To Rule the Winds: The Evolution of the British Fighter Force Through Two World Wars: Volume 1 - Prelude to Air War - The Years to 1914

To Rule the Winds is the story of how a co-ordinated force of the Royal Air Force's fighter squadrons came into being as Fighter Command in 1936 and what became of it after the Battle of Britain. It is a large story, to be told in a series of volumes. This first volume recounts the origins of military aviation in Britain, up to the beginning of the First World War in the August of 1914. By the 18th and 19th centuries, balloons had been tried in various conflicts on the Continent of Europe, during Britain's involvements in the Napoleonic wars, the Crimea, South Africa and elsewhere, as well as during the American Civil War. The aeroplane flights in the USA by the Wright brothers from December 1903 changed the direction of military aviation. It would not be until 1908 that similar flights would begin in Britain, some way behind flights by aeronauts in Europe and especially France that culminated, momentously, in Blériot's crossing of the English Channel in 1909 that proved beyond doubt that Britain could be invaded by air. Thereafter, although the British military authorities did not with alacrity embrace aeroplanes as weapons of war, at least a start was made that enabled a small force of miscellaneous and unarmed aeroplanes to take the Field with the British Army in 1914 – a force that would evolve in the course of the Great War into the Royal Air Force. The theme of the whole series is the evolution of a force of aeroplanes first adapted and later designed to fight in the air against other aeroplanes – the 'Scout' or 'Fighter'. Covering a period in which the type did not really exist, this first volume explores the origins of that force: the Royal Aircraft Factory; the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers; the Royal Flying Corps; disaffection with airships; early development of aeroplanes for war; problems with monoplanes; aerial gunnery and wireless experiments; the foundations of an Air Ministry; preparations for aerial defence.

About the Author :
Michael Fox was born at Farnborough Hospital in Kent during WWII. At the time, his parents were living at Biggin Hill, close to the famous aerodrome, a fact that seems to have impressed upon him an interest in military aviation ever since! He was brought up in South-East London and went into industry as a trainee metallurgist straight from school. He subsequently took an honours degree in metallurgy at Brunel University and returned to industry in the South-East of England as a research metallurgist, working firstly on the development of high temperature steels for the petrochemical and related industries and later on the marine corrosion of non-ferrous alloys. He gave up practical metallurgy upon joining the Standards Division of the British Standards Institution (BSI) in the mid-1970s, rising through a series of management positions to Resource Planning Manager and Departmental head. He left the BSI in 2001, taking the opportunity to begin writing Knights of the Skies, his first book. He is currently working on further volumes in the To Rule the Winds series, as well as a possible series of novels also based upon aspects of military aviation. Michael lives with his wife of over 40 years and a very aggressive (though slowing down) cat in a very un-model village in Kent; their two grown-up daughters and a beautiful grand-daughter live nearby.

Review :
“ … Fox has provided a logical and well written analysis of the successes and failures of the British leadership and designers as they grappled with an absolutely untested technology and the consummate risk of getting the answers wrong.” “ … an interesting, useful, and detailed narrative. The remaining volumes of the series will be keenly anticipated by enthusiasts and historians alike.” “The book as a whole is well written, follows a very logical path and is extremely thorough in its technical coverage. The photographs and line drawings are also excellent.”