Book Review

“The Civil Air War,” by C. G. Grey. (The Harborough Pub. Co., Ltd, 12s. 6d.)

This is C. G. Grey at his best and brightest. The various flying books he wrote during the war were good, but full of technicalities and condensed history. In “The Civil Air War,” Grey has more space in which to deal with one of his favourite subjects and he does the occasion justice. This is a most absorbing study of the political, geographical and engineering problems which the future of air transport presents. Lots of people not in the least interested in aeroplanes could find much of interest in this instructive survey of past, present and future problems. Grey spares no one in trying to expose factors which are hampering the proper development of civil flying. He wants to see Britain the leading Power in the air, and many things that stand in the way of this ideal infuriate him. Those who read whatever “C. G. G.” writes because he is “C. G. G.” will thoroughly enjoy this new book, while those who seek the truth about many puzzling matters affecting our future in the air will get what they require in “The Civil Air War.” It is pleasant to read of civil as distinct from war flying, but Grey makes it clear that civil aviation itself is fighting a very fierce war. This book, which runs to 212 pages and needs no pictures to sell it, contains many recordings of delicious witticisms uttered by Grey’s friends — notably “The Black Market is our only link with Democracy,” to which an Admiralty inspector replied: “Such an idea is enough to make any Civil Servant turn in his groove.”