Never before has such a definitive history of flight been available on video. Using rare archive footage, narrator Richard Todd takes you on a fascinating journey through time. From the pioneering Wright brothers, through the heroic record-breaking attempts of Lindburgh, Amy Johnson & Amelia Earheart, to the exhilarating feats of the real Top Guns & their state of the art aircraft. From helicopters to Zepplins, from Tiger Moths to Concorde, it’s all here: the smallest, the biggest, the fastest & even the simply bizarre. ...

Aviation was still only in its infancy when military strategists began to think of its importance for waging war. The first World War saw brave pilots risk their lives in “dog fights” over the trenches & men like Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, & Ernst Udet became national heroes in Germany. The Versaille Agreement put a quick end to further development of the German air force even though a great deal was carried out in secret. Then came Hitler's meteoric rise to power & the German Luftwaffe staged a full dress rehearsal of modern war plane technology during the Spanish civil war. The Luftwaffe quickly became a war machine to be reckoned with. The swift victories achieved during early years of World War II would not have been possible without the German air force. The gradual build-up of Allied air superiority during the course of the war later prompted German scientists & engineers to concentrate on the first jet-powered & rocket-propelled aircraft. But these revolutionary new technologies came too late to stave off the gradual collapse of the German forces. This programme features rare film excerpts in colour & black & white which illustrate the development of the German air force from 1914 onwards in an objective & exciting way. ...

The German Navy saw action on all the seven seas. From a humble start in the 1920s, it expanded to become naval force to be reckoned with. Hitler developed wide-ranging plans & later put his ships & men into action against the Allied forces. The end of the Second World War saw the German navy forced to capitulate in the face of an overpowering superiority. More than 120 thousand German seamen lost their lives during the hostilities. This number included 30 thousand submariners as well as the small group of photo-journalists, who provided much of the film footage shown here. This DVD illustrates the development of the German navy from 1914 to the end of 1945 in a documentary way never attempted before &

Includes:: rare film footage in both colour & black & white. Manufacturer: Delta Model: (96208) The History Of German Navy

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Modern weapon technology & cunning military strategy have dominated the waging & winning of wars for centuries. The emphasis in warfare has been on mobility ever since the end of “war of position” tactics at the beginning of the 20th century. The invention of the battle tank provided a degree of mobility never achieved before & proved a decisive factor in ending the First World War. The so-called “ Blitzkrieg” introduced at the beginning of the Second World War was only successful on the basis of modern battle tanks in combination with highly-efficient air cover supplied by the German Luftwaffe. The exact analysis of important tank battles highlight the technical standards & tactical values & the involvement of the tank crews. This programme features rare film excerpts in both colour & black & white to illustrate the development of the German tank from the humble beginnings during the First World War right up to Hitler's final defeat in 1945. ...

The Steam Railway tells the fascinating story of the age of the steam locomotive. The era when the speed & power of the steam train epitomized the freedom & romance of travel, the age when although elaborate & delicate, the steam railway was one of the most successful feats of construction & organisation ever evolved by man. The locomotives, the rolling stock & liveries, the journeys & the architecture; all of which went to make one of the greatest eras in railway history; an age now preserved in glorious detail on this DVD. ...

The ship is one of the greatest accomplishments of the human race. That we have used it to travel to new & mysterious lands, vanquish our enemies & trade for exotic goods in distant ports make its history very rich indeed. The purpose of this book is to present the informed reader, who has an interest in ships, with a full account of both the technical & cultural development of this most fascinating & influential invention. The author, Richard Woodman, has drawn together the historical strands of each ship-type to produce a thoroughly compelling account culminating in a summary of contemporary developments & speculation about the future. Author: Richard Woodman Over 300 colour & b&w illustrations 352 pages Reprint
- March 1999295 x 248 mm Hardback Whether for good or evil, we have used the ship in our struggle to dominate the world around us, accomplishing spectacular feats of courage & exploration, exploiting & destruction. From the development of the dugout canoe to the very large container carrier we have created the largest mobile structures on the planet. The book starts with descriptions of primitive craft, leading to the early trading vessels & warships. From there the transition to the first full-rigged ship, the carrack, is discussed. The introduction of steam is clarified with details on how this gradual process, although finally allowing the steamship to usurp the sailing ship in many of her former roles, allowed sailing vessels to reach their final & prolonged heyday in the colourful tea clipper races. The upheavals of the twentieth century with the arrival of the big-gun battleship, aircraft carrier & the nuclear submarine are given comprehensive coverage. Throughout the book, the impact of technology on the evolution of the ship is dealt with logically to put developments in their economic & political contexts, & changes in the design of both warships & merchantmen are outlined. Entwined with this history are the stories of the characters who influenced ship design & the men who commanded them. The book in general follows the arguments propounded in Conway's highly praised History of the Ship series. These are underpinned with the author's many years of seagoing experience & numerous fiction & non-fiction writings on maritime topics. Whilst dealing with a hugely complex subject, the author presents his truly international thesis in a highly readable & enlightening manner. The book is complete with a full glossary & extensive bibliography. Publisher: Conway Maritime Press
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The ship is one of the greatest accomplishments of the human race. That we have used it to travel to new & mysterious lands, vanquish our enemies & trade for exotic goods in distant ports make its history very rich indeed. The purpose of this book is to present the informed reader, who has an interest in ships, with a full account of both the technical & cultural development of this most fascinating & influential invention. The author, Richard Woodman, has drawn together the historical strands of each ship-type to produce a thoroughly compelling account culminating in a summary of contemporary developments & speculation about the future. Author: Richard Woodman Over 300 colour & b&w illustrations 352 pages 295 x 248 mm Paperback Whether for good or evil, we have used the ship in our struggle to dominate the world around us, accomplishing spectacular feats of courage & exploration, exploiting & destruction. From the development of the dugout canoe to the very large container carrier, we have created the largest mobile structures on the planet. The book starts with descriptions of primitive craft, leading to the early trading vessels & warships. From there the transition to the first full-rigged ship, the carrack, is discussed. The introduction of steam is clarified with details on how this gradual process, although finally allowing the steamship to usurp the sailing ship in many of her former roles, allowed sailing vessels to reach their final & prolonged heyday in the colourful tea clipper races. The upheavals of the twentieth century with the arrival of the big-gun battleship, aircraft carrier & the nuclear submarine are given comprehensive coverage. Throughout the book, the impact of technology on the evolution of the ship is dealt with logically to put developments in their economic & political contexts, & changes in the design of both warships & merchantmen are outlined. Entwined with this history are the stories of the characters who influenced ship design & the men who commanded them. The book in general follows the arguments propounded in Conway's highly praised History of the Ship series: these are underpinned with the author's many years of seagoing experience & numerous fiction & non-fiction writings on maritime topics. Whilst dealing with a hugely complex subject, the author presents his truly international thesis in a highly readable & enlightening manner. The book is complete with a full glossary & extensive bibliography. Publisher: Conway Maritime Press ...

The Holly & The Ivy by Regan Purcell This cheerful hanging will add a festive touch to your home this Christmas. Finished



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What does it mean to be an island people? How has our rich & complex relationship with the sea shaped our national psyche? This beautifully illustrated exploration of Britain's maritime history sets out to discuss these questions. Brian Lavery takes the reader on a journey around the ports & harbours of Britain's coast, across rivers & along canals, climbing up lighthouses & strolling down piers. He moves with consummate skill between topics as varied as the rise of the Royal Navy & the development of specialised fisheries, the motives behind exploration & emigration & the protection of our shores from invasion, to deliver an all-encompassing history that is accessible & revealing. The pages are alive with tales of the great naval heroes, famous battles, legendary explorers & talented shipbuilders & architects. Each chapter

Includes:: a featured ship, dockyard, museum or notable maritime site, such as Chatham Dockyard, the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, HMS Belfast, Liverpool's historic port, & the birthplace of Sir Walter Raleigh. The book is rounded off with a Gazeteer of over 100 heritage sites. Author: Brian Lavery 176 pages 279 x 216mm Hardback The book is published as part of the major Sea Britain 2005 initiative whose aim is to co-ordinate all the various events that are planned for the Trafalgar bicentennary & promote the role that the sea plays & has played in British culture. Partners include The National Maritime Museum, The National Trust, English Heritage, the RNLI, The Royal Yachting Association & the Official Nelson Commemorative Committee, among others, with the support of the Department of Culture, Media & Sport. Each of these organisations has made a committment to the promotion of this book. Publisher: Conway Maritime Press

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