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ROBERTSON, F. A. de V.; C. N. Colson & W. A. Cook.
Squadrons of the Royal Air Force and other units.
Their work in war and peace.
Publisher: London, Flight Publishing Co. Ltd., n.d [1935]
Stock code: 44617
Price: £300 Currency Conversion
First edition. A publication of Flight magazine, drawing illustrations from their superb photographic archive overseen by John Yoxall, their chief photographer from 1919-39. This copy has the ownership inscription of George L. Pickard, one of the pioneers of oceanography, director of the University of British Columbia's Institute of Oceanography from 1958-78. The inscription dates 1936 during his time at Hertford College, Oxford (gilt college stamp to the lower board) reading for his PhD in Physics. During the war he worked with R. V. Jones at the Clarendon Laboratory on infra-red aircraft detection, and then at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, developing the two-spotlight beam altimeter which was adapted for use in the Dam Buster raids. Combining his interest in flying and his later love of the sea, he qualified for membership of the "Goldfish Club" when in 1942 he was on a test flight that ditched in the Channel. He received an MBE for his war work. A superb copy with an intriguing provenance.
Quarto, original RAF blue cloth, title gilt to spine and to the upper board together with RAF wings. In the dust jacket. Profusely illustrated from photographs, many full-page images. Boards slightly spotted on the bottom edge, but overall very good indeed in the handsome photographic jacket.
