Britain's first flying machine was trailed in Perthshire in 1907 and ever since - whether at war or in peacetime - Scotland has been in the frontline of British military aviation. In Tartan Air Force Deborah Lake investigates Scotland's contribution to military flying over the last hundred years. With a wealth of previously unpublished or little-known accounts from air and ground crew, fliers and non-fliers, this is a comprehensive and entertaining tribute which emphasises the human aspect of Scotland's part in the history. From the Second World War, when many famous missions, including those against the great German battleship Tirpitz, were undertaken from Scottish airfields, to the importance of its RAF air bases and radar stations in asserting the Soviet threat during the Cold War and beyond, Scotland has played its part in protecting the skies.

All 6 of the throws in this book use the same technique of Woven Crochet. There are only two stitches required: chain and double crochet. The result is a beautiful fabric that looks quite complex but in fact is astonishingly simple to do. Simply create a mesh and then weave srips into the mesh. Step-by-step written instructions are included in the pattern. Each designs colors represent a branch of our military including the Army, Air Force, Marine Crops, Navy, Coast Gaurd and West Point. All are made using worsted-weight yarn.

The Scottish soldier has been at war for over 2000 years. Until now, no reference work has attempted to examine this vast heritage of warfare.A Military History of Scotland offers readers an unparalleled insight into the evolution of the Scottish military tradition. This wide-ranging and extensively illustrated volume traces the military history of Scotland from pre-history to the recent conflict in Afghanistan. Edited by three leading military historians, and featuring contributions from thirty scholars, it explores the role of warfare in the emergence of a Scottish kingdom, the forging of a Scottish-British military identity, and the participation of Scots in Britain's imperial and world wars. Eschewing a narrow definition of military history, it investigates the cultural and physical dimensions of Scotland's military past such as Scottish military dress and music, the role of the Scottish soldier in art and literature, Scotland's fortifications and battlefield archaeology, and Scotland's military memorials and museum collections.

In the early hours of Thursday, July 10, 1919 hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers rushed out onto the streets and rooftops and gaped up into the sky as a great silver ship, hundreds of feet long, rolled slowly across the city. Restaurants, hotels, theatres and bars emptied as people took to the street to gaze upwards. The ship seemed to hover over the New York Times building in 42nd street before turning its bow to the east and heading off towards the Atlantic. New Yorkers had never seen anything like it. They were left to wonder as the thrum of the engines died away. But it was no alien visitation. The huge silver craft, bearing a lion rampant across its bow, was the Scottish-built airship R34 manned by a 30-strong crew of World War I veterans (and a stowaway cat). A few days earlier the R34 had made the first-ever east-west flight across the Atlantic against powerful head winds and electrical storms. The flight of the R34 was one of the great feats of British aviation and it has been shamefully forgotten - but there is a wealth of information out there. Some of it is in the diary kept by General Edward Maitland, which was later published, other material comes from the flight reports of the airship's officers, crew diaries, press interviews, and technical information buried in the National Archives in Kew and in the records of the royal Aeronautical Society and the New York Times. Weaving all of this together, George Rosie paints a vivid picture of the great feats of early 19th Century aviation and one of which Scotland should be immensely proud.

"Ranging from Mary Queen of Scots to Alexander McQueen, this is a lively and comprehensive guide to 400 tartans, fully illustrated in color and rich in Scottish history and lore. Internationally popular, and worn by everyone from Madonna to the Royal Family, tartan is the very symbol of Scottishness. In this fascinating book, world expert Brian Wilton traces tartan back to its roots, looking at how and where the various clan tartans began and showing how it has spread across the world. Arranged in geographical sections, the book showcases more than 400 tartans, explaining how they were created, what they signify, and when and by whom they are worn. Alongside the classic Scottish tartans--each depicted in full color--are other examples of tartans from around the world. Accompanying sidebars discuss the wider history and role of tartans, with illustrations that include paintings, engravings, and modern celebrity photos"--Publisher's description.