Centrespread - Shuttleworth Collection Bristol F.2B D8096 being flown by Gordon McClymont north of Duxford on July 14 last year.

VINTAGE NEWS - The latest preservation news from Michael Oakey

OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS - Commander Philip Shaw RN concludes his two-part account of how, after 21 years as a naval helicopter pilot, he made the transition to RAF Canberras

TESTED AND FAILED - The second half of Derek Collier Webb's history of the early testing of the fearsome Westland Wyvern carrier-borne torpedo strike aircraft

THE DRAGON SLAYERS - Julian Evans concludes his two part story of how the German Zeppeline airships of World War One were eventully driven from the night skies of Great Britain

ARMCHAIR AVIATION - Melvyn Hiscock reviews more books and a video

FARNBOROUGH HIGHLIGHTS - Choice views of some of participants at the 40th SBAC show, taken by Mike Vines/Photo Link

PRESERVATION PROFILE - Richard Paver recounts the history of David Pennell's Spitfire Mk IX MJ730/ G-HF1X

LIMITED EDITIONS - Philip Jarrett describes the Short Chamois of 1927, which employed advanced metal structural techniques but exhibited unpleasant and potentially dangerous handling qualities

GREAT MOMENTS - David Baker and artist Michael Roffe recall the victory of the Travel Air "Mystery Ship" at Cleveland, Ohio, in September 1929

TRIALS AND TESTBED METEORS - In the penultimate part of his series on Gloster Meteors used to test airframe modifications, engines and equipment, Barry Jones looks at assorted airframes used for a variety of tasks, but of which details are relatively sparse

BLACKS, BLIPS AND LINESHOOTS - Richard Davies concludes his light- hearted account of his wartime flying career ? warts and all ? with recollec- tions of flying Defiants, Lysanders and the Walrus flying-boat

HARALD PENROSE - A tribute by Philip Jarrett to the former Westland chief test pilot who died on on the night of August 31

THE ACES - Ken Aitken caricatures the World War One ace Lanoe Hawker VC

MILITARY PERSONAL ALBUM - Photographs of c.iptured Luftwaffe aircraft taken over by the KAF in Denmark

MAU MAU - David Peters describes some challenging air operations in support of ground forces in Kenya during the Mnu Mau uprising in the 1950s

SKYWRITERS - Readers' letters

HANNO - John Stroud throws some light on pictures of a Handley Page H.P.42 crash in Uganda in 1935

FLYING GALLERY - The fourth in an occasional series spot- lighting the work of a selection of aviation artists

CROSSWIND - John Maynard's regular comment column

COMPETITION - This month's Diversions features the chance to win a leather flying jacket, with 1997 Flying Legends calendars for the runners-up


Front Cover - RICHARD PAVER photographed Dave Mackay flying Autokraft Hawker Hurricane G-HURR/"BE417" on August 26 this year.