Owen Thetford
Owen Thetford was born in Cheshire in 1923 and has been a life-long enthusiast and writer on aviation matters, specialising in military aviation and in particular, the Royal Air Force, the Fleet Air Arm and the First World War. As a schoolboy he was an omniverous reader of such magazines as Flying Aces, Popular Flying and collecting Jane's All the World's Aircraft for which he later came to work when Leonard Bridgman was Editor.
He published his
first book when still matriculating and thereafter followed a career as an
aviation author and editor.
As an editor, he was associated with the old Air Review magazine where he did
feature articles on such subjects as flying with the Eighth Air Force in the
Flying Fortresses, the U.S. Navy in Devonshire, the re-opening of Railway
Air Services from Croydon to Glasgow with Dakotas, when civil airlines started
up again after the Second World War, as well as book reviews, aviation film
reviews, and for Aero-modeller, the famous series "Aircraft Described"
and "Monthly Memorama" which pioneered writing (now commonplace) about
such subjects as aircraft serial numbers, squadron code letters and camouflage
finishes.
Apart from his work as an aviation author, Owen Thetford works professionally as an Advertising Director. He lives in Wimbledon and his other interests include collecting modern novels, modern jazz, cinema, theater and ballet.
Taken from endflap notes of Argus Books Limited, reprint of Aircraft of the Fighting Powers 1979.
Additional information taken from On Silver Wings.
Owen Thetford began his career as a Technical Officer of the Burtonwood air base in 1940,working on Marylands, Bostons and Haocs. Later he switched to aviation journalism.
Air Mail, ATC Gazette,RAF Quarterly,
--------------------------------
The many people who Owen Thetford has worked with.
H.J.Cooper 19-- 1967. Co-author and Three-view drawings , The first five volumes of A.F.P.
C.B.Maycock. Co-author and Three-view drawings volume 6 of A.F.P.
E.J.Riding.
19-- 1950. Co-author
and Three-view drawings
in volume 7 of A.F.P. and Aircraft of
the 14-18 War. Eddie Riding was killed in a light aircraft air crash over
Easter 1950.
L.E.Bradford. Three-view drawings Aircraft of the Royal Air Force Since 1918.
C.Rupert. Moore, A.R.C.A. 1904 1982. Dust jackets and Frontispieces for A.F.P.
The late, Peter Gray. Co-author German Aircraft of the First World War.
D.A.Russell M.I.Mech.E Editor of A.F.P. (RIP)
Flg Off Alec S C Lumsden
MRAeS. 1921- Was educated at Malvern College and enlisted in the RAF volunteer
Reserve on the outbreak of World War 2, attached to five various squadrons
including No 118 Sqn 1941.
Aviation writer and Co-author of, On Silver Wings.
Alf Granger. Scale drawings, On Silver Wings.
By Keith
Woodcock, GAvA. Cover painting, On Silver
Wings and the cover painting on Aircraft of the Royal Air Force since 1918
9th edition, 1995.
Charles Hannah. Colour profiles, On Silver Wings.
Francis.K.Manson. Re-draughted most of the General Arrangement drawings in the 9th edition of Aircraft of the Royal Air Force Since 1918, and On Silver Wings.
John Blake. Dust jacket painting on, German Aircraft of the First World War 1987 and 1992 reprint.