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Re: Aeroplane Monthly and FlyPast

Posted by Mikael Olrog on Sun Jan 06, 2002 06:46:29 AM

In reply top Re: Aeroplane Monthly and FlyPast posted by david J burke on Sat Jan 05, 2002 09:07:20 AM

In my opinion both FP and AM have a similar scope today which I (for simplicity) would divide into two major areas, one which is the publication of aviation historical articles and the other a coverage of the warbird movement. Both of these topics have (in my opinion) a clear UK focus in both magazines today, but the coverage of the warbird movement do have a more international scope, at least when it comes to the short news flashes.

A friend in Germany wrote to me some days ago ?Sometimes I have the impression, that for some publishers, kit producers and enthusiasts the German aviation history only contains the Bf 109 and the Fw 190. There exist so many fantastic historical aircraft! It is the same thing in England where you (from abroad) sometimes can get the impression, that the English aviation only consists of the Spitfire and the Battle of Britain.? I think my friend has a good point in his remark.

David, you asked what would I like to see more of?

I?d like to see a more truly global coverage of the warbird movement with full-length articles not just short news flashes in the news section. The coverage of the UK warbird scene is excellent today but it is becoming increasingly difficult for the magazines to get a real ?scope? in UK, because the other magazine have pretty much the same information and often photos from just a slightly different angle. One example of this occured when both FP and AM the same month had photos of the same aircraft (a spitfire if I remember correctly) taken by the same photographer on the same air-to-air shooting on their front covers. Over the last 10-15 years the growth and the standard of the warbird movement in the rest of Europe and in other parts of the world have developed considerably. So there should be a lot of interesting topics to write about and plenty of unique photos to illustrate the articles and covers.

Secondly I?d like to see a more global perspective of the aviation historical articles. (Where?s the story about the Belgian aviator that flew Fiat CR 42 those few days in 1940, or the interview with the French test pilot who was active in the 30?s and 40?s? The list of possible mouth-watering topics is only limited by your imagination! ;-).

Finally, both FP and AM are truly excellent magazines and probably still unrivalled today, so my thoughts should just be regarded as very personal fantasies on how to get them from the level of ?truly excellent? to ?truly magnificent?! ;-)

Regards
/Mikael









: Good comments Michael - Regards the two both are broadly a
: iming to do the same thing so unfortunately or fortunately

: depending on which way you look at they are both likely t
: o have similar articles.
: Out of interest what would you like to see more o
: f ? Certainly the Norwegian Ju-52 article was good and hop
: efully the will be more on the 'happenings' in that part o
: f the world - the mountain's of Norway seem very much to b
: e a Luftwaffe 'storage depot' !
:
: Regards David J Burke

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