|
Magazine Data
Publisher: Haymarket Press Country: United Kingdom Language: English
Main Genre: general
Status: Ceased   (3 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5) Loading...Remarks
First issue published in 1944 under the title ‘Royal Air Force Review’, but renamed ‘Royal Air Force Flying Review’ by the early 1950’s. Content at this time was a mixture of “ripping yarns” true flying stories and serious features on World War Two and contemporary aircraft types. Through the 1950’s it evolved into a serious enthusiasts magazine, with detailed type profiles, surveys of foreign air forces and assessments of the latest Soviet aircraft. It was renamed ‘Flying Review International’ in September 1963. With its large b+w and colour photos, cutaway drawings and colour profile drawings it became the premier aviation magazine in the UK. Unfortunately, in September 1968 it was redesigned to a larger size and now included monthly updates to the authoritative annual publication ‘Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft’, together with regular features on the aircraft industry, (simulators, avionics, components etc). This attempt at a ‘Jane’s Monthly’ was obviously not a success, as the magazine ceased publishing with the September 1970 issue. See other aviation-related magazines from United Kingdom. |
1 Have a lot of these magazines and I am wondering if they have a worth to collectors.
I bought this magazine when I was a boy and thought it was wonderful – full of facts, information and great stories of aircraft and airmen. In late 1963 it got above itself and went glossy and much more expensive – from 1/9 to 2/6, more than I could afford on my pocket money. I wrote a letter of protest to the editor but received no reply, unsurprisingly! After that I lost track of it, but I don’t think it lasted much longer. I treasure the copies I still have and still refer to them for info and pilots’ recollections: where else can you find full inventories of NATO aircraft of the early 1960s or memoirs of Ju 87D aircrew strafing Russian troops (April 1962). All good things come to an end, but this one ended too soon for me.
I remember that each issue had an article entitled “What were they like to fly”, which consisted of reports by men who had test-flown captured German, Italian, and Japanese aircraft. It was very interesting, since many of these aircraft were found abandoned, and with no service records.
I have been a faithful reader of the magazine for years and I was very much disappointed when they changed the format and the quality of the paper while increasing the price. It did’t last long and finally disappeared. Some time later appeared Air International which still exists. I am not so fan of the articles about commercial aircraft. And then they initiated the Air Enthusiast quarterly under William Green and Gordon Swanborough somewhere in 1976 which ended after 131 issues, due to poor sales. I think I have the entire collection.
I also bought this magazine as a 14 year old. I bound the 1960 year and this has survived. It still makes interesting reading, from a historical perspective.