Britain's first flying machine was trialed in Perthshire in 1907 and ever since - whether at war or in peacetime - Scotland has been in the frontline of British military aviation.

Throughout the past one hundred years, Scottish aviators have led the way in both peace and war, with Scotland providing the airfields for some of the most famous operations in British aviation history, including those against Tirpitz during the Second World War. With a wealth of previously unpublished accounts from air and ground crew, fliers and non-fliers, this is a comprehensive and extensively researched tribute to Scotland’s major role in military aviation.

Deborah Lake joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 18, and served in various locations around the world. She is a qualified pilot, but has also worked as an actor and has run her own business. She has published numerous military books, translations and articles, and also writes fiction and for theatre. She currently lives in Northumberland.