iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 15/09/2025

Just returned home and yes, I do have a copy. Chapter 6, ‘The Making of Air History’?

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 15/09/2025

I’m pretty sure that I have it - but I won’t be able to check until later today, I’m afraid. If so, happy to copy and send you the chapter that you need.

120

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

I have a copy…but it’s at home, and I’m on holiday in Lincolnshire at the moment. I can check it for you next weekend, if that’s any use? Please do pass on my best to Simon!

110

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

In 1944, Germany was on CET until 02:00 3 April; then GST until 02:00 2 October; then back to CET until 02:00 2 April 1945. Hope that this helps.

010

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

The late Roy Nesbit included a decode of UK and German local times between 1939 & 1945 in his contribution to PRO Readers Guide No 8 ‘RAF Records in the PRO’ (1994), p63-4. In 1944-45, the UK was on BST until 02:00 2 April; then BDST until 02:00 17 Sep; then back to BST until 02:00 2 Apr 1945.

110

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

CSDIC reports S.I.R. 595 - 676, July-August 1944, are held by TNA as WO 208/3594 - it should be in there, I think.

100

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

I'm afraid that John Alexander (@ac1shaw.bsky.social) and Harry Raffal (@rafhistory.bsky.social) are much better placed to answer that than I am, James - I haven't yet seen the book, just the proof of my chapter.

010

Reposted by Clive Richards

RAF Historical Society @rafhistorical.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

We launched our new website earlier this year and will be updating our content in the New Year to share more of our Journals and to keep you up to date with our events. rafhistoricalsociety.org.uk

rafhistoricalsociety.org.uk

RAFHS

Discover the RAF's rich history and heritage through our society.

1159

Reposted by Clive Richards

John Alexander @ac1shaw.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

Close Air Support: Case Studies on the Integration of Air Power on the Battlefield, the anthology of 2023 BCMH and @rafmuseum.bsky.social CAS conference co-edited with @rafhistory.bsky.social, now available from Helion Books. Order here www.helion.co.uk/military-his...

073

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

Thank you, Ross! Hoping be able to submit something to 'From Balloons to Drones' next year.

110

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

I’m very grateful to Harry, John, and Aeroplane editor Ben Dunnell for the opportunity to contribute to both publications.

000

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

Secondly, my chapter examining the development and employment of Aerial Rocket Artillery helicopters by the US Army is in the collection Close Air Support, edited by Harry Raffal (@rafhistory.bsky.social) and John Alexander (@ac1shaw.bsky.social) and published today by Helion.

Front cover of 'Close Air Support: Case Studies on the Integration of Air Power on the Battlefield', edited by Harry Raffal and John Alexander

181

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

Sorry for the self-promotion, but I’m very pleased to see two pieces appear in print in the last few days. Firstly, my article on the decision to cancel TSR2 can be found in the Jan ’25 issue of 'Aeroplane' magazine, out last week (alongside @jdkightly.bsky.social’s excellent Wirraway article).

First page of my article in the January 2025 issue of 'Aeroplane' magazine, considering the cancellation of the BAC TSR2.

3122

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

Very grateful if you could add me to the list! Thanks, Alex.

010

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

I’ll try to post more regularly in future, but I make no promises that they will be worth your time.

010

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

While I still research aviation history (and sometimes get around to writing something down), my interests also include military and naval history, civil/military relations, and photography. Sadly, I can’t offer proof of cat – we don’t have one.

020

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

Despite having posted very little in the last year, I seem to have attracted a few new followers over the last week and I ought to say hello. I am UK based; ex-Air Historical Branch (a long time ago); ex-RAF Museum (a very long time ago); and I have a Masters in Air Power History.

040

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 07/11/2024

College Hall - hope you enjoyed your visit!

010

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 09/09/2024

You might like to take a look at 'Farnborough and the Fleet Air Arm' by Geoffrey Cooper (Midland, 2008) - although I haven't been able to find a direct reference to a 'high speed film unit' (sadly there's no index), he does include a section on 'Data Acquisition and Processing' (pp166-8).

000

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 11/08/2024

Nice image! Despite everything that's already appeared in print, I'm now drafting yet another (hopefully two-part) article looking at the origins and early history of this aircraft (quite a few of its' contemporaries also figure in the finished text, space permitting).

000

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 05/02/2024

At one stage in 1943 it was suggested that the Mosquito should be manufactured in the USSR. Although a single example (a B.IV) was flown to the Soviet Union in the following year for trials and to serve as a pattern aircraft, the proposal was ultimately abandoned.

010

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 04/02/2024

At the beginning of 1942 the Admiralty expressed serious concerns about the introduction of the Buckingham, arguing that it would be inferior to the Beaufort as a torpedo bomber and that production would be at the expense of both the Beaufort and the Beaufighter.

250

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 01/02/2024

Similarly, Quarterly Review No 7 (Oct-Dec 1943) stated that ‘The battle for Berlin started in earnest in November, 1943, since when it has continued unabated’ (p3). The phrases (or variations of them) therefore seem to have been coined almost immediately.

010

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 01/02/2024

‘The Battle of the Ruhr’ appeared in Bomber Command Quarterly Review No 5, Apr-Jul 1943, issued by HQ Bomber Command later in the same year (p1). The next Quarterly Review (No 6, Jul-Sep 1943) referred to ‘The Battle of the Ruhr which provided the main theme of the second quarter of 1943…’ (p2)

110

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 04/11/2023

Up to the end of the Second World War the Air Ministry was responsible for administering UK military AND civil aviation, and issued Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) covering both.

110

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 04/11/2023

Great! Please do get in touch if you have any questions, or if you think that I can be of any further help.

100

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 04/11/2023

Hi Dr McLean. I did forward some material relating to interwar Air Ministry publications to the email address you supplied, but after several days I’ve just received a message saying that it couldn’t be delivered. Will try to resend later today.

100

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 31/10/2023

Not in every case. For example, virtually all RAF F540/F541 Operations Record Books made it to the the PRO; and material quoted in the official histories was tagged for preservation. In some Classes a deliberate decision was taken to preserve a sample, and dispose of the rest of the material.

100

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 31/10/2023

My impression is that it varies from Class to Class, depending on the nature of the material. In general, however, I’d suggest that there are likely to be too many factors surrounding the survival of documents and their selection for preservation, to permit such an assumption.

110

Reposted by Clive Richards

Dr Ross Mahoney @airpowerhistory.bsky.social · 22/10/2023

If you are interested in air power and the history of air warfare, then give @balloons2drones.bsky.social a follow!

073

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 22/10/2023

Good call! Sunrise a bit further south this morning (Worcestershire).

010

Reposted by Clive Richards

James D Kightly @jdkightly.bsky.social · 21/10/2023

An aviation researcher's PSA. Here's a link to the 'Quality Aviation History Journals' listing I created a couple of years ago. Hope it's of use, it's provided free with no angle for me. Corrections, (constructive) comments, shares and updates welcome: vintageaerowriter.wordpress.com/quality-avia...

vintageaerowriter.wordpress.com

Quality Aviation History Journals

A requested collated list of aviation history, or aviation history related journals, with aims of providing sound, original referenced research. Those with an asterisk* are known and listed as having ...

074

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 21/10/2023

The latter also being complicated by differing operating environments (geography/climate), and also variations in doctrine and experience (military) or legislative/commercial environment (civil).

110

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 21/10/2023

The applies not only to flying characteristics, but also to serviceability/utility - aircraft often transition from 'hanger queen' basket case on entering service, through reliable warhorse, to the status of flying scrapheap towards the end of their career.

110

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 20/10/2023

Thank you, by the way, for the steer with regard to the VMARS Archive - I hadn't come across that website previously. Much appreciated.

110

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 20/10/2023

I was very fortunate to have James as one of my tutors during my Birmingham MA - a nicer person, and better scholar, I have yet to meet.

120

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 20/10/2023

11 for various editions of TSD 573 'Future Aircraft and Equipment' 2 for TSD 784 'Data for Calculating Expenditure in War' and 1 (in AIR 20) for TSD 811 'War Book'. Additionally, it is possible that the RAF Museum collection might include examples.

110

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 20/10/2023

Very sorry not to have go back to you before now. Certainly, it's likely that a considerable number of manuals with TSD references may have been destroyed as part of the review process. However, a search of TNA AIR Classes throws up 14 extant documents with TSD references.

210

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 18/10/2023

The Air Ministry also issued a series of 'Air Ministry Pamphlets' (AMPs - later redesigned PAMAIRs) on various subjects - notably, recruiting; a very good collection is held by the RAF Museum.

310

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 18/10/2023

Thanks for this; I'll dig out what I have and be in touch early next week, if that's OK. By the way, I forgot to mention that not all SDs and CDs went into AIR 10; monographs produced by AHB in the immediate post-war period and allocated SD/ CD numbers are split between in AIR 10 & AIR 41.

310

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 18/10/2023

I do have some notes somewhere, but I'd need to dig them out. Would it be possible for you to let me have an email address at which I can reach you? By the way, with regard to British Army manuals - have you looked at TNA Class WO 279, 'Confidential Print'?

100

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 18/10/2023

With regard to religious texts, I don't believe that they were issued in the form of APs - although AIR 10 does include at least one set of instructions to CofE chaplains issued in 1918 - FS 97 (the FS series being inherited from the Army), TNA AIR 10/137. Hope that this helps!

110

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 18/10/2023

SDs and CDs were classified accordingly (I should note that there were also Top Secret Documents - TSDs). APs were issued with various security classifications, dependent upon their contents - for example, AP 1300 'War Manual: Part 1, Operations', 1950, was classified Restricted.

110

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 18/10/2023

Additionally, secret and classified documents were issued in the SD and CD series - for example, SD573 'Future Aircraft and Equipment', 1947 (TNA AIR 10/5196). In addition to those in the TNA collection, a significant library of APs, SDs and CDs is held by the RAF Museum.

110

Clive Richards @cliverichards.bsky.social · 18/10/2023

Sorry if I'm a bit late to this party, but re the RAF - service and technical publications were issued primarily in the form of numbered Air Publications (APs); a catalogue of these publications was being issued periodically as AP 113. Examples are held by The National Archives in Class AIR 10.

200