Press Release New Book: Fouga Magister - An Irish Perspective by Joe Maxwell & Radu Brinzan details the history of the Fouga Magister in Irish Air Corps Service between 1975 until 1997.
The Irish Air Corps is celebrating the 90th anniversary of its foundation this year and a new book by Joe Maxwell and Radu Brinzan tells the story of the Fouga Magister jet trainer that served the Air Corps remarkably well for 24 years between 1975 and 1997. The aircraft would be well known to many as the mount of the Silver Swallows Aerobatic Display Team that thrilled crowds at air shows up and down the country and abroad for over ten years. The Silver Swallows became famous internationally when they were awarded the prestigious Lockheed Martin Cannestra trophy for the best display by an overseas team at the Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairford in 1997. This was an incredible achievement for a small team of instructor pilots who had to fit in practice for their routine in the evenings and at weekends.
Less well known however, is the fact that a Fouga Magister of the Katangan Air Force flown by a Belgian national carried out bombing and machine gun attacks on Irish troops serving in the Congo in 1961. This was the first occasion on which Irish troops would experience an air attack. The book describes those attacks which had a profound effect on future UN peacekeeping operations around the globe. In an ironic twist, the Irish Air Corps later purchased two of the Fouga Magisters that had been destined for Katanga but had been withheld as a result of an arms embargo to the breakaway province of the Congo. Four refurbished Fouga Magisters that had been operated by the Austrian Air Force were also purchased.
The book also sheds light on an early attempt by the Irish Government to set up an aircraft manufacturing industry by supporting foreign direct investment from French aircraft manufacturer, Henri Potez during the 1960s. The factory was built at Rathcoole just beside the Irish Air Corps base at Baldonnel for a cost of over £3 million to the tax payer. But no aircraft were ever built there. Henri Potez had the misfortune of attempting to sell the Potez 840, (a four-engine, propeller driven executive transport) to the rich and famous at the same time as Bill Lear was marketing his sleek Learjet to the same customer base. Needless to say, customers flocked to the Learjet and the Potez 840 sank without trace. The subsequent debacle that followed the closure of the factory and the loss of funds to the exchequer provided a valuable lesson to the IDA when dealing with prospective inward investors.
Granted unparalleled access to three surviving airframes, the authors have included what are considered to be the most accurate scale drawings of the Fouga ever produced in both 1/72 and 1/48 scale. Although the authors have concentrated mainly on the Irish use of the Fouga, the technical description alone should ensure that this book finds a wider international audience amongst those interested in the Fouga Magister. Comprehensively illustrated with over 160 photos, 25 drawings and three tables packed into 108 pages, the authors have produced what must be the definitive English language guide to the Fouga Magister.
Fouga Magister – An Irish Perspective goes on sale from September 7th. Price €22.
ISBN 978-0-9562624-1-7
Note to Editors
For further information contact Joe Maxwell at joe@maxdecals.com
See
http://www.maxdecals.com/fougabooksample.html for sample pages.
