About the Author

Dr David C Nicolle is a British historian specialising in the military history of the Middle Ages, with special interest in the Middle East and Arab countries. After working for BBC Arabic Service, he obtained his MA at SOAS, University of London, and a PhD at the University of Edinburgh.  He then lectured at Yarmouk University in Jordan. Dr Nicolle has published over 100 books about warfare, mostly as sole author and co-authored the Arab MiGs series on the history of the Arab air forces at war with Israel.  Late Air Vice Marshal Gabr Ali Gabr PhD (EAF, ret.) served as the pilot of a De Havilland Vampire fighter jet during the Suez War, 1956. After concluding higher military education at the Air Warfare Institute in 1960, he served as an instructor in air tactics at the Air Warfare Institute in 1962-64. Between 1966-67, he was a staff officer during the June 1967 War and went on to be chief of the Operational Training Branch in 1968-73; he was also chief of of the Operations Group during the October 1973 War with Israel. After serving as an instructor in the art of operations and as the chief air force chair at High War College from 1977 until 1982, he received his PhD at Nasser High Academy in 1989. He then moved into writing and has since published seven books and dozens of studies and articles on the history of air warfare in Egypt and abroad. Tom Cooper is an Austrian aerial warfare analyst and historian. Following a career in the worldwide transportation business – during which he established a network of contacts in the Middle East and Africa – he moved into narrow-focus analysis and writing on small, little-known air forces and conflicts, about which he has collected extensive archives. This has resulted in specialisation in such Middle Eastern air forces as of those of Egypt, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, plus various African and Asian air forces. As well as authoring and co-authoring more than 50 books - including an in-depth analysis of major Arab air forces at wars with Israel in period 1955-1973 - and over 1000 articles, Cooper is editor of Helion's five @War series.

Reviews

With good detail, an extensive bibliography and copious endnotes, this deserves a read.
*Aeroplane Magazine*

Colour profiles by Tom Cooper provide valuable modelling references…the authors are refreshingly dispassionate in their assessment of the EAF's strengths and weaknesses.
*Airfix Model World*

This fine book confirms, indeed that the crisis really was the final nail in the coffin of the British Empire. Comprehensive and very readable.
*Books Monthly*

This is an excellent book of a relatively obscure area of military history which will be interesting for the aircraft enthusiast and also model makers looking for a different subject. Recommended.
*Scale Military Modelling International Magazine*

With this one written very much from the Egyptian point of view, I found this an interesting one to read, throwing some new light on this episode in the history of the Middle East conflicts. As a modeller the colour profiles and the many photos are very handy references.
*Military Model Scene*

A highly recommended and refreshingly balanced viewpoint of a significant period of Middle Eastern history.
*Editor - Model Boat World*

A fantastic insight...well put together and laid out using high grade glossy paper stock and is very well priced giving you value for money.
*Aviation Enthusiast Book Club - Simon Jakubowski*