CAMERA in the SKY

Presentation on the inside front cover to

Raymond Baxter from Charles Sims

 Raymond Baxter
There are a good many hairs
on most of these stories – but, I hope
that you enjoy some of them.
Charles Sims
15000′ Ex-London, 6/6/60

Temple Press Ltd First edition, 1958. 217 pages including over 200 of the author’s finest photographs on quality paper.

Fine condition hardback book with blue covers and a Fine condition unclipped dustjacket. A lovely copy in all respects. NB. The picture of Raymond Baxter (above) is for illustration only and is not included with the book.

From the dustjacket blurb: ‘For more than 30 years, Charles Sims of The Aeroplane and one of Britain’s best known aerial photographers, has watched the amazing growth of British aviation from a ringside seat. The seat has more often been in the air than on the ground and his vantage points have ranged from from the open cockpit of a ‘Brisfit’ and the tail gunner’s turret of a Virginia, to the pressurised ‘office’ of the RAF’s latest jets…’.

Charles Sims learned his trade in the early twenties with the RAF in Iraq and in 1927 joined the staff of The Aeroplane. He provided photos of aeronautical events, people and aircraft in action during the most dramatic era of aviation development. His chapter ‘Test Flights and Test Pilots’ is particularly fascinating and throughout Sims shares anecdotes about some of the most famous names in British aviation history.

Raymond Baxter OBE (1922–2006) was a prominent British television presenter, radio commentator, and World War II Spitfire pilot. He is remembered as the host of the BBC’s flagship science and technology programme, Tomorrow’s World, which he presented from 1965 to 1977 and for his Farnborough commentaries. Before becoming one of the most trusted voices in British broadcasting, Baxter flew Spitfires across Europe and the Mediterranean, being shot down over Sicily, evading capture and returning to active service. In March 1945 he took part in Operation Big Ben against the Shell-Mex building in The Hague.

A fascinating book crammed with fabulous photos and an excellent association.