Bøker av Ben Skipper

A richly illustrated guide to modelling the military Land Rover, the world's most iconic military 4x4, filled with previously unseen inspirational photographs and drawings.

Today Trooping the Colour gathers crowds of tourists; along with the pomp and ceremony it is an event filled with tradition that spans many hundreds of years. In that history lies duty, a call to arms, and a rallying in battle. The regimental colours were presented to the soldiers daily so that they would recognize it in the melee of battle and rally toward it. In 1748 the Grenadier Guards began this tradition, also called the Kings Birthday Parade, which is now held annually at Horse Guards Parade in London. Boots, buckles and busbies gleaming, formations perfect and eyes right, Trooping the Colour is the culmination of months of hard work by the staff of the London District and the Royal Household, without whom state ceremonial and public duties would not exist. From regimental bands and gun salutes to Lord Lieutenants and Yeoman, it is the personalities and traditions that make the history of ceremonial duties so colourful. Trooping the Colour describes the histories of the key personalities and units of the London District, the Royal Household. Their histories are intertwined in one of the most complex narratives of the modern age. It describes the numerous moments, stories and traditions behind the many appointments that produce some of the most awe-inspiring displays now taken for granted. The book examines those defining moments in contemporary British history when planning and experience have delivered breathtaking spectacles of grandeur enjoyed by billions of people around the globe. Though it's not all parades and pomp though, these fine regiments have served with distinction in battles across the world and through time. This book explores London's Ceremonial Regiments at war and on parade.

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress revolutionized strategic bombing with its versatility and endurance, shaping American military power globally.First flown in 1952, the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress became the ultimate expression of Cold War very heavy bomber design. The last of the famous 'Fortress' series of aircraft produced by the legendary Seattle-based company, the B-52 was created over a weekend in a hotel suite in Ohio, resulting in a design that gave America's post-war Strategic Air Command, led by General Curtis Le May, an additional nuclear-capable edge.The B-52 was almost as big as Convair's B-36 Peacemaker, the largest serial-produced piston-powered aircraft ever built. The B-52 could carry a very similar bomb load, but flew it further, higher and faster. The turbojet-powered B-52 utilized techniques Boeing had learned from the Model 450 B-47 Stratojet and was designed to meet the Strategic Air Command's ever-changing needs in the nuclear age.Like its predecessors, Boeing's B-52 proved to be a highly flexible aircraft, capable of carrying increasing payloads, meaning it has remained in service well beyond its expected lifespan. Over the decades the B-52 gradually become a strategic and tactical airborne platform capable of delivering evermore deadly attacks against targets in various environments, from jungle to arid mountains. The B-52 had become the universal tool for commanders on the ground and a symbol of American military power, capable of striking a target anywhere in the world - as evidenced by its deployment in, for example, the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. Such was its potency, that the USAF and Boeing had developed an airplane of such importance that it now seems impossible to discuss conventional air power without including the B-52.This Flight Craft title offers the aviation enthusiast, historian and modeler an exciting selection of B-52-related resources through photographs, illustrations and excellent showcase examples to help build their own versions of this fearsome military aircraft.

Known as âEUR¿Fat AlbertâEUR(TM), LockheedâEUR(TM)s ubiquitous C-130 Hercules was a product of combat experiences gained during the Korean War, a conflict that highlighted the need for a rugged transport aircraft designed with a do-anything, go-anywhere ethos in mind. First flown in August 1954, the C-130, powered by four turboprop engines mounted underneath a high wing which allowed for effortless loading via a rear ramp, soon proved its worth as a highly versatile aircraft. The easily configured cargo area helped the C-130 stand out from the crowd, and soon variants began to appear, with the first being a ski-equipped resupply aircraft. It was this type of tasking the C-130 excelled at, and soon air movement staff was developing new ways to deploy cargo. This included low-level drops, proving invaluable in aiding isolated disaster-struck areas. Other variants included air-to-air tankers, electronic reconnaissance platforms and weather reconnaissance aircraft. Now produced by Lockheed Martin, the C-130 has become synonymous with tactical airlifting and is the longest continuously produced military aircraft since the first one rolled off the production line in 1954\. In fact, since its introduction into service the C-130 has produced over seventy variants, including gunships, search-and-rescue and scientific research aircraft, and is currently in service with some seventy nations. As well as the military C-130, Lockheed has also produced a commercial variant of their famous aircraft, the L-100\. Not for nothing do Lockheed Martin claim that there is at least one C-130 airborne somewhere in the world at any given moment in time. With over 2,500 produced, and some almost thirty years old, that's more than plausible. This Flight Craft title offers the aviation enthusiast, historian and modeller an exciting selection of C-130-related resources through photographs, illustrations and excellent showcase examples to help build their own versions of this hugely successful, highly flexible aircraft.

This richly illustrated volume tells the story of the seven regiments of the Household Division, along with the supporting personalities and units of London District. A subject as fascinating as it is multifarious. From the key personalities responsible for the razor-sharp execution of state ceremonial and public duties, to the historical figures who helped establish and shape a military dynasty. Travel through the history of the Household Division from its birth in 1660, with the restoration of Charles II, to its role in establishing Britain's Special Forces. It is a journey of political intrigue, cementing empire, and fighting terrorism. From the founding fathers such as George Monck, who laid the foundations for a professional British Army, to adventurers like David Stirling and Sir Frederick 'Boy' Browning, the history of the Household Division is one of almost continuous action and innovation. Supported by the Honourable Artillery Company and the King's Troop, The Royal Horse Artillery, LondonâEUR(TM)s Ceremonial Regiments put the pomp in circumstance, the distinction in battle, and the sobriety in the sombre notes of _The Last Post._

An examination of civil aviation history from the end of World War I to the retiring of the Jumbo Jet.The book examines a century of civil aviation; in 1919 a fledgling industry was born out of civilianizing First World War bombers. The book covers the design and development of civil aircraft and all the personalities that shaped the industry; it features the hay-day of air travel before the advent of mass passenger transit, and the rise of smaller, austerity airlines. It covers the influence of military aircraft on civil planes, unpacks the laws that govern civil aviation and how they have changed over the past century. It chronicles air disasters, both mechanical and tyrannical, and for the first time, looks at the role of women in civil aviation. Playing its part in times of crisis, civil aviation has led rescue missions and covert operations; civilian pilots were often used to test and transport new aircraft from their manufacturers to the frontline, often unarmed and unescorted. The book ends with the quiet retirement of an icon, amid a global pandemic and what lies in store for a greener flying future.

The B-29 has more than earned its place in the halls of aviation fame. It was an aircraft ahead of its time that helped usher in a new age of military aviation and provided a tangible bridge between new and old ways.

This book introduces the modeler to the epic battle of Stalingrad.

Aimed at the new or returning modeller featuring easy to copy building, painting, weathering and detailing techniques to help bring the model to life.

The B-17 Flying Fortress, a term coined by a Seattle Daily Times report in 1935, was a quantum leap in offensive air power.

Introduces the modeller to the daring operation that was Market Garden.

A richly illustrated guide to modelling the nimble M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier, a Cold War veteran of the jungle and desert, filled with previously unseen inspirational photographs and drawings.

A richly illustrated guide to modelling the versatile High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle or HUMVEE, filled with previously unseen photographs and drawings.