Airborne Armour - New Edition

 I was pleasantly surprised recently when Helion & Company got in touch with me to say a new edition of Airborne Armour was coming out, and they would be sending me a free author copy.

The first thing to say is that there are no changes to the text - as I said above, I only knew the new edition was coming out when Helion told me! What Helion have produced is a paperback of 224 pages, containing the full book, but using thinner, shiny paper to give something significantly slimmer than the original hardback. The shiny paper improves the quality of reproduction of the photos, and overall the book quality is what you would expect from a reputable publisher like Helion. I am well pleased.

The front and back covers feature new photos which are both interesting. It was slightly frustrating to see that the rear cover photo is of a six-pounder being loaded on to a Horsa glider, which is of little relevance to the 6th AARR, but what the heck. It's still an interesting photo.

My advice is to buy this edition, even if you already have a copy of the book. Tell all your friends (and family) to buy a copy as well. Spread the word on the internet. I need the money to spend on figures and models.

'Til next time!

Airborne Armour - Multimedia!

Well, you have to move with the times. First published in hardback in 2004, the original print run of 1000 sold out a couple of years ago. The book is still available in paperback, but Helion are determined to move with the times, so you can now also purchase Airborne Armour as an ebook for your Kindle.

Check out the 5 star reviews on Amazon!

So, what is the life of a best-selling author on military subjects like? To give you an idea, I've just received my six-monthly royalties - 12 'real' books sold (hey, that's one a fortnight!), and 9 ebooks. Total royalties £21.18. A good steady income of £3.53p a month.

So it's off to the Porsche dealers tomorrow.

So long suckers! 

Airborne Armour - Now in Paperback!

Just a note to say that my book on the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment in WW2 is now available in paperback. The initial printing of 1000 in hardback has run out, but thanks to the miracle of digital publishing the paperback edition can be printed pretty much to order, so the book will remain available in brand new condition for a good while yet.

You'll find the cover is the same. A couple of minor printing errors have been corrected but be advised that there is no new content. However, the good news is that the RRP is a little less than the hardcover edition.

My thanks to Helion for keeping the book in print. Happy reading!

Airborne Armour

I researched and wrote this book over a four year period in my spare time, purely as a hobby project but with the intention of seeing it published commercially. I had already obtained a Masters Degree in history at the Open University so I had some background in research skills and extended writing.

I chose the subject after seeing an article in Tracklink, the magazine of the Friends of the Bovington Tank Museum. A lot of the research was done at Bovington, as well as the Museum of Army Flying and the Public Record Office at Kew. The book should be of interest to anyone curious about airborne forces in World War 2. The story is a unique one, and I think it fills a significant gap in the history of British airborne forces. It provides a full development history of the Tetrarch and Locust tanks, and probably the fullest background to the development of the Hamilcar glider ever published. The text goes on to cover the operational use of the tanks and gliders in detail, from the Tetrarch's service in Madagascar, through D-Day and the Rhine Crossing to the end of the war. The book also provides the only accurate and full history of the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment, which operated the tanks and was the reconnaissance regiment for 6th Airborne Division.

Readers will find the operational account supported by clear maps, and there are a number of new photos and illustrations which should be of interest to all airborne buffs. For example, there are rare stills of Locust tanks in action during the Rhine crossing, and drawings of an early Hamilcar concept.
I have tried to provide all the background the reader might need to put Britain's 'flying tanks' in perspective, such as brief descriptions of the development of the Glider Pilot Regiment and the glider tugs themselves. I include a chapter on developments in this field in other countries such as Germany, the USA and Russia. In particular, the German Me321 Gigant glider is described and compared to the Hamilcar.

I have tried throughout to make the book readable and accessible, whilst at the same time being thorough and accurate. For those (like me) who consider such things important, all sources are fully referenced throughout, and there is a full bibliography. The book is available online at Amazon.co.uk, and also via the publishers Helion and Company. If you decide to buy the book, I wish you happy reading! By the way, the colour scheme on the photo of the Tetrarch shown here is probably wrong. Photos indicate a two-colour scheme was in use, but was most probably the usual dark green - black pattern as seen on many British military vehicles at the time.