November 3, 2009 see the 50th anniversary of the first flight of the English Electric Lightning, once Britain’s first line of defence in the Cold War.

Martin Bowman tells the story of the development of this amazing aircraft, once the holder of many speed and height records, as well as being one of the most beautiful jet fighters ever made.

THE AUTHOR

Martin Bowman is one of the foremost authorities on the Lightning, having flown in them as well as written about them. He has collected together a unique archive of images on the aircraft and presents them with a new and definitive history of this most beautiful and purposeful of jet fighters.

Many still fly today in preservation and indeed in South Africa there is even a flight of Lightnings still performing at airshows today. Martin Bowman lives in Norfolk.

248 x 172 mm | paperback | 256 pages | 150 illustrations | 60 colour illustrations