Specialty Press

Wrecks & Relics: 20th Edition

by  Ken Ellis

Reviewed By  Paul Bradley, IPMS# 35554

MSRP: $29.95 This book has been a staple of the British aviation enthusiast's book shelves for nigh on 40 years now and it remains as essential now as it was then. For those not familiar with this book, it is basically a listing of all historic and preserved aircraft in Britain, but there is a lot more to it than that. The book explores museums, dumps, workshops, indeed the very back gardens of Britain, in an effort to catalog each and every airframe extant in the islands, be they complete, cockpit sections or mere fuselage frames. Entries are listed alphabetically by county and by airfield or place, so it is essential to have a working knowledge of British geography and/or a good map! Details are given, where known, of the provenance of the airframe, its current condition and accessibility. Museum listings often include relevant details for the potential visitor, but be aware that some airframes are jealously guarded by their owners and are not available for viewing. Author Ken Ellis will be familiar to many as the Editor of Flypast magazine, arguable the best historic aviation magazine in the world. He writes with an ease and humour that livens up what could otherwise be a very dry tome. New this time around are 64 pages of full color photos; this used to be a mix of color plus black and white, and I for one welcome the change even at the added expense. These run the gamut from beautiful restorations to despairing views of derelicts and recently scrapped aircraft. While it is not possible to keep every single aircraft, there are some losses that sadden the heart, but for every lost Phantom, there is a Spitfire reborn; and so the World turns….. Any enthusiast contemplating a trip to Britain would be well advised to acquire a copy of this book. This book is available from Specialty Press; please visit their website for pricing details. Our sincere thanks to them for the review sample.

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