Book Review of
Air Power & the Arab World 1909-1955
Vol. 3: Colonial Skies 1918-1936
Authors: Dr. David Necolle &
Air Vice Marshal Gabr Ali Gabr
Middle East @ War Series no. 30
Helion & Co Ltd
ISBN: 978-1-913336-32-5
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $29.95
ISBN: 978-1-913336-32-5
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $29.95
THE BOOK:
Helion & Co. Ltd. is based in England.
This book is soft-cover of 86 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 3.4” page format.
The cover art shows 3 Westland Wapiti’s flying in formation with snow covered mountains in the background.
Below them there is a color side profile of a Potez 25TOE, with the French Air Force (repeated again inside the book).
The back cover shows another color profile of a Sopwith Snipe with the RAF. (Also repeated again inside the book).
Helion & Co. Ltd. is based in England.
This book is soft-cover of 86 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 3.4” page format.
The cover art shows 3 Westland Wapiti’s flying in formation with snow covered mountains in the background.
Below them there is a color side profile of a Potez 25TOE, with the French Air Force (repeated again inside the book).
The back cover shows another color profile of a Sopwith Snipe with the RAF. (Also repeated again inside the book).
ABOUT:
Following along from Helion’s highly successful Africa@War Series, Middle East@ War replicates the same format- concise, incisive text, rare images and high quality color artwork, providing fresh accounts of both well-Known and more esoteric aspects of conflict in this part of the world since 1945.
Much of the Arab World remains ravaged by war or threatened by war. Meanwhile, the decades old Arab-Israeli conflict remains fundamentally unresolved. Consequently, even the Arab air forces and other Arab armed forces remain either at war or on a virtual war footing, or at least in a state of continuous vigilance.
The Earliest of the Arab air forces to be established trace their histories back to the 1920’s and 1930’s, when the over-whelming majority of Arab countries , and an even larger majority of Arab –speaking people , were ruled or dominated by four European powers.
Based on decades of consistent research and newly available sources in both Arabic, and various European languages, the book is richly illustrated with a wide range of authentic 133 black and white photos and 21 color side profiles.
Vol. 3 of the Air Power and the Arab Word, 1909-1955 mini-series continues the story of the men and machines of the first half-century of military aviation in the Arab World. It describes the role, organizational structure and activities of the air forces of Britain, France, Italy and Spain which were sent to the Arab countries,
It also looks at the early years of two neighboring air forces, those of the Persian (Iranian) and Egyptian Empires, whose early emergence was viewed jealously in some Arab capitals.
Vol. 3 continues this story by describing operations of the British, French, Italian and Spanish air forces in the Arab world after the First World War, but also the emergence of the first Arab air forces in the shadow of the substantial European air force units stationed in that area.
The book contains black and white photos of aircraft that are biplanes and 2 lone photos of a Junkers J.13 monoplane and one lone color profile of a parasol-winged French Bloch MB.120.
These black and white biplane photos are of:
A Supermarine Scarab amphibian, DeHavilland DH-9A’s, Spanish BreguIt XIV’s, Bristol F-2B’s, a SIAS S-16 amphibian, a Avro 504K, a Fokker C. IV, a Breguit BR-19, a Loring R1, a French Potez 25TOE and 29, a Bloch MB.120, 3 photos of a Bruguit XIV (one shown crashed), a Potez 25TOE, a Italian Caproni Ca-101, a Italian Romeo Ro. 1, Egyptian Avro 626’s, a civilian Breda 1, a DeHavilland DH-60, a French Breguit BR.19, a French Potez 28G.R., a French Caudron G-6, a Bloch MB.81, a RAF Handley-Page 0/400 bomber, Sopwith Snipes, a Westland Wapiti, a Vickers Vincent, a RAF Re-8, a Avro 504K that was tipped over by a student pilot, a Armstrong Whitworth trainer, Fairey III amphibians, a DeHavilland DH.10, DH.50 & DH.83, a Vickers Vimy, a Fairey IIIF, a Heinkel 7, a Russian Breguit XI, Junkers F.13’s, a Russian Polikarpov R.5, a Potez 25.53, a Miendl/Van Ness A-VII or M7, a Fokker F. VIIa, a U.S. Bellanca J-2, a Junkers W.33.
There are 4 map illustrations in the book. These are of: The Middle-East, N.W. Africa, air stations in N.E. Africa and a map of Egypt.
Included are 8 data lists.
Other black and white photos show:
Egyptian laborers moving a crated Be. 21.
American volunteers of Escadrille de la Garde Cherifienne.
Three photos of ground crews with direction signs.
Photo of the Spanish defense of Tifaruin.
King Alphonso XIII, Eduard Barron and senior officers.
Ground crew carrying carbonit 10kg bombs.
Aerial photo of besieged Spanish position at Kudia Ahar.
Aerial photo of Spanish beach at Hoecima.
Lorries loaded with fuel at Fort Lallomend.
Members of the Corpo Aironautico Militaire’s 106th Farman Squadron in front of an Italian-built Farman.
Libyan tribal leaders and Italian officers and a local officer with Caproni CA-3’s of numbers 12 and 13 Squadrons at Millaha Aerodrome.
A Fiat Arenale armored car.
A Fiat 15 ter light armored car.
Bombs dropping on resistance-held Tarhunah.
Pilots and officers of the Corpo Aeronautica Militare with an Ansaldo S.V.A. and a Caproni CA.3.
Resistance caravan on camels being bombed by Italian aircraft in 1920’s.
Large resistance military base at Talmita.
General Emilio De Bono, governor of Tripolitania from 1925-1928, inspecting and Ansaldo S.V.A. 10 of the 12 Squadrilia at Millaha outside Tripoli.
The Sanuesi religious enter, photographed from the air by an Italian Romeo Ro.1.
Following Mussolini’s takeover of the Italian government in 1922, a Fascist symbol was added to a Ansaldo A-300 in Libya.
Regia Aeronautica personnel and officers of the Royal Corps of Colonial Troops in Tripoltania in front of a Romeo Ro.1 in 1928.
Bomb racks on the sides of a Caproni Ca.73 based in Libya.
The 12th Squadriglia in Cyrinica around 1927, with Caproni Ca-73’s and older Caproni Ca-3’s.
The fort at Sibha.
Italian workmen heading towards Al Kufra in 1931.
Tibesti mountains from the air.
Row of Italian barbed-wire.
Photo of a postage stamp from the French mandate of Syria.
Hanaidi Airdrome.
French general on horseback reviewing troops.
Syrian troops recruited by France.
A squadron insignia used by France in Syria and Lebanon, consisting of Ottoman style mosque with an Islamic crescent.
Aerial photo of Damascus Aerodrome.
Aerial photo of fortified Khan.
A Rolls-Royce 1920 pattern Mk.1 armored car.
A British soldier erecting sign-posts.
Heliopolis Aerodrome from the air.
A 9.45 inch trench mortar bomb.
A large bomb falling from a Vickers Type 264
The crew of the RAF’s main wireless station at Hinaidi.
A black and white poster of the RAF’s Aerial Pageant at the London Aerodrome in Hendon, Saturday, June 24th, 3-6 p.m. 1922.
Irbil Air Field.
Flight Lt. George Cook of the RAF with camel in 1920.
A Ford tender truck.
Group of Italian officers.
The book ends with a page and a half bibliography.
Following along from Helion’s highly successful Africa@War Series, Middle East@ War replicates the same format- concise, incisive text, rare images and high quality color artwork, providing fresh accounts of both well-Known and more esoteric aspects of conflict in this part of the world since 1945.
Much of the Arab World remains ravaged by war or threatened by war. Meanwhile, the decades old Arab-Israeli conflict remains fundamentally unresolved. Consequently, even the Arab air forces and other Arab armed forces remain either at war or on a virtual war footing, or at least in a state of continuous vigilance.
The Earliest of the Arab air forces to be established trace their histories back to the 1920’s and 1930’s, when the over-whelming majority of Arab countries , and an even larger majority of Arab –speaking people , were ruled or dominated by four European powers.
Based on decades of consistent research and newly available sources in both Arabic, and various European languages, the book is richly illustrated with a wide range of authentic 133 black and white photos and 21 color side profiles.
Vol. 3 of the Air Power and the Arab Word, 1909-1955 mini-series continues the story of the men and machines of the first half-century of military aviation in the Arab World. It describes the role, organizational structure and activities of the air forces of Britain, France, Italy and Spain which were sent to the Arab countries,
It also looks at the early years of two neighboring air forces, those of the Persian (Iranian) and Egyptian Empires, whose early emergence was viewed jealously in some Arab capitals.
Vol. 3 continues this story by describing operations of the British, French, Italian and Spanish air forces in the Arab world after the First World War, but also the emergence of the first Arab air forces in the shadow of the substantial European air force units stationed in that area.
The book contains black and white photos of aircraft that are biplanes and 2 lone photos of a Junkers J.13 monoplane and one lone color profile of a parasol-winged French Bloch MB.120.
These black and white biplane photos are of:
A Supermarine Scarab amphibian, DeHavilland DH-9A’s, Spanish BreguIt XIV’s, Bristol F-2B’s, a SIAS S-16 amphibian, a Avro 504K, a Fokker C. IV, a Breguit BR-19, a Loring R1, a French Potez 25TOE and 29, a Bloch MB.120, 3 photos of a Bruguit XIV (one shown crashed), a Potez 25TOE, a Italian Caproni Ca-101, a Italian Romeo Ro. 1, Egyptian Avro 626’s, a civilian Breda 1, a DeHavilland DH-60, a French Breguit BR.19, a French Potez 28G.R., a French Caudron G-6, a Bloch MB.81, a RAF Handley-Page 0/400 bomber, Sopwith Snipes, a Westland Wapiti, a Vickers Vincent, a RAF Re-8, a Avro 504K that was tipped over by a student pilot, a Armstrong Whitworth trainer, Fairey III amphibians, a DeHavilland DH.10, DH.50 & DH.83, a Vickers Vimy, a Fairey IIIF, a Heinkel 7, a Russian Breguit XI, Junkers F.13’s, a Russian Polikarpov R.5, a Potez 25.53, a Miendl/Van Ness A-VII or M7, a Fokker F. VIIa, a U.S. Bellanca J-2, a Junkers W.33.
There are 4 map illustrations in the book. These are of: The Middle-East, N.W. Africa, air stations in N.E. Africa and a map of Egypt.
Included are 8 data lists.
Other black and white photos show:
Egyptian laborers moving a crated Be. 21.
American volunteers of Escadrille de la Garde Cherifienne.
Three photos of ground crews with direction signs.
Photo of the Spanish defense of Tifaruin.
King Alphonso XIII, Eduard Barron and senior officers.
Ground crew carrying carbonit 10kg bombs.
Aerial photo of besieged Spanish position at Kudia Ahar.
Aerial photo of Spanish beach at Hoecima.
Lorries loaded with fuel at Fort Lallomend.
Members of the Corpo Aironautico Militaire’s 106th Farman Squadron in front of an Italian-built Farman.
Libyan tribal leaders and Italian officers and a local officer with Caproni CA-3’s of numbers 12 and 13 Squadrons at Millaha Aerodrome.
A Fiat Arenale armored car.
A Fiat 15 ter light armored car.
Bombs dropping on resistance-held Tarhunah.
Pilots and officers of the Corpo Aeronautica Militare with an Ansaldo S.V.A. and a Caproni CA.3.
Resistance caravan on camels being bombed by Italian aircraft in 1920’s.
Large resistance military base at Talmita.
General Emilio De Bono, governor of Tripolitania from 1925-1928, inspecting and Ansaldo S.V.A. 10 of the 12 Squadrilia at Millaha outside Tripoli.
The Sanuesi religious enter, photographed from the air by an Italian Romeo Ro.1.
Following Mussolini’s takeover of the Italian government in 1922, a Fascist symbol was added to a Ansaldo A-300 in Libya.
Regia Aeronautica personnel and officers of the Royal Corps of Colonial Troops in Tripoltania in front of a Romeo Ro.1 in 1928.
Bomb racks on the sides of a Caproni Ca.73 based in Libya.
The 12th Squadriglia in Cyrinica around 1927, with Caproni Ca-73’s and older Caproni Ca-3’s.
The fort at Sibha.
Italian workmen heading towards Al Kufra in 1931.
Tibesti mountains from the air.
Row of Italian barbed-wire.
Photo of a postage stamp from the French mandate of Syria.
Hanaidi Airdrome.
French general on horseback reviewing troops.
Syrian troops recruited by France.
A squadron insignia used by France in Syria and Lebanon, consisting of Ottoman style mosque with an Islamic crescent.
Aerial photo of Damascus Aerodrome.
Aerial photo of fortified Khan.
A Rolls-Royce 1920 pattern Mk.1 armored car.
A British soldier erecting sign-posts.
Heliopolis Aerodrome from the air.
A 9.45 inch trench mortar bomb.
A large bomb falling from a Vickers Type 264
The crew of the RAF’s main wireless station at Hinaidi.
A black and white poster of the RAF’s Aerial Pageant at the London Aerodrome in Hendon, Saturday, June 24th, 3-6 p.m. 1922.
Irbil Air Field.
Flight Lt. George Cook of the RAF with camel in 1920.
A Ford tender truck.
Group of Italian officers.
The book ends with a page and a half bibliography.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Dr. David Nicolle is a British historian specializing in the military history of the Middle-Ages, with special interest in the Middle-East and Arab countries. After working for BBC Arab Service , he obtained his MA at SOAS University of London, followed by a PhD at the University of Edinburgh. He then lectured in art history at Yuruk University in Irbid Jordan.
Dr. Nicolle has published over 100 books about warfare, ranging from Roman times to the 20th Century, mostly as sole author. He also co-authored the “Arab MiGs” series of books which covered the history of the Arab air forces at war with Israel, from 1955 to 1973
Furthermore, he has appeared in several TV documentaries, and has published numerous articles in the specialized press. This is his third instalment for Helion’s @ War series.
The late Air Vice Marshal Gabr Ali Gabr, PhD (EAF ret.) served as a pilot of a DeHavilland Vampire fighter jet during the Suez War of 1956. After concluding higher military education at the Air Warfare Institute in 1960, he served as instructor in Air Tactics at the Air Warfare Institute in 1962-1964 and 1966-1967, as Staff Officer during June 1967 War.
Was the chief of the Operational Training Branch in 1968-1973, and a Chief of Operations Group during the October 1973 War with Israel. After serving a instructor in Art of Operations and as Chief of Air Force Chair at High War College from 1977 until 1982 and receiving his PhD AT Nasser High Academy in 1989, he moved into writing and published seven books and dozens of studies and articles on the history of air warfare in Egypt and abroad.
This book will be of great interest to both modelers and historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the North American distributor of Helion Books and all Helion titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Dr. David Nicolle is a British historian specializing in the military history of the Middle-Ages, with special interest in the Middle-East and Arab countries. After working for BBC Arab Service , he obtained his MA at SOAS University of London, followed by a PhD at the University of Edinburgh. He then lectured in art history at Yuruk University in Irbid Jordan.
Dr. Nicolle has published over 100 books about warfare, ranging from Roman times to the 20th Century, mostly as sole author. He also co-authored the “Arab MiGs” series of books which covered the history of the Arab air forces at war with Israel, from 1955 to 1973
Furthermore, he has appeared in several TV documentaries, and has published numerous articles in the specialized press. This is his third instalment for Helion’s @ War series.
The late Air Vice Marshal Gabr Ali Gabr, PhD (EAF ret.) served as a pilot of a DeHavilland Vampire fighter jet during the Suez War of 1956. After concluding higher military education at the Air Warfare Institute in 1960, he served as instructor in Air Tactics at the Air Warfare Institute in 1962-1964 and 1966-1967, as Staff Officer during June 1967 War.
Was the chief of the Operational Training Branch in 1968-1973, and a Chief of Operations Group during the October 1973 War with Israel. After serving a instructor in Art of Operations and as Chief of Air Force Chair at High War College from 1977 until 1982 and receiving his PhD AT Nasser High Academy in 1989, he moved into writing and published seven books and dozens of studies and articles on the history of air warfare in Egypt and abroad.
This book will be of great interest to both modelers and historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the North American distributor of Helion Books and all Helion titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.