Matthew Willis

The remarkable story of how a make-do fighter proved itself indispensable in the harshest theatres of war Fairey Fulmar –The Fleet Air Arm’s Unlikely Hero charts, for the first time, the full history of the Fairey Fulmar naval fighter. A hastily converted light bomber, rejected by the RAF and increasingly obsolete against Messerschmitts and Zeroes, somehow the Fulmar became the top-scoring Royal Navy fighter aircraft of World War II. The Fairey Fulmar was the Fleet Air Arm’s top-scoring fighter of World War II. However, this simple fact belies the contradictions at the heart of the Fulmar’s story – how a hastily converted light bomber, rejected by the RAF and increasingly obsolete against Messerschmitts and Zeroes, held the line during the Royal Navy’s darkest hour. When it entered service in 1940, at the height of the Battle of Britain, the Fulmar seemed to put the Navy’s aviators on an equal footing with ‘The Few’, as it was the first naval fighter to share the eight-gun armament and the legendary Rolls-Royce Merlin engine of the RAF’s Spitfires and Hurricanes. However, the Fulmar was no nimble interceptor. Converted from a failed light bomber to fill a gap in the Fleet Air Arm’s hopelessly inadequate armoury, the Fulmar was big, heavy and no match for the best Axis fighters in a dogfight. Even so, it possessed hidden strengths that enabled naval pilots to turn the tables on the enemy when all seemed lost. From the battles of Taranto and Matapan to the cauldron of Malta in the Mediterranean, from the freezing wastes of the Arctic convoy routes to the Japanese thrust into the Indian Ocean and, later, making the first, faltering steps towards radar-guided night-fighting, the Fulmar rose above its unpromising origins to play a vital role in the Allied victory.

An illustrated study of RAF Coastal Command’s deployment of the Beaufighter against German supply lines in 1941 and the long-running ‘arms race’ with Kriegsmarine Flak ships that followed. Crucial German shipping lines faced a new threat in 1941 when RAF Coastal Command debuted the iconic long-range Beaufighter. The aircraft and its subsequent Mk VIC and Mk X versions gave the Allies a tough, relatively fast and very hard-hitting platform for air attack on German convoys, and so it became essential for the Kriegsmarine to fit ever-heavier anti-aircraft batteries to its escort vessels, and even to develop specialist Flak vessels. In this compelling study, naval aviation historian Matthew Willis chronicles the little-explored arms race that saw RAF Coastal Command and the Kriegsmarine engaged in a fierce battle of one-upmanship until war’s end. New artwork, rare archive photography and contemporary records of Beaufighter operations add depth to fascinating historical accounts, including the actions of the famous North Coates Strike Wing against shipping in the North Sea and the exploits of Beaufighter units tasked with severing Rommel’s all-important supply lines.

A fully illustrated account of the World War 2 combat career of the Fairey Swordfish torpedo-bomber, one of the Royal Navy's most resilient and effective aircraft of the period. During the 1930s, the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm sought an aircraft to combine the functions of torpedo attack, reconnaissance and gunnery spotting, eventually realising this goal with the Swordfish biplane. Despite competition from more modern types like the Blackburn Shark and Barracuda, the Swordfish made a key contribution to some of Britain’s greatest naval successes of World War 2, helping to tip the balance during operations such as the raid on the Italian battle fleet at Taranto in November 1940, and the attacks on the German battleship Bismarck in May 1941. Elsewhere, it assumed an anti-submarine role both in the Battle of the Atlantic and when escorting Arctic convoys, and was used by the RAF for anti-shipping work during the D-Day landings and the final stages of the European war. With this fascinating study, historian Matthew Willis draws on Admiralty files, operational records and interviews with Fleet Air Arm aircrew to assemble a wide-ranging history of one of the Royal Navy’s most important aircraft. Archival photographs and 22 newly commissioned colour profiles help to chart the development of the Swordfish, detailing the aircraft’s resilience and adaptability through both its many victories and its equally eventful defeats.

The North American Mustang is one of the most well-studied aircraft, the subject of many hundreds or thousands of books and articles. However, much of what is commonly understood about the Mustang, particularly its early Allison-powered variants, is not entirely correct, nor entirely complete. The published record is strewn with myths and misconceptions, which have persisted across decades. The common perception of the Allison Mustang is that of a flawed and ineffective aircraft, merely a prelude to the ‘definitive’ Merlin-engined versions: an aircraft scorned and rejected by the RAF and USAAF, relegated to less important tasks by both. This orthodoxy ignores the Allison Mustang’s contribution in service and influence on design. By placing the creation, evolution and use of the aircraft in as full a context as possible, the truth behind many of these commonly accepted ideas emerges. Mustang: The Untold Story examines the history of the aircraft afresh, within the orbit of tactical doctrine, strategy and even politics, as well as the changing nature of World War II as the Mustang crews were fighting it. The Allison Mustang proved to be no worse than the best aircraft of the war in the roles where it found its niche. Through this new account, it is hoped that the significance of this vital aircraft can finally be appreciated.

Drawing on rare, historical photography and specially commissioned artwork, Matthew Willis explores the heroic feats of the few Royal Navy’s obsolescent biplanes that stood between the state-of-the-art Axis warships and their objectives. Focusing on the technical specifications of both opponents, using original records, and detailed armament and cockpit views, this book explores the key attributes and drawbacks of the disadvantaged Royal Navy torpedo-bombers against the mighty Regia Marina and Kriegsmarine destroyers and raiders, covering a wide range of sea battles, from the more famous attacks such as the strike on the Bismarck, the tragic events of the Channel Dash or the clash with the Italian battle fleet at Taranto, to less covered sea battles such as the Battle of Matapan. Despite their powerful weaponry and heavy armour protection, the Axis warships proved vulnerable to a skillfully and audaciously flown torpedo-bomber, thanks to innovative commanders exploiting every possible advantage. Including rare personal recollections from the airmen who flew the torpedo-bombers and historical accounts from the Axis warship crews, this book describes each and every facet of this dramatic duel.

The North American Mustang is one of the most well-studied aircraft. However, much of what is commonly understood about it, particularly its early, Allison-powered variants, is not entirely correct. This book examines the history of the aircraft afresh, within the orbit of tactical doctrine, strategy and even politics, as well as the changing nature of World War II. The Allison Mustang proved to be no worse than the best aircraft of the war in the roles where it found its niche and, through this new study, it is hoped that the significance of this vital aircraft can finally be appreciated. 140 illustrations

The Fairey Firefly two-seater strike-fighter emerged from troubled beginnings to become one of the most widely used and effective aircraft of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It first saw service in 1944 during the attacks on the battleship Tirpitz as it lurked in the Norwegian fjords, then served in the Far East as the Fleet Air Arm tussled with the kamikaze threat. It went on to form an important part of several embryonic naval air arms in the early years of the Cold War and performed a vital combat role in Korea in the early 1950s. In this book, naval aviation historian Matthew Willis tells the story of this important aircraft using more than 160 photographs, many of them rare or unpublished, accompanied by a detailed commentary covering every aspect of the Firefly's varied career from fighter, to sub-hunter, to pilot-less target drone, in air forces all over the world.

The Blackburn Shark torpedo/spotter/reconnaissance biplane was overshadowed by its competitor the Fairey Swordfish. In reality though, the Shark was more modern than the Swordfish and performed better, and had it not been bedevilled with engine trouble in its early service, might have gone on to great things. As it was, the Shark contributed greatly to the Royal Navy's preparation for war in the late 1930s, and performed valuable service for the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Canadian Air Force during WWII. This is the first book devoted to the Shark to cover all of its service with every operator, and features nearly 100 photographs including many never seen before and detailed manufacturer images from the BAE Systems Heritage archive. Written by naval aviation historian Matthew Willis, featuring scale plans based on manufacturer drawings and artwork by British illustrator Chris Sandham-Bailey, this title offers the most comprehensive historical and technical study of the Shark yet published.

"A remarkable insight into the doubts and fears of a fighter pilot, contrasting relentless action with cool post-combat de-briefs." Frank BarnardNever Surrender Sea Hurricane pilot Edmund Clydesdale, a battle-weary loner with a secret, sets out on a vital convoy to the island of Malta. Clydesdale is on the brink of becoming an ace. The only trouble is that he shouldn't be. Blind luck, mistakes and politics have seen him awarded with four of the five kills he needs. As the convoy Operation 'Harpoon' heads into the Western Mediterranean with only a handful of worn-out fighters to protect it, the eyes of the Navy and the press are on him. And soon, the eyes - and guns - of the enemy will be too. Six ships carry vital supplies, without which Malta cannot survive the Axis onslaught. The ageing carrier HMS Eagle, with its complement of battered Hawker Sea Hurricanes and their overworked pilots, must face legions of German and Italian bombers, all desperate to send the transports to the bottom of the Mediterranean. 'Harpoon' is the first book in a series chronicling the struggle of the Royal Navy's 'few' to protect the island fortress of Malta in the dark days of 1942. "Harpoon gets into the cockpit and inside the skin of a WW2 pilot. Willis has written a tale of triumph - and redemption. The author has used his intimate knowledge of the period to serve as a backdrop to a human - and thrilling - war story." Richard Foreman, author of Warsaw. Matthew Willis grew up near the historic port of Harwich and seaplane station at Felixstowe, developing a lifelong obsession with flying and the sea. He worked as a motorsport journalist and media relations officer before becoming a full time writer in 2011. His books include the epic novels of the Norman Conquest 'An Argument of Blood' and 'A Black Matter for the King' co-written with JA Ironside, and the novelette 'The Battle of Alma'.

TWO POWERFUL RIVALS -- ONE DECISIVE BATTLE Now a political hostage in Falaise, lfgifa forms an unlikely friendship with William, Duke of Normandy. William has been swift to recognize her skills and exploit them to his advantage. However, unbeknownst to the duke, Gifa is acting as a spy for her brother, Harold Godwinson, a possible rival for the English throne currently in the failing grip of Edward the Confessor. Homesick and alienated by the Norman court, Gifa is torn between the Duke's trust and the duty she owes her family. William has subdued his dissenting nobles, and a united Normandy is within his grasp. But the tides of power and influence are rarely still. As William's stature grows, the circle of those he can trust shrinks. Beyond the English Channel, William has received news of Edward's astonishing decree regarding the succession. lfgifa returns to an England where an undercurrent of discontent bubbles beneath the surface. An England that may soon erupt in conflict as one king dies and another is chosen. The ambitions of two powerful men will decide the fates of rival cultures in a single battle at Hastings that will change England, Europe, and the world in this compelling conclusion to the Oath & Crown series on the life and battles of William the Conqueror.

Duncan Menzies flew with the RAF, the Aeroplane and Armament Evaluation Establishment, and Fairey Aviation in a twenty-five-year flying career, seeing the world of flying change from open cockpits and few rules to the jet age, with its complexities and crowded skies. A modest, family man, Menzies set a speed record in Africa in the 1930s, survived an engine failure in a snowstorm and the terrifying breakup of a Fairey Fulmar in a terminal velocity dive. This biography charts Menzies’ career from Scottish sheep farm through flying the frontier in Egypt and Sudan, encounters with adventurers Tom Campbell Black and Denys Finch Hatton, and the future King Edward VIII, to his crucial role as a test pilot, developing the aircraft that would help win the Second World War.

William, the nineteen-year-old duke of Normandy, is enjoying the full fruits of his station. Life is a succession of hunts, feasts, and revels, with little attention paid to the welfare of his vassals. Tired of the young duke's dissolute behavior and ashamed of his illegitimate birth, a group of traitorous barons force their way into his castle. While William survives their assassination attempt, his days of leisure are over. He'll need help from the king of France to secure his dukedom from the rebels. On the other side of the English Channel lives ten-year-old AElfgifa, the malformed and unwanted youngest sister to the Anglo-Saxon king Harold Godwinson. AElfgifa discovers powerful rivalries in the heart of the state when her sister Ealdgyth is given in a political marriage to King Edward, and she finds herself caught up in intrigues and political maneuvering as powerful men vie for influence. Her path will collide with William's, and both must fight to shape the future. An Argument of Blood is the first of two sweeping historical novels on the life and battles of William the Conqueror.

'It started with the Zhar-ptitsa, the Firebird, as these things must. No, let us say it started again with the Firebird.' A group of researchers open a door in the present day that has been closed for centuries - and should have stayed that way. In 1840s Ireland, starving children face desperate measures to avoid the crisis consuming the land. A visitor to 19th Century Japan learns what it takes to fan love to life. A girl struggles to rise above the walls that surround her in Georgian England. In 7th Century Britain, a scribe translates the true value of a legend. Fourteen surprising, moving and compelling tales, weaving the next steps in the telling of famous events and stories from Greek myth to English folktale, via fairy tales and real historical events. The second anthology from The Random Writers