Osprey Publishing Ltd – The Bell Bookshop

War Bows

Emma — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

War bows dominated battlefields across the world for centuries. In their various forms, they allowed trained archers to take down even well-armoured targets from great distances, and played a key role in some of the most famous battles in human history. The composite bow was a versatile and devastatingly effective weapon, on foot, from chariots and on horseback for over a thousand years, used by cultures as diverse as the Hittites, the Romans, the Mongols and the Ottoman Turks. The Middle Ages saw a clash between the iconic longbow and the more technologically sophisticated crossbow, most famously during the Hundred Years War, while in Japan, the samurai used the yumi to deadly effect, unleashing bursts of arrows from their galloping steeds. Historical weapons expert Mike Loades reveals the full history of these four iconic weapons that changed the nature of warfare. Complete with modern ballistics testing, action recreations of what it is like to fire each bow and a critical analysis of the technology and tactics associated with each bow, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in ancient arms.

Air Combat

Emma — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

The battle for the skies in World War II fuelled a race between rival air forces to develop ever faster and more capable fighter aircraft – and the struggle for air superiority was never over until the war itself ended. This volume explores four clashes of some of the finest planes and pilots, in key theatres of the war: Spitfires duelling the formidable Bf 109 over the Channel, the Fw 190 battling the Soviet La 5 and 7 on the Eastern Front, the F4F Wildcat in a desperate clash with the legendary A6M Zero-sen, and the F4U Corsair in combat with the second-generation Japanese Ki-84 in the closing days of the war.Fully illustrated with contemporary photographs, maps and colour artwork, Air Combat conveys the full story behind these dramatic aviation duels.

Empire Of The Seas

Emma — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

The BBC TV Tie-in to Dan Snow’s Timewatch series exploring the navy’s rise over four centuries.

The year 1588 marked a turning point in our national story. Victory over the Spanish Armada transformed us into a seafaring nation and it sparked a myth that one day would become a reality – that the nation’s new destiny, the source of her future wealth and power lay out on the oceans.

This book tells the story of how the navy expanded from a tiny force to become the most complex industrial enterprise on earth; how the need to organise it laid the foundations of our civil service and our economy; and how it transformed our culture, our sense of national identity and our democracy.

Brian Lavery’s narrative explores the navy’s rise over four centuries; a key factor in propelling Britain to its status as the most powerful nation on earth, and assesses the turning point of Jutland and the First World War. He creates a compelling read that is every bit as engaging as the TV series itself.

Wipers Times

Emma — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Decades ahead of the amusing but distorting buffoonery of Blackadder Goes Forth, this complete edition of the Wipers Times, the famed trench newspaper of the First World War, is an extraordinary mix of black humour, fake entertainment programmes and pastiche articles, and constitutes a unique record of life on the wartime frontline. From its long-running cartoon pun (Are We Being Offensive Enough?) to its brilliantly subversive column Things We Want to Know (the name of the officer who originated the idea), its hilarious spoof ads to its pastiche fake contributors (Belary Helloc), this complete facsimile edition of the Wipers Times, produced to accompany the BBC dramatization, is a historical masterpiece that enables us to sample the real spirit of the trenches . . . from the safety of our armchairs. If you can drink the beer the Belgians sell you, And pay the price they ask with ne’er a grouse, If you believe the tales that some will tell you, And live in mud with ground sheet for a house, If you can live on bully and a biscuit,And thank your stars that you’ve a tot of rum, Dodge whizzbangs with a grin, and as you risk it Talk glibly of the pretty way they hum. . .

Hurricane

Emma — Thu, 18 May 2017 00:00:00 +0000

2017 marks the 80th anniversary of the remarkable Hawker Hurricane formally entering service. The RAF’s first monoplane fighter, it dragged the Air Force into a position where it could defend Britain in her ‘hour of need’. The true workhorse of the RAF, the Hurricane came into its own in the hot summer months of 1940 valiantly defending the skies above Britain. Outnumbering Spitfires three to one, the Hurricane also downed far more enemy aircraft. Without the obvious elegance of the Me 109 or the Spitfire, the Hurricane was nonetheless beloved by its pilots for its ability to simultaneously take a battering and inflict serious damage from its remarkably stable gun platform. This stunning new book reveals the Hurricane in all its glory – from fascinating first-hand accounts from the men who flew her to the truly breathtaking images from John Dibbs of the Hurricanes still in flight today. This lavish, fully illustrated edition is a must-have for all fans of aviation history.

Lancaster

Emma — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 00:00:00 +0000

The star of the famous ‘Dambusters’ raid, the Avro Lancaster also formed the backbone of the RAF’s Bomber Command during the large-scale night bombing campaign against occupied Europe during World War II. Unable to hit back on the ground, with the Lancaster, Britain could take the fight to Germany. This complete illustrated guide to one of Britain’s most iconic aircraft explores its history, strengths, weaknesses and combat performance in the war that would make it legendary. Featuring stunning artwork and contemporary photographs, this book reveals how the Lancaster became the RAF’s most successful heavy bomber of the war, and a symbol of British resistance and air power.

Spitfire

Emma — Thu, 19 May 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Published to coincide with the 80th birthday of the Spitfire this is a gripping and visually spectacular volume, which celebrates the life of Britain’s most iconic military aircraft.

The Spitfire turns 80 on 5 March 2016, and the passion for the RAF’s best-loved fighter is running at an all-time high. There are more than 50 Spitfires flying in the world today, and John Dibbs has shot virtually all of them ‘on the wing’ in his breathtaking style.

This eye-catching book combines a unique collection of stunning photos with poignant first-hand accounts of flying the aeroplane in combat, from some of the most famous aces to ever pilot the Spitfire, and from some of the pilots forgotten by history.

Illustrated with photographs from the world’s most experienced photographer of Spitfires in the air, this is a highly collectable book for anyone with a love for the Flying Legend.