Billy Bishop was fiercely ambitious, driven by an undisguised hatred of his enemies. He played hard and fought even harder. A highly skilled pilot and a crack shot, "top gun" of the Allied air forces, by 1918 Bishop was the most highly decorated war hero in Canadian history.
He remains the most controversial. Some of Bishop's fellow pilots were repelled by his grandstanding and suspected he was deliberately inflating his number of "kills." Since then, the claim has been repeated by many others. This issue is at the heart of Billy Bishop: Canadian Hero.
In this updated second edition, author Dan McCaffery reviews the evidence in support his account of what Bishop really did in the skies over France, setting the record straight about one of this country's most famous and controversial figures.
No-one interested in the history of Canadian military aviation will want to miss this 3-volume series from Larry Milberry!
The first title dedicated solely to the postwar RCAF and the largest of all general RCAF histories. Beginning with the post-1945 slowdown, you'll read how Canada disposed of 1000s of surplus aircraft, whether burned, buried, or sold to get-rich-quick entrepreneurs. Next? The panicky built-up to Korea and the Cold War. Here are all the details about Vampires, Mustangs, Sabres & CF-100s; North Stars & C-119s; Lancasters, Neptunes & Argus; Harvards & T-33s. One chapter deals with R&D projects, whether Arctic navigation, flight test, or weapons; one about the CF-105 will be an eye-opener for those taken in by the Arrow myth makers. Vol.3 has hundreds of fresh colour photos from the 1950s-60s. Dozens of reminiscences enliven this era. Vol.3 takes you beyond unification to the 1970s.
Mustang: A living Legend concerns itself with Mustangs that are still with us - aircraft that have withstood the difficult test of time to remind us of an age well past. To restore and fly a vintage fighter in the 1980s requires not only skill but a considerable outlay of cash. Once surplussed for a few hundred or few thousand dollars, Mustangs are now in demand by collectors and are rapidly approaching the $500,000-mark in value. Around 100 Mustangs currently fly and more restorations are underway as hulks deemed fit for scrap only a few years ago are brought back to life. A few years from now, we will probably be seeing Mustang restoration with as much as 75 per cent of the air-frame built from replica parts - such is the demand.
This book is the first substantial attempt to chronicle the entire airborne experience, spanning over fifty-six years. Although often viewed as outcasts and pariahs, Canada's intrepid paratroopers have always represented the best combat soldiers this country has been able to offer. Renowned for their courage, initiative, physical prowess, and indomitable spirit, the nation's paratroopers have always represented the proficiency of the Canadian army. Aided by 400-plus dramatic photographs and a meticulously researched text, it opens the history and operational contribution of Canada's airborne forces to the public eye. From its beginnings as 1 Canadian Parachute Battalion in 1942 through the disbandment of the Canadian Airborne Regiment in 1995 and its aftermath it affirms the necessity of parachute capability. It is a tribute to their professionalism and tenacity.
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