Sailor in the Air: the Memoirs of the World's First Carrier Pilot by Richard Bell Davies

Sailor in the Air: the Memoirs of the World's First Carrier Pilot by Richard Bell Davies

Richard Bell Davies was one of the most important characters in the history of naval aviation. Despite a traditional naval education - he was among the last cadets to be trained under sail - he was quick to grasp the potential of aircraft, and backed his vision by privately learning to fly. This allowed him to join the Naval Air Wing in 1913 and he enjoyed a very active, but hair-raising career during the Great War, including winning the VC for a daring rescue of a fellow pilot while under heavy fire. Because of his unique breadth of experience he was transferred to experimental work, where he played a major part in crucial developments like arrestor gear, deck barriers and the 'island' superstructure that define the modern aircraft carrier. As the first man to regularly land and take off from such ships, he did much to prove the value of shipboard aviation. After the war, in an Admiralty post, he continued to promote the flying interests of the Navy, and the book provides a first-hand chronicle of the struggles with the Air Ministry over policy and control. Although he retired in 1941, he accepted a lower rank to command one of the newly invented escort carriers, so his service ended as it had begun, at the cutting edge of naval aviation. This wonderfully active, and hugely significant career is related with a charm, modesty and humour which make the book enthralling and memorable.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781848320116
ISBN 10	1848320116
Title	Sailor in the Air: the Memoirs of the World's First Carrier Pilot
Author	Richard Bell Davies
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Pen & Sword Books Ltd
Year published	2008-11-20
Number of pages	264
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.