explained.
Related book: Sabres from the North: Mutual aid during the Cold War - £12.94
- The Luftwaffe in 1945: Jets, Fuel, Pilots and the Final Collapse
How the Luftwaffe collapsed in its final year: Me 262 jets grounded for fuel, synthetic oil output destroyed, and a pilot force gutted by undertraining.
Related book: This was the Enemy: The Luftwaffe 1945 - £12.89
- Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown: Test Pilot, Carrier Landings and the Records That Still Stand
Captain Eric Winkle Brown flew 487 aircraft types and logged 2,407 carrier landings. Inside his records, the first jet deck landing and the steam catapult.
Related book: Captain of the Clouds: A tribute to Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown - £7.54
- Arado Ar 234 Blitz: The World's First Operational Jet Bomber and Reconnaissance Aircraft
The Arado Ar 234 Blitz was the first operational jet bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. Its design, the Normandy sortie of 2 August 1944, and Remagen.
Related book: This Was the Enemy Volume Two: Aeroplanes, Armament, Bombs, Downfall - £12.89
- Scottish Aviation History Books: A Reader's Guide to Clydeside, Beardmore and HMS Argus
A reader's guide to Scottish aviation history books on Clydeside, Beardmore, HMS Argus, airships and early aircraft production.
Related book: Beardmore Aviation: The Story of a Scottish Industrial Giant's Aviation Activities - £12.93
- Luftwaffe History Books: A Reader's Guide to German Aircraft, Jets and Industry, 1914-1945
A reader's guide to Luftwaffe history books on German aircraft, jets, procurement, armament and the collapse of the aircraft industry.
Related book: This Was the Enemy Volume Two: Aeroplanes, Armament, Bombs, Downfall - £12.89
- HMS Argus: Beardmore's Flat-Deck Aircraft Carrier and the Making of Naval Aviation
A guide to HMS Argus: her Dalmuir conversion from Conte Rosso, early deck flying, wartime service, and the 175-page illustrated Charles E. MacKay study.
Related book: Beardmore Built HMS Argus 1914 to 1947: The World's First Flat-Top Aircraft Carrier - £12.93
- Adolf Rohrbach's Metal Aeroplanes: A Guide to the Pioneer, His Designs and the Beardmore Connection
A guide to Adolf Rohrbach's all-metal aircraft, the Roland, Zeppelin Staaken and the Rohrbach-Beardmore connection, based on Charles E. MacKay's research.
Related book: Rohrbach Metall-Flugzeugbau GmbH Adolf Rohrbach's Metal Aeroplanes - £12.89
- Clydeside Aviation 1919-1939: Renfrew, 602 Squadron and Scotland's Early Helicopters
A guide to Clydeside aviation between the wars: Renfrew airlines, 602 Squadron, Beardmore and Weir helicopter work, Abbotsinch and 1939 production.
Related book: Clydeside Aviation Volume Two Between the Wars - £12.89