Here is a selection of books on various aspects of both military & civil aviation around Orkney & Shetland, all well worth a read,some available through the Orcadian Bookshop in Kirkwall though one or two are out of print so finding them will most likely be through internet sites such as Amazon or ebay. For the two TAGs books can we suggest you contact the TAGs Association (See link at bottom of page) as obtaining copies elsewhere may prove difficult.
British Airships 1905-30 Ian Castle & Tony Bryan
SKY OVER SCAPA by Gregor Lamb.
.A well researched book with great insight into civil aviation around Orkney from the pioneers on the 1930s to present day. Published in paperback. with photos throughout.
AIRFIELD FOCUS - No.13 Sullom voe & Scatsta. by Peter Ward.
Great little book on airfield & seaplane bases in the Shetland Isles, published in paperback with photos & maps throughout.
HELL ON HIGH GROUND Vol 2 by David W.Earl.
The book covers stories behind 110 crash sites throughout the UK, and includes accounts of all four allied aircraft crashes on Hoy,Orkney and the Catalina on Yell. Softback cover with photos thoughout.
Touch And Go - Edited by Robert G.Fletcher.
The title of the book derives from the ups & downs of TAGs or Telegraphist Air Gunners of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, and the this great work includes annecdotes from the men who served as TAGs in WW2, stories on some of them who flew from airfields in Orkney. Paperback published by the TAGs Association but can possibly found on the internet sites.
TELEGRAPHIST AIR GUNNER - By Ken Sims.
A great account of one mans life in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, again with details on time spent serving at Hatston in Orkney. Paperback with selected photos.
THE FLIGHT OF THE STARLING by Iain Hutchison.
The story of Eric Starling one of the pioneers of Scottish aviation, with many refrences to flying around the North Isles. Paperback with photos throughout.
WINGS OVER WESTRAY - By Jack Scott.
A great biographical aviation yarn on how Jack Scott who was just 3 years from reaching the compulsary retirement age for flying in the UK, got his civil pilots licence and took to the skies from his home in Westray,Orkney. A great little book full of inspiration and humour. Published in paperback with photos thoughout.
ORKNEY COAST BATTERIES 1914-1956 By Jeff Dorman.
A very informative self publication with detailed info on coastal armaments,buildings and what remmains today at sites, with grid refs,drawings,B/W photos and diagrams throughout.
Published in rungbound paperback. 56 pages. available through the Orcadian bookshop.
Orkney by Air
by Guy Warnerb
The first most definative work on aviation around Orkney in WWII both in RAF & Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, published in hardback with photos throughout and aircraft loss and on charge with squadrons tables in an appendix
Special offer for A.R.G.O.S members £10 + £1 p&p
Air Road to the Isles
Captain E E Fresson pioneered air services in the north of Scotland, including the first regular domestic air mail service. His memoirs, which include his earlier years in China building aircraft and as a WWI pilot in the Royal Flying Corps, were first published over forty years ago.However, this new edition, compiled from Fresson's original manuscript and including material that was omitted from the original volume, is published at the modest sum of £24.95 but is offered here at a special price of a mere £18.00 plus p & p of £4.80 (Total £22.80) for A.R.G.O.S members
The new edition is a high quality hardback book with black & white and colour photographs.
Air Road to the Isles by Captain E E Fresson
488 pages, 130 images, six maps
Hardback. Cover price £24.95. ISBN 9780951895894
by Captain Alan Whitfield
It is our pleasure to announce the publication of Island Pilot by Captain Alan Whitfield.
Alan Whitfield opened up airstrips and provided the first regular air services to the offshore islands of
Shetland from 1969. As a result of his pioneering, islands such as Fair Isle, Fetlar, Foula, Out Skerries,
Papa Stour, Unst and Whalsay received their first regular air services. It was a service
maintained by Loganair for the next thirty-seven years when it was handed over to another operator.
Alan was there to see this momentous event in the story of the service that had been his creation.
Island Pilot was first published in 1995. That first edition quickly went out of print. Now Alan
has been persuaded to expand the original story to tell of his early flying in Canada, Cumbria,
and with Perthshire-based Strathair. He tells of his flying in the Western Isles and other parts of
Scotland after his decade in Shetland. He describes the ferrying of a Twin Otter across the frozen
wastes of Canada to Glasgow. And he revisits Shetland with Loganair upon the culmination, first
of the air ambulance service, and then the Shetland internal scheduled service. Also described, for the
first time, is the drama surrounding the crash on Kirkby Moor of a military aircraft carrying VIPs
in 1939, which was one of the events that stimulated Alan's interest in aviation. Island Pilot is a
stimulating read which will appeal to folk interested in islands, flying, or simply wishing a taste of
adventure from the comfort of an armchair.
Special Offer. The published price is £13.95. However, for ARGOS members
I would like to offer copies of the book at an introductory price of
£10.00 plus postage and packing of £1.30. 132 pages with 60 photographs and maps
Softback. Cover price £13.95. ISBN 9780951895887
Other books by Kea Publishing. E-mail: kea@keapub.fsnet.co.uk
An illustrated history of the service from 1933 accompanied by first-hand account by air crew, nurses and doctors, and patients. £19.95 hardback
Airships over the North Channel Guy Warner. A monograph on Royal Naval Air Service Airships in Ulster during the First World War at a special price to help fund Ulster Aviation Society restoration projects. £7.50
BEAline to the Islands Phil Lo Bao and Iain Hutchison. The story of BEA services to the Channel Islands, the Isles of Scilly, the Isle of Man, the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland. £16.75
Flying against the Elements Peter V. Clegg. The definitive account of Aberdeen Airways, Allied Airways, and Eric Gandar Dower. £ 7.05
Lockerbie - a bum rap? David Rollo. One man has been convicted for causing 'The Lockerbie Disaster' but Rollo argues that we have yet to be told the 'real' truth. £3.50
Pleunaichean na Gàidhealtachd Ruairidh MacLeòid. Published in 1982, Gaelic text tells of aviation in the Highlands and Islands up until that time. Illustrated. £4.50
Sword in the Sky Peter V Clegg. Well researched account of Midland & Scottish Air Ferries, Scotland's first airline, and its founder, John Sword. £11.40
The story of Loganair Iain Hutchison. Scotland's Airline - the first 25 years. Traces Scotland's longest serving airline through the pioneering years of serving small communities and basic airstrips. £5.75
Times subject to Tides Roy Calderwood. The Story of Barra Airport where life's a beach. The sands of the Isle of Barra have been the island's airport for more than six decades. Challenging flying, but still the best landing site on offer. £10.75
Whatever were you thinking of, Captain? Captain John L. Morton. A Handbook for Airline Passengers. Illustrated by figment. Hailed as a 'mini masterpiece' by the British Air Line Pilots Association journal. £9.75
Wings over Scotland James Allan. A History of the Scottish Aero Club over seventy-five years from its beginnings in 1927. £8.95
Wings over the Glens Peter V. Clegg The full story of Northern & Scottish Airways and Scottish Airways, founded by George Nicholson, and featuring legendary pilot David Barclay. £18.75
BOOK LINKS:
https://www.orcadian.co.uk/acatalog/
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