Shropshire Blue, A Shropshire Lad in the RAF, Volume 2, On The Buffet

'A great insight into pilot training.'
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to train as a military pilot, this is the book for you. But don’t expect a tale of seamless progress and glamour. Ron Powell had a difficult journey. Following on from Preparation For Flight, this second volume of Shropshire Blue follows Ron through a short course on the Chipmunk and then basic flying training on the Jet Provost, where his first solo was followed by the thrills of spinning and aerobatics, the advanced skills of navigation and formation flying, and his personal demon, flying on instruments. Advanced flying training on the Jetstream added another layer of complexity and new skills to learn, with a flight down one of the Cold War air corridors into Berlin a highlight. In the end, he gained his coveted RAF pilot 'wings', paving the way for a tour on the C-130 Hercules, which is covered in the third volume, Fat Albert.
The cover design is by Martin Butler.
In addition to the three volumes (so far) of Shropshire Blue, Ron has written an illustrated history, The Battle of Britain, Hitler's First Bloody Nose; an acclaimed novel set in the same Battle, Wings Over Summer; and a sequel, Wings Over Malta.
You can read more about his life and writing on his website, ronpowell.co.uk.