THE LONG DRAG - REVIEWS

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Once again, Flight Recorder Publications has produced a book that is unique to this reviewer's experience. This is the story of target towing from a uniquely British perspective, the author having been involved of this aspect of aviation from 1942 until 1989.

Starting in the 1930s and continuing even today, the art of target towing (and it is an art) is something about which little is mentioned, little is written and little is thought about, even amongst the aviation minded. It is a task that is often thought to be less than glamorous (which is true), and even mundane or degrading. These are not the tasks for fighter pilots; no glory is to be had here. Yet it is a task that is paramount if one's defenses are to be honed to where they are effective. Here you will find not only a brief history of the art form as carried out in the UK, but also included are descriptions of the various targets and banners. The winches and cables and other materials that are necessary for the task are described in some detail. What starts out as a 'oh, what can this be about?', turns into a fascinating look at the men and materiel needed to perform this necessary function.

In addition to the well written (and very British) body of the book, there are good, quality photographs, drawings and diagrams. Also included are high quality color profiles of the aircraft involved, made even more fetching by the very colorful schemes carried by target tugs.

The quality of the book and its most reasonable price make this a publication that should be on your reference shelf.

Scott van Aken
modellingmadness.com

Whilst target towing is often seen as an unglamorous and peripheral military activity, one only needs to read this book to see what an important part it has played, and still does play, in airforce combat training. Equally, if you thought that target towing was as simple as stooging around in an obsolete aircraft trailing an old windsock, whilst waiting for some 'flyboy' to come and take a 'pot-shot' at you (or hopefully the target!), then think again (though in truth, it appears that it sometimes it did mean just that!). Don Evans' book provides an extensive insight into both the history and practicalities of target towing, this being possibly the only book to cover this 'art' exclusively, and in such detail.

'The Long Drag' is presented in A4 portrait format, with satin-finish soft covers, enclosing 68 semi-gloss pages. There are four pages of colour artwork profiles by David Howley, covering some twenty-three aircraft used as British target tugs. These range from a 1925 Westland Walrus, through Henleys, Battles, Defiants and Beaufighters, right through to Meteors, Hawks and Canberras. Some unusual types include; the Brewster Bermuda (never heard of it), Vultee Vengeance Mk.IV and the short-lived Miles M.33 Monitor (the only purpose-designed target tug used in British Service). The remainder of the book, including photographs, is printed in black & white and includes various equipment or installation diagrams. Modellers, especially those interested in scratchbuilding or conversions, will probably still need to hunt elsewhere for detailed close-ups though. Reproduction however is excellent, with a good selection of photographs of the many 'unsung warriors' (as Evans describes them). So on to the book itself.

Beginning with a short introduction, there then follow eleven chapters, rounded off by a listing of the known UK-based RAF Target Towing Units. Chapter headings are; The History of Aerial Targets (Flags, Banners, Sleeves and Darts), Sleeve Targets (Dragging a Drogue), Target Exchanging (Sleeve Swapping), Winged Targets (Less Than Perfect), The Air Snatch Technique (Low, Not Slow), Target Intelligence (Don't Hit the Target), Modern Targets (Size is Not Important), Winches (Letting it All Hang Out), Accessories (Hooks and Cables), The Aircraft (Unsung Warriors) and finally, Tales and Tails (Unsung Heroes).

All this is told from the point of view of someone who spent most of his service life (in both the RAF and Fleet Air Arm) involved with target towing and then afterwards, with the A&AEE at Boscombe Down, working on the technique's further development (Don received the British Empire Medal for his work on the Trident Target and on the Rapid Target Exchanger). Even now in retirement he is still involved at Boscombe Down, where he looks after over 1,000 scale model aircraft!

Highlight for me in this book, is the chapter on 'The Air Snatch Technique'. Imagine a Canberra B Mk.2 approaching at 150 knots and 10 feet altitude, 'hooking' a towing loop suspended above the ground on poles! Once the loop is 'hooked', the aircraft then goes into a high power, steep This technique was so spectacular, that it used to be performed at various RAF stations for their 'Battle of Britain' displays - not sure that show organisers would be so keen to put it on now!

Don Evans' book is a concise and well written account of a subject which has, until now, largely been ignored. His practical, first-hand, knowledge shines through and he also tells a good (and often humorous) story. This is a definite candidate for any aviation enthusiast's reference shelf and I can highly recommend it. All we need now, is a bit more support from kit or aftermarket manufacturers to allow us all to do justice to some of those 'Unsung Heroes'. How about the parts to convert the forthcoming 'Classic Airframes' Meteor NF.11/13 into a TT.20 anyone?

Highly Recommended.

Steve Naylor
Hyperscale USA
December 2004

Not exactly a hot topic amongst aviation enthusiasts, but a very necessary task, is the mission of target towing. Often regarded as a dull chore by those assigned to it, target towing helps hone the skills of front line pilots in the art of air-to-air gunnery. This new book from Flight Recorder Publications explores the world of target towing from the British angle and is told by a former WWII target winch operator, Don Evans.

This is a short history indeed, as the book is just 68 pages, but author Evans manages to pack a lot of information into that space, and a goodly number of photographs too. Not a complete history as it does not review the numerous units involved in this task, it is more a review of the evolution of target towing in Britain. As such, Evans divides his work into a number of chapters, each dealing with a different aspect of the subject. Thus we find sections on, for example, sleeve targets, target winches and target exchanging. Evans writes from long experience with the subject, having been a winch operator during World War II and later in the Towed Target Development Section at the RAF¹s test division at Boscombe Down. Consequently, his style is both anecdotal and technical, though never uninteresting.

While the task was less than glamorous, the aircraft assigned to it were colorful to say the least and this is reflected in the great shot of a Canberra TT.18 gracing the cover. Within the book are 114 photos of aircraft and equipment, plus 27 full color profiles of various target tugs from artist M. D. Howley of Scale Aircraft Modeling fame. As the author states at the start of the chapter devoted to the aircraft, ³it seems probable that well over half of the aircraft types used by the British Armed Forces since 1930 have 'been used for target towing in one form or another.' There is plenty of material here for an unusual model, or for those with, for example, the Classic Airframes Defiant or Battle target tugs. Personally, I am attracted to the Canberra TT.18 resplendent in yellow and black striped undersides and Dayglo bands and I have an Airfix Canberra to hand that I can convert.

Not perhaps the most exciting subject, but interesting nevertheless, this book will appeal to those who specialize in the unusual and can be recommended to anyone who wishes to build something 'different.'

This book is obtainable from Specialty Press in the US. Call 1(800) 895 4585 for details and to order (Add $4.95 for shipping), or visit their website at www.specialtypress.com. Our sincere thanks to them for the review sample.

Paul Bradley
IPMS USA

THE LONG DRAG. A Short History of British Target Towing, par Don Evans, 68 pages, £10, auprès de Flight Recorder Publications Ltd, Ashtree House, Station Road, Ottringham, East Yorkshire, HU12 OBJ (Grande- Bretagne). (www.flight-recorder.com)

Comparée aux opérations de combat aérien, Ie tir cible remorquée peit paraître tout a fait désuet à la plupart des fervents d' aviation. La plupart du temps cependant, les armées de l'Air sont en paix, mais doivent se préparer à la guerre et, en absence d'adversaires réels, la seule manière pour que des pilotes, des tireurs et I'équipage apprennent à utiliser I'armement de bord et toucher I' adversaire ne peut se faire qu'à I'aide de cibles factices. Cet ouvrage donne donc un aperçu global des moyens et des équipements utilisés par la RAF pour ce type d'entrainement et, on les trouvera ici expliqués pour la première fois grâce a de nombreuses photographies, des détails techniques, des diagrammes et I' essentiel des caractéristiques. Le côté humain de la tâche de remorquage de cible, qui demande évidemment une grande pratique, n'est pas oublié. Avec 27 profils couleurs d'avions, et plus de 110 photos en noir et blanc et et couleurs, avec des légendes très detaillées.

39-45 Magazine
November 2004

At last, I thought, a book on a neglected subject to set my jaded palate tingling. Well, it's a start, but as I perused its pages I realised that it fell rather short of expectations.

The author has an impressive background, having been involved with military target towing since 1944, initially in the RAF and later, from 1947, at the A&AEE, Boscombe Down, where he spent 12 years as supervisor of the Towed Target Development Section. Consequently, the aspects in which he was intimately involved are extremely well covered, flag, banner, sleeve and dart targets being described, along with their winches, the aircraft to which they were fitted, and the techniques employed in their use.

The text is well illustrated with explicit diagrams and monochrome photos, many of which will be new to most readers, and there is a four-page centre section of colour side-elevation artwork depicting assorted target-towing aircraft which, with their colourful schemes, will make good modelling subjects.

However, when the subject goes beyond the author's direct experience the coverage is poor. The earlier period is very weak, there being nothing more than a passing reference to the use of towed targets in the First World War, though good pictures of RE7s with flag targets have been published. Had the author tracked down a copy of Air Ministry AP 1492 of the late 1930s, 'Towed and Free Targetss and Gunnery Prctice Equipment', he would have been positively swamped with information of virtually every aspect of the sleeve, falg and gyroscopically stabilised glider targets used by the Services in the inter-war years.

Likewise, although a list of known UK-based RAF target-towing units is provided, I could find no refrenece to the five Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-Operation Units (CAACUs) which rendered such sterling service in the 1950s and '60s, operating converted Beaufighters, Mosquitos and Meteors. Although there is one colour side elevation of a Meteor TT.20 of 3/4 CAACU, there is not a single photograph of any of the aircraft used by these units. This is a pity, as their Mosquito TT.35s, for example, were far closer in appearance to the normal Mosssie than the TT.39 depicted in the book with its ugly extended 'greenhouse' nose.

While this book has broken new ground, much more remains to be unearthed.

Phil Jarrett
Aeroplane Monthly
December 2004

About time! A bargain-priced, well-produced history of the fascinating story of British target-towing, both in-service, and for research and development.

Flypast
December 2004

Flight Recorder Publications have again come up with an aviation subject that has had very little coverage. Towing targets has not been covered in any depth before and this excellent little publication has it all, colour profiles and the detailed history, many photographs from the beginning of towing targets to the present, details of towing fittings and the aircraft in British service, 31,000 words, 68 pages soft cover with 27 coloured aircraft profiles and 115 photos some in colour. Get it! The publicity says "The men who tow tails have tales to tell".

BMFA News, October 2004

The sub-title of this book is 'A Short History of British Target Towing', which I have to admit, is a subject that I don't have much information on. Monographs on various aircraft types always mention the variant that undertook this Target Towing work, but do not go into detail. Although this was a vital part of aircrew training it seems that some manufacturers were reluctant to talk about it, or in some cases, admit that their aircraft were even used for this purpose. The limited-run manufacturers have opened up this work by adding the 'TT' variant to their inventories when producing a series on one particular aircraft.

This 68 page softback is a mine of information. The first chapter discusses the history of aerial targets and this goes back to the First World War, although the target tended to stop the aircraft in mid-flight with the drag! Many of these targets were quite sophisticated. As well as the normal drogue some were even 'miniature aircraft', and not all of them were either dragged up from the ground or launched by winch, some were pulled into the air using the 'snatch' principle.

Anyway to get more information I suggest you buy a copy. It is full of photographs of both aircraft and targets; diagrams letting us into the complicated world of winches; and there are twenty-three colour profiles, each illustrating a different type or sub-type.

Worthy of mention is the Westland Walrus with a powered target on top, a Boulton Paul Overstrand, a Brewster Bermuda and even a Tempest.

This is an exceptionally good £10.00 worth, I suggest you take a look at it.

Model Aircraft Monthly
September 2004

As far as I know, this is the first book devoted explicitly to this subject,although target towing is mentioned in monographs of certain aircraft that have been used for the purpose. The author was involved in the operation and design of various types of gunnery target for many years, but even he found it a challenge to describe the whole story. This important work began during World War 1, although towing a target with a long rope was really too much for the low-powered aircraft of the period. However, it may surprise some readers to discover just how many types have been used for target towing.At first the banner would be laid out along the runway, with the aircraft taking off, followed by the banner. The next step was to winch the banner out behind the aircraft and then let it loose after use. This method evolved so that the target could be drawn back to the aircraft using a wind-powered winch. Of course, the target was not always a fabric banner, but sometimes a miniature aircraft or a dart-like object. This latter item could be snatched from the ground by the target-towing aircraft by means of a hook.

I think this volume will tell the reader just about all they ever wanted to know about this subject. There are a number of drawings of winches and their components, and a large number of photographs, many of which illustrate the different aircraft used, some of which might not normally be associated with this work (for instance the Airspeed Queen Wasp and the Mustang).Complementing these drawings is a selection of colour profiles. Some aircraft types depicted will be familiar, but I have yet to see a Westland Walrus with a powered target on top at a model show. Other subjects among the 23 profiles include the Boulton Paul Overstrand, Westland Wallace and Hawker Tempest.

This is yet another unsung chapter in military aviation history and one I suggest you add to your reference library.

Ernie Lee
Scale Aircraft Modelling
September 2004

BOOK OF THE MONTH
I have to say that when I saw mention of the release of this title it made me happy as target towing aircraft are one of the many 'oddities' that I have a liking for. This new title from Flight Recorder Publications takes a look at the less glamorous role of aerial gunnery training and the needed targets and how this was achieved. The first chapter looks at the whole subject of aerial targets including flags, banners, sleeves and darts. The second chapter takes a more detailed look at the use of sleeve targets and this is followed by a chapter that looks at the system developed to allow the towing aircraft to carry and deploy multiple targets, one after the other. The use of winged targetsis covered next and this section also covers radio-controlled drones like the Queen Bee and Firefly U Mk 9. Collection of a towed target via the air snatch technique is covered next and in this chapter both sleeve and ballistic targets are included. Next up is a quick look target intelligence and electronic equipment associated with target towing and this includes Miss Distance Indicators amongst others. At this stage you will reach the colour section in the middle, which offers profiles of 22 aircraft types from Westland Walrus through to the Hawk T Mk 1. The next chapter deals with 'modern' targets and covers the Rushton targets we all associate with the Meteor and Canberra. The next chapter deals with target winches, with details, diagrams and photos of the Type B through to the Type H, the Del Mar DX4 and DX6 and Rushton Long Tow Winch. This is followed by a detailed look at the hooks and cable systems used for target towing, while the penulitmate chapter looks at each aircraft type used for target towing. The final chapter is a selection of personal recollections from the author, as to his experiences with the Target Towing Squadron at Weston Zoyland.

This is an excellent title that deals with a subject that, until now, has only ever been given the most fleeting coverage. The narrative text is well written by someone who has first-hand experience of the whole process and this is backed up with a mass of period black and white images. The inclusion of various diagrams and those colour profiles makes it ideal for the modeller and I for one can see a few potential 'projects' that it will stimulate!

Scale Aviation Modeller
August 2004