CLASSIC RAF BATTLES, from World War One to the Present *** 40 EXTRAORDINARY PAINTINGS ***

This wonderful book, which contains forty paintings from various artists and maps, shows R.A.F. combat aircraft in action from the First World War to the mid - 1990's.

The Royal Air Force has earned its celebrated reputation for excellence and courage over seven decades of service to Britain, through two World Wars and many small incidents, events and flashpoints the world over. The forty paintings in this book come from a variety of sources - R.A.F. stations, squadron messes, artists' own collections, privates archives, plus some commissioned solely to hang on a study or living room wall and which are thus seen here for the first time. The result is a unique visual and written history of the R.A.F. in action.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael John Armitage K.C.B., C.B.E. ( August 25th, 1930 ) is a retired Senior Royal Air Force Commander. Educated at Newport Grammar School on the Isle of Wight, Michael J. Armitage joined the Royal Air Force's Aircraft Apprentice Scheme at R.A.F. Halton ( Buckinghamshire, England, Great Britain ) in 1947. He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 17 Squadron in 1967 and Station Commander at R.A.F. Luqa ( Malta ) in 1972. He was then Director of Forward Policy in 1976, Deputy Commander of R.A.F. Germany in 1978 and Senior R.A.F. Representative on the Directing Staff at the Royal College of Defence Studies in 1980.
He went on to be Director of Service Intelligence in 1982, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff ( Intelligence ) in 1983 and Chief of Defence Intelligence in 1984. Finally he became Air Member for Supply and Organisation in 1985, Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies in 1988 before retiring in 1990. Michael J. Armitage is also the author of The Royal Air Force : An Illustrated History ( 2001 ).
( sources : Wikipedia, amazon )