A History of No.6 Squadron RNAS

Taz · 28 September 2006, 02:34 PM

Mike Westrop's newest book continues the run of excellence started with his No.10 Squadron book. About two-thirds of the way through it and really enjoying it. From Nieuports to Camels, then disbanding, then reconstitution as a DH-4/9 unit, great narrative and tons of new photos. An excuse to take advantage of Schiffer's 20% off offer on three book purchases. You can just about pick up a free book with that deal. Beautiful cover by Mark Miller of Nieuport and Albatros scouts is added inducement.

Hopefully Mike will continue and document the entire RNAS for us.

Taz
Terry Phillips

Troy Raines · 28 September 2006, 03:01 PM

Agreed Taz, good book. I got mine a while back but am just getting started really. Very detailed information, easy reading style. I must go back and get the No. 10 Squadron book too. But I also just bought the British single seat fighter squadron book by Revell, the Roden 1/32 Albatross D.III, seen Flyboys twice, etc. My wallet needs to cool off.

Immo_Frese · 16 October 2006, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taz

Hopefully Mike will continue and document the entire RNAS for us.

Taz
Terry Phillips

Yes, I hope that too

Great reading Mike!

Immo

MilesC · 16 October 2006, 11:17 AM

Here is the book's description from Schiffer:

Despite No.6 Squadron RNAS being the first British fighter squadron to deploy a production twin gun scout on the Western Front (beating the Royal Flying Corp’s elite 56 Squadron by a couple of weeks) and the first squadron to take the notoriously unreliable Siddeley Puma powered D.H.9 into battle, almost nothing has been published about the activities of this important Royal Naval Air Service squadron. The lack of published information can perhaps be explained by the fact that a large block of the squadron’s daily reports are inexplicably missing from their “box” in Britain’s National Archives. After much effort and time, Mike Westrop discovered the “missing” documents in a Royal Flying Corps War Diary. This pilots’ log books, and many previously unpublished photographs has enabled the author to produce the first in-depth look at the activities and accomplishments of this “forgotten” squadron. The Royal Naval Air Service had a reputation for fielding the most colorful Allied machines in France and Belgium, and the reputation was upheld by the Nieuport scouts of No.6 Squadron. A collection of superb new colour profiles from Mark Miller depicts the squadron’s Nieuport 17Bis scouts to perfection.

It's on my Christmas List.

WTG Mike!!!

MikeW · 16 October 2006, 02:57 PM

Well thanks chaps, very nice of you. Just tell me where to send the money

I'm trying to finish Naval 9 right now, another squadron that liked its machines to have a splash of colour! Unfortunately Mark is tied up working for Peter Jackson again and I don't really want to use anyone else for the cover or the profiles - Pups, Triplanes and Camels with lots of red, white, blue and grey.

I want the cover to be

Roy Brown shooting down a 2-seater, he was flying a red fronted Camel with a white band round the fuselage and the picture of Music Hall comedian George Robey on the fin. Should be quite a challenge but another stunner I'm sure.

Then when that's put to bed, Naval 4, another squadron that has a low profile but racked up quite a good score. Photographs might be a problem with this one though. I have a fair number of their Pups but Camels are few and far between - and let's face it, most of us like the Camels.

Mike

Mark_Miller · 17 October 2006, 08:23 PM

Hi Mike
yeah, I have been a little pre-occupied lately.
but, I haven't forgotten you.
i'll try to get some prelim pup stuff to you soon.

sorry for the delay
and thanks for waiting for me
Mark

Mark_Miller · 29 October 2006, 10:36 AM

just uploaded the cover art to the gallery

i'll add some of the profiles to my web site soon.
I was particularly happy with the way the profiles came out.
Schiffers did a good job with the printing

Pips · 29 October 2006, 08:16 PM

Just curious MikeW why you went for less known Squadrons like Naval 6 and Naval 4 after such a high profile unit like Naval 10? I would have thought that continuing the theme with Naval 8 and Naval 1 made more sense.

Not that I'm complaining - any in depth study of Naval Squadrons is fine by me.

MikeW · 30 October 2006, 05:22 AM

Cobby,

why are Naval 6 and Naval 4 less well known? Coz nobody has written anything about them!

Many authors shy away from anything "difficult", or original. Look at the number of books written about Naval 10, most of them are simply rewrites of whatever was published before them.

I'm working on Naval 9 right now, what else has been previously written about the squadron? Apart from April 1918 when it was 209 Sqn RAF, practically nothing. If you hunt around a bit you might find something about their markings in November 1917 but what about February 1917, January 1918 etc etc?