Barracuda

from the cockpit No.16

by Robert McCandless

Ad Hoc Publications

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

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Ad Hoc Publications is based in the UK. A visit to their web site reveals that they publish books on British aviation with a leaning toward aircraft operated by the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. Their main series seems to be the “From the Cockpit” with 16 titles produced to date.

Firstly, I have to declare a bias towards the subject of this book, the Fairey Barracuda. I have long been fascinated by the ungainly looking machine and have been gathering information on it for many years to aid a build of the Special Hobby 1/48 scale kit and I have to say that the aircraft has not been covered well at all! Given this I was delighted when I got my hands on this new book from Ad Hoc Publications and found that it truly does provide a wealth of reference to assist a modeller as well as telling the story of the machine by those who flew it.

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Given the title of the series - From the Cockpit – it is written with a bent towards operating the aircraft but it also tells the story of the machine from its inception until its ultimate withdrawal from service, its trails and tribulations and it is told in that typical and easy to read British style of understatement!

It comprises just seven chapters in all as well as a Foreword and Introduction. From the contents page:

• FOREWORD - Rear Admiral I.G.W. Robertson CB DSC
  

• INTRODUCTION - Lieutenant Commander Robert McCandless DSC
  

• DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT - Lieutenant Commander Robert McCandless DSC
  

  • A very Clever Design. - Commander N.H. Bovey OBE DSC VRD RNR
    

  • Missing its Generation. - Commander David Hobbs MBE
    

• FROM THE COCKPIT - Lieutenant Commander Robert McCandless DSC
  

  • Nothing if not Unprepossessing. - Captain Eric Brown CBE DSC AFC
    

  • Notes to Ferry Pilots. - Courtesy Commander David Hobbs MBE
    

  • Nobody to Say You Nae. - Third Officer Joy Lofthouse ATA
    

• LEARNING TO FIGHT - Lieutenant Commander Robert McCandless DSC
  

• FRONT-LINE FLYING - Lieutenant Commander Robert McCandless DSC
  

  • Rugged, Complex and Capable - Commander Bertie Vigrass OBE VRD RNR
    

  • No Guns in Anger Petty Officer - Arthur Wells MiD
    

  • Waiting For Vengeance - Lieutenant (A) John Dicson RD RNVR
    

• INTO ACTION - Lieutenant Commander Robert McCandless DSC
  

• From Tungsten to Minneriya - Lieutenant (A) Arthur Towlson DSC RNVR
  

• TO BECCLES AND BEYOND - Lieutenant Commander Robert McCandless DSC

• Hunting Bibers – Commander Andy Phillip
  

• Katukurunda Etcetera - Petty Officer Rolland Spiller
  

• Change of Plan – Lieutenant (A) John Dickson RD RNVR
  

• A little Observation – Lieutenant Keith Davies
  

• The Last Hurrah – Lieutenant Commander David Pennick
  

• Ben Twich Tragedy – Commander John Neillson OBE DSC
  

• BARRACUDA SQUADRONS - Lieutenant Commander Robert McCandless DSC
  

The book is softbound and comprises 144 glossy pages in all. It measures 210 × 297mm in size and holds 162 photographs with 8 of them in colour. You are also treated to some 34 well rendered artworks that show colour profiles of the Barracuda during its service life.

All up, a great book at a good price that tells the whole story of this machine.

Thanks to Ad Hoc Publications for the review copy.

Copies should be available to order from most good book outlets, but can also be ordered direct from;

Ad Hoc Publications
Cedars
Wattisham Road
Ringshall
Stowmarket
Suffolk IP14 2HX
(UK)

Tel: 07776 134277 Email: sales@adhocpublications.com

www.adhocpublications.com